By: Grace Long, Staff Writer
For Claire Jacobson, bowling runs in the family.
Her great-grandparents bowled as did her grandmother and both of her parents. After joining a bowling league in kindergarten, Jacobson quickly fell in love with the sport and spent much of her time at the bowling alley, where she developed many close relationships.
“They became my second family,” the sophomore from New Prague, Minnesota, said.
Now, Jacobson is a Newman sophomore and one of the standout stars on the women’s bowling team. Last season, she racked up recognitions: She was an honorable mention on the National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association All-America list, was named the Great Lakes Valley Conference Freshman of the Year and received First Team All-GLVC honors.
She also helped lead her team to last season’s Great Lakes Valley Conference Championship for the first time in program history. This year, the team entered its season ranked No. 1 in the National Ten Pin Coaches Association's Division II/III preseason poll and No. 12 overall in the NTCA Preseason Coaches Poll.
Jacobson’s journey to success began with her childhood love of bowling, which quickly grew into a dream of competing at the collegiate level. However, the goal became less certain the summer after her sophomore year of high school, when Jacobson tore her ACL and meniscus and required a cadaver cartilage graft. The injury left her unsure whether she would be able to achieve her dream.
The encouragement she received from the bowling alley community helped her through recovery and strengthened her desire to continue competing, she said.
“Their support was the deciding factor to pursue my dream of bowling at an upper level,” Jacobson said.
That determination eventually brought her to Newman, where she found a welcoming community, small class sizes, and an environment where she could continue to compete at a high level.
“It felt like home the moment I stepped on campus, and I knew it was the place for me,” Jacobson said.
All of the recognition she’s received, especially the mention from National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association, helped her realize that all her work had been worth it, she said.
“I didn’t know if I was capable of achieving something like that, so being able to prove it to myself gave me a lot of confidence,” Jacobson said.
However, Jacobson remained determined to improve, not allowing the All-America honor to bring about complacency.
“It motivates me to work even harder,” she said. “I want to show others that this is only the beginning and that I am capable of accomplishing much more.”
Competing at the national level last season also helped Jacobson develop more confidence in her game. Although the talent of her opposition initially felt overwhelming, it was something Jacobson was proud to be a part of.
“I learned that not only does the team belong at that level, but so do I,” said Jacobson,
While the accolades are special for Jacobson, she said she treasures the bonds with her teammates just as much.
“I feel like I have 14 other women who I am lucky enough to see every day and call my best friends,” she said.
Jacobson said that she hopes to win another conference championship and, the ultimate prize, a national title with the Jets. Individually, she said she wants to continue developing her skills, improve her mental game and become someone her teammates can consistently rely on.
Jacobson said that the team’s high rankings in this season’s coaches' polls was exciting and also motivated the team to work harder and prove it deserved the rankings.
The Jets had a strong showing at their most recent tournament, the Mid-States Championships on Saturday and Sunday in Wichita. Newman’s varsity team finished second, while the junior varsity team claimed first place. Jacobson placed third individually and earned All-Tournament Team honors.
The Jets will compete next weekend at the Warhawk Classic in Rockford, Illinois, where Jacobson will take the lanes with a simple goal.
“I want to continue doing whatever I can to help our team succeed,” Jacobson said.
PHOTO: Courtesy, Newman Athletics
