The year of 2024 has seen a new edition to the extracurriculars of Altoona Area High School: The Bowling Club. The Bowling Club has been gaining momentum since its formation earlier this year
“We created the club to give students an opportunity to enjoy bowling, improve their skills, and hopefully inspire more young people to take up the sport,” club adviser Christopher Strawmier said.
The club meets every Monday after school from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Bavarian Aid Society, where students can bowl, work on their skills and connect with their peers. Members appreciate the relaxed atmosphere, where they can enjoy bowling at their own pace while also improving their game.
“I’ve been bowling for a long time, and it’s great to be part of a club that lets us practice and hang out with friends,” freshman Konner King said. “It’s fun, and it’s a good way to get better without any pressure.”
While the club’s primary focus is on casual practice, there are already plans to take things to the next level. Strawmier sees a bright future for the club, one that could include in-house tournaments and possibly even matches against other local schools.
“We’re looking at organizing some in-house within the club, and maybe eventually we could compete against other schools,” Strawmier said. “Our long term goal is to make it an official PIAA high school sport. ”
Another club member,senior Braydon Hetrick, is excited about the potential of the club.
“I think this could be a fun, competitive team that grows over time,” Hetrick said. “Right now, we’re just focusing on having fun, but I can definitely see us working toward something more competitive down the road.”
Strawmier, who has seen the decline in bowling’s popularity firsthand, is passionate about the opportunity the club provides to students.
“I have bowled for 50 years competing in leagues and tournaments across the United States,” Strawmier said. “I was hoping to get more young people involved in a sport that has seen a decline in participation.”
Despite the recreational structure of the club so far, the members are already seeing the benefits of coming together each week.
“I enjoy practicing and helping others out when I can,” King said.“It’s cool to see everyone getting better and having fun together.”
The club provides an opportunity for students of all skill levels to participate, and the low-pressure atmosphere makes it easy for newcomers to join without feeling intimidated.
“Bowling is one of those things where you can just have fun and get better over time,” Hetrick said. “The club is a good environment to enjoy yourself and improve at bowling.”
The club’s members are hopeful for its future and excited about the possibility of growing into something more competitive.
“We’re all having fun now, but we’d love to see this turn into a school team that competes against other schools,” Hetrick said. “That’s the direction we’re heading in.”
