Boys Bowling: Lake Zurich’s Mike Schmitt ready for lots of strikes

Updated: November 9, 2011 4:30PM

Lake Zurich’s Mike Schmitt was good enough to bowl on the varsity level as a freshman.

He knew it, and so did Lake Zurich coach Peter Kupfer. So why did Schmitt spend that season tearing up the JV level instead?

“I kept him down at the JV level so he could bowl every game instead of him bowling maybe three games as the sixth bowler on the varsity,” Kupfer said. “It was hard to keep him [on JV] because he was doing so well, but I wanted him to get the experience of being the anchor bowler and winning awards and not be all nervous when he came up to varsity.”

To his credit, Schmitt didn’t have a problem with the move.

“I’d say at the beginning I wasn’t exactly sure why he was doing that, but once he explained to me the reasons, I thought it was a good thing,” Schmitt said. “It definitely helped me in the long run.”

Did it ever. Just one year later, Schmitt became the first state medalist in school history when he finished second at last January’s state finals with a 2,772 series (231 average). That anchored the Bears to third place, their first trophy.

“Mike is fully capable of bowling those scores,” Kupfer said. “It was a question of could he do it 12 times in two days. I look back at those scores and he was bowling out of his mind, especially on Saturday.”

Schmitt finished just 45 pins behind Lockport senior Kyle Anderson, who became the first two-time champion in the sport’s history. Anderson’s score was the eighth-best of all time and he needed it because Schmitt really put on the pressure, outscoring him in five of the final six games.

“Going in and as it was happening it was kind of hard to realize I put it together when I did,” Schmitt said. “To be able to peak when I needed to at the end, I don’t know how that happened.”

As he begins his junior year, Schmitt knows enough not to predict a state championship, but he is aware it is within his capability.

“It’s run across my mind,” said Schmitt, who has been bowling since he was 3 and whose dad, Steve, is Lake Zurich’s assistant coach. “I’m not going to go out and say I’m going to do it, but I think it’s possible.”

The possibility is greater because Schmitt, who is being counted on to take more of a leadership role this year, has gained maturity and confidence from last season.

“No doubt it made me more confident in myself as a bowler and as a person,” Schmitt said. “Knowing that when all the lights were on and in probably the biggest tournament of my life, that I was able to maintain a clear head, I impressed myself.

“But I didn’t want to let it go to my head. I’m just another guy on the team.”

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