Practice has paid off for rising South River High School senior Matt Wulster, who has found success in the classroom and on the lanes for the Rams. Matt Wulster loves to bowl, but the rising senior at South River High School is also a solid student. He has to be.
“If I don’t complete all my schoolwork, I don’t get to bowl. It’s as simple as that,” Wulster said about his daily schedule in and out of season.
As a result, a typical day begins with Wulster attending school, getting as much homework as possible done during whatever time he has in between classes and when they are over. Then his focus shifts clearly to arriving at Brunswick Zone Carolier Lanes in North Brunswick in the right frame of mind so he is ready to bowl his best.
“Bowling is a life sport and just about anybody can do it and become good,” Wulster said. “The only physical aspect of bowling is working on your swing and timing, and the only way to do that is practice, practice and practice.”
There’s a saying that practice makes perfect. Wulster is proof of that. Although his score didn’t count because it didn’t come against an opponent, Wulster rolled what every bowler dreams: a 300.
“It was a bittersweet moment,” he said of the game that occurred last season. “When we bowl, the girls and boys are matched against the opponent’s teams. That day, the girls faced Mother Seton High School, an all-girls school, so we were left without an opponent.
“Our coach (Christine Brasno) brought the boys along for practice. The perfect score occurred in the first game [of three]. When I rolled the final strike, I couldn’t believe I had actually done it, especially because my hands were shaking as the strikes kept mounting up and I was having trouble concentrating.”
Because of the circumstances, the perfect score didn’t count toward Wulster’s average, but what he said about concentration is a key to being a successful bowler.
“In my opinion, getting into the right frame of mind is the best preparation you can have,” he said.
As often is the case, bowlers can experience a variety of mental swings depending on the day. Wulster is no different than anyone who has gone through those emotional highs and lows.
After a freshman season when he averaged 169, he saw significant improvement as a sophomore by averaging 189. However, his average actually dipped a point last year.
“So there’s still room for me to improve, and I’m convinced my senior year will be my best season,” he said.
Wulster started bowling when he turned 4 years old and said he hasn’t stopped since.
When Brasno saw Wulster as a freshman, she knew he already possessed more skills than the average newcomer.
“What’s special about Matt is that he has continued to work hard at improving his game even though he may not have realized that last year,” she said. “I consider him like a player/coach because he has the willingness and patience to share his knowledge with his teammates.”
Much of Wulster’s practice time comes from outside high school bowling. He works at Brunswick Zone, volunteers as a coach to younger bowlers and participates in a Friday night league with friends. Each experience enables him to get on the lanes, which leads to improving his game.
Like many athletes who play sports, Wulster receives a lot of support from his family and said his father and brother were especially helpful teaching him the finer points of the game, especially when he was young.
“Family, school, friends and bowling are the order of my priorities in life,” Wulster said. “You get them straight and you’ll always be successful.”