Cowboy Bowler, Jim Jordan, and the Pleasure Ridge Park High bowling team recently concluded a triumphant season. In his rookie year as the PRP Girls B team coach, Jordan not only witnessed his athletes qualify for the state tournament, but also win!
The team, a mix of league and novice bowlers, compiled their strengths and pulled off a season long run, supported by a committed network of parents, coaches and volunteers. Our Coach of the Week is ever gracious as he thanked veteran PRP coaches for encouraging him to take a risk with high school bowling this year.
“I was lucky to have great resources such as Mr. Ijames (Girls A Team), Bob Hunter (Boys A team) and Julie Nichelson (Boys B team) to get me started this season,” wrote Coach Jordan.
Prior to joining the PRP High bowling team, Coach Jordan, 39, led a Saturday morning league at Dixie Bowl, in his Louisville, KY community. A long-time bowler and fan, Coach Jordan and his wife Kimberly enjoyed volunteering with the Dixie League and eventually developed a friendship with Don Ijames, PRP High head coach. Ijames immediately sparked Coach Jordan’s interest in the high school bowling game.
“It’s [high school bowling] much different then league play, but the skill sets were still the same,” wrote Coach Jordan.
Indeed, while Coach Jordan enjoyed the transition from league bowling to high school play, he also took advantage of the opportunity to spend more time with his eldest son James, when he showed an interest in bowling. While he had coached many other sports including football and baseball, Coach Jordan noted that he had instant success with bowling.
He credits time spent working in the “Quality” department of a local call center as forming many of his effective coaching skills. But his knack for teaching has surely developed from his life-long love of sports. He also benefits from the support of his wife Kimberly, for more than 15-years. Together they have two sons, James and Timothy. Both boys were born on March 13th, but like trying to hit a spare, are 10 years apart.
So not only did Coach Jordan and PRP bowling bring home a state championship in March, he also had the opportunity to celebrate two very important birthdays. Coach Jordan, you’re off to a great start in 2010. Thank you for sharing your skill and passion for the sport of bowling on Weplay!
“Anybody can through strikes, it takes a real bowler to pick up spares,” – Coach of the Week Jim Jordan.
Coach Jordan’s Keys to Success:
1. Make it fun.
2. Be patient.
3. Find the positive in your game and build from that.
