Ten scholarships have been signed this year at Dawson County High School, but out of the list of soccer, baseball and football scholarships, one stands out.

The school had its first ever bowling scholarship signing on May 8 when Jake Hafermalz agreed to play with the Campbellsville University Tigers of Campbellsville, Ky.

"This is the first time in school history. We don't have many days like today," said Grady Turner, Dawson County High School athletic director. "This just goes to show you - if you find something that is your passion, work hard enough then you can make it pay."

Hafermalz has been bowling since he was 5 years old.

"My dad bowled when he was a child," he said. "He passed that on to us and out of my siblings, I kept doing it."

"He's always loved bowling. It's always been his passion," his mother Joanne said. "When he told me about this opportunity, I told him you should always go with your passion."

Currently, Hafermalz has an average of 209 out of 300 total pins.

"Any time a coach comes on this campus to recruit any athlete they always want to check out the academic record first and then the athletic record," Dawson County Principal Jute Wilson said. "Campbellsville is getting a great student and a fine young man."

Hafermalz said that, initially, he hadn't even considered college-level bowling.

"I hadn't thought about bowling on the college level until this summer. Three of my friends I bowled with on a regular basis told me I should check out this new team in Kentucky," he said. "I went to a national tournament and had to pass through Campbellsville to get there so I toured the campus and tried out. I liked it and decided to apply."

It was there that he spoke with Campbellsville University bowling coach John Rausch.

"Jake is a good student. He's also got good bowling experience and his numbers are good," Rausch said. "He's also got a good rapport with other players we have."

Currently, there are 16 bowlers on Campbellsville's team. The program started in 2008 and had its first season in 2009.

Hafermalz has been to two national tournaments during his bowling league career, one in Reno, Nev. and another in Indianapolis, Ind. He has also bowled on an all-star league team for the past two years.