Xavier junior Dale Weaver eyes more bowling glory

CEDAR RAPIDS - As with anything, getting better at bowling requires practice.

For Cedar Rapids Xavier junior Dale Weaver, it took 10 years of experience to make history.

Weaver set a school record for the highest two-game series with a 516 recently, breaking the previous record by four pins. Last year, Weaver was ranked 50th in the state with an average of 204 per game. This year, he is ranked fifth with an average of 226.3 per game and 42.5 per series.

State qualifying tournaments for boys' and girls' bowling will be held Tuesday. Xavier will be in a Class 2A meet at May City Bowl, starting at 10 a.m.

He accomplished his goals by working hard between seasons. Although he has broken one record, he still has much more he wants to accomplish.

'In high school, I want to beat the one-game record, which is currently 299, so I would have to bowl a 300 game,” Weaver said. 'I have come close two times this season.”

He bowled in a weeklong tournament over the summer, as well as leagues and tournaments almost every Saturday and Sunday.

'My biggest supporters are my parents,” Weaver said. 'They take me to a lot of tournaments across the state, and sometimes across the country.”

The coaching and team atmosphere also has played a role in his success this season. Xavier's coaches - Russ Camacho and Tom Trcka Jr. - work with Weaver and others on improving their form.

'Coach Camacho takes videos of me to see what I need to fix, and Coach Trcka lets me come in early sometimes and bowl on tougher oil patterns,” Weaver said.

Xavoer junior Erik Triplett can attest to the team's compatibility.

'My favorite part of bowling is how much fun we have,” he said. 'The team and I have really grown together, and we have a lot of chemistry, so it is really fun to bowl with them.”

Both bowlers agree anyone interested in the sport would have fun being on a high school team.

'If you are thinking about going out for bowling next year, do it,” Weaver said. 'It is fun and a good sport to get into.”