What your are doing is commendable.  However, isn't there some way that you
can get into a regular bowling center at a nominal price?  I see it all the
time here.
  On an additional note, not meant to be insulting to anyone, but one import-
ant weakness in the change from junior high school to middle school is the
change from content area strong teachers to broad based elementary school
teachers.  This has been especially detrimental in the areas of English, science and math.  Just an observation.  I am sure there are some advantages
also.

Go to the owner of a center that you normaly go to alot. See if they would be willing to help you out with a lower cost of linage. The center that we opened the second shop in last summer has its own after school thing for little kids. The old proshops center would get middle school kids once a month after school for a set price for how ever many hours they came and bowled. The best way to get a lower price is to talk to the owners of the Centers.

I also would say, try to talk to the BOE, to see if there was anyway they could let a school bus take the kids there. That would give you the transportation you would need. They may say something about having to find a bus driver and then the cost it would take to pay them. The best thing for that is to find a kid who has a parent who is one of the schools bus driver. Normaly there is at least one or two of them. This would be a way for you to get a free bus driver. The bus driver would only have to take them there. The club could have a rule that states a kid can only go home when a parents or guardian comes to the bowling center and signs them out. That way you know what kids have left with someone they were to leave with. I am around this stuff alot, with the shop and its locations. I am also around it because of myself being a highschool Coach. If you need any more info go right ahead and PM me.

The reason I say talk to the centers owner is just because, when you go to one and say you would like to introduce a new wave of young kids into the game of bowling. The owner will look and think, and wounder if they get help with the cost and have fun now. How many of them will turn around and enjoy the game enough to get into the sport of it and then come back for a league later on.
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Mark "scoot" Trgovac
C-G Pro Shop
Official "Spokesman"
Youngstown, Ohio
Track HITMAN.

Tag Team Coaching Success Story.

Happily distributing the red pills of CGNOMADDA. "if you take this pill, YOUR MIND WILL BE OPEN TO A WORLD NEW IDEAS."

C-G Proshop-Scoot,
I talked with my friend who works the desk at my home center and will be talking to the GM tomorrow to get an idea of costs.  He thought that we would get a good deal, other schools that come in pay about $5/child for 2 hours. Being we will be after school and less time, we should get a better rate especially if we come on a day that is pretty empty.

There is a Brunswick center closer to the school, but I don't have any connections there.  I'll stop by and see if I can schedule a meeting with whoever can quote me fees.

As for talking to the BOE, probably not going to happen.  I teach in the Los Angeles Unified School District and right now they are looking at a loss of funding from the state.  Arnold cut about 5 million from education and with LAUSD being the largest district, the cuts are going to be deep.  Class size is already going to be increased and teachers displaced.

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1. Run a mini league using the portable lanes. Form doubles teams, or trios teams - whatver works with the number of kids you have.
2. Appoint real league officers. Have a secretary keep track of LEAGUE stats, and a team member responsible for each team's stats (averages, high games, etc)
3. If you have time use the process to set up a set of league rules. This will get the kids familiar with the basic rules.

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That is kind of the plan, after teaching the basics.  It is also going to depend on how many lanes they purchase.  If there is only 1, things will be very difficult at best.

Having the kids help in determining the rules and electing officers will make it a better experience for all and something that should be a part of the program with Middle Schoolers.

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4. Once you get a feel for how many you'll really have participating  (probably 1/3 or less of those who sign up in the beginning), you can worry about transportation to a center - maybe for a season finale.

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That may be the best we can do.  I have to admit the Brunswick Center is only a few miles away, so we might get a few parents through the PTA to help with that if we can't work out a bus or van.

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5. Last, but not least - don't make this as long as a regular league season. Maybe do two or 3 short seasons...

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I was actually thinking of 10 - 20 week sessions.  Each semester is 20 weeks, so going by semester or half semester.

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Also - one more thing - have them learn how to keep score. We had to have a "classroom" session in our club to teach the basic rulse, league rules, and scorekeeping.

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I plan on classroom time and am working on a couple power point presentations.  A presentation for adult volunteers, one as an orientation for the kids and parents, and a few to use with the kids who actually join to introduce the basics like rules and scorekeeping.

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Most importantly - make sure they have fun and enjoy themselves, so we have some future league bowlers!

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Actually the #1 priority!  If it isn't fun, they won't be back.

Thank you and any additional input is appreciated.  I want this to happen and possibly be a starting point for bigger and better things.

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USBC Bronze Coach

"I cannot change the direction of the wind but I can adjust my sails to reach my destination." Jimmy Dean
Quaker 10/93 - 4/07
Quaker

Edited on 6/30/2008 7:52 AM