After taking the spot for fourth place last year at the state bowling competition, Senior Daniel Lynn decided it wasn’t enough. He wanted to see that first-place trophy, and he wanted to claim that title of state champion. He wanted to be the best and he did it. As the 2024-2025 season closes, Daniel Lynn has been crowned the state champion of bowling.
It was never expected to be an easy victory, but bowling coach Lamar Bryant knew that the day would come when he and Lynn first met. “I believed he had a lot of potential. From day one I knew he [would] be part of the starting five.”
Lynn dedicated almost every waking second he had practicing. “[I] practiced as much as I could, even when we didn’t have practice. Or when practice was over, I [would] be at the bowling alley trying to perfect everything,” Lynn shared.
All of those countless hours logged paid off, as Lynn was able to put top-notch scores on the board. “He was very determined and was training almost every chance he had to get better this off-season after coming close to the title last year,” Nate Hickson, one of Lynn’s best friends, stated.
While practicing was a huge factor that played into Lynn’s success, his dedication and determination are what truly won him the game. “He’s very focused and he’s very determined to get better every time, every year he’s gotten better,” Anthony Foster, girls bowling coach said, “He works at the bowling alley. He lives at the bowling alley. He breathes for the bowling alley.”
It was never a doubt to anyone that fourth place would be his final rankings for bowling. “Last year he had [came in] fourth [and] I told him he should get the top spot for number one. He said ‘okay’,” Bryant says, his encouragement and words of wisdom going a long way.
Bowling was also a sport that would occasionally test his personality but it truly defined his resilience and his mindset to keep going. “I had to make sure to keep my head in the game and not let opponents get in my head,” Lynn explained, “I knew going into the final match was going to be hard, but I knew nobody wanted it more than I did. No matter what, I was bringing that trophy home.”
Lynn is a perfectionist when it comes to his involvements. He knows what he wants and he knows he will get it. “Daniel has always wanted to be the best, whether it’s him getting a better score on a test or [if it’s] bowling,” Hickson states.
Lynn’s perfectionism and dedication to bowling set the stage for how the semifinals match turned out for him while going against Troy Lemus, a student from Mariner High School. “It was a surreal experience, going up against the rival school, and it being the semi-final match, I knew I had to bowl my best to beat him and [claim] a spot in the finals. The suspense is insane [after] hearing everyone cheer for you after each shot.”
Despite being the individual to achieve state champion, Lynn never let it get to his head. “He was always willing to help his teammates, to actually help them get into the right spot, to help improve the team. So he’s actually a very great asset as part of what a great teammate [does],” Bryant defines Lynn as an outstanding teammate.
Not only is he a great teammate, Lynn also performs and acts as a leader to the team, according to Foster. “Daniel is a leader out there. He helps the other guys, his knowledge of bowling is outstanding so he does help the other teammates along. And then obviously his performance on the lanes keeps the other guys really motivated because you want to be like Daniel. You want to be Daniel Lynn out there winning state championships. That’s what you go there for.”
Daniel Lynn’s success not only won him the title of champion but also outlines his newfound status as a role model. Just as he saw Jason Belmonte as a child, Lynn is now that same source of inspiration and motivation that other aspiring bowlers can look up to.
The steps he took to get to where he is weren’t easy as he’s had some setbacks, as every great athlete does. “I took away his spot because he wasn’t performing well for two or three games in a row. So I gave his spot to somebody else, and he thought that it should be his,” Bryant stated. In defiance of this decision his coach made, Lynn was determined to get his spot back and he did just that.
As a senior, graduation is getting awfully close and it’s time Lynn decides what he wants to do; whether it be to continue bowling as a professional career or not.
Everyone around him seems to be able to envision Lynn going to bowl at a collegiate level. “Daniel is just in the middle of figuring out what it is he wants to do and where he would want to go, but he will definitely continue his career in bowling,” Hickson claims.
According to Foster, “I don’t think he’s committed anywhere yet but I’m sure there’s plenty of colleges out there that would love him to do that, and I think he definitely has the potential to make this a career.”
While he lives to bowl, Lynn makes an effort to leave some room for other things. “[I] love to be with friends and family and driving my car is always a blast, I have a Mustang dark horse so that’s always fun to drive,” expressed Lynn.
He has always wanted this moment and anyone could tell he was meant for it. “It was a dream come true, something little me would have never dreamed of,” Lynn says. He is now a beacon of inspiration for any student athlete that comes across him that wants to make their dreams come true. His state champion win has truly set him on a path for a bright future and is a sign to never give up, even when you truly feel like it.
