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It’s sometimes hard to wake up and face the challenges that await us. While often overlooked, it’s important to find joy in the little things when disrupted by life’s harsh realities.  Whether we know it or not, identifying those small victories can oftentimes change our trajectory and perception of what it means to be alive.

Art Lovely once said that “everyday is a gift”, and everyday we are alive should be treated as our last. Sure, there are events and moments of defeat that feel impossible to overcome, however everyday that we are alive gives us the opportunity to try something new - break away from what seems like a vacuum of unrelenting pressure.

To take Art a step further, sure everyday is a gift, but Eric Heft of Cyclones.TV said it best. “Everyday is a great day, just some days are better than others.” 

Thursday at Waveland are those better days - gift wrapped, tied with a big red bow, and delivered straight to our doorstep. Those better days still carry small victories:  Getting patted down by the on-spectrum security guard who somehow is licensed to carry a firearm. Lacing up your shoes, taking off your jacket, placing your ball(s) on the rack and pouring your first cup of Miller. All a series of  events often overlooked, yet crucial to the lure of Waveland. The 10 minutes of practice, feeling out the lane, and finally when your time comes, striking in the first frame, feeling like you hit a lead-off home run to start the game. It is not only the act of bowling, the subsequent actions - getting to the point of releasing your first ball helps build the foundation of those better days. 

Warping a matra is naive, especially when you do not fully understand its measure. However, every day at Waveland bowl is a great day, but some days at Waveland are better than others. Today is an even better day, as the Zynfadels and Bowls Deep have the opportunity to write their own script in the history books of  the 9pm league. Both teams have the opportunity to take home the championship. 

Since the Hometown boys started the league, they have captured a combined 2 championships (2021 & 2023), 4 top 5 finishes, and look to add to the impressive resume tonight.  Between Zynfadels and Bowls Deep, this league has seen 5 top 15 bowlers, 8 200 pin games, and countless strikes. The majority of firepower in the league can be found between these two, and while they are technically in competition for the crown, any bystander unaware of the circumstances, would assume they are one big team with the amount of fistbumps circulating the lanes. It is all love between these boys.

Zynfadels has made it apparent that they maintain their core foundation between Milk, Tornado,  Rubes and M Dawg as the combo enters their 4th championship together tonight. Last season the team made big offseason transactions, signing free agent and veteran bowler B who has been as steady as ever, stepping up in critical situations and a key to the team's championship last season. The Zynfadels also elected to maintain their draft pick and selected Alley Cat with the 1st overall pick. An athletic guard, excuse me, bowler with massive upside. Taking a chance on a project is a massive gamble for most, however Alley Cat has proven to be an integral piece to the team's success, being the most consistent bowler on the lane. The combination of veteran talent and young blood has proven to be a recipe for success. An excellent blend of old school and new school bowlers finds themselves in the promised land yet again. 

In previous articles, we have painted Bowls Deep as the "new kids on the block". While for the most part true, we cannot discount the success of their core pieces - Ari and Chardonnay. Part of the first adaptation of the Zynfadels, Ari and Chardonnay have raised the Championship Ts. They are proven winners with a track record of success. They know the inside and out of Waveland bowl and understand what it takes to win. However, later in their prime, they understood that the league cannot be won with just two bowlers. Over time, Bowls Deep and their founders accumulated draft picks, and what would materialize would make Danny Ainge proud. They drafted the Surgeon, an accomplished amatuer bowler who has wowed the crowd with his unorthodox bowling technique, solidifying himself as one of the top bowlers in the league. They traded up for the Admiral who has proven there is no stage too bright for high games with another unorthodox style, releasing the ball on the opposite foot.  The team lucked out with an undrafted free agent in Alley Rat (Momot) who after capitalizing on the ball, shoes, and bag deal at Diversey has become an incredibly consistent bowler. However, the team was missing a vital component to achieve success in the league. A captain, a true floor General - McClure. When talking about Gym rats in the previous article - we were referring to McClure. The boy lives in the lab, and his hard work has paid off. 200 pin games is nothing new to the General and is the floor to what he considers as success. The boy was unphased by his 7 straight strikes in week 3 - "should've been 12." 

It was unfair to paint Bowls Deep as a rag tag team before. They consist of proven winners and hungry rookies looking to prove they belong in the upper echelon of the league - and they have certainly proved over the last 6 weeks. Now it's time to take it all home. 

Tonights Championship holds 3 keys:

- Focus on what you can control: While there are many variables and implications that can dictate the outcome of tonight's championship, it is important to lose sight of the things we cannot control. Those variables being whatever happens on other lanes. Worry about winning your head to head, and the rest will fall in place as god intended. Chance and luck work in mysterious ways, and tonight is no different. Never focus on whatever is out of your control, only focus on what you CAN control.

- This is a team game - every frame matters: Whether you start the game with 3 open frames, or two splits, know that you can come back in the next 7. The moment you start worrying about your score, is the moment you stop thinking about how to bowl. In a team league, every frame, no matter how deep in the game...counts. 

- Have fun: Outside of this league, I (I know I am finally using "I") cannot express how fortunate I am to have such amazing friends at an arm's length away. Most in this life will never have as many friends as we have, let alone together bowling next to each other every Thursday or in my garage playing "in the sheets". I can describe myself in one word when it comes to the friendships that I have: Spoiled. Spoiled rotten to the core, and I want you to all know how appreciative I am to have such a loving relationship with you all. It means the world to me now in this life, and I hope for that feeling to carry forward into life after death. Enjoy these moments now and never forget them. Over time, folks will have certain ambitions and goals that will lead them down different paths. Different destinations and in some cases, as sad as it may seem, the only thing we will have left are the memories we made while all together. Love these moments, cherish these moments, and just have fun. Sports are fun, and every day is a great day. Some days are just better than others :').