Now that they have a Northern Ontario Provincial
Championship under their belt, there is no time to rest.
Coach Rheal Labranche shown in the background, will be spending about
three nights a week during March and April trying to bring the boys to the
peak of their performance abilities in order to give them their shot at a
National title.
The team which will be carrying the colours of Chico's Bowl are, from the left: Kye
Michaud, Roch Pelissier, Phillipe Butler, Justin Foucault, and Cole
Brabant.
Rheal
Labranche is a Master Bowler with 18 years experience who posts an average
of about 225 while playing in three different leagues during the week at
Chico's Bowl in Hanmer. He then spends Saturday mornings coaching the
Y.B.C. bowlers. It was from this Saturday morning group that he assembled
the Championship Team.
"It's
always been my dream to take a group of young bowlers to a National
Championship," explained Rheal. "Now my dream can become a
reality, so I am going to work hard with the boys for the next two months.
All we need to do is get another 10% improvement from them and we have a
real shot at the title.
The
Nationals will be held in Sudbury from May 6 to 8, 2006. Play will be at
all seven bowling alleys in the district. The Bantam Boys will be playing
at the Valley Bowl in Chelmsford, so Rheal intends on holding many
practices on those lanes in order to help his team get accustomed to the
alley.
The
entire community will be pulling for the young boys from Chico's as they
attempt to bring a National Championship home to Valley East.