Duke team strikes out Eglin bowling champions

  • Published
  • By Jasmine DeNamur
  • 919th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
Three wing personnel and four other members became this year's Eglin Air Force Base Bowling Champions when they rose from being one of the lowest ranking teams midway to defeating the base' s reigning champions in a tournament that ended May 29.
 
Master Sgts. Steven Bicknell and Jeffrey Norton, 919th Maintenance Squadron maintainers, Senior Airman Christina Bicknell, 919th Medical Squadron dental assistant, an Eglin maintainer, and three civilians put their best arm forward to strike out the 96th Services Squadron and take on the title of "Bowling Champions" that the squadron held on to for so long.

"We started the team two weeks late," said Sergeant Norton. "The other teams had an advantage over us in that they had more practice time. Sure, two weeks doesn't sound like much, but when our counterparts were practicing nearly three days a week, we were six fewer practices in the hole."

The team also lost and gained members throughout the season, making it even more difficult to maintain a sense of continuity throughout the 34-week competition.

"The practices were not only for enhancing our bowling skills, but getting to know how our team worked together, which is vital in any team-based competition," said Sergeant Norton. "We were lucky in that we were able to adapt throughout the competition."

Practicing every week on Eglin is timely. Some of the team members had to drive great distances to make it, and with tight work schedules and deployments going on, it made it difficult to stay with the group the whole time, said Sergeant Bicknell.

Regardless of these changes, the team became stronger and overall scores rose drastically toward the end of the competition.

"One night in the second half of competition, three of our top bowlers' overall scores totaled 750, 760, and 780 with no handicap," he said.

Though outnumbered by the men, the women in the group were given a large amount of the credit for winning.

The trophy is firmly in the grips of the women. They bowled so well during the final round and they deflated the other teams with their nerves of steel and sheer determination to win, said Sergeant Bicknell.

This team beat the perennial bowling power. Their story can be compared as a 'David and Goliath' venture, said Col. Kenneth Ray, wing vice commander.

Sergeant Bicknell broke his 200 average for the first time in his 30 years of bowling finishing with a score of 210, and Senior Airman Bicknell bowled well over 140 on a 120 average, said Sergeant Norton.

"What helped a lot was that we maintained our motivation by keeping our team spirit uplifted and just enjoying the game," said Senior Airman Bicknell. "Our personalities came together, and we had fun with it."