Kapolei’s Bonifacio A Strong Bowler And Team Leader
By Jack Danilewicz
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Del.icio.usTechnique was never an issue for Kapolei bowler Christalynn Bonifacio, who has been one of the best in her age group since eighth grade. Staying th course and keeping her emotions in check was more of a challenge, she said.
“My mental game has gotten a lot better. I was so serious and more determined in high school than in middle school, and I would get mad at myself. I think being calm has helped me bowl a lot better than in past years.”
“Temperamental” might be a good description, she added. “As I’ve become more mature, and being a captain, I have to set an example. My attitude rubs off on the whole team. If I’m down, they’ll be down. I have to have a good attitude.”
All signs point to an exciting weekend for her and her teammates, who are playing in the state bowling championships in Lihue. They won their first overall OIA girls bowling title Oct. 15 under coach Angel Legaspi, with Bonifacio leading the way.
Her total score of 1,174 was second only to Kalani High’s Brianne Yamada (1,180), individually, while Kapolei’s final tabulation of 4,980 was 395 pins better than second-place Mililani. Valerie Ibarra (third, 1,134) and Shaianne Yockman (13th, 1,031) also medaled for Kapolei in the OIA finals. The Hurricanes also feature Amber Aiu, Jana Okamura, Kaui Hayashida and Julia Pilar.
Bonifacio placed third in the state last year and hopes she’s saved her best prep performance for last. That would also confirm Kapolei’s own tradition of bowling its best at the end. They didn’t win the OIA last year, but captured the state tournament a week later
(their second, including 2003) and had the individual state champion in Raelena Mattos, who graduated last May.
“I like the tournaments,” Bonifacio said. “They are more important.”
She began bowling in fifth grade but was done with it midway through seventh grade. “I got bored with it,” she recalled. “I got my brother (Caelon) into it, and he stayed in it.”
She returned to the sport in eighth grade. “Bowling runs in the family,” she explained. “All my uncles bowl. I got coaching from my dad (Steven), and my uncles helped me out with advice and stuff. I had just done it for fun before. When I got to high school, it was actual competition, and I wanted to win.”
She’s blossomed at Kapolei, earning high praise from Legaspi. “She’s our captain and team leader,” he said. “She does anything you ask of her.”
While the Hurricanes pride themselves on dedication, according to Bonifacio, they also were driven during the season, ironically, by having to play in catch-up mode.
“We really, really wanted it (the West),” she said. “We were never in first place the whole season. We were always in second, and then one day we went up to first.”
Staying focused mentally is key now, as well as “our spirit and the aura we bring as a team,” she said. “We always have a little talk among ourselves before we bowl. We remind each other how much we want this, and we keep each other up.”
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