Bowling for fun on the cheap

By Nicole Takemoto
The Collegian

Bobby Poochigian walks into the University Student Union at 10 a.m. on a Monday morning. As he heads for the recreation center, he’s greeted with the clanging sound of bowling balls rolling down the lanes and the constant banging of falling pins as the balls crash into them.

Poochigian hears music and the clacking of billiards in the background, but they are drowned out by the one thing on his mind: bowling.

Like many other Fresno State students, the junior agricultural business major has been enrolled in a basic bowling skills course this semester. The kinesiology department offers 13 of these activity courses each semester, and they always seem to fill up fast.

“We have an overwhelming amount of students interested in the sport of bowling,” said Pat Thomason, the Recreation Center manager. “The classes fill up and the bowling center is always busy with students.”

“In my 10 years of working here,” Thomason said, “I have seen an increase in college bowling.”

The increase that has taken place among college students participating in this age-old sport can be most accredited to the fun nature and inexpensive price of bowling.

This growth in bowling has been noticed at other places in town also. Cedar Lanes, located at Shields and Cedar avenues in Fresno, has also seen people’s love for the lanes grow.

“There are always Fresno City, Fresno State and Fresno Pacific students in here,” said Joanna Christian, a manager at Cedar Lanes. She said industry surveys have indicated that bowling will be the top form of entertainment, along with restaurants, for students in the next decade.

“It is a safe place that isn’t affected by the weather,” Christian said, “and [it’s] a fun and competitive sport with many options, for those who are skilled or just want to have fun.”

While bowling may be popular right now and in the years to come, most students would probably fail to realize just how old this sport is.

The origin of bowling can be traced all the way back to the time of pharaohs, in the years around 3,200 BC. Artifacts were found in a young Egyptian child’s grave that appeared to be equipment for the game of bowling. It is believed that this game began with only a round rock and some stones.

Fresno State bowling obviously uses more than a rock and some stones and can’t be traced back that far, but it can definitely be traced at least back to 1969.

In 1969, Fresno State hired Glen Carlson to coach the university’s bowling team. The bowling team, operating in obscurity compared to most sports on campus, has been in existence ever since.

Many students probably don’t know that Fresno State has both a men’s and women’s bowling team, and that men’s collegiate bowling team is nationally ranked. They were ranked number one in the country two years ago. Along with their rankings, two of the players for Fresno State are also members of the U.S. junior team.

Most Fresno State students, though, probably aren’t interested in intercollegiate competition. Most of them just like to bowl because they are good at it or because it is somewhat of an individual sport.

Poochigian enjoys the individual aspect most.

“Though you can play on a team, you generally focus on your own performance only,” he said. “You have no one to blame if you do poorly.”

Not everyone is a good bowler, though, and for those who aren’t, there are other options that help to entice students to hit the lanes.

Local bowling alleys like Rodeo Lanes, Sierra Lanes and the USU Recreation Center host “Xtreme bowling,” or glow-in-the-dark bowling.

Rodeo Lanes and Sierra Lanes each host their Xtreme bowling on selected days and times. Included in this Xtreme night are fun and outrageous games, music, food and drinks — and of course, bowling, with the provided glow-in-the-dark equipment.

Fresno States glow-in-the-dark nights are held Fridays from 6 p.m. to midnight. Students can bowl in the dark for $3.15 a game, which also includes shoes.

For most college students, cheap prices make bowling worth it.

“I don’t bowl that often and don’t really know a lot of people that do bowl,” said Callie Condry, a junior business management major.

“It only makes sense to bowl, though,” Condry said. “It is a fun American pastime at $3 a game on campus, which sounds better than spending $10 on a movie where you can’t even socialize with your friends.”

Many employees at local bowling alleys say the socializing seems to be the best reason why the sport has stayed alive among students.

“Fresno doesn’t have a whole lot for people to do,” said Derek Quon, an employee at Rodeo Lanes.

“Most college students come in here in a big group looking for something they can all do that will allow them to socialize with each other. And, it’s not to expensive in a college student’s budget.”

No matter what brings Fresno State students to find enjoyment in maneuvering a big, heavy ball down a lane in order to knock down a few pins, one thing is for sure: bowling is a pastime that’s being kept alive.

“Students still participate in this ancient sport because it is fun and enjoyable,” said Carlson. “It looks easy to do, there are many different levels and anyone can achieve success it just depends on what success if for the individual. I continue coaching for love of the game, could be why students continue playing, too.”

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