Why Bowling?

I am never the sporty type. I graduated a year late because I still have to complete three out of four Physical Education classes required for my course. Anything that needs arms and legs coordination scares me, yet, being the usual adventurous me, I tried and tried. I enrolled PE classes semester after semester, lasting only a month or two once the excitement goes away. My professor once said that my love for new things is just a passing fancy. Haha. Okay I admit it, I am like that. 

And because I was excited and eager as ever, I ended up taking Hawaiian Dance, Social Dance, Folk Dance, Volleyball, Table Tennis, Social Recreation, Group Games, Badminton, and Physical Fitness. Seriously, I enjoyed every PE class I’ve been, it’s just that, I get bored easily. Thus, not finishing the classes I enrolled in. 

So I keep myself in shape by running and doing leg raises (only this because I don’t want to burn the little fat I have).

But now, I think I found a sport to keep, bowling.

We’ve been striking bowling pins and throwing bowling balls two consecutive weeks now. And yes, my choirmates and I plan to do this every week. Even though bowling is considered as a sport for uhm, older people than us (as our village holds bowling tournaments for our parents), I was surprised how much I enjoyed it the first time. 

Not the sporty type like me? Here are five reasons why bowling is a must-try!

1. Affordablity 

For the frugal like me, who’s love is raiding ukay-ukays and buying twenty pesos ice-creams, bowling is worth the money. For about 100-200php a game, you have at least twenty tries to make a strike, bowling shoes included. Just resist the temptation to munch the food offered inside bowling alleys. Haha.

2. Accessibility 

Just a jeepney ride away from our place, near Sto. Niño Marikina is a bowling center where our village’s bowling tournament is held. Most bowling centers are inside malls. My friends and I raid Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall’s Bowling Center, Q Plaza’s Bowling Center (just in front of Sta. Lucia), and Paeng’s Bowling and Billiards at Eastwood. Other SM Malls offer bowling centers and even tournaments. So grab your friends for an afternoon of shopping and striking!

3. Simple as A-B-C

Bowling balls may look intimidating, especially the heavy ones. But believe me, once you put your three fingers inside, hold it, then throw it, the sound of it rolling and striking the bowling pins will surely be music to your ears. For the amateur like me, watching YouTube tutorials help a lot. Even if I’m the lowest scorer among them, who cares, I know I’m learning.

4. Recreation + Relaxation

Just like any other sport, bowling bonds people. Every game is filled with laughter especially when your friends’ hands go all over the place (well, my hands have a life of its own after releasing the ball that they say I am komang), or the bowling ball hits the canal. Competing with each other is always fun, even if we are all beginners and even if our scores are 50% lower than those on the other lanes. Nakakhiya. But we still play!

5. Health Benefits 

Walking along the lane is an exercise, swinging your arm, stretching, flexing, plus the muscle on your face as you smile is all exercising. What more could you ask for?

I really hope that this wouldn’t be just another phase for me. Even if my ass and arms hurt a lot every after we play, I do not care. Who knows, maybe this will be my sport, I may be the next Paeng Nepomuceno even if my highest score ever is 43. Hahahahahaha. Til next time. Now off to YouTube to search for Bowling How-To’s.