Narooma High School came fifth out of 219 schools in the inaugural Inclusive School Sports tenpin bowling championship for special education schools across NSW.
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The four-student team was only around one strike short of winning the bronze medal in Sydney on Thursday, November 3.
The four students competing were Arlo Davis (Year 8), Locquinn Bolte (Year 9), Justin Jewell Harknes (Year 10) and Patrick Long (Year 12).
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Narooma High School special education teacher Melanie Austin said their journey started in Ulladulla on September 7.
"None of them had really played before and we were surprised we were in the top three or four on the South Coast," Ms Austin said.
That qualified them for the state championships held at Zone Bowling West HQ in Rooty Hill, Western Sydney.
In with a good chance
Ms Austin and the boys set off for Sydney on the Wednesday.
They had a practice game in Ulladulla and stayed the night near Wollongong at Mount Keira Scout Camp.
Thursday morning they resumed the drive to Sydney for the secondary school division of the championships.
The teams were made up of students with mixed abilities and mixed ages.
Locquinn said some players were blind and others were in wheelchairs.
The 34-lane bowling alley is part of a huge entertainment centre that also contains an aquatic centre and was packed with 219 four-student teams plus teachers, student learning support officers and spectators.
After they played the first of their two games, they checked the other schools' scores that were displayed on screens.
"I quickly did the sums and compared. I thought we had a good chance," Ms Austin said.
"We knew we were up there."
Big two days
The team from Orange was in a nearby lane.
"They brought their own balls, put dust on their hands and had a professional coach," Locquinn said.
"It was pretty impressive but I was more impressed by Team Narooma," Ms Austin said.
"They played really well as a team and it is a long time to play together, to be in the car together," she said.
"We were there for the fun and experience and we did great."
Orange won the trophy while Grafton and Anson Street School won the silver and bronze medals.
The presentation was at 2.30pm and they were back in Narooma by 9.30pm Thursday night.
"After such a big two days, it is amazing that three out of four managed to get to class this morning," Ms Austin said on Friday.
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