Unescorted Minors - I expect the desk to take the lead.....but..........

[scottymoney]

I have found going after 9pm to practice limits the amount of kids in the alley. I try to avoid the times that kids/misguided youth are there. It is easier to concentrate. That being said both of my highest games bowled 268 and a 248 happened when I was out bowling with family and was also chasing my almost 2 year old son around, both were during busy times at the alley's. Weird to think that my best games came during those situations but I also realized that I did well to shut off all the distractions on the approach and make great shots and then go back to not thinking about my shots while chasing around my son. By having a distraction I think it helped me to be able to focus when it was my turn instead of the other way around where I focus from the first frame of league to the last frame of my series.

[GeoLes]

The spirit of my rant is not that I hate children. To the contrary, I love them enough to want them safe. When I see a kids bowling with dad, I encourge the kids to get a higher combined score so they be beat him. I let kids bowl first when parents are uptight about offending bowlers aoround them. That is not the issue. The issue is the ones who are without parental oversight.

It is often the lack of responsibilty of not only the parents/guardian but also the front desk. Parents book a party at the lanes and expect Chucky Cheese, which is a kid-friendly arcade. What may seem obvious to me may not even be in the mind of parent or group chaperone. They take picures of the kids dancing, dropping balls, etc. and in their mind it's all part of the party. But, as the front desk knows. the lanes are a far cry from Chucky Cheese. Ball retuns smash fingers. Dropped balls break little bones, lanes are slipery, the list goes on. When they book a kiddie party, the responsible person should have to read a sign a release acknowdgling risks and responsibilties which should not only be spelled out in the contract wth instructions to disbure the same to all chaperones and parents in the party. They should also posted conspicuously at the lane. I mean over and above "Warning. do not cross the foul line".

I would have a mini speech prepped for desk personnel to reference and repeat. I would further explicitely give them authority to enforce safety regulations, as some desk personnel think they are there only to assign lanes and distribute shoes.

[Rjthebowler]

Please reply to this but I am 12 and big into the sport I allways bowl in a nice bowling uniform and I bowl about 7-15 hours a week and I go by my self and Cary a 140 avg (with hook) and I know lane equity! But ime asking is do you look at me the same way??? Is it bad I bowl my self with no parent there at all (I know everyone that works there cause I am there all the time)

[Greenday]

Please reply to this but I am 12 and big into the sport I allways bowl in a nice bowling uniform and I bowl about 7-15 hours a week and I go by my self and Cary a 140 avg (with hook) and I know lane equity! But ime asking is do you look at me the same way??? Is it bad I bowl my self with no parent there at all (I know everyone that works there cause I am there all the time)

As long as you aren't running into people, running around the alley, or being obnoxious, no one will mind having you around.

It's not that a lot of us don't like kids. We just don't like kids that are running around wild with no supervision being a huge distraction and possibly getting themselves and other people hurt.

[swingset]

Please reply to this but I am 12 and big into the sport I allways bowl in a nice bowling uniform and I bowl about 7-15 hours a week and I go by my self and Cary a 140 avg (with hook) and I know lane equity! But ime asking is do you look at me the same way??? Is it bad I bowl my self with no parent there at all (I know everyone that works there cause I am there all the time)

If all kids were like you, we'd never have threads like this.

[billf]

Please reply to this but I am 12 and big into the sport I allways bowl in a nice bowling uniform and I bowl about 7-15 hours a week and I go by my self and Cary a 140 avg (with hook) and I know lane equity! But ime asking is do you look at me the same way??? Is it bad I bowl my self with no parent there at all (I know everyone that works there cause I am there all the time)

I prefer kids who are serious and don't have parents there. They mean well but so many of them are clueless about how to improve in bowling, practice techniques, drills, etc.
I don't care about how you dress but it does sound like if you were at my center you would be one of the kids I volunteer my time for! Personally, I don't care about the ability but do about the effort. The more effort the quicker the ability will come.

[DrOcktagon]

Please reply to this but I am 12 and big into the sport I allways bowl in a nice bowling uniform and I bowl about 7-15 hours a week and I go by my self and Cary a 140 avg (with hook) and I know lane equity! But ime asking is do you look at me the same way??? Is it bad I bowl my self with no parent there at all (I know everyone that works there cause I am there all the time)

You are definitely NOT part of the problem. I did the same thing when I was your age. Every summer I would ride my bike to the lanes with my ball under my arm on an almost daily basis. As long as you're practicing lane etiquette, which I'm sure you are, you have nothing to worry about.

It's too bad more kids aren't like you.

[H3RBSKI]

people think im stupid becasue i say they should have steel toe capped bowling shoes. the amount of kids ive seen drop balls inches from their toes is crazy! i dropped a 14lb ball on my foot once whilst putting balls back on the rack and it wasnt pleasnt

[billf]

Actually, I think that's a great idea. Especially for kids' sake. Accidents happen and I know kids seem to grab a ball that's too heavy not knowing or realizing the weight or even the fact there are different weights.