Unified bowling strengthens student connections at LPS high schools

December 16, 2024

Northwest High School junior Tenley couldn’t stop glowing as she struck up a conversation this fall about her unified bowling experience.
 
Tenley is part of a positive sport that has witnessed major growth at local, state and national levels in recent years. All eight Lincoln Public Schools high schools offer unified bowling, which provides a place for students with and without disabilities to have fun together.
 
Tenley said she would encourage all LPS students to try the activity. She said she has benefited in many educational ways from her time at bowling alleys.
 
“I would 100 percent say do it,” Tenley said. “It’s honestly so much fun. Every single day I’m like, ‘Oh my goodness, I get to have unified practice today after school.’ I’m so excited to come out and hang out with people. It’s so heartwarming and so much fun. It’s just a fun time and I love helping out.”
 
East senior Melena had similar sentiments. She joined her school’s unified bowling program as a sophomore after spending time in the Circle of Friends Lunch Bunch community. She said it has been one of the best decisions she has made during her high school career.
 
“I feel like there’s no way to lose here,” Melena said. “You will definitely gain something out of this, whether it’s a new friendship, new skills, whether it’s just learning how to bowl or just learning how to communicate with people in other ways. There’s really nothing to lose.”
 
The Nebraska School Activities Association sanctions unified bowling and includes duals and tournaments throughout the season. Students in grades 9-12 form five-person teams that consist of members with and without disabilities. The sport’s biggest goal is to build an inclusive community that helps everyone feel valued and respected.
 
LPS has become a leader in the fast-growing nationwide activity. There were 156 students who were members of LPS unified bowling teams last year. Final participation numbers for 2024-25 are not yet compiled, but all eight schools – Lincoln High, East, North Star, Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest and Standing Bear – are sponsoring teams. Dozens of students are representing their schools throughout the season.
 
The activity connects with the 2024-29 school district’s strategic plan in several ways. Unified bowling promotes student wellbeing and outcomes and increases family and community engagement. Many families come to watch students at duals and tournaments throughout the year, which builds stronger community bonds.
 
Nebraska was one of 11 states that sponsored unified bowling activities in 2023-24. Nebraska had the second-highest number of participants in the country with 1,600 girls and boys from 84 schools. There were 750 girls and 850 boys who took part in the sport last year.
 
New York (1,549 girls and 1,865 boys) was the only state with a larger unified bowling presence. Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan and New Jersey also sponsor the sport. LPS had nearly as many total unified bowlers (156) as there were in all of Michigan (229 girls and boys), Kentucky (239) and California (240).
 
There were 4,657 unified bowlers in the country in the 2021-22 school year. The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) said those numbers rose to 7,191 in 2022-23 and 8,332 last year.
 
Melena said being involved in the activity over the past three years has increased her leadership and communication skills. She has worked closely with a pair of East teammates who have intellectual disabilities. Her patient and kind demeanor has helped them feel both confident and comfortable on the bowling lane.
 
“I’ve gotten to learn a lot of their strengths, and also how to, not coach them, but help them find ways that allow them to bowl too and have fun,” Melena said.
 
East senior Grant has also been involved with unified bowling for three years. He wanted to spend more time with several friends he had made in a unified physical education class, and he decided to try out for the sport. The decision has helped him expand his social network with many Spartans.
 
“I’ve made a lot of friendships in unified, and I don’t think I would have as many friends as I do now if I didn’t go out for any unified activities,” Grant said.
 
Grant has spent a large amount of time partnering with one of his classmates on the team. The student said he has been grateful for Grant’s friendship.
 
“Grant is a good person,” he said. “I’ve known him for a long time.”
 
Tenley, Melena and Grant all said the benefits that come from unified bowling will stick with them for the rest of their lives.
 
“I’ve been a part of a lot of different unified activities, and every year I keep coming back because there’s nothing like unified bowling,” Grant said. “It’s just a constant fun environment and there’s just nonstop laughter and fun. It’s just awesome. It’s awesome to be around all these people.”

To learn more about LPS Athletics and Activities, visit our website at https://home.lps.org/athletics. 
 
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