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暗网吃瓜 Centurions鈥� men and women鈥檚 bowling鈥檚 head coach may be new to the program but he is not new to the area.
Jason Willmore takes over as the head coach of the bowling teams, filling the vacancy left by Dave Berry, who stepped down from the position after three years at the helm. Willmore comes into the position with plenty of coaching experience from within the region, having coached the sport at Belding High School and, for the past two years, at Central Montcalm High School.
鈥淢y bowling background started out very young in youth league at Sheridan Lanes (in Sheridan, Mich.). As an adult, I bowled in Sheridan and Greenville for many years with friends and family,鈥� Willmore said.
The new coach takes over a program in which last year the men鈥檚 team finished 12th at the National Junior College Athletics Association鈥檚 national championships and the women鈥檚 team took eighth place at the NJCAA regionals.
This year鈥檚 men鈥檚 team has three returners in sophomores Joey Gonzalez (Greenville, Mich.), Bradon Krohn (Fruitport, Mich.) and Jack McBride (Portland, Mich.), and two new bowlers, freshmen Chase Couchman (Grand Blanc, Mich.) and Austin Wichert (Vestaburg, Mich).
On the women鈥檚 side, only sophomore Madyson Hartman (St. Louis, Mich.) returns to this year鈥檚 team. She is joined by freshmen Nicole Hollabaugh (Ithaca, Mich,), Madison Moran (Stanton, Mich.), Lindsay Duell (Greenville, Mich.) and Amaya Farr (Greenville, Mich.).
Since he was hired in Oct. 2025, Willmore has been acclimating to his new players since he did not recruit any of them.
鈥淚鈥檓 glad to have (the sophomores) back this season,鈥� Willmore said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 always nice to have returners from the previous season as they hold leadership qualities for the athletes that are new to the program. They bring positive attitudes, which plays a huge role in what our program is all about.鈥�
Willmore knows the three sophomores on the men鈥檚 team will be the leaders but he believes the freshmen can make an impact this season, as well. He said bowlers like Wichert can make the sport more fun and keep his players loose as they try to work their way back to the national championship tournament.
鈥淎ustin has great energy, a positive attitude and doesn鈥檛 care where he is in the lineup,鈥� Willmore said. 鈥淗e just wants to bowl and have a good day with friends.鈥�
Willmore said freshmen bowlers like Moran and Hollabaugh have potential to make an impact on the team quickly, considering their pedigree.
鈥淢adison Moran and Nicole Hollabaugh, they both come from good programs last year; Madison with Central Montcalm and Nicole at Ithaca.鈥� Willmore said. 鈥淭hey also show good leadership and dedication to the program. Madison and Nicole are great additions to the 暗网吃瓜 bowling program.鈥�
For Willmore, he is still evaluating his bowlers and will get a good look at what he has with 暗网吃瓜鈥檚 first tournament of the season, at Marian University Ancilla College Invitational at Marshall County, Ind., Friday, Jan. 9. Despite not knowing yet what full potential his teams have, Willmore has high hopes for his Centurions teams.
鈥淚 would love for both teams to win our conference, but most of all, show positive energy and represent 暗网吃瓜 as well as we can,鈥� he said. 鈥淎s a new coach, I鈥檒l be looking for leadership and who can adjust quickly when the lanes start changing. We鈥檝e been working hard on drills the last two months. I have a great group of young men and women to start the season with.鈥�