For Lexi Wuestewald, bowling has always been more than a sport.
Wuestewald grew up surrounded by the community that bowling offers. Her grandparents owned a bowling alley in Wisner, Nebraska, where the pair met. Years later, her parents also met there. It’s a plotline that feels straight out of a movie.
“It’s kind of always been a part of my life, whether it’s leagues or tournaments, or just being in that atmosphere,” Wuestewald said.
When Wuestewald arrived at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, she was drawn to the women’s bowling team. When that path didn’t work out, she had originally planned to take a step back from the sport.
Instead, a suggestion from Wuestewald’s boyfriend led her to join UNL’s bowling club.
“He was like, ‘I really think you should come give it a shot,’” Wuestewald said. “So I did, and they let me on the team when I came and did a tryout at practice. Then I was there for four years.”
Wuestewald became president of the bowling club her junior year and carried on the role through her senior year. She is thankful for the community UNL’s bowling club has brought into her life.
As president, she focused on expanding opportunities for members beyond the varsity roster. One of her goals was to find ways for the junior varsity team to attend tournaments and gain valuable experience.
“I really focused on getting JV to go to more things,” Wuestewald said. “Up until that point, a lot of our focus had been getting our varsity team to tournaments, and JV just went to a couple different things.”
Growing up surrounded by bowling, Wuestewald understands the importance of good company and bringing people together.
“When you’re in college, it’s really scary, and sometimes you just don’t have a group that you can fit in, so that’s something I really wanted to strive for while I was there,” Wuestewald said. “It’s just somewhere people can feel like they belong and feel safe.”
“[Bowling] has kind of always been a part of my life, whether it’s leagues or tournaments, or just being in that atmosphere,” Wuestewald said.
These goals were easily accomplished through donor support to the UNL Bowling Club.
Wuestewald recalled one season where the club made nationals, and members almost had to pay out of pocket to attend the tournament. Thanks to donor support, the club was able to cover the cost, allowing everyone to enjoy the experience.
“It was a huge thing that we probably wouldn’t have gotten to do if it wasn’t for the funding,” Wuestewald said.
As the club looks to the future, Wuestewald hopes they will continue to embrace the community aspects as well as any experiences gained through the club.
While Wuestewald graduated this past spring, her time within the bowling club was forever changed through the help of additional funds received. She remains grateful for any donors that made her goals possible as president.
“Thank you … a huge thank you, because it really wouldn’t be possible without donors contributing,” Wuestewald said. “It might sound so silly hearing, ‘oh, college kids going bowling,’ but it really is a big thing. We get to go and meet all these people from across the U.S., we get to make memories and we get to have life experiences. That’s not something we’d get to do without donations.”
