The first time Conestoga math teacher Vincent Russo went bowling was at a birthday party when he was five years old. Since then, with much practice and improvement, the sport has developed into a passion for Russo.
“It’s (bowling) something that is really important to me, so I try to make the time to keep doing it,” Russo said.
Currently, Russo bowls in local leagues Celebrity A and Transfiguration twice a week. Within each league, he competes with the three to five people on his team. Russo believes a bowling league is the perfect place for challenge and improvement.
“A bowling league covers a lot of good social aspects. There’s competition, which gives you motivation to improve your game. You’re practicing your game by yourself, but you’re also watching other people bowl, they’re watching you and they can give you tips, because maybe they see something you don’t notice,” Russo said. “It’s a good community as well as an athletic opportunity.”
In a bowling match, each player on a team has 10 frames, aiming to knock down as many pins as possible. There are two chances for each frame. As a match finishes up, the person in the last spot on each team typically faces the most pressure, especially if it is a close match. Russo has attended his leagues’ championships more than once, with one of his most memorable bowling experiences being a very close win.
“I was in a championship match against a really strong team. The person who was on the other team in the last spot was a very good bowler. I was bowling in the last spot of my team,” Russo said. “It really came down to the final frame. I struck and he didn’t, and we won the championship.”
Russo reflects that though an athlete’s mindset is important in every sport, bowling in particular requires acute mental discipline because it is more of an individual sport by nature.
“Bowling has taught me the importance of mental strength,” Russo said. “In bowling, even when you’re on a team, it’s you standing up there by yourself, so having a strong mental game is important.”
Russo encourages everyone to try bowling and highlights its inclusive nature. He believes that bowling is both a fulfilling and entertaining hobby.
“One of the things I love about bowling is that pretty much anybody can do it,” Russo said. “For a long time, it’s been the number one participatory sport in the country. It doesn’t matter if you’re good or bad or if you’ve never done it before or if you do it all the time. You can go with anybody and it’s fun.”
Grace Hu can be reached at [email protected].
