The Gathering

[11 in a row]

I've been talking to a guy in NC lately so I'm bumping this so maybe he'll see it. See you all there. Oh, and I don't like "sweet tea."

i,ll have to give it some thought thats for sure...

[ThongPrincess]

i,ll have to give it some thought thats for sure...

It is well worth the trip! The bowlers who attend are awesome people. I was hooked after the first one! I usually put up a roll call post as we get closer to get an idea on how many are coming.

[11 in a row]

It is well worth the trip! The bowlers who attend are awesome people. I was hooked after the first one! I usually put up a roll call post as we get closer to get an idea on how many are coming.

i,ll keep ya,ll in mind.it,s sure sounds like you all have a blast thats for sure...
one way or another i,ll et you all know if i can go or i can,t go.....

thanks TP...

[kev3inp]

i,ll keep ya,ll in mind.it,s sure sounds like you all have a blast thats for sure...
one way or another i,ll et you all know if i can go or i can,t go.....

thanks TP...

Well, keep the dates open, my friend. And maybe while you're there we can show you where the apostrophe is. You can't be that old that your punctuation dropped too. (My wife says I'm really a frustrated English teacher.)

[11 in a row]

Well, keep the dates open, my friend. And maybe while you're there we can show you where the apostrophe is. You can't be that old that your punctuation dropped too. (My wife says I'm really a frustrated English teacher.)

yeah i must be falling off on the job here, i will keep it open thats for sure and thanks..

[kev3inp]

If she were still with us I'm sure we'd have been reminded by now. So I'll remind you.

I see we have a few more members from NC who I'm sure could attend. Janderson will be organizing a doubles tournament on Friday for everybody, there's still the Scotch doubles that night, and the Bragging Rights Tourney on Saturday. We hope to see all the old faces and a lot of new ones, too. So if you've gotten a new face in the last year be sure to come out and show us.

[JAnderson]

I'll be bringing a couple of non-posters with me and potentially one of the top South region PBA players (I'm still trying to talk him into it). Really gang, the more the merrier. The people who show up for this like to bowl. If you've ever thought things like "I wonder what {insert ball} would do" there's a good chance that someone at the Gathering will have that ball and you can see for yourself what it will do.

[JAnderson]

The Gathering started 5 or 6 years ago as a way for some of the more rabid ballreviews.com members to meet face to face, do some bowling, start new friendships, do some bowling, talk about bowling, do some bowling, compare equipment, bowl, have some dinner, bowl, enjoy some tasty beverages, bowl, and spend some time around other people who like to bowl.

The location of the "official" Gathering is Creekside lanes in Winston, Salem NC. It is one of Ron Clifton's bowling centers. I believe he volunteered use of his center out of his love of bowling and bowlers and the general kindness of his (and his wife Karen's) heart. If you don't know Ron Clifton, he's "Magic Carpet" on ballreviews.com (I don't believe he has an account here yet), a nationally known coach, inventor of Ron C's Magic Carpet, and a regular writer for Bowling This Month magazine. His exposure has grown quite a bit in the last two years, but he still hosts and looks forward to the Gathering every year.

Saturday afternoon is the "official" Gathering event dubbed "The Bragging Rights Tournament" which features three games across 3 pairs each with a different, challenging condition. It's handicapped and as the name implies, all about the bragging rights. Most people just have fun with it and enjoy the camaraderie of the us (the bowlers) versus them (the pins).

Friday night, the lanes hosts a scotch doubles tournament. Most of the Gathering crew bowls that as well. My favorite part of the weekend is Friday morning/afternoon when most people arrive. Seeing "old" friends and meeting the new participants. This year I'm throwing together an informal for-fun doubles tournament on Friday afternoon. Most of the participants will be there and bowling anyway. This will just organize things a little bit and give us a little bit more to joke and laugh about.

Toma and Nooster (BRScreen names) have arranged golf outings for earlier (Wed, Thu) in the week in the past. I'm not sure of the status of the golf this year.

There's an organized group dinner on Saturday afternoon right after the bragging rights tournament. Strider (BR screen name) and his wife have hosted a Texas hold 'em tournament, billiards tournament, cook-out, and home-brew tasting session at his home the last two years on Saturday night.

On Sunday, Ron usually does some pro bono coaching work with those who ask and are still in town.

Throughout the weekend, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, there's always someone from the group bowling. Ron puts aside a set of lanes specifically for the group.

The rest of the magic of the Gathering is in the people involved. According to Ron, the center's staff starts to get excited a couple of weeks before the Gathering every year. You just can't say enough good things about the Creekside Lanes staff. They treat us as part of the family instead of outsiders who are invading their house for a weekend. They also participate in the Gathering events as much as they can.

The participants come from all walks of life and backgrounds. First-year participants tend to be a little bit shy at first, but when you consider that everyone is there because they like to bowl, it gives everyone a common ground. Friendships form and good times are had. Last year, we were introduced to the "terror twins" one of the bowler's young sons that like to wreak havoc where they go. (I content they weren't that bad). Some people, like Colleen and Joe Falco, are a little more outgoing than the rest and make everyone feel welcome. I'm not sure of the exact number, but the last two years there have been 30-40 of us bowling nuts participating in the activities. The numbers have grown slightly each year.

One of the local hotels near the bowling center "sponsors" the event by provide a group discount rate. Ron makes up commemorative T-shirts and gives away door prizes. We still pay for our bowling, but it's been $1 per game for the last two years. Most of us wear name tags with our screen name and birth name to make it easier to meet one another. Ron and his coach-in-training Andy give help and advice on the lane wherever they can. There's general question and answer session before the bragging rights tournament where we're allowed to pick their brains or ask those nagging bowling questions.

From a personal perspective, I felt like I was dragging my wife to our first Gathering (2 years ago). Neither of us knew what to expect and my wife isn't crazy about bowling. That is to say, she'll throw a couple of games, but isn't as addicted as the rest of us. She had a blast, made a bunch of friends that first year, and now looks forward to the Gathering as much as I do. That first year she finished 2nd in the bragging rights tournament while I finished 2nd last. She'll never let me live that down! I've made some good friends, like Kev3inp and DPmusic from this site and the late, great Thong Princess and each year we make a couple more.

Not everyone is outgoing and there are some personality clashes but you'll get that in any group. In general, everyone is there to have fun and that's what we do. We did have a couple of bowlers show up one year who - putting it politely - had a bit of a poor attitude. They were discretely pulled aside and spoken to quietly. I don't know what was said, but the poor attitudes disappeared.

It's an event put on by bowlers for bowlers to bowl and enjoy bowling. It is not limited to members of this board or that board. It just so happens the Gathering was originally organized and run through BallReviews.com. Anyone who likes bowling is invited. It would be great to meet some people from this site and do some bowling with them. If you can't make it this year, start making plans for next year. We'll discuss informal dates for 2010 at this year's Gathering, but it's always a weekend and usually around the end of July.

Hope to see you there!

[kev3inp]

Ok, to move this to the top so everybody can check it out, then I'll add J's other post here, too. The only other thing I'd like to add is that there are a lot of rabid jerks on the other site, but, oddly enough, those are the guys without the stones to show up and shoe up. Something always comes up. Imagine that.

[Graaille]

Ok, to move this to the top so everybody can check it out, then I'll add J's other post here, too. The only other thing I'd like to add is that there are a lot of rabid jerks on the other site, but, oddly enough, those are the guys without the stones to show up and shoe up. Something always comes up. Imagine that.

Hey, I resemble that remark!