Oswego East Student Athlete of the Week-Sam Rodenbostel

Junior Sam Rodenbostel knew if she wanted to be a force for the girl's bowling team she was going to have to put in the work, so she committed to working with her bowling instructor this past summer to gear up for the season. Sam's relentless pursuit of constant improvement, not just in bowling, but in all aspects of her life, is why she is this week's Oswego East student-athlete of the week.

For Sam, bowling is in her blood. Her grandfather was the head bowling coach at Willowbrook high school, and her mother and father introduced her to the sport at a young age. “Samantha comes from a good bowling pedigree,” says Jeremy Rodenbostel, Sam’s father. He goes on to add, “Her grandfather was an avid bowler as was her grandmother, and her in aunt in high school was a state qualifier for bowling.” In 4th grade, Sam's aunt gifted her a bowling ball, which is when Sam says she, "really started taking ownership of bowling."

Not long after, Sam began competing with friends in a local bowling league. Despite beginning the league with one of the lower scores as a team, Sam and her friends were able to show a great deal of improvement throughout the season and finish in first place, a lesson that would help drive Sam into the person she is today. "I love seeing improvement, whether it is in bowling, school, or someone else's mood," says Sam.

Leading into the season Sam was determined to put in the hard work necessary to improve her game, something head coach Darrin Tackitt has taken notice of, saying, "Sam has improved her hand position and release since her freshman year, which has led to more quality first shots."

That improvement has helped Sam to a team-high average of 185 pins per game. Never one to settle, Sam has set a goal to, "Improve my strike shooting and making the little adjustments necessary during the game."

Sam enjoys the fulfillment she gets from putting in the work to be successful and seeing results, something she applies not only to bowling, but academics and other interests as well. Her analytical approach to problem-solving helps make her the person she is today, as Jeremy remarks, “Sam is always analyzing what she has done vs. what she is doing to always make sure she is putting her best foot forward.”

A well-rounded individual, Sam also enjoys playing music and is a member of several bands at Oswego East, including the Marching Band, Pep Band, and Wind Symphony. Sam started her music career playing the piano before eventually moving to a percussionist. Music is something Sam credits as, "A great stress reliever and outlet for me, similar to bowling."

Oswego East band director Kelly Cooper describes just what makes Sam special, saying, "Sam is a solid percussionist, in that she can understand and perform complicated rhythms and technical passages on several percussion instruments." Sam is not only talented in her own right but also uses her talents to help those around her as Kelly adds, "Sam has become a great example to the other students in that she is always musically prepared. Her leadership abilities have continually grown throughout her high school career."

Sam's academic interests include the human body and make-up, specifically studying how people have been designed to work. Her favorite class is Honors Anatomy and Physiology, and Sam is leaning towards studying medicine in college.

Robyn Mellas, Sam's Honors Anatomy and Physiology teacher, believes the sky is the limit for Sam, saying, "Despite being relatively quiet in class, Sam is an excellent student." She goes on to add, "She often earns the high score in the class on assessments and tests, and is very focused and good at applying the information that she learns in class to the labs we complete. I feel her very calm personality will serve her well if she is working with patients to keep them calm. Whatever she chooses to do I know she will put forth the effort to do be successful as well."

Having earned a 3.75 G.P.A. and earned a score of 1300 on the SAT, Sam will begin targeting smaller colleges that specialize in medicine, and possibly having an opportunity to compete collegiately as a bowler.

As a member of the bowling team, various bands, and having already challenged herself with numerous rigorous honors courses at Oswego East, Sam is proud of having taken advantage of the opportunities available to her. She advises future Wolves to do the same, saying, "Get involved in as many activities, clubs, and sports as you can, as it allows you to meet several people who share similar interests as you do." As Sam continues to find ways to improve her game, she will take full advantage of all the opportunities that come with being an involved student at East.