Apollo High School senior Emma Workman has been named the 2020 Owensboro Times Girls’ Bowler of the Year.
Workman didn’t quite reach her goals of repeating as the region champion and earning another trip to state with her team, but she put together an otherwise solid season.
While she and the team had plenty of top finishes throughout the year, Workman said the most important thing this season was the bond she developed while working with Taylor Vance in the unified competition.
“The thing I am most proud of is what I feel is the biggest highlight of this season, my relationship I have built with my now best friend, Taylor Vance,” Workman said. “She is in the special services program at Apollo, and we competed in the unified division at the region tournament. We fell short of making it to state (placing 3rd) however I wouldn’t have traded it for the world.”
Apollo bowling coach Kerrie Gatton said it was special to watch the duo’s relationship unfold.
“Emma immediately took Taylor under her wing helping her during practices, encouraging her, teaching her all the cheers and just making sure she had a great time competing with our team,” Gatton said. “During the season Taylor played in our regular matches and traveled with us. They had a great outing at region and had so much fun finishing as semifinalists.”
Workman, in her fifth year with Apollo, was a leader for everyone on the team. She is a certified bowling coach, and she knows encouragement is a big key to success.
“Players need to feel motivated and like they are doing a good job or else they aren’t going to want to do anything,” she said. “You need to help and use positive reinforcement to make things run smoothly, so I tried my best to ensure that I was encouraging others as best I can.”
Gatton said Workman improved her physical game during the offseason, but the biggest gains came in the mental approach.
“Emma was much better prepared this season to learn from the conditions or her mistakes and make good adjustments on her own,” Gatton said. “She also became more of a leader on the team, which we needed with so many young bowlers.”
Workman said competing for Apollo has opened up a lot of doors for her future.
“Without bowling, I wouldn’t have the opportunities that I have today,” she said. “Bowling and competing for Apollo has given me so many great opportunities. I have created friendships and memories that will last a lifetime and will carry me through my next chapter of bowling.”
Workman has already signed with the Kentucky Wesleyan College, where she will pursue a teaching and sports medicine degree. She also wants to continue coaching, and eventually join the circuit for the Team USA/Jr Team USA Bowling or even the high rankings of the PWBA after college.
“The sky’s the limit and I hope to continue to push myself to see where I may end up.”
