Strikes are for show, but spares are for dough. - ancient Chinese proverb

My freshman year of high school I decided that I would attempt to do a sport since I knew it would benefit my resume. So I tried out for the bowling team - it seemed like a low commitment activity and the posters advertised that experience was not necessary - and I made it. I was on the team for all four years like I had planned, but ended up playing varsity for two, and had the best time of my life. Even though I bowled a lot during that time, I still enjoy it with friends when no one can decide what to do on a weekend night.

For some people in our league, bowling was a religion. There were kids I knew who were banking on a college scholarship for bowling (something I did not know existed) and others had already achieved multiple perfect games (scores of 300, 12 strikes in a row) by their sophomore year. I never took bowling that seriously, which is why it was so enjoyable. Also, it was quite entertaining to see other players get so worked up over missing a pin in a match like we were playing a PBA tournament and hundreds of thousands of dollars were at stake.

But for those of you who do not consider bowling a “real sport,” I used to agree. Bowling seems like it doesn’t require much physical or mental strength, but it just depends on how you play the game. Some pro bowlers use balls that weighed up to sixteen pounds which doesn’t seem like a lot, but it’s like throwing a six-month-old baby, to put it in perspective. My coach would always say that bowling is great because it’s a sport you can play your whole life, as evidenced by the senior citizens you can find at any bowling alley at 10 a.m. on a Wednesday. (Below: a snapshot of me and my friends)

More than anything, bowling allowed me to find some kind of inner peace, a calm place in my own mind where the nerves and anxiety of everyday life would melt away and I could just throw a ball down a lane and hope to knock over some pins. If you’re looking for a fun sport with the most chill then bowling is for you. The concept of the game is incredibly simple, and you can play against others or for your personal record. Additionally, the world of bowling is extremely entertaining, and even if you don’t accept bowling as your lord and savior, be sure to check out Chris Hardwick’s All-Star Celebrity Bowling, Dude Perfect Bowling Trick Shots with Australian pro bowler Jason Belmonte, and Chris Paul’s Celebrity Bowling Tournament - last year’s winner was surprisingly French Montana - they’re a wild ride.