General Mac Moore, KSHSAA Covered

True Blue Student of the Week: Olathe East senior bonds with Unified Bowling teammate through special gift

Brett Gamber used to see Cordell Gilhaus walking the halls of Olathe East and he never really thought very much of it, just another stranger who went to the same school.

When Gamber first joined a bowling league four years ago, he saw Gilhaus at one of his first meets. Gilhaus was a good bowler, Gambler thought at the time, but their paths still never really crossed until this year.

Gamber, who has competed on the Hawks boys bowling each year of high school, learned about Unified Bowling about a week before the Olathe East team had its first tryouts. 

Unified Bowling, the newest championship-level sport offered by KSHSAA in partnership with Special Olympics Kansas, is a program that pairs up four student-athletes, two with intellectual disabilities and two without intellectual disabilities, to compete in six-game bowling meets. Thirty-one Kansas schools competed in the inaugural season.
Olathe East Unified Bowling Team

Gamber — this week's True Blue Student of the Week — felt instantly connected with the concept, helping students with intellectual disabilities while getting to play a sport he loved.

"Within two weeks, we started our season and I was able to get out there and help them out," Gamber said.

During tryouts, Gamber and Gilhaus officially met for the first time as seniors. Just as he quickly connected with the idea of joining the team, Gamber connected with Gilhaus right off the bat.

"I felt it deep in my heart that I really wanted to impact this kid's life," Gamber said.

As they started to hang out, it became apparent how much they truly shared the love of bowling. Gamber found out that for Christmas or birthdays, Gilhaus would always ask for his presents to be bowling equipment.

Gilhaus already had a bowling ball, so Gamber decided to get him another important piece of gear. Gamber wanted his teammate to have the same experience he had four years ago.

"I really wanted him to get the full aspect, that full package of being able to come to a bowling alley and know what shoes you're going to put on," Gamber said.

Gilhaus got his bowling ball from the same place Gamber had bought his own equipment, which made it easy for Gamber to add the new bowling shoes to Gilhaus' account there. Gamber said it was an awesome experience seeing Gilhaus receive his gift.

"I've never seen his face like that before, he was speechless," Gamber said. "He didn't understand what was going on (at first)."

Gamber said Gilhaus thanked him for the new shoes, once after receiving them and again when he got to break them in at their next bowling meet.

"I said, 'No problem, I know you're going to put those to good use and we're going to bowl great together,'" Gamber said. "I think that was almost the starting point of me and Cordell being a dynamic duo."

Gamber felt great that he could deliver Gilhaus a similar experience to the one he had four years ago. When he first joined a bowling league, Gamber felt like a loner on the lanes. His friends were into bowling and he really did not know any of his new teammates.

"I was always really shy when I was younger and especially freshman year when I made the team," he said.

To help him feel more comfortable, Gamber's dad decided to take him to Total Bowling Gear to get his own bowling ball.

Gamber remembers the experience fondly. He received a personalized breakdown of which ball would match not only his price point, but also his current experience level and his long-term goals as a bowler.

"Instantly, that made me want to attack the lanes," Gamber said. "Grab that ball, go to the bowling alley right away because I was so excited."

Gamber said the new gear was also something that helped him spark a connection with his teammates, something to share and talk about with them. 

"When Cordell got (his new bowling shoes), it was almost like his spark where he was able to talk about it, too," Gamber said. "It's almost like he opened up to me more and was able to be more comfortable around me."

With both bowlers clicking as friends, their games also started clicking on the lanes. 

Olathe East went on to win its regional title, outscoring the second-place team by 54 points. The Hawks went on to take third place at the state meet, finishing behind state champion Goddard-Eisenhower and runner-up Topeka-Seaman.

Gamber describes the team's success as "a cherry on top." One of his favorite parts of Unified Bowling is how the sport remains competitive without making it feel like winning is the biggest priority.

"I would definitely say winning was always second on the list as far as what I wanted to accomplish during the season," Gamber said. "Putting those kids first was definitely my No. 1 priority."

Gamber said that experience has helped him grow close with not only Gilhaus, but also his other teammates such as sophomore Merik Dismang and seniors John McCaskill and Sha'lyese Wright.

Gamber receives a hug from McCaskill whenever they see each other around school and Dismang gives him a high-five when they are passing in the halls.

"It's really great to just have that connection with people at your school," Gamber said. "Whenever I have a down day, it always brings me up just to see them."
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