Sandro Perrino | Lindenlink staff
Have you ever wondered what’s really behind bowling?
Many people think that bowling is just throwing a ball down a lane trying to tip over all the pins. Many think bowling is a good way to have fun with friends while listening to music, drinking and eating.
Well, here’s what the pros have to say!
Did you know that bowling is a sport? In fact, it is very popular. Probably it is not as well-known as baseball or football, but people around the world practice bowling as a sport, some even as a professional career.
Have you ever watched a bowling TV final? If you have, and you live in America, you probably watched a PBA final.
Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) is the most important body of professional bowling. Currently, the PBA boasts some of the best bowlers in the world, so the PBA has the most competitive tournaments. A PBA title is probably the most prestigious and desirable award that a professional bowler can achieve.
As an international bowler, I believe bowling has been undervalued. Bowling may be the hardest single sport in the world. Try to bowl only in an amateur league to test the difficulty. Just imagine throwing a 15-pound ball at an average of 15 mph around 200 times a day, and doing it with precision. It is not easy.
To bowl professionally requires being in good shape, having a deep knowledge of physics and chemistry, being extremely patient, consistent and detailed, and sacrificing an incredible amount of time.
But bowling isn’t all hard work. Bowling can often lead to travel, visiting many countries and cultures, and making national and international friends. Bowling can also develop important life values, such as patience, trust, comprehension, sportsmanship and friendship.
I am only 20, but I have been bowling for about 16 years, and have been in more than five international competitions representing my country. My fellow bowlers and I believe that bowling has to become one day as popular as soccer, basketball, baseball or tennis.
See and hear some bowlers from the PBA Tournament of Champions on this video link:
http://uverseonline.att.net/tv/show/pba-tournament-of-champions#play=dk___dk_exc_sp0607_jun13.mp4
