They’re On a Roll. . .
North Mahaska Youth Bowling Team (submitted photo)
North Mahaska Youth Finish USBC Bowling Season
by Christy Bellinger
Ten North Mahaska Students completed the USBC Youth Bowling Program during the 2012-2013 fall and winter season. Students participated through three area bowling alleys: Excit-A-Bowl in Pella, Star Lanes in Montezuma, and Mahaska Bowl in Oskaloosa.
The youth ended their season with the following averages:
• Leland Bainbridge – 111
• Terryk Bellinger – 98
• Brady Blommers – 59
• Zach Davis – 123
• Austyn Fisher – 73
• Blake Fisher – 142
• Summer Jackson – 86
• Chris Kubli – 125
• Zachary Miller – 52
• Maddie Robinson – 93
Several of these youth also competed in the Iowa State USBC Youth Association 31st Annual Championship tournament which was held in Waterloo this spring.
In recent years, the sport of bowling has become increasingly popular. The United States Bowling Congress was established in 2005 as the organization to serve amateur adult and youth bowlers, and USBC provides more than $6 million in annual scholarships. By enrolling with the USBC, members participate in certified league bowling where each bowler’s average is internationally recognized.
According to the Bowling Proprietors Association of America, the establishment of bowling programs in schools has led to a 17% increase in bowling among those youth under the age of 14. Over 15,000 schools across the nation now have a bowling curriculum with access to local bowling centers.
2013 marks the fourth year of bowling as an Iowa High School Athletic Association sanctioned activity. In 2012, eighty-eight of Iowa’s 382 schools fielded school-sponsored teams. Currently, North Mahaska does not have a school-sponsored bowling team.
