Freshman bowler Sarah Doughty quickly made a name for herself during the 2023-2024 bowling season. Despite her young age, Doughty set five program records already as a freshman. Doughty’s biggest achievements of the season were winning the Western Big 6 girls’ title and the U15 girl’s title.
Doughty’s been bowling since she was three years old and was on the Challand bowling team in middle school. Not only is she an excellent bowler, she’s also been known to be a very good teammate.
Senior and current captain Loralei Michels said, “She works well with the team and I could see her being captain her junior year.”
Before the bowling season, Doughty worked hard preparing and being involved in other bowling activities, such as a sport shot league and an adult child league which she did with her father at Blackhawk Lanes. She also got into participating in non-school-related tournaments.
Doughty says, “They expose me to different lane conditions, patterns, and bowling alleys, which helped me learn how to adapt better to all the lanes that I had never bowled on during the season.”
Towards the close of the season, Doughty won the individual champion at the 2024 IHSA Girls Regional Tournament with a high six-game series of 1369. She also won the Western Big 6 Conference with a 1271 series in January.
Doughty has already built up a lot of experience from her 12 years of bowling and is willing to give her opinions and tips to others. Junior Emily Doss said “She always watches out for me on the lanes by suggesting different ways I can stand and what boards I should aim for.”
Head girls bowling coach Loren Wolf said,“It has been an awesome season and she is only a freshman. There are many more records I feel she will break.”
Doughty plans on continuing bowling throughout high school and challenging herself in the sport.