OxfordPress.com

site web

If it's September, it must be the start of another season on the area's bowling lanes.

This year, the News-Sun will step up its coverage of the local bowling scene. Expect a monthly column will appear on the first Thursday of each month and will highlight upcoming events, plus weekly top performers.

All of the News-Sun's increased bowling content will be published on Thursdays.

With more than 2,500 Clark County bowlers sanctioned by the United States Bowling Congress, and another 1,200 in Champaign County, area leaders are hoping for a better turnout than last year but fighting a difficult economy.

"Memberships were down a little bit last year," said Ron McWilliams, the 2007-08 president of the Clark County Bowling Association. "We're hoping we can maintain the membership that we had last season. Right now, it looks pretty promising. With the economy, fuel prices and job losses, it's pretty tough.

"The first place they cut back is in recreation."

The women also experienced a slight drop in 2006-07.

"We had a drop the past couple of years," said Springfield District Women's Bowling Association president Vickie Sibole. "But we hang in there and get out in the community and get bowlers back and new bowlers in. It looks like we might be able to maintain our numbers from last year.

"As long as we can do that, we are happy."

McWilliams said his organization wants to focus on the bowlers of tomorrow.

"I like to stress the youth bowling, because it is the future of the sport," he said. "We're doing enticing scholarship programs and things like that. I'm hoping it will all work out during the course of the season."

He thinks teamwork is the key to that happening.

"Between us and the women (SDWBA), we're trying to work together and keep the sport interesting for everyone," he said.

Corn-y kickoff

The SDWBA will participate in the Corn Festival Parade in South Vienna this coming weekend, kicking off its promotion of the Nine-Pin No Tap tourney that will be held in October at Victory Lanes. Proceeds will go to the Susan G. Komen For the Cure cancer foundation.

The SDWBA has donated nearly $7,000 in the last five years to the Komen foundation.

——————————

Bowling Honor Roll

(based on games bowled Aug. 24-30)

Northridge Lanes

Men: Mickey Russell, 776

Sr. Men: Larry Nicholl, 682

Women: Diane Deyhle, 611

Sr. Women: Betty Wiseman, 531

Century Lanes

Men: Leon Brown, 726

Women: Roxanne Evans, 583

Victory Lanes

Men: Robert Hively, 772

Sr. Men: Larry Wilson, 707

Women: Jane Bloom, 681

Sr. Women: Lula Cosby, 558

* 300 games: Derrick Stiles and Robert Hively