Let's Roll

On Christmas of 2008 Mike bought me my first bowling ball. In 2011, I bowled in at least 4 four tournaments.

When I was young my parents had a bowling team named after Sandy Valley Hardware which is the hardware store they still own. We spent some time at the Pikeville bowling alley and I did bowl some. Most of the time my sister and I would run around like I see the kids doing today. Playing with the machines and the pool table and probably bothering people whenever possible. I wasn't a good bowler even though my Mother taught bowling at the local community college. I took her class and I didn't ever roll over 100 that I can remember. Now that I know quite a bit more about bowling. I recognize that not too many people are good at bowling in the beginning. I am a natural when it comes to most sports. Bowling was a challenge to learn and continues to stump me from day to day. Maybe that is why I am so fascinated by the balls, pins and lane conditions that make up the sport called bowling.

I know some of you are going to be offended that I am calling bowling a sport. Please allow me to explain a few things. Yes, I know you can drink beer and eat pizza and bowl at the same time. You can eat and drink while golfing, tennis and many other sports. Yes, I know you can be 300 lbs and be a good bowler. But most of the professional bowlers are in good shape. Personally, I think it is awesome that there is a sport where you can be significantly over weight and be a professional. To be a successful bowler you must be able to put the ball where you want it every time. You also must be able to read the lanes for oil breakdown. If you still think bowling is not a sport. Please go out and bowl six games in a row by yourself. I know that you will be sweating, and in the morning you will be feeling your quad muscles if you are doing the proper knee bend. Most of the tournaments will require six games in one day. And three on the previous or next day. So you must be able to bowl nine games in two days.

Probably one of the most fun things about bowling is the prizes. In tennis I usually get a towel or pair of socks. In bowling you win money. And sometimes it is a lot of money. Let's not forget that bowling isn't really a cheap sport to begin with. I have bought three pairs of shoes to finally get the pair that I really love. I have bought around 5 to 6 balls at this point. They are around 200 dollars a piece. Like golf you have different balls for different conditions. They are all necessary and used in different conditions. My league fees and such are quite expensive. Some of that goes into the pots for the winners. So it is fun to get a check for placing at the end of the season. Even though you spent way more money than that to be a part of the league.

Last year was a fun tournament season for me because I had a large handicap because I was improving. My average for the previous season is what is used in the big tournaments and I was a 114 average who had improved to around a 150 bowler. Being such a low average puts me in the beginner group. In the tournaments alone I won over 2,000 dollars in placing and brackets. This year my average is a 167 and I haven't been bowling that well in league. So my tournament season will most likely not be as lucrative. I have been practicing quite a bit to get my game over 167 again.

It was a fun year last year and I am looking forward to this tournament season. My partners might not be as happy as last year. But, I promise to do my best and try to enjoy every minute of the crazy game where you roll a ball and try to hit ten pins.

My results of the 3 major Women's tournaments from last year: I included my placement money so you might get a sense for the winnings from the events themselves. Brackets are not included and they are in addition and it is betting on yourself to bowl better than those around you.

Fort Worth City Tournament: Team= 1st place 25 dollars (div 3) Doubles= 2nd place 27.50 dollars (div 3) Singles= 9th place 8.00 dollars (div 3) All- Events= 1st place 100.00 dollars (div 3)

Texas State in San Antonio: Team= 19th place 69.00 dollars(div 5) Doubles= 5th place 97.00 dollars (div 5) Singles= 78th place 71.67 dollars (div 5) All Events= 2nd place 87.00 dollars (div 5)

Women's Championship tournament in Syracuse New York: Out of 10,000 ladies in my division: Doubles= 1,399 place 24.69 dollars (lowest div) Singles= 885 place 62.10 dollars (lowest div) All Events= 81st place 262.58 dollars (lowest div)