UPDATE: Kahen advanced to the second day of the state tournament, which started in O’Fallon, Ill on Jan. 31 . He finished 64th overall, individually. He knocked down a combined 2,374 pins over 12 rounds.
One day, an eighth grade boy watched his grandmother bowl at Brunswick Zone Deerfield, where he saw a man coaching high school boys on how to knock down pins. After the boy and coach met, they soon realized the boy’s grandmother and the coach’s mother bowled on the same team in the Huntington Ladies League.
Flashing forward four years, that coach, Todd Rubin, now the Glenbrook North boys bowling coach, has helped the boy, junior Corey Kahen, during his high school bowling career. So far in high school, Kahen has placed third twice in Vernon Hills Invitationals, fourth in the Lake Park Invitational, sixth in last years sectionals, ninth in a Rockford Guilford tournament, 34th last year in state, bowling a 213 average.
This is the first year the school recognizes bowling as an official sport, but it is the school’s third year competing in the IHSA. Before bowling was a school sport, Kahen played on the school’s bowling club at the varsity level for two years.
“From a performance standpoint, [Kahen] is our highest average bowler and was our highest average bowler last year,” said Rubin. “He is not only one of the top bowlers at [school,] but also in the state, no question.”
Rubin helps the other players on the team learn the science and tricks to bowling. Since Kahen came into the program with a solid base, he has also helped the other boys on the team.
However, Rubin said Kahen has his own method of bowling.
“[Kahen] is a ‘feel’ player,” said Rubin. “He just knows ‘I kind of throw it like this, and that is successful for me.’”
Kahen said he bowled his first 300, a perfect score, on Oct. 5, 2010 at Brunswick Zone Hawthorn. He has bowled two other 300’s during practices, but he got his first perfect score during competition for GBN on Jan. 12 at the Lake Zurich Invitational. On Jan. 18, Kahen qualified individually for sectionals.
According to Rubin this was the first 300 in the school’s history. In addition, Kahen followed that success by scoring another 300 during the sectional on Jan. 25., and winning the whole sectional. He advanced to the state finals scheduled to take place at St. Clair Bowl in Fairview Heights, Ill. on Jan. 31.
“He was very nervous…even though he throws 10 strikes in a row, the nerves go up and the anxiety goes up,” said Rubin. “You fear missing. …It’s similar to throwing a perfect game in baseball. Everybody stops talking and gets really quiet, and bowlers hate that because it increases their pressure.”
Kahen not only plays on the school team but also on the Hawthorn Traveling team. However, he prefers the school program because he said the camaraderie and support within the team is stronger.
“You’re representing the school, so you’re not only doing something for yourself, but you are doing something good for the school,” Kahen said.
In addition to the support from his teammates and Rubin, Kahen said he gets help from sports psychologist Al Markle to improve the mental aspect of his game. According to Kahen, his biggest challenge is gaining confidence. Kahen said talking to Markle every day helps relieve stress both in and out of bowling.
“There are many players who are mentally strong but don’t have the physical game Corey does,” said Rubin. “But he has to continue to push himself and understand and believe it that the mental game is really going to hold him back if he doesn’t master that.”
Even through the mental struggle, Kahen is consistently placing in the top 10 in the Rockford Guilford tournaments, said Rubin. According to Kahen he has placed in the top 20 in every tournament this year. Although Kahen competes competitively, he also bowls with his friends, in P.E. class and on the Wii. He said he has bowled six 300’s in a row on the video game.
“I’ve been coaching sports for more than a decade and I’m not sure I’ve coached anyone who wants success more than Corey,” Rubin said.