Owego resident and OFA Senior Tim Taft signs his Muskingum University letter of intent at Owego Bowl on April 25, 2015. Sitting, from the left, are Debbie, Tim, and Tom Taft. Standing is OFA Bowling Coach Pam Donovan, Muskingum University Bowling Coach Doug Smith, and OFA Bowling Assistant Coach John Buckley.
A local high school bowler and athlete has signed a letter of intent as he prepares for his college career. Tim Taft of Owego signed with the Muskingum University Fighting Muskies during a Saturday, April 25 ceremony at Owego Bowl, 1404 Taylor Rd., Owego. He was joined by his friends and family as he made the commitment.
Tim’s mom, Debbie Taft, said she was excited about Tim’s signing, and praised Muskingum University.
“The Campus is really beautiful, it’ll be a perfect fit for Tim,” Taft said. She and husband Tom visited the campus last month, prior to Tim’s signing. “It’s a small town like Owego,” Taft said, “I’m excited, it’s a great school.”
Fighting Muskies’ Bowling Coach Doug Smith came to Owego to sign his newest bowler. Smith said the biggest thing he stresses to his bowlers is getting a good education. “Bowling is just the icing on the cake,” Smith said. And Tim Taft fit what Coach Smith said he’s looking for perfectly.
“Tim has a good average score and is left handed,” Smith said, explaining that as with other sports, a dominant left-handed athlete has an advantage in bowling. The lane changes as people bowl on it, so as a left-hander Taft can expect to get the ‘grooves’ in his lane set up to his liking, and then they’ll stay that way.
“At some point, the condition of the lane changes,” Tim Taft said. “There are different finish patterns on the lanes, and the finish gets a pattern to it as it’s bowled on. You have to adjust. Lots of people think you just throw the ball down the lane, but there’s more to it. There are angles and adjustments. It’s hard to get to the college level,” Taft said.
Taft credited Owego Free Academy Coach Pam Donovan with his success. “She’s always there for us,” Taft said of Donovan’s interaction with the 15 members of the OFA Bowling team. “She reminds us what we need to do on the lanes, she’s a really good coach,” Taft said.
As for the signing, which marked the beginning of his transition from high school student to college, Taft said it was hard to describe. “It’s bittersweet,” Taft said, “I’m going to college, but leaving the team in Owego.” Still, Taft said he was looking forward to the college experience at Muskingum and bowling in a new environment.
And there might be future bowlers moving on to a college career from Taft’s family. Walking around beaming in a Muskingum University t-shirt was Ken Patterson, Tim’s grandfather. Patterson recalled coming to Owego Bowl with Tim and his brothers Erin and Tyler Taft, who are also bowlers and still students at OFA. The foursome would bowl every Saturday morning, and Patterson said his grandkids were all good bowlers.
“We have a lot of fun around here,” Patterson said.
Owego Bowl owner Rick O’Neil said Taft was the first of the bowlers who grew up knocking the pins down at his lanes to go on to bowl in college. O’Neil said Taft was part of the youth bowling program at Owego Bowl, starting to bowl avidly when he was just seven years old or so.
“Tim practiced a lot, participated in all our programs, and listened to his coaches,” O’Neil said, “it’s good to see him do well. Tim’s a great kid, I’m sure he’ll continue to get even better.”
