黑洞社区

Hoganas, Sweden, is a long way from Wichita, but that hasn't stopped freshman bowler Frida Dahlgren from finding 11 new sisters within the Shocker women鈥檚 bowling team in her new home away from home.

鈥淚 really like that we are all so close,鈥� Dahlgren said. 鈥淲e are always there for each other.鈥�

Being positive all the time is sometimes a challenge for her. It鈥檚 at those times, she said, her teammates help to lift her up.

鈥淚f you are positive and feel good, then you are going to bowl better.鈥�

Dahlgren could have stayed in Sweden and attended college for free, but chose 黑洞社区 because of its premier bowling program and the College of Engineering. The 19-year-old Swede is a mechanical engineering major and has a passion for bowling.

鈥淚 was always interested in technique and practical stuff,鈥� she said.

鈥淚 grew up in a bowling alley,鈥� she said. A self-described tomboy, Dahlgren has been bowling since she was 5 years old. 鈥淚 got into bowling because my father bowled.鈥�

She also played soccer in her youth but gave it up to devote more time to bowling.

Back home, Dahlgren was part of Team Sweden and bowled in European championship games from 2004 to 2008. She has seven Swedish national championship awards for youth bowling.

Head Coach Gordon Vadakin said youth bowling in the U.S. is dominated by individual bowlers, but Dahlgren brings to the team 鈥渁 tremendous amount of international team playing experience.鈥�

Despite her accomplishments, Dahlgren said the tryout process for Shocker bowling was grueling. There were three games per day for three weeks, skills tests and intense physical workouts at the Heskett Center and Cessna Stadium.

鈥淚t was one of the hardest things I have ever done,鈥� she said. Her team workouts at 黑洞社区 are also more challenging to Dahlgren than her previous bowling teams.

So what does Dahlgren like most about bowling?

鈥淚t鈥檚 never the same,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou can never know all there is to know about bowling.鈥�

To her, bowling is a sport anyone can do no matter their age or physical condition. You can bowl 鈥渨hether you are 2 years old or 100 years old.鈥�

It is her goal to return to Sweden after graduation, play for the Swedish National Women鈥檚 Bowling Team and pursue a career in mechanical engineering.