Bowling center provides activities for Barksdale community

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Andrea F. Liechti
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
The sound of pins scattering echoes throughout the building as members of Team Barksdale gather to enjoy quality time together. High-fives are used to celebrate strikes, and when the ball rolls past the single pin that was left in the lane, the crowd gives the bowler their sympathy with a pat on the shoulder.

The Barksdale Bowling Center provides numerous opportunities for the community to come together. Leagues range anywhere from beginner to advanced. They include youth, men's, women's and mixed men and women's teams. The bowling center also provides tournament opportunities for youth and adults.

"Nine-pin no-tap and low-bowl tournaments are a lot of fun," said Bobby Choate, Barksdale Bowling Center manager. "Nine-pin no-tap counts a strike for getting nine out of the 10 pins down, and low-bowl tournaments allow those who get the lowest score to win."

The biggest challenge of the low-bowl tournament is the fact that gutter balls count as strikes and every single ball rolled has to hit a pin, he said.

"If the bowler has two pins left, and he misses them both, he has to count it as a spare because every single ball thrown needs to knock down at least one pin," Choate said. "It can be quite the challenge for bowlers who are used to getting strikes all of the time."

Saturday Night Moonlight bowling is also an option for Team Barksdale members looking to make a little money. Bowlers can win anywhere from 50 cents to $25 if two conditions are met. Colored pins must land in the correct positions, and the bowler must get a strike when those pins are in the correct positions.

For those looking to save some money, Wednesdays are the best day to visit the Barksdale Bowling Center, Choate added. Games and shoe rentals are only a dollar each.

Barksdale Honor Guard members, Senior Airmen Chad Battle, Corey Mitchell, John Meyer, and Jose Pinzon, enjoy their Wednesday visits to the Barksdale Bowling Center.

"We make Wednesday nights our guys night," Battle said. "It gives us a chance to bring the kids out and give our wives a break."

The Airmen also enjoy the good deals the bowling center provides.

"They have great food and beverages," Pinzon said. "They beat the prices of just about anything downtown which allows us to meet up in a family-friendly environment and enjoy each other's company outside of work."

In addition to the great deals on food, beverages and bowling, the center also has a full-service pro-shop. Bowling balls, bags and shoes are available for purchase. Choate can also drill finger holes in the bowling balls for anyone looking to have a custom fit.

Airmen can be found at the bowling center purchasing new equipment or enjoying some friendly competition on the lanes throughout the week.

"Bowling gets us away from the seriousness of our special duties," Mitchell said. "It provides us with a good opportunity for our flight to build camaraderie."

To learn more about the league and tournament opportunities the bowling center provides, visit www.barksdaleservices.com or call 456-4133.