Rolling with it
By James Cullum
As a fine, cool mist descended on the quad at Hayfield Elementary last week, the sounds of jump rope and bouncing balls were accompanied by the sounds of chants and crashing pins.“Go Savanna, go Savanna!” said a group of first-graders as Savanna Myers stepped forward, a bowling ball clenched by her small fingers. Her face resolute, Myers stared down the lane and as she approached the line, accidentally flung the ball behind her and watched it bounce away from her lane.
“Watch out!” said teacher, Ruth Drickey, who picked up the ball.
Taking it in stride, Myers took the ball and rolled it down the lane, hitting two bumpers (put up to keep the students from rolling balls into gutters) and knocking down two widely separated pins, an unbelievable spare for a 7-year-old.
Myers walked down the stairs of the converted 18-wheeler single bowling alley lane and let another student have a shot at a strike. The Brunswick pin setter cleaned the slate and set 10 more pins.
“Don't you wish you were in first grade again?” said Hayfield Vice Principal Theresa Carhart, watching the students bowl. “They didn't have treasures like this when I was in school.”
For two weeks, Hayfield students have been working on transferring their weight, maintaining balance, aiming accurately, throwing at a target and improving hand/eye coordination. The first week was spent in preparation for the arrival of the portable bowling alley, provided by Alexandria-based Bowl America.
It's been two years since the last time the alley has been at Hayfield, the length of time on the waiting list. Bowl America has provided the free program to 30 elementary schools a year for 18 years. Eight county schools take advantage of the free program.
Bowl America representative Craig Fisk, who has hit 12 perfect games in his life, said, “a lot of these kids have never seen a bowling ball,” and emphasized the importance of starting out young to make lifelong bowlers out of them. Every Saturday at Bowl America is kids league day.
Each of the 557 Hayfield students bowled last week. Special needs students were tutored in advance to have more confidence in their new sport.
“As soon as this truck rolls out of here, I'm calling to book for the next availability,” which will be in two more years, Drickey said.