By Blake Chadwick
Circle senior Keaton Bally heads into his second year of bowling with a mindset that has become his biggest strength. For Bally, everything revolves around staying calm, forgetting the lows, and performing at his best, even after making mistakes. Whether he is practicing or competing at tournaments, his focus stays the same: get better every day, have fun, slow things down, and keep his mind clear so he can compete at the highest level possible.
This season, Bally has big goals for both himself and his team.
“My team goals for this year is to win state and have a lot of fun,” Bally said. “We have been practicing all offseason and brought in some new people that will help a lot. My personal goals is to carry a 200 average and help my team as much as I can. To achieve this I have been practicing three days a week all offseason and changed a lot of things in my game.”
For Bally, this is his last go around as he doesn’t plan on bowling at the next level. Instead, he plans to earn his license to become an airline pilot, a path that fits his personality, discipline, and ability to stay locked in under pressure.
Last season, Bally finished with a 737 series, placed 21st at state, and earned AVCTL honorable mention. Knowing how far he has come, he doesn’t feel pressure, just excitement and the desire to impress himself and accomplish every goal he’s set.
“If I had six Keatons, I’d be fine and happy. He knows what he does, and he does it good,” head coach Doug Odom said.
