FSHS boys basketball coach Chuck Law instructs his team during a game against LHS on Friday, Feb. 27.

Growing up in Emporia, Chuck Law spent plenty of his time on the golf course and bowling alley.

Law became Free State’s boys golf coach in 2015 and was named the school’s new bowling coach at the end of September, replacing Burton Gepford, who coached the program since 2013.

Gepford, a former bowler and coach at the University of Kansas, was named co-Sunflower League’s boys coach of the year last season after the Firebirds won the league title.

“Burton has done a great job with it,” Law said Tuesday. “(Longtime FSHS coach) Anita Carlson and others who have headed the program at Free State have all done a fantastic job.”

Law said he hasn’t spent a ton of time around the sport since he started teaching, beyond watching a few tournaments, but believes it’s “a really important program” because it gives a variety of kids an outlet into athletics.

Free State’s boys bowling team has won league championships in two of the past three seasons.

“It’s something that I did a lot as a youth,” Law said. “Kind of like with golf, I’ve been away from it for a long time. I’m excited to get back into it.”

After coaching the boys basketball program for nine seasons, Law said he’s enjoyed the opportunity to get involved with different athletic programs.

“I knew I probably wasn’t going to get out of coaching entirely, but it was the right time for me to get out of basketball coaching,” Law said. “To get into two sports, in golf and bowling, that were a big part of what I did as a kid, it’s fun.

“Ultimately, it has very little to do with me and everything to do with giving kids an opportunity in participate and compete in a sport that they love.”