The Apopka bowling program had been a staple of the state championship meet for a decade but has lost a step in the past few years.   

Since 2013, the boys team has collected six state championships (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2022) and finished as the state runner-up in 2019. The Darters did not only collect team championships, though; they also led the state in individual championships, with two for Pete Vergos (2014 and 2015) and one for Kyle Paxson (2005). 

While head coach Doug Campbell has been with the team for over a decade, this is only the second year for Jason Ramos — but he has a bit of bowling royalty associated with his name. Ramos grew up bowling, and his father and brother were both professional bowlers who ran their own pro shop.   

Campbell and Ramos are now aiming to restore the consistency and excellence Apopka saw during its decade-long dynasty. The key? Campbell and Ramos said it’s all about repetitions and building that championship culture back.   

Campbell said that creating a championship-caliber team is not as easy as it once was for him. The biggest obstacle? Accessibility.   

He said the cost of bowling, especially the initial price of buying equipment such as balls and shoes, has risen significantly. Ramos said the most significant obstacle he has seen is the clearance process for student athletes and how the paperwork and process itself can deter parents from allowing their kids to participate.   

Even with challenges in their way, Campbell and Ramos are committed to making the best team they can and improving through practice and consistency.   

Campbell likened building a bowling team to building a dog-sledding team, especially when it comes to bowling in the baker format at meets. In a baker format, a team of five bowlers each bowls just two of the 10 frames, as compared to a traditional game where one bowler bowls for 10 frames.   

In the baker format, each bowler bowls for just two specific frames (one and six, two and seven, three and eight, four and nine, five and 10) to achieve one single team score for the game. Each member of the team, especially Campbell’s starters, needs to be great at different things and have chemistry to play off each other. Each bowler in a baker team has a distinct role—just like every dog in a dog sledding crew.   

Campbell had only four returning starters from his varsity team last year and is in the midst of trying to find his final piece for his baker team. Ramos was in an even tougher spot, with just five girls on his team, the minimum number needed to field a team, and just two returning players.    

The Apopka bowling program has begun the 2025 season with great success as the boys and girls teams performed great in their games last week. The boys won all of their matches last week, defeating Horizon, Wekiva and Edgewater on Wednesday, Sept. 3, and Lake Buena Vista and Edgewater again on Thursday, Sept. 4.  

The girls team defeated Edgewater on Sept. 3 but narrowly lost to Horizon by just 26 pins. The next day, they dominated, scoring 600 more pins than Lake Buena Vista and more than doubling Edgewater’s pins. Ramos attributed the great play to several factors, including a new set of lanes (they played at a different location than usual), and their uniforms.  

Ramos said the team usually receives their uniforms very late in the season, so being able to represent their colors and school gave them a little extra confidence. Ramos stands by the famous Deion Sanders quote, “Look good, feel good, play good…” 

On Tuesday, Sept. 9, both the boys and girls teams faced Ocoee and Wekiva again, with both teams coming away with two victories. Ramos said he is beyond impressed with his team and how well they are performing, considering they have so little experience. He has bowlers breaking their personal bests every practice and match and hopes to keep that up.   

Next week, both teams will have two meets. The first meet, on Wednesday, is a standard season meet where both Apopka bowling teams will face Windermere and Olympia at Winter Garden Bowl. After that meet, the Blue Darters will compete in the Kegel High School Challenge on Saturday, Sept. 20.    

The Kegel High School Challenge is a tournament between top FHSAA member schools. The tournament’s format is two-team games followed by five baker games. There will be boys and girls divisions, and FHSAA playing rules will be in effect. The tournament will be an excellent opportunity for the Blue Darters to compete with some of the best teams in the state and prepare themselves for the tough road ahead.