Both Skyline and Pioneer bowling teams have been fighting for the coveted trophy known as “The PIN” since its creation in 2018. Roger Ratkowski, the Skyline Bowling Coach, created “The PIN” to give both teams more interest in the rivalry matches.
“The PIN” trophy is a donated bowling pin on top of a wood base with a metal boy and girl figure on each half. “I let both schools have some input on the name of the trophy,” said Ratkowski. “‘The PIN’ is what they came up with. I wanted the trophy to be a legacy trophy that would get passed on for many years to come, and I used the University of Michigan and Minnesota’s Little Brown jug as my inspiration.
“The PIN” is split right down the middle, one side designated for the boys’ team and one for the girls’. “Each year we take the combined total number of points won in both our home and away matches with our rival for both the boys and the girls,” said Ratkowski. “It’s possible that ‘The PIN’ could end up in two different trophy cases”
Although for some sports the rivalry between Skyline and Pioneer creates a tense atmosphere, the rivalry between the bowling teams changes year to year. “There have been years where it has been really really competitive, and everybody gets really into it,” said Captain AJ North (‘24). “Recently it has kinda died down, because Pioneer hasn’t had a huge team. On any normal year it is normally pretty competitive, and it’s one of the more serious matches of our season.”
Regardless of team size though, Skyline is out to win it. “I care about it a lot,” said North. “Not only as a captain of the team, but also because we have had both halves of ‘The PIN’ at Skyline for the entirety that I’ve been here, so it’s a really cool thing to have both.”
Unfortunately for North and the rest of the bowling team however, Skyline won the boys’ side but lost the girls’. “There was no chance we were going to lose the boys’ side,” said Ethan McElmeel (‘24). “I am glad the girls got almost all the points possible in the championship.”
Even with these high stakes, the sportsmanship between the two teams has remained. “It’s a very competitive atmosphere, but at the end of the day everybody is just there to have a good time and bowl,” said North. “No matter who wins or who loses, everybody is a good sport about it, and sort of like cheering each other on.”
