LOUISVILLE — Coming off its first OHSAA Division I state appearance in March 2021, the future looked bright for the then three-year-old Louisville High School boys and girls bowling programs.
Although head coach Courtney Stallman was losing four seniors off the boys state team, two promising juniors plus two others who also saw time with the junior varsity provided a base for the future.
But life can change in an instant — and the Leopards saw both the positive and negative sides.
On July 12, All-Federal League first-team player and senior-to-be Tom Warner was involved in a two-vehicle accident in Washington Township. He died two days later at the age of 17.
Then, later that same month, Stallman gave birth to her first child, Anastasia Rose, following in vitro fertilization in 2020. With her daughter now six months old, Stallman has successfully run the tightrope between coaching, high school teaching and motherhood — and hasn’t missed a beat in any area.
She has done it with a three-woman coaching staff and strong support from her family and players.
As we approach sectional tournament season, let’s take a look at the Leopards and how they have endured a season of ups and downs.
WARNER’S DEATH
Warner died July 15 due to his accident injuries at Aultman Hospital. His banner still hangs inside Eastbury Bowling Center along with those of three other Louisville varsity seniors — Matt Darlison, Dave Kerry and Joe Fitzgerald. Darlison is the lone returning member of the 2021 state team as Kerry was sidelined due to illness. Most of Fitzgerald’s time was as a JV.
The Leopards other senior players are Aaron Noble and Will Whipkey, who see limited varsity action.
“Tom and I were always on the same pair during matches, and I shared a hotel room with him at state,” Darlison said. “It was really hard … during the offseason I thought about not bowling at all. But I knew Tom wouldn’t want it that way.”
Stallman decided to inform all of the players’ parents about the incident before they could find out from other sources.
“It’s one of those things that you think never will happen and you never want to happen,” said Stallman, a 27-year-old social studies teacher. “I wanted them to hear it from me so they could talk to their kids.
“It was really rough. They were doing a summer league at the time with kids from East Canton and Tom was in that league.”
Chase Barstow, now a Walsh University freshman who was state runner-up individually a year ago, called Warner “a really quiet kid.”
“But he could kick your teeth in,” said Barstow, team captain for his three seasons with the Leopards. “If he was lined up, it was game over. He always kind of wanted to do his own thing.
“He came up and talked to me the first time and it was like, ‘Wow, he must trust me.” We started getting closer then.”
Deanna Apicella, a former Leopards player who now serves as the girls varsity coach, said it was an emotional time. Apicella’s boyfriend, Anthony Warner, is Tom’s brother.
“A lot of the kids were devastated, and it was especially hard for me,” said the 20-year-old Apicella, who is a pre-pharmacy student at Stark State College. “I still think about him every day, and we 100 percent want to keep his memory alive.”
“It was an emotional time,” Kerry added. “Losing Tom sucked, and not just as a team, but losing him. The first time we were together was really weird … bowling without him.”
Fitzgerald added Warner’s banner hangs with the other seniors for a reason.
“We want to make sure we remember him,” Fitzgerald added. “We are playing for him, and we want to do as much as we can to get back to state for him.”
The team still will be hosting a fundraiser for a scholarship named in Warner’s honor later this season.
It took the leadership of a strong coach to help the team get through the sorrow, one that one player says “coaches like a guy” and who was going through her own personal situation as the 2021-22 season approached.
STALLMAN AS COACH
Stallman, in her own words, was born to bowl.
“I’ve always looked at bowling seriously. A lot of people say it isn’t a sport,” said Stallman, a four-year starter at Carrollton High School who also received a scholarship and bowled at NCAA Division II Ursuline College.
“I was five when I really got into it at Delroy (Atwood). Then it was Saturdays at Delroy and Sunday’s at Minerva and it just escalated from there.”
Stallman’s father, Ron Maurer, took her to all her tournaments and league play.
“She is the best coach I’ve ever had in any sport. She is determined for us to win,” Darlison said. “She brings in stuff from her college days and works it in with us. We do more things than just drills”
Stallman has developed her coaching style from a variety of sources, including former Team USA and current Puerto Rico national coach Jeri Edwards, Chris Hampe, the Palmer family at Minerva and others. But the intensity is all her own.
“I’ve been told I have multiple personalities … the teacher me and the bowling me,” Stallman said. “We can have fun, and we do have fun, but you have to learn. If they miss a spare and don’t learn anything from it, we are going to have an issue.
“If you at least learn to move a little bit or know you didn’t throw it right than we are good. It’s always a learning process.”
Stallman, who majored in history and education at Ursuline, teaches AP psychology, psychology and American studies this year at Louisville.
“In teaching, I’m a little over the top,” Stallman admits. “I’ve been told I coach like a guy. But being young and looking young I have to be more assertive.
“I can’t let them think of me in any other way than as a leader. It’s one reason I’m more strict and structured.”
Robin Reese, who has served as both boys JV coach and as volunteer assistant during the program’s four years under Stallman, describes the head coach in simple terms.
“She’s down to business,” Reese said. “She wants to win, and that’s what she’s here for … to teach the kids how to win.”
Apicella has been both a player and coach under Stallman.
“She is just amazing. She always likes to use her college experience with the team, and I’m trying to use what she taught me with the girls,” Apicella said.
She also helped Brian Baxter and Dennis Gordon start Claymont’s program and made it clear during her Louisville interview process that she was interested in starting a program with the Leopards.
“Bowling was my first baby,” Stallman said. “I got to grow it and make it into a program, and we are still so young.”
But there is another part of Stallman’s life she has to nurture and grow — a now six-month-old baby daughter.
STALLMAN THE MOM
Stallman was in her first trimester when the boys made their state run in 2021.
“I was just beginning to show a little. Chase knew … he said I was a little more intense than usual,” Stallman said, “It was an interesting time. There were a lot more bathroom runs and I was always sick.”
But Stallman has struck a balance, with the help of her mother, Angela, who handles babysitting “Annie,” and her husband, Adam Stallman.
“My mom brings her to matches once in a while, and it seems to be a prime napping spot,” Stallman said. “With bowling, my husband knows what he signed up for, me being a Type A personality.
“I told the boys that’s why they bowled so well because they felt sorry for me. I was always sick.”
But it has prompted changes.
“I still have to tell myself I can’t be the old Stallman, being at the bowling alley all the time,” Stallman added. “I’m used to doing things myself. But during the pregnancy, I was not allowed to bowl for medical reasons.
“I had to adjust to not being as active as I once was and let my assistants take on more of a role.”
Which led to the assembling of a three-person, all-female staff.
FEMALE LEOPARDS STAFF
Helping Stallman are Reese, Apicella and the newcomer — former Stark County Conference commissioner and East Canton coach Marie Schwab, who aids with the girls junior varsity as a volunteer.
“I retired from everything because I was helping to babysit my grandkids,” the 68-year-old Schwab said. “Then I found out my first grandson (Nolan) was going to try out for the bowling team. So I went to Courtney and asked her if she could use another coach.”
Stallman said she didn’t go in with the intention of having an all-female staff.
“Deanna was my first team captain, and they always seem to stick with you. Robin used to bowl and came up to me about wanting to do it,” Stallman added. “Marie saw the opportunity when her grandson got involved. It’s kind of funny being a female head coach, but if a guy wants to get involved, I’m cool with it.”
Apicella’s future is in doubt after she leaves Stark State. She plans to continue her education at Northeast Ohio Medical University in Rootstown.
“It’s a little tough juggling school to here and back,” said Apicella, who is in her first year as a full-time assistant. “I still don’t know the answer for next season, but I really want to stick with the program.”
Reese is working with seven newcomers to bowling, and the girls are in a similar situation with rookie players.
“We’re trying to get there with a lot of first-time bowlers,” Reese said. “We have two guys that flip (to varsity), but seven are new.”
Schwab admits it’s been a learning experience.
“I only know what I was taught 40 years ago, but it’s a little different now,” Schwab said. “I like to shadow (Stallman) so I get to know the way she runs her program and how I can get better. She is pretty strict, but it works.”
And with the “baby” now in preschool, it’s time to get ready for kindergarten.
LEOPARDS FUTURE
Two of the Leopards who made it to state a year ago — Jonathan Mong and Angelo Dyer — were first-year bowlers.
“I don’t put it past them (returning to state). We have a lot of core guys who really want it and they can do it,” Stallman said. “They never gave up. Last year’s team needed a 299 in a Baker game at district to get out.”
Barstow knows what it takes — strong spare shooting.
“We lost seniors that we built our foundation on last year, and our JV team could beat a lot of varsity teams,” said Barstow, who helps as a volunteer coach. “Rounding out that talent and stepping up to where our seniors were … building around it … personally, I think they can get close.
“The postseason is not on house shots and that’s where spares come in. If you don’t have that in your arsenal, you’re not going to advance. That was our problem the first year we got to district. We weren’t developed enough to go deep.”
Kerry admits the Leopards have improved week-by-week, losing a very tight match to National Division leader Triway last week.
“We didn’t start out the best, but we’re getting better and better. Our new people are progressing a lot faster,” Kerry said. “Our goal is state, and that will be pretty difficult. But if we stick together, we can give it a run.”
As Stallman said, “with bowling, you never know.”
After Barstow was the undisputed team captain during his three seasons, Stallman put the captaincy to a vote this season with three players emerging in a tie — Kerry, Darlison and sophomore Michael Emerick Jr.
“You would never know (Emerick) is a sophomore,” said Stallman, who decided to keep all three as captains. “When you see him with his teammates and how he is with other people, he acts like a senior. He was trying to get ready for that role, and he has excelled at it.”
Emerick is the future of Louisville bowling along with a large group of newcomers in both the male and female ranks.
“My money is always on them,” Stallman said. “But they have to believe in themselves.”
After a difficult season, Louisville is preparing for one big final run when Division I sectionals open Feb. 20 at Eastbury.
This an awesome story, best of luck!
Congratulations Courtney, you have a great program and have been through a lot personally and team wise. Everyone has made it through with flying colors. Great to see you all doing well.