McNary High School has resurrected its bowling team with two new coaches who will lead the season come September.

Denny Eubank, 44, will lead the effort, assisted by Kyle Read, 36. The two share high hopes for the team’s future.

“We want to get some state championships, district championships,” Eubank said. “It’s going to be tough the first few years…but that’s the hope.” 

The team has started recruiting and needs 12 players to compete in the fall. Players can email Eubank at [email protected] for signup information.

Eubank, a manager at Capitol Auto Group, started the bowling team so his daughter could compete. He grew up in Woodburn and never bowled competitively despite coaching for a year in Silverton. 

Read, who also is employed by Capitol Auto Group, will teach the technique.

“He’s kind of the brains behind the bowling,” Eubank said. “I’m doing the fundraising, the meeting with athletic directors…and all that.”

Bowling was a large part of Read’s childhood in Gervais. His parents were bowling coaches and Read was “typically” a top 10 bowler in the state in high school.

In the mid-2000s, Read competed against McNary’s former team. The Celts consistently finished in the top two of the district, Read said, but shut down their program in 2019. 

By graduation, Read earned $7,000 in scholarships from bowling.

“There’s so much scholarship money through bowling. I don’t think people realize how much you end up earning,” he said.

Read said youth bowling tournaments award cash prizes, which include scholarships. These are general scholarship funds, not exclusively athletic.

Read thinks scholarship money could help overcome a major hurdle – recruiting athletes. He also said the energy of bowling tournaments will inspire McNary kids to join the team. 

Eubank agreed.

“It would blow your mind,” he said. “It’s as loud as a football game.” 

He compared bowling to baseball, with teams chanting for their bowler.

The coaches are planning two exhibition tournaments in August at The REC: Lanes to let Keizerites experience the bowling scene. McNary will host another tournament during the season, as well. 

Besides participation, funding is another challenge facing the team. 

In Oregon, youth bowling isn’t a school-sanctioned sport, so it receives no government backing. The United States Bowling Congress, a national organization, sanctions high school bowling leagues.

The team needs $2,000 to compete in the league. Eubank wants a total of $3,500 to cover individual costs, bowling balls, and team uniforms. Without that money, individuals would have to pay $200 for the season.

The REC: Lanes donated lane space for team practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:15 to 6 p.m. The first open practice is scheduled for July 31, and the first team practice is scheduled for Aug. 26.

Eubank is still looking for one-time donations or season sponsors.

They have several tournaments lined up for the season and need 12 players to fill out boys and girls teams.

A team must have five players and a substitute to enter a tournament. Teams will compete in a 10-frame game and each player must bowl two frames. 

Read hopes to teach “clean bowling,” knocking down all the pins in at least two frames, which is called a spare. This sets up the next bowler for success because spares compound the next frame’s points. 

“You don’t have to be great at bowling because it’s a team thing,” Eubank said. 

Read said that if each bowler can end with a spare, the team will perform just fine.

By the season’s end, Eubank has one goal – sustaining two teams.

“I want to maintain a girls and a boys squad through the season. If we can’t get them to bowl, then we can’t keep the program,” he said.

Eubank and Read plan to run the program for a while. 

“I plan to be with the program for a minimum of four years, probably six, and then it will get turned over to Kyle,” Eubank said.

Read agreed with that time frame. He hopes to develop a consistent program at McNary, where the team performs well each season and athletes accumulate bowling scholarships for college.

Eubank expects success soon. He wants to compete for the state title in two years. What will it take?

“Continuous kids showing up, word of mouth happening, and support from the community,” Eubank said.