Are you competitive but don’t want to play a contact sport? Are you looking for a good stress reliever? If yes, then the physical education department has something to offer…bowling class. Every Thursday afternoon Colette Bowler, no pun intended, drives a van loaded up with students to the AMF South Shore Lanes bowling alley in Alameda where students show and practice their bowling skills. Bowler is the soccer coach and bowling instructor. The AMF bowling alley caters to the class by giving discount games and shoes.
The bowling class is worth .25 credit and was designed to add a more varied choice to the sports department. The class encourages students to have fun while increasing their bowling scores.
The most common mistakes that Bowler sees are bad releases and taking too many steps. Bowler suggests that when bowling, take the time to line up and take a four-step approach to the foot fault line before releasing the bowling ball squarely from the hip.
When asked if her bowling skills have improved over the semester, Angie Morgan said, “Yes, Colette is good about giving critiques and showing us how to improve.”
Tanya Sarmina decided to enroll in the bowling class because she considers the class a “low key de-stresser.” Sarmina said, “The class is a good way to step away from the intensity of writing papers.”
Myla Baker said, ” I didn’t realize at first that bowling was even taught. It’s not expensive and it’s a fun past time for many of us.”
Bowler is an advocate for bowling at Mills because she feels that bowling is a good social sport that allows students to occasionally get off campus.
Besides being born a natural “Bowler,” literally, her parents took her to bowling alleys as a child. She said, “We had to bowl. We are the Bowlers.”
The bowling class bowls once a week, on Thursday afternoons from 1:00 to 2:15. Bowler said that she teaches the class every semester, or every other semester, depending on the popularity of the class.
Rgo Canizalez has worked at the bowling alley since 1990. Brendan Treanor also now works alongside Canizalez. They enjoy the business that they get from the bowling class. To make bowling for the class more enjoyable, Canizalez and Treanor turn on the night bowling lights, creating a disco atmosphere. Canizalez said, “High school and college students are good customers. It’s a good way for us to promote business.”
Participants in the bowling class pay $5.00 for two games of bowling and a shoe rental. AMF gives the class a discounted rate from their regular prices of $5.50 per game played, plus $4.50 for a shoe rental.
