College bowling is one of the most intense sports in the NCAA. While many see it as a fun night out with friends, college players take it very seriously. Here are 10 things that are true to people who understand the struggle of Collegiate Bowling.
1. The days are long!
When you get to the lanes its 8 a.m., then you are on your feet for up to 5 games every day. When you finally get to leave the lanes its close to 5 p.m., and then you get to do it all again the next day! Sounds like fun right? The standing alone is enough to make anyone exhausted, but then add on the cheering and actual game play, and you have yourself a very long day.
2. You are always hungry.
If you are on a lucky enough team, you have some awesome parents who are constantly bringing food and sandwiches. Parents who bring their girls food are lifesavers!
3. The cheers get crazy!
Every team has their own cheers for everything from a single pin spare, to any number of strikes. Be prepared to hear a million different songs reworded to include bowling terms. Bowling teams take their team cheers very seriously. And do NOT, whatever you do, steal another team's cheer!
4. The season is never-ending.
Bowling season starts October 1 and goes until the end of March or beginning of April. That is the longest season of any collegiate sport. While all the other teams have fall or spring seasons, bowling overlaps both semesters.
5. Do NOT make any weekend plans.
GiphyTournaments begin on Friday and end on Sunday. In some cases they start on Saturday and go to Sunday so you have the chance of getting a Friday to yourself, but that's only if you are lucky. Don't forget practice sessions the night before and travel prior to the tournament. So scratch what I said about having Fridays off.
6. Time management becomes crucial.
Balancing classwork, practice, and workouts becomes a sport in itself. Since you don't get the weekends to catch up on classwork, you have to make sure that you are on top of your schedule. Time management is a skill that all college athletes (and really all college students) should learn to master.
7. You spend a lot of time with the same group of people.
They say you can't choose your family, and you can't choose your teammates either. Get used to spending just about every waking moment with the same 10 people. Between practices, workouts, tournaments, and van rides, these people are about to be your new best friends. You may even start to think of these people as a second family.
8. Paddocks are the worst part of tournament weekends.
There is no good paddock setup at ANY tournament. Every tournament will have a crowded room with only one entrance and exit. Good luck getting in there in the morning or at the end of the tournament. Just hope that nobody mistakes your ball for their own.
9. You have the craziest jerseys in school.
Your jerseys will most definitely be the most colorful and fun of your entire school. Other sports have the same jersey style across the board. Bowling jerseys on the other hand always have fun patterns and designs.
10. You are friends with the rival teams.
Your opponent is your rival, or maybe your friend? The bowling community is so small that you are bound to know at least one person on the other team. This gives "friendly competition" a whole new meaning.
