Spotlight New Jersey: Singer-songwriter Spencer Philip

Spotlight New Jersey: GPS Empowerment

Spotlight New Jersey: The Grapevine Mobile Bar 

Spotlight New Jersey: The Committee GNO and the S.M.A.R.T. Foundation

Spotlight New Jersey: Guided Collaboration Collective

Spotlight New Jersey: It Takes a Borough 

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News 12 Staff

31spotlightnj2_2025-03-01-12-04-35

I want you to meet the entire boys bowling team at Snyder High School in Jersey City. They are champions now. They are with their coach, Gary Zalinsky. Congratulations. This almost didn't happen though. How did this team come together? Um, so this team came together, you know, we've been working at it for the last couple of years, and, um, we have a mixture of freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors, and, um, you know, through hard work, dedication, they, uh, they did what they were supposed to inside the classroom which uh allowed them to compete at the highest level at uh the bowling alley here at Hudson Lanes. You are the baseball coach, correct, Gary? How did you wind up being the bowling coach? Well, you know, um, a couple of years ago there, there was an opening for it, and, um, they asked me if I wanted to do it. I said, you know, I wouldn't pass up an opportunity to work with Snyder's finest and, um, that's bringing us to today. So, uh, in my 4th season as head coach, here, here we are. That's quite a compliment, guys. Snyder's finest. You all have never played together before as a team, right? This is your first time. What was that like? The first time. Exciting? Yeah, very excited, very excited. How was it that you were able to come together, blend skills, and make it work? Don't be shy. When I was a freshman, uh, or when I was a freshman, he introduced me to bowling, and I got him into not bowling, and from then on, even both side, and they kind of just joined along and kind of uh put together our skills. Now, you are, uh, you are unranked, but you played against ranked teams. How was that? It's a, it's a great feeling, uh, you know, to win the championship, we beat the number 16 team in, uh, Manchester. Um, we played against a lot of ranked teams here in Hudson County and Bayonne High School and Pratt, um, and these schools, you know, they pushed us in the counties and because of these schools that we played it, um, you know, they prepared us for this past Saturday and Tuesday.

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31spotlightnj3_2025-03-01-12-28-10

You are looking at champions here at Henry Snyder High School. We are talking about the entire boys bowling team which coach Gary Zalinsky. Wow, this is impressive. You all come from different schools, correct? Tell me what the schools are. So we have, uh, we have a lot of academy schools, um, some schools in the area, they don't offer bowling, um, so they would play for their home school which would be Henry Snyder High School, um, so we have several players we have, uh, Seth and Zach Rodriguez. They come from university. Um, we have Derek all the way down at the end. He comes from Governor of Livingston, um, we have Josh Aquino, he comes from, uh, Infinity. And we have Flexo. He comes from County Prep and our last but least we have Albanese. He's been with us, uh, since sophomore year, and, um, we recruited him from the baseball team and he's found his second passion, uh, outside of baseball. How many people came from the baseball team? raise your hands. Wow. What attracted you to bowling from baseball? You gotta recruit base but you gotta recruit the baseball players, you know, but, uh, all these guys, um, you know, they're phenomenal at what they do. Their families have, you know, prepared them for this moment, their, you know, their mothers, their fathers, their brothers, and, um, that's the reason why we're successful today. You know, um, their families introduced them to the sport and they train with them constantly and, um, before all of our matches, you know, we have a chant, we, uh, on 3 we say Snyder and then after another 3 we say family and that's exactly what this team um signified. What is the chemistry like when you came together to play? What's the chemistry here. It was a little, it was a little rough at first, you know, trying to get to know each other, but eventually getting some wins and in some practices we were able to, able to just live together, we're able to get everything nice and order, you know, getting some chances down and the energy up. We were a lot together really nice.

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32spotlightnj4_2025-03-02-09-21-36

People in Jersey City are so proud of the entire boys bowling team at Snyder High School there. They are champions now. Coach Gary Zalinsky, tell us what you won, what that big award is. Uh, so these two awards we got, um, we came in 1st place for our section champion, and on Tuesday we competed for our group championship. Um, we came in 3rd place in the Hudson County, uh, championship, and, um, these guys, they've been working hard all season for this. Um, this is something that started back in November and these guys came together gelled as a team. And their hard work inside the classroom and outside the classroom is paying off and these trophies are just, um, you know, part of, part of what they've accomplished. Working hard outside the classroom, you all practice. I'm sure a lot of practice went into getting this championship. Tell us about the bowling alley where you work out. This bowling is very gracious if you if you have played for a league, to give you $3 games instead of $5 games. Um, the guys here, um, James, uh, Leo, Kurt, they're incredibly supportive of this program. Um, they're doing everything that they possibly can on a weekly basis to prepare us and every other high school in Jersey City, um, we practice twice a week here and other schools are doing the exact same thing. These guys play in tournaments, uh, constantly here, and we have nothing but great things to say about Hudson Lads. Tell us about the program. We have a the boys have a chant, uh, every time they throw a strike. You guys, uh, wanna say what the, what the what what the chant is it that's uh that's a strike for Hudson. Tell me more about this program. How long have you had it? So we've been together. I've been the head coach for 5 years, started out recruiting. Alve was in the original team and then came Flex and then Zach and Set Connor, um, is a part of this team, but we've had so many players come through this program, um, first they have to be successful inside of the classroom. And they demonstrated those skills and, you know, the skills that they've uh worked on with their parents, their brothers, um, it's highlighted today. So this trophy not just isn't for uh Snyder High School, it's for the team, it's for their families, and I, I just want them all to enjoy for themselves to.

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32spotlightnj5_2025-03-02-09-29-24

We're talking with coach Gary Zelensky and the entire boys bowling team at Henry Snyder High School in Jersey City. They are now champions. All right, let's start with you over here. I want you to tell me what this program has meant to you and why it's so special. Oh well, I started out as a sophomore playing over here and since day one, I've been like attached to the bowling alley and over the years I've gotten more and more connections with other schools like McNair and like, and throughout the years I've, I built a bond with my other coach over here and my, my boys over here. So they all is just amazing for me socially. Tell us your name. Uh, my name is Seth Mary. All right, and the gentleman next to you, go ahead, tell me your name and why this means a lot to you. Um, Connor Gillespie, I actually, um, joined the bowling team in a freshman year because I didn't know Snyder had a bowling team at first, but when I heard, I kind of made it a goal to join the team and want to play, because I did find the sport of bowling more fun, like compared to other ones. But after like being here for 3 years now, right, cause I, yeah, 3 years. Um, I would say like I really enjoy being here. I like to have fun like being here after school, bowling, playing games, having fun, you know, all that, it's so, it's so nice. All right, and you, what, why is it special to you? I know you have your mask on. For me, I'm Zach Rodriguez. Uh, this really is amazing because Seth helped me join the team sophomore year. Because I've been bowling since I was 7 years old. I really know how to bowl. It's very good. Are you getting emotional? Oh, what's your name? Oh, that by you guys, that's one of ours. And you too? Does it mean a lot to you too? Yeah, yeah, yes, you. Yeah, fine. I did not know Snyder had a bowling team until coach uh Zalinsky told me about it, and it was just something to stick around for the meantime, you know, it's a pass time for baseball season to come out. And then eventually I fell in love with the sport, and from there I just been coming here almost every day to Hudson Lanes and practice and practices to improve better every time. And tell us your name. Of these

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32spotlightnj6_2025-03-02-12-32-52

We are chatting with the entire boys bowling team at Henry Snyder High School in Jersey City and their coach Gary Zalinsky, and now you three gentlemen on the end, we want to pick up with you. Tell me why, first your name and why this program means so much to you. Uh, I'moxan. Uh, this program really means a lot. I wasn't here my freshman year. I actually played basketball, and then I had to make the tough decision to switch to bowling because they're both winter sports, but even though I joined a little late, I was able to fit right in, and they've just been family ever since, you know, you walk into the bowling alley and it just like bowling, so it's been a long. And the young man behind you, what's your name? Uh, my name is Joshua, you know, um, this program means a lot to me, not only because the uh Hudson Lakes itself, I've known it like my whole life, um, but, uh, this year I decided to give bowling a try, um, because I was like somewhat familiar with it, and I was able to like meet these like wonderful guys right here, meet, uh, Zach and so any um. He, he was like one of the people that um that helped me like do it along with my dad and um yeah, I just fell in love with the sport. I like this again, this is also like second. Mhm, yeah. Got it. And what about you, young man? Your name? My name is No boy Jennings. This boga made a lot to think you could. Ever since I've been bowling since I was 5 years old for my whole life I've been bowling a lot. And I've learned my brother and my dad. OK They they is my place here phone, so my mom right behind the camera and they made a both for high school. So I didn't know how it was gonna be like until I met all, all of these guys right here. They give me the family that I've never had before, so I thank you guys for that. Coach, I love the bond these boys have built. What's the future for this program now that you all are champions again since 1995. So the future for this program we have uh Derek coming back. Um, we have Flexo coming back both players they're in the top 100. Um we have Connor coming back as well and um we have several other players that, uh, we're, you know, really excited about and um. We're just looking forward to the future and build off what we learned, uh, today and this past season and we're just gonna go from there, you know, I'm sure all these guys will be around coming back as we have many players that do, um, and you know, just because some of these guys are graduating doesn't mean they, uh, they leave the program.

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Coach Zielinkski spoke to News 12’s Della Crews about how the Henry Snyder High School boys bowing team won their championship.

Spotlight New Jersey: Henry Snyder High School boys bowling team

Coach Zielinkski spoke to News 12’s Della Crews about how the Henry Snyder High School boys bowing team won their championship.

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