The Avila University Department of Athletics announced Paul Wolf as the first head coach of the University’s newly-unveiled men’s and women’s bowling teams, which will begin competition in the 2021-22 school year.
“We are excited about the addition of bowling,” Avila University Director of Athletics Shawn Summe said. “People who have never seen a collegiate bowling event will be shocked at the energy and excitement of the day. Paul brings a wide range of experience in the bowling world to start our program and his connections will help us give our athletes a chance to be successful.”
“I am absolutely thrilled,” said Wolf. “This is the opportunity of a lifetime, and I’m really excited about what’s coming.”
A 35-year bowling veteran, Wolf possesses decades of experience in the game, including more than four years as touring player in the Professional Bowlers Association in the late 1980s participating in more than 100 PBA events. Wolf said that bowling has been part of his life from the day he was born. A two-time inductee into the Kansas City USBC Hall of Fame, Wolf is excited to bring his pedigree, training and experience into his first role as a collegiate head coach at a university right where he grew up.
“My coaching style is we don’t break you down and build you back up, we take what you do well and make it better,” Wolf said. “We will always emphasize team, because that’s what this is, it’s a team – it’s not an individual sport. And for so many kids it’s been played at an individual level, and so what we’re here for is to teach you how to be a cohesive team. I expect to find some fairly decent talent in the first year or two, but I’d like to reiterate that we’re not building talent, we’re building a team.”
When the first official pins fall in the 2021-22 school year, Eagle bowlers will compete in their home events just a few miles from the Avila campus in south Kansas City.
“We are excited about reaching an agreement with Aaron’s Family Fun Center in Belton, Missouri, as the official home of Avila University Bowling,” said Summe. “Not only will our student-athletes be able to utilize the lanes, they will also be able to have training technology at their disposal to help them further advance their game.”
“What excites me about Avila is we’re the only program in Kansas City,” said Wolf. “We’ve got a lot to look at as far this entire metro area – there’s a lot of kids that bowl around here, and there’s a lot of programs to look at. And I just couldn’t be happier, being a native Kansas Citian…this is just the coolest thing.”