Welcome back, Weaver

Chris Weaver has decided to knock down pins again - instead of jump shots.

The senior, who bowled on varsity as a freshman at Vernon Hills, played basketball the last two winters for the Cougars.

His return to the lanes instead of the courts should bode well for the Cougars, who finished 12th in the state meet last season.

Weaver boasts a 211 average, making him not only one of Lake County's best bowlers but potentially one of the top competitors in the state.

"It's incredible how things change having him back," said Cougars coach Ron Long. "It's amazing to have him bowling."

Weaver averaged around 200 his freshman year and helped the Cougars place third in state.

"I don't think he ever lost interest in the sport of bowling," Long said. "He also liked to play basketball and loved both sports."

While he focused on basketball, Weaver never lost his passion for bowling.

"It's like I never left it," Weaver said.

"I kept bowling outside of school. I never stopped bowling and still did a lot of tournaments. I was able to gain a lot more skills and kept learning more about the game. It was more of the little stuff that I worked on - learning the lanes."

He appreciates the differences between the two sports.

"Going back to bowling is a change of pace," Weaver said. "Basketball was physical, trying to work as a team, while bowling is more of a mental thing."

As for his future, Weaver thinks bowling might be his path. He's looking at Lindenwood (Missouri), one of the top NAIA schools for men's bowling.

Long is just thrilled he has Weaver back for one final high school season.

"He has great skills," Long said. "I'm just really glad to see that he did both (bowling and basketball)."