William Jewell College should have a bowling team. There are numerous benefits – both mentally and physically – to bowling and scholarship opportunities that would provide incentives for students to participate.
While one might think that there are no physical benefits to bowling, the opposite is actually true.
Even though work is constrained to a small area of the body while bowling, metabolism is sped up during this time. An average bowler walks about three-fifths of a mile during a three-game bowling series.
Bowling can also burn between 170-300 calories per game. The average bowler is using a ball that weighs 16 pounds, thus swinging 864 pounds in a three-game series.
Bowling is also a low-injury sport which makes it a sustainable athletic outlet. People would not have to worry about being at risk for injury in this sport.
Not only are there physical benefits to bowling, there are also mental benefits.
Participating in a team sport would allow people to relieve stress and form relationships with students they otherwise would not.
Bowling would offer an athletic outlet to those who may not usually participate in sports. It is a sport that can be played at any time in someone’s life unlike other sports which usually require training from a young age.
There is also great opportunity for disability accommodation in bowling.
Often blind and sighted bowlers can be on a team together. Blind bowlers can use guardrails or have a sighted person tell them where the remaining pins are – some blind bowlers can tell the pins they hit just by the sound.
Bowling can also accommodate those in wheelchairs. Though some participate in wheelchair bowling without any additional equipment, there are numerous technological innovations that make wheelchair bowling easier such as ball grip handles and ball pushers.
These are relatively small accommodations that would make a bowling team more conducive to all students. This also offers accommodation opportunities that other sports do not.
Not only are there physical and mental benefits to bowling, there are also scholarships available to bowlers.
The United States Bowling Congress offers thousands of dollars in scholarships not only to youth but college students who compete in bowling.
The introduction of a bowling team on Jewell’s campus would give students a unique and exciting sport to play.
Photo courtesy of CSC wildcats