The Vanderbilt bowling team has risen to the No. 1 ranking in the country after winning three championships during its fall season. Junior Josie Earnest leads a talented roster looking to win its second national championship in three years as they begin their spring season at the Mid-Winter Invitational this weekend in Arkansas. She spoke with the Vanderbilt Hustler about the honor of being named NCAA Player of the Year, how the team handles being ranked the best in the nation and what bowling in the "anchor position" means.
Vanderbilt Hustler: You were named NCAA Player of the Year in 2008, how would you describe that honor?
Josie Earnest: It was an awesome feeling because I was only a sophomore at the time. I knew I had worked hard enough, put in the time and I had a great team to back me and put me in that position to succeed. I didn't really expect the honor, being so young, but I feel like my hard work really paid off. It really was a team award as well because without my great team, I wouldn't have been able to accomplish it.
VH: In addition to your collegiate bowling career, you are also a member of the Junior Team USA. How did you first get interested in bowling?
JE: I got started at a really young age. My parents bought a bowling center when I was three. I just picked up the sport from there and kept doing it.
VH: Transitioning between collegiate bowling at Vanderbilt and the Junior Team USA for the past few years, how would you describe the differences between the two arenas?
JE: I'd say in some ways they complement each other, but at the same time they are very different. In the Junior Team USA events, the people I bowl with I don't get to see very often, so you don't build the same relationships that I build with my teammates here. In some ways they are very similar though, since we are constantly working as a team.
VH: With a recent national championship title under your belt and a current No. 1 national ranking in the National Ten Pin Coaches Association coaches' polls, how would you describe the team's shifting mentality?
JE: I would say that our mentality had definitely shifted. When we won the national championship, we weren't ranked No. 1, but we knew we were good and very capable of winning. It was a different goal for us to reach. Now that we're ranked No. 1, we're trying to handle our ranking better and accomplish our goals.
VH: What are your own goals for your junior season at Vanderbilt?
JE: I wanted to continue to be a consistent player. It's something that I pride myself on, and something that I can definitely improve on. I want to help the team out in any way that I can, whether it's helping out the younger players or becoming better myself - it's all about the team.
VH: When competing in nationals, you said you bowl the anchor position, how important is this role for you? JE: I usually bowl the fifth and 10th frames in these situations. We joke around as a team and say that I'm the bowling leader of the team. Some bowlers like to lead off, but the anchor position is a position that I enjoy being in. I love being the last ball in the last throw.
VH: Having won four gold medals and a silver metal this past September in El Salvador with the Junior Team USA, where do you hope to go from there?
JE: The Junior Team USA is a feeder system for the adult team. It's very difficult, though, because professional bowlers are allowed to be on that team as well. It's a very high goal, but it's something that I'd like to accomplish.
VH: As the team to beat this year nationally, what goals have you made as a team?
JE: We don't really look at the rankings. We didn't know until our coach came into practice one day and mentioned our ranking. We know it's just a number that the other coaches vote on. It's really the number at the end of the season that matters. Right now, we're just taking care of what we can take care of. We're doing all that we can do at practices and at tournaments and the rest will take care of itself.
VH: How would you describe the importance of the upcoming tournaments on your schedule as the team begins to gain momentum for the NCAA Bowling Championships in April?
JE: In the fall, we went out east for our tournaments. But now, we're playing a lot more central teams throughout the rest of the season. Rankings are really based off your performance in the central region and how we score against the teams in this region.
VH: Would you say your greatest strength is more of a mental skill or a physical skill while competing?
JE: It'd have to be a combination of the two. I really pride myself on working very hard mentally and getting in the moment myself, as well as getting the team in the moment. You can't just build off of one player; the entire team has to work together.
