Basketball, swimming, and wrestling. Those are some of the more popular sports at Eastern, but one sport that is often overlooked and under-appreciated is bowling.

Bowling gained popularity mainly in the 70’s and 80’s, even the 1930’s, however, this game has been around for much longer. It was invented in 5200 B.C. by the Egyptians, who would roll stones at various objects with the goal of knocking them down; from there, it has grown and developed through the years to become the sport we love today.

Dylan Potter (’25), a member of the Eastern Bowling team, commented that he enjoyed the ability to “talk to [his] friends” during their practices. Dylan has been bowling for three years, following his brother who “did it in his junior year.” While that may have been the reason Dylan joined, he says he stayed for the fun and competitiveness.

While some people like Dylan may just be there to have fun however, there are other members on the team who have been bowling their whole lives, such as Emilee Nowicki. She is also a junior, but has been bowling since she was a kid. She first joined the middle school bowling team in eighth grade, earning herself a high score of 170 points. From there, she’s continued to improve her game as her record is now 220. With another year on the team ahead of her, there’s no telling what her next record will be.

Another member on the team is Bryce Jenkins, who joined three years ago due to his mom forcing him to sign up. While he originally thought “it was going to be boring,” he later realized that he enjoyed the game and was grateful to his mom.

While bowling is a competitive sport for some, it can also serve as a recreational activity for others. It’s an enjoyable sport that can be played by a variety of ages, allowing friends and family to easily gather and make fun memories. Julian Zolenski (’24) remembers that when he was younger his mom would take him bowling. “My mom took me when I was younger. I liked the different positions you can take on the alley and the focus you need to be good,” Julian explains. Although Julian still enjoys bowling today, he has less to time to visit the bowling alley due to work and school, however, he hopes to get back out there soon.

Bowling is not only a sport of competitiveness, or family fun, it can be a combination of both, welcoming everyone to join. It’s a nice way to enjoy your time, make memories, and meet new people. So next time you’re thinking of an activity to do, make sure you check out bowling, and everything this underrated sport has to offer.