Fresno State's student-run newspaper

The Collegian

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Fresno State's student-run newspaper

The Collegian

Fresno State's student-run newspaper

The Collegian

In the right frame of mind

Behind two sliding doors hides a large room filled with twelve perfectly waxed wooden lanes of bowling paradise.

Spread out from left to right, each lane is filled with eagerly awaiting college students yearning for a chance to take down ten little white pins with a single swing of their arm.

In the midst of 40 to 50 students, the sounds of laughter, clapping and cell phones mingle with the ambient sound of the humming lights shining upon the blue, green and orange bowling balls.

Students begin to get up off their seats and resting positions as the bowling begins to take place. The students, both male and female, walk readily toward the ball return as they each place a hand onto the colorful bowling balls.

They all seem to grasp the ball as if they were cradling a small newborn baby.

These students are part of a bowling class, which is an introductory course that stresses fundamentals of the stance, approach and delivery, scoring, bowling terminology, etiquette and league play.

One student picks up his bright orange ball and rises up in a seemingly slow motion action.

He turns his head to the right and his body follows. He holds the ball at his side and looks down the long narrow lane at the little white pins in the distance.

He looks up at the score screen above and rotates his head from side to side, stretching out his neck as he takes a slow, deep breath.

His pre-routine was almost complete except for the other students screaming “go, goâ€Â and “hurry upâ€Â, definitely distracting his focus.

As he regains his concentration, his right foot begins to move forward, followed by his left.

His right arm begins to lower as the ball swings behind him. The power of this motion looks as if he is building up enough strength to bowl through a brick wall.

His right leg tucks behind his body and his stance is reminiscent of a figure skater̢۪s pose of triumph.

The ball flies off the tip of his hand and lands with sounds of a bison charging as the ball rolls vigorously down the lane.

The bowler watches as the ball reaches the end of the lane, crashing into the first pin, sending a chain reaction, which lays down each of the ten pins.

He jumps up with his arms and legs in the air, like a starfish being tossed into the sky. A resounding cheer comes from his peers watching the brilliant strike he imposed on the little white pins.

High fives are given to everyone on his team.

He takes a deep breath and prepares himself for the next frame.

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