In this team there were twelve students, most were seniors. They always went to a place called Melody Lane to practice, and also have tournaments in there. This place is only for the school in Brooklyn, therefore, if one of the team win the first place in the tournaments, they will go to Queens to have tournaments with all the high school in NYC.
Melody Lane located at 36th street in Brooklyn. On October 21st, I arrived Melody Lane, nothing changed. I open the front door, where was another one inside, but it was locked. I knocked the window at my left side, try to give get the cashier’s attention, then he pressed a button, a sound “Bee” came out, then I was able to open the second door. When I stepped in, the sound of bowling rushed in my ear, and the music was also playing the Michael Jackson’s sound. Inside, There were two sides, and in the middle of the place, there was a mini bar. I had never seen the bar open even once, maybe it was not the right time. Inside the bar, there were some chairs, and a television was playing base ball mach but nobody cares. Beside the mini bar, there was a hallway at each side. There were lead to the restroom, and the food servers place. On the sidewalk, there were auto-sell machines and some lockers. For each side, there were fourteen alleys. In addition, there were two cabinet set behind the fourteen and fifteen padded wall. The cabinet was for put the bowling balls.
It was early when I arrived, it was 4:00 p.m. so I just looked around. There were a lot of people here to bowl Some came by a group, some were individually. I saw a old lady stand in front of alley, but she was using a bracket to hold the ball. Beside the padded wall, the workers had put up guardrail, just in case the ball went out of the padded wall. There was a person beside her, to help her to get a ball. She put the ball on bracket slowly, and used her hands pushed the ball. The ball’s speed was very slow, by that time, I was thinking why she still playing bowling at this age? she should go try others, like croquet. The ball had hit five pins, and I looked at her face, she was very happy. She was enjoying in this sport so much. Maybe when I got her age, I will know what did she think.
After twenty minutes, the BIHS’s boys bowling team were coming. I packed my stuff went to their practicing line. When I was ready to take the notes for the boys team, there was something seducing me, which was BIHS’s girls bowling team match. All my attention went to girls side. Before the match begin, they were doing well, most time were getting strikes, and getting spares. The match began, the first strike was taken by other school, they gave much more pressure to the BIHS’s girls. I wish I could go help them, but I cant. And there were some questions came out of my mind, what made girls like to play bowling? In my mind, girls like to watch boys to play sport, or play some non-heavy sport. To throw a bowling ball is not heavy to them? even they have the lighter ball. The reason I was thinking in this way is the ball are heavy, and to get strike not only need the skill with luck, also need the speed. If we are not strong enough we will not to make a strike. Therefore, I thought bowling is only for boys.
