To view photos of the North Penn/Pennridge showdown, visit the photo gallery at the following link: http://photos.suburbanonesports.com/
EARLINGTON – Janine Rybarczyk looks the part of a bowler, displaying the type of form reserved for those with both talent and experience.The North Penn senior has plenty of both, and she allows herself the trace of a smile after throwing yet another strike in Monday’s match against Pennridge.
As she returns to her seat, the senior captain exchanges high fives with her teammates, looking for all the world like someone who has been part of the squad for a lifetime.
She hasn’t.
As a matter of fact, Rybarczyk – a foreign exchange student from Germany - is new to both the bowling team and North Penn. It has not taken her long to fit in.
“The girls elected her captain, and that says something,” Maiden coach Don Stadnycki said. “She’s a real team player.”
Stadyncki – better known as coach Saddle – found out about Rybarczyk in November. She turned out to be an early Christmas present for the Maidens.
“It was awesome,” said the Maidens’ coach, whose team improved to 6-2 after Tuesday’s win over the Rams. “She bowls a lot in Germany.
“They asked if I would take her on, and I said, ‘By all means,’ and I knew nothing about her.”
It didn’t take long for Stadyncki to know he’d inherited a winner.
“From the first ball she threw – she has good form, and she knew the game,” he said. “She interacted well right away with all of her teammates.”
Rybarczyk has made an immediate impact and her 604 against Council Rock North was the high girls’ series the second week of the season.
“She stepped right in and took over,” Stadyncki said. “Nothing bothers her. She’ll throw a bad shot, and she’ll go right to the next shot.
“You can tell it eats at her, but she keeps it inside.”
Rybarczyk, who has been bowling since she was 10, came to North Penn wish six years bowling experience under her belt.
“My best friend asked me to bowl with her, so we went together, and it was fun,” the senior standout said of her start in the sport.
Although her school in Germany does not have a bowling team, Rybarczyk competed on the club bowling circuit, and she couldn’t wait to try out for North Penn’s squad, although she admits she was nervous.
“I played with a house ball, and I didn’t have my own equipment, but it went really good,” she said.
“I really wanted to play here, so I bought my ball, my shoes and everything. Now I’m on the team, I’m captain, and I am really excited.”
Although shy when she first came on board, Rybarczyk - who speaks fluent English - has adjusted quite nicely to her new team.
“She’s not real outgoing, but the girls made her outgoing,” Stadyncki said.
Life in the States, according to Rybarczyk, is a whole lot different than life in Germany.
“We don’t have bowling like this in Germany,” she said. “We don’t have school teams. It’s a lot of fun. I really like it.
“They’re a really nice team, and I like them all.”
Rybarczyk is enjoying her time as an exchange student.
“Everything is new and different,” she said. “The school – it’s different. We get a lot of homework here.
“My school in Germany is really small. We have students from fifth to 13th grade, and we have 1,000 students.”
Rybarczyk’s graduating class at North Penn in June will exceed the number in her entire school in Germany, and when she returns to her homeland in July, she will repeat her 12th year with her 13th year to follow.
“Everything is different here,” she said. “I love it.”
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