I don't know why I asked the question when I already knew the answer.

Actually, I thought it would be amusing to hear Chicagoland standout Kevin Kullman say what he thinks will be the one thing he'll need as the new coach of the fledgling Providence boys bowling program.

“Patience,” Kullman said. “I'm going to need a lot of patience.”

Bingo.

The amusing part? I don't think I've ever heard Kullman use the word patience in regard to anything.

“Oh, no,” Kullman said, chuckling. “For me, it has always been a sprint to be the best. I did whatever it took at all costs to be the best at whatever it was I wanted.”

He's in one-step-at-a-time mode now, to be sure.

The Providence program is in its second season of existence. There is one senior, two juniors, four sophomores and two freshmen on the roster. Kullman, 29, replaced last year's coach, Paul Anderson, who resigned to take a teaching position at Jacobs.

If not the best bowler in Chicagoland today, Kullman certainly has to be counted among the best not only here, but in the nation.

In 2009-10, he was named the USBC Chicagoland Male Bowler of the Year. In 2013-14, he was the best bowler in the Southland with a 242 average at Centennial Lanes. In 2016, he won the prestigious Beat the Champs contest.

He has been a PBA card-carrying member for five years, and has competed in PBA-sanctioned tournaments since age 19.

We've had some pretty outstanding bowling coaches in these parts, with Ed Matesevac and Art Cwudzinski at Lockport, and Dave Seidler at Rich Central. Kullman, however, enters the scene with experience that'd be tough to top.

“I'm not going to go out and say that I'll be one of the best coaches in Illinois, but I have a pretty full bag of tricks that I can share with these kids,” Kullman said. “I think we can turn Providence into a pretty tough contender in the state of Illinois.”

Most of the kids got to meet Kullman for the first time Monday at Laraway Lanes in New Lenox, but Judson commit Jordan Chavez didn't need an introduction.

“I actually met him because he's friends with the Judson coach,” Chavez said. “I've seen him bowl, and it's just amazing how smooth he gets through the ball, and how well the ball gets down the lane and hits the pocket the way it should.

“It's a great feeling knowing that he knows what he's doing and knows how to teach us about bowling, and technique and form. To be able to work on the angles and the statistics and the bowling… We're very lucky to have him.”

Chavez, in essence, started the Providence bowling program two years ago when, as a sophomore, he petitioned the school to enter him in the state tournament.

Athletic department assistant Sandy Arthurs stepped up to the plate, and a year later became Anderson's assistant as Providence fielded its first boys bowling team.

Kullman can relate with Chavez. T.F. South didn't have a boys bowling team when he graduated in 2005.

“I remember calling Lan-Oak Lanes and asking when the girls tryouts were,” Kullman said with a laugh. “I showed up because I wanted to bowl in high school.

“They were like, ‘Guys can't bowl on the girls team.' I said, ‘Well, I can put on a wig.' ”

Needless to say, he didn't pass the audition. Kullman did pass the one he had at Providence, however, with flying colors.

“We are so excited for Kevin,” Arthurs said. “(Athletic director) Doug Ternik had gotten his name from a couple of people and that's how we contacted him. It was like a godsend.

“With his resume alone, and to have him coaching our kids here, I am so excited. He is going to bring such a different element. How he is going to teach the kids all the different positions, all the different things that they can learn from him, it's going to be amazing.”

abaranek@tribpub.com

Twitter @tbaranek