Students
Bowl For Credit, Fun
by Jacob
Kramer-Duffield
The
word renaissance is often misused in an attempt to magnify
the meaning of an event or trend that is, in the grand scheme of
things, rather inconsequential. That being said, there is currently
a renaissance in bowling at Oberlin. And the main catalyst behind
this renaissance is, without a doubt, Assistant Director of the
Student Union Tom Reid, the man who runs College Lanes.
Reid, a 1980 Oberlin graduate and self-described FTL big-time,
has dedicated his life at Oberlin to spreading the good word of
bowling. I never wanted to go to college I just
wanted to bowl, Reid said. Unable to secure a job his first
semester at Oberlin, he eventually worked at the lanes Friday and
Saturday nights in the spring and has been there ever since, building
bowling at Oberlin into the institution that now exists.
Built in 1963, the bowling alley received its first upgrades more
significant than carpet on the walls, in the summer of 2000. Included
in the renovations were the glow-in-the-dark decorations and the
underground ball return. As the 21st century dawns, we finally
move into the 20th century, Reid said.
Reid has worked hard to increase interest in and understanding of
bowling. When I first started here, the guy who was running
the bowling alley told me one thing: Whatever you do, dont
start an intramural league. By the spring semester of
Reids first year running the bowling alley, there were 11
intramural teams, and from the spring of 1986 until the fall of
1991 there were never fewer than 12 teams any semester
or even during Winter Term. However, interest in intramural bowling
flattened out in the mid-1990s. But there has been an upswing since
1998 last spring featured 15 teams, the most in eight
years, and there are already 16 teams this semester.
Reid has also developed bowling at Oberlin through his bowling classes
offered through the athletics department and the intercollegiate
bowling team, a club sport. According to Reid, the team has been
going strong recently. We typically had four strong bowlers,
and since you have to have five for competitions, we would have
to take someone from the intramurals. But the last two or three
years, weve had a couple dozen people on the team; its
gotten to the point where we have to pick and choose who goes to
tournaments.
In
addition, Reid said, The physical education classes have been
very popular lately. It got to the point last spring that I got
an e-mail from a senior who tried to register on the first day or
registration but couldnt get in. After jumping through
a number of hoops, Reid was able to open a second section of the
class, which also filled up. The advanced class last spring
had 18 students, and has 13 this semester. These are hard-core bowlers
you have to have your own ball, fitted to your hand,
to get into the class. Its such a frustrating class for me
because its only 50 minutes and I have to pack in everything
I need to say and have them do. The registrar wouldnt let
me have them for an eight-hour day.
A member of the advanced bowling class, sophomore Tricia Hinrichs
thinks that the recent additions have added to bowlings popularity
at Oberlin. I think glow bowling has a lot to do with the
popularity, she said. Its college students with
a dark place and black lights and balls that glow.
Sophomore Adam Carlson attributes the success of bowling at Oberlin
to The fact that there is a bowling class; a lot of schools
dont even offer one. Tom [Reid] is a lot of fun, and he gives
a lot of hands-on personal instruction.
Another key to the recent resurgence in Oberlin bowling has been
the free bowling on Tuesday afternoons. With staff wages paid for
by Director of Recreation and Intramurals Betsy Bruce, the operation
of the bowling alley in those hours is free. There has been
much more student use in the last five or six years, Reid
said.
Junior Neil Freeman has been an employee of College Lanes since
last fall. He said that he Picks up a lot just watching [Reids
classes]. Id like to bowl more but I just dont have
the time. Freeman also gives Reid much of the credit for bowlings
success at Oberlin; I think its Tom. People like taking
activity classes and getting credit for bowling, [but] Tom really
illuminates them in amazing fashion.
Senior
Nate Marsh was a first-time bowler coming into Bowling I this semester,
and admits, I was a bit apprehensive at first, didnt
quite know what to expect and there were already some pretty talented
kids in the class, but Tom quickly put my fears at ease. He basically
starts everyone at square one, and builds you into a crazy bowling
machine. Hes not afraid to actually give real instruction
in an athletics class, which is refreshing, and its obvious
he knows his shit. It makes you really respect bowling.
Nationally, bowling membership has been declining since Reids
first came to College Lanes from 1980 to 1981. But as national leagues
were in steep decline in the 1980s, College Lanes built up their
membership among community members. We got to the point where
we were making a profit on the lanes, and that allowed us to survive
so that now we can focus on students. However, things have
not always been so rosy for College Lanes, and according to Reid,
There were some years in the late 80s and early 90s
when the College grudgingly operated the bowling alley, and there
wasnt much student use. Even College Lanes leagues
have been declining over the last several years, but nationally
membership declined by only six percent, which Reid sees as encouraging.
Its still one of the largest participation sports in
the world over three million people in this country
bowl.
There is a long history of bowling at Oberlin, as evidenced by the
1200-member-strong Oberlin College Alumni Bowling Association. Every
year at Commencement, alumni bowlers come back to face off against
current intercollegiate team members. So too is there Oberlin bowling
in Reids blood; My parents were both class of 45,
and my dads job was working in the bowling alley where the
Rathskellar is now, Reid said.
In addition to Reid, College Lanes is staffed by five student employees
and two non-student employees. The non-student employees help Reid
shoulder the burden during times when school is not in session,
since the bowling alley is open year-round.
Of
the current clientele, Reid said that, Even in community business
its more stuff like birthday parties and church groups, from
even the east side of Cleveland. This is the only bowling alley
in northeast Ohio where you cant smoke or drink. Indeed,
College Lanes provides one of the few social venues at Oberlin which
lacks vices but still packs in the kids.
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