Kids out of control?

[owlish]

It's inevitable. Kids. They're gonna be there, especially on Saturday. I enjoy kids a lot, they are fun people. I have no problem with them being around me or the occasional YIPPEE! I hear when they get a strike or a spare. Getting young people in the sport means there will be more of a future in the game.

Today there were about 20 to 25 teenagers in the age bracket of 12 or 13 years old. They were loud. So loud I could not believe what I was hearing, and at a decibel strength I almost had soft-tissue damage. Their screams were as if someone was being hurt in a very painful way.

The persons in charge did nothing to quiet the kids down. In fact it seemed as if they were egging it on, or didn't care one bit. I found this bewildering at the least. I said nothing to them as I just packed up my things after my second game and left. They were clearly inept of having any common sense by telling the girls to calm down. That is the part that leaves me just plain shocked.

I want to say something to management on Monday but am a little unsure of how to go about it as they are my new friends.

owl

[J Anderson]

It's inevitable. Kids. They're gonna be there, especially on Saturday. I enjoy kids a lot, they are fun people. I have no problem with them being around me or the occasional YIPPEE! I hear when they get a strike or a spare. Getting young people in the sport means there will be more of a future in the game.

Today there were about 20 to 25 teenagers in the age bracket of 12 or 13 years old. They were loud. So loud I could not believe what I was hearing, and at a decibel strength I almost had soft-tissue damage. Their screams were as if someone was being hurt in a very painful way.

The persons in charge did nothing to quiet the kids down. In fact it seemed as if they were egging it on, or didn't care one bit. I found this bewildering at the least. I said nothing to them as I just packed up my things after my second game and left. They were clearly inept of having any common sense by telling the girls to calm down. That is the part that leaves me just plain shocked.

I want to say something to management on Monday but am a little unsure of how to go about it as they are my new friends.



owl

You should have said something to the manager on duty as you paid for your games and left. But then again, I usually think of the right thing to do or say the next day. Your friends who run the center need to know that they lost business be cause of the behavior of the kids. Then they can educate their staff as to how to handle future situations in a tactful manner.

If I had been you, I might have stayed and tried to bowl, as I have been reading that practicing under adverse conditions sharpens your concentration.

[baked327]

Unfortunately with leagues getting smaller in a lot of areas the bowling alleys need to put more effort into there open bowlers. Not sure what management might have done or said except for maybe apology or some free games.

[DanielMareina]

As a manager of a center, Baked327 is mostly right. We can't afford to lose any business, and teenagers are big business because they may join a league and have many years as customers. Having said that, there is a limit to the noise that a group should make. If it were loud enough to reach that point, I definately would say something to them. It is hard to find time in a center for it to be quiet. I do recommend that you say something to management though. Even if we don't do much about it, we can get a gauge of how often it happens. If it is angering multiple people often, then we would consider a policy change. They won't find it offensive to hear your opinion, so don't worry about that. Good luck for some quiet days!

[Jord_84]

I agree with Daniel. They shouldn't be offended to hear your opinion. I think a lot of times, the teenagers are having so much fun, they don't realize how loud they are. A manager can politely ask them to tone it down a bit, without losing their business.

I wish noise was the only problem with our teenagers.....ours think it's fun to chuck balls while the sweep is down. They're constantly breaking our equipment.

[DanielMareina]

That is when we as management will step in quickly. We have a lot of kids that either like to throw 2 or more balls at once, or they like to throw the 6 lb balls 25 mph down the lane. Both of which are annoying. I was a bad teenager, but I still had more respect than that for business's property. Since I have no kids of my own, I blame the parents

[Jord_84]

yeah, we've stopped letting teenagers use the 6lb balls. They've broken quite a few of them, and we keep one at the control counter as a reminder of why big people don't need a light ball.

We also ask anyone abusing the equipment to leave immediately.

[Paralipsis]

I can tolerate parties of kids, and even drunk college kids, even with the screaming. But when it comes to the point where they're violating my bubble (From the beginning of the approach to the foul line, and as wide as the lane), I lose it. Last weekend, one after another after another kept running into my bubble, at one point, I actually ran over a kid. Didn't see him until I was laying sprawled out down the lane. And the parents, where were they? Playing billiards. Not even paying attention. I lost it big time that day. Got a refund for my games and they moved me down to the other end of the center. The owner of the place knows I'm a valued customer. I'm there every Wednesday, most weekends, and some others weekdays if I have the cash to pay for a game or two. The owner has memorized how many games I bowl on Wednesday's, and what my shoe size is. Not to mention, he lets me use his equipment from time to time. Very friendly guy. So when he found out I was getting pissed off, he refunded my money, and slid me down to the other side. And from now on, when groups are being loud, they tell them to quite down, or leave.

I wish noise was the only problem with our teenagers.....ours think it's fun to chuck balls while the sweep is down. They're constantly breaking our equipment.

The sweeps and pin setters at my local bowling center are from 95, and they work, albeit, slowly. I don't work there, but it pisses me off when people do that. And as for the 6 pounders, I used one not to long ago for ****s and grins. It was one of their old ones that they were replacing, I chucked it, and on the third for fourth heave, cracked it. Then it became an all out demo derby. See who could break the most in one game. Lol. Even the owner joined in. Cleaned out the racks of 6 pounders, and then loaded up the new ones. Next up is the eight and nine pounders. Might have to play basketball with them (Mythbusters reference). Another thing that ticks me off, is people who pound the scoring panels/imput screens. Just got the new Brunswick Entertainment System which uses touchscreen monitors to input information. I see people pounding the hell out of them. Ugh.

[Jord_84]

yeah I hate when people beat on the consoles too.
If you wanna get pissed off, take it out on yourself...not the equipment....it's not the equipment's fault you suck lol

we debated getting new consoles....but the new ones are so expensive...and delicate lol. I think it's around $80,000 to upgrade our house.
our old ones are bulky, they can take a beating...and since no one respects the equipment....I think we're keeping the old, crappy ones.

[Paralipsis]

yeah I hate when people beat on the consoles too.
If you wanna get pissed off, take it out on yourself...not the equipment....it's not the equipment's fault you suck lol

we debated getting new consoles....but the new ones are so expensive...and delicate lol. I think it's around $80,000 to upgrade our house.
our old ones are bulky, they can take a beating...and since no one respects the equipment....I think we're keeping the old, crappy ones.

The local center near me HAD to upgrade. The old Brunswick system was falling apart. Monitors were failing, keypads were getting torn up, and it was SLOW!!!! Now it's all fast and fancy. 32 lanes with new screens and consoles, the last thing I want to see (Even as a customer) is for people to beat the hell out of the equipment. I can't stand it. Lol.

Another thing that makes me laugh as well as think, WTF?!?!?, is people who release the ball way behind the foul line and pretty much slam it into the approach area.