Athlete of the Week: Joliet West girls bowler Malaya Chavez

Joliet West bowler Malaya Chavez was voted the Herald-News Athlete of the Week for the week of Jan. 30-Feb. 5. Chavez, a junior, won the individual title with a six-game series of 1,320 (220 average) and led the Tigers to their first regional title since 2015 at the La Salle-Peru Regional. She finished with 322 votes out of the 687 votes cast.

How did it feel to win the regional title?

Chavez: It was absolutely exhilarating. Having the rest of the girls keeping pace really helped me.

How long have you been bowling?

Chavez: Since before I could walk. My dad has been a bowler since he was 18, and my mom knows a lot about it. It’s a family game. My uncles – Ricardo and Nick – both bowl, too. It’s my living, breathing passion.

Do you hope to continue bowling after high school?

Chavez: Yes. I am a junior, and I have one more year of high school, but I want to go to a college where I can bowl.

What is the best part of your game?

Chavez: My first shot. If my first shot is on, then I can pick up my spares pretty easy. If my first shot isn’t on, then I sometimes struggle on spares. It all comes down to how it starts.

What are your goals for the rest of the year?

Chavez: We have the state tournament coming up this week. I want to keep the rest of the girls in focus, and I want to concentrate on making a good first shot.