Andy Dierks loves bowling. He can't get enough, actually.

Dierks bowls in two leagues and competes in tournaments, although he's had to cut back a little.

He works summer camps and clinics, helps coach the bowling team at Mount Mercy University, works with youth leagues on Saturday mornings and gives private lessons.

Even his e-mail address has a bowling theme. It's This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Oh, yes. He's also the boys bowling coach at Linn-Mar High School.

With all that bowling, you'd think Dierks works full-time at the profession, but not yet. "I hope that some day it will be," he said.

In his "spare" time, Dierks works as the service advisor at Carousel Motors in Iowa City. He lives in Marion and makes the commute, so that adds to a busy day. He also has a family with two children in middle school.

Linn-Mar began practice last week and starts the season Nov. 22 against Iowa City High, so this is an extremely busy time of year. Busy, and fun.

The Lions finished eighth at the state tournament last year and Dierks anticipates having another good squad, despite losing Corey Prokup and Tyler Lemon to graduation.

"I think we're going to have a tough team," he said. "We've got some younger talent that is going to step up and I think will fill the gaps nicely. I think we're going to have a pretty good season."

Linn-Mar qualified for the state tournament last year and returns Dreyson Robe, Justin Wyant, Matt Wheaton and Tristin Stevens as regulars from the varsity team last year. Robe, Wyant and Wheaton are juniors, so it's still a relatively young team. Stevens is a senior.

Robe was the champion at last year's state qualifying meet.

Dierks anticipates stiff competition for the remaining spots on the varsity and mentioned sophomore Seth Tegtmeier as another young player with talent.

"I think I'm going to have a tough call this year," he said. "I think I'm going to have at least eight or nine players who could all be very, very close in skill level.

"At that point, if they're very, very close, we have to find chemistry and find the right team that's going to work together and communicate well, and that makes all the difference in the world.

"I've seen teams that have great players, but if they're not a team they don't win very often at all."

Dierks likes the potential on this year's club. "I think the possibilities are good to qualify for state, for sure," he said.