Nevada school receives High School Grant through YES Fund

ARLINGTON, Texas – The Douglas High School Bowling Club in Minden, Nevada, is the latest recipient of a $2,500 High School Grant distributed through the Youth Education Services (YES) Fund.

The High School Grant Program is managed by International Bowling Campus Youth Development and annually provides up to four grants to high school programs that show financial need because of budget cuts or other changes. Grants also are provided to schools starting a new program.

During the 2016-2017 school year, Douglas High School is fielding a bowling team for the first time. The club held an informational meeting toward the end of the last school year to gauge student interest, and more than 20 students attended the meeting. The club held voluntary practices throughout the summer.

David Dickey, a United States Bowling Congress Bronze coach, is the head coach of the program, with Allan Powers, a USBC Level I coach, also assisting the team. Currently, there are 10 student-athletes in the program, and Dickey said there has been “a lot of interest already with our younger junior bowlers.”

The Douglas Bowling Club will have its first matches later this month, and the season runs through the last week in February.

“Our athletes are very excited to get started and are probably tired of myself and the other coaches harping on footwork, release and mental and physical fitness,” Dickey said. “It really is going to be interesting since our first match is at the National Bowling Stadium.”

Dickey added the Douglas Bowling Club already had done some fundraising and that the High School Grant will help with the costs of starting and maintaining the program.

“The grant means so much to the program,” Dickey said. “It takes the pressure off continuous fundraising and ensures our program will be here for several years. Last, but not least, it gives the opportunity to grow the sport of bowling in the western part of the country.”

The Douglas Bowling Club is competing in the High Desert Interscholastic Bowling Program (HDIBP), which was formed more than 10 years ago. Last season, the HDIBP had 10 schools from Reno and Carson City compete in the league.

Wink’s Silver Strike Lanes in Garnerville, which re-opened last year, is the home center for the Douglas High School Bowling Club.

The High School Grant Program is a product of the YES Fund, a joint initiative of the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America and USBC supported by top bowling brands including Bowling.com, Brunswick, Columbia 300, Ebonite, Hammer, QubicaAMF, Roto Grip, Storm and Track.

Go to BOWL.com/HighSchool to learn more about the High School Grant Program and other initiatives available to help high school programs.