With the motto, “Let the pins fall as they may,” Coach Daniel Rattacasa led the Westwood Girls Bowling team to success at the State Championship. A team of just five girls, the exact amount needed for any bowling tournament, went into the championship as the underdogs.

According to senior bowler Gabriella Stellacci, Westwood was not expected to win the title. She says, “Rattacasa kept us from giving up, he always had faith in us and I think without him we would not have been able to win.”

Rattacasa says, “My philosophy is very simple: just change with the time, change with the kids and learn how to coach them.” Each year as coach, he is handed a new group of students that wants to be successful. Some individuals come into the sport with very little knowledge or experience with it, but Rattacasa has a great ability to adapt to his team. He says that a coach and his team cannot be too ingrained in what they did or saw in any past season. Stellacci says that her coach can tell when a team member is struggling and is very quick to help them out, especially with his motivational speeches.

Rattacasa also credits most of the success to his team. He says, “They learn quickly and get a feel of how competitive and intense it can be, quickly rising to the occasion knowing that they have to perform on our past successes.” Rattacasa takes the sport very seriously and as the team recognizes that, they begin to take it just as seriously. Members of the Westwood Bowling team say that this sport is one of the most mentally demanding activities that they have ever participated in. As coach, Rattacasa sets an appropriate balance of fun and seriousness, enabling the team to enjoy their success.

Rattacasa says, “Our consistency and mindset helped us to bowl our best that we did all year that day.” The Girls Bowling team went up against schools from across New Jersey, their biggest competitor being Ramsey High School. Stellacci says that it still feels unbelievable that the team pulled through to a victory, but it was an amazing feeling and a great honor to be such a big part in the win.

Westwood High School experienced a great amount of success throughout this winter sport season. Rattacasa says, “Every team has done something worth noting and it is fun to be a part of all the success this season.”