A local bowling league with a long and unique history in the Toledo area of supporting children now spends its Saturday mornings in Rossford.
The Toledo Bowling Senate Juniors compete at Interstate Lanes on Lime City Road, weekly from September to right before Easter weekend.
“The owners and staff at Interstate Lanes are great, and they have some of the best pizzas around,” said George Hayes Jr., who has served as the league’s junior coordinator and coach since 2001.
Mr. Hayes noted that Toledo is one of the five founding cities of the National Bowling Association Inc. and the local chapter is the Toledo Bowling Senate.
“This organization was started in 1939 because black people could not bowl in white-owned bowling alleys unless the owners were not prejudiced or because a few blacks did own a few lanes across the country,” he explained.
Black people and other non-caucasians were not permitted to belong to the American Bowling Congress or the Women’s International Bowling Congress because of “white only” clauses in their constitutions that were not removed until 1950-51.
Today, the Toledo Bowling Senate has adult leagues and one youth league–the Toledo Bowling Senate Juniors, which started in 1953.
Players from ages 4 to 17 are welcome to participate.
“This league always has been open to any youth regardless of race, creed or color–just as long as you want to have some fun,” Mr. Hayes said, emphasizing the league motto which is simply: “Have fun.”
“My brother Bryan said it best, ‘You seem to forget about your outside problems during the time you’re inside a bowling alley.’”
Children can join at any time during the season. Parents can sign them up on Saturday mornings at the bowling alley or leave their contact information at the Interstate Lanes office.
A TNBA youth membership is $12 and the USBC youth membership is $10. Both sanction cards are needed to bowl in leagues and tournaments.
In tournaments, the young bowlers compete for scholarship money that cannot be used until after high school graduation, when it can be applied toward college, trade school or other educational training programs.
Their biggest tournament of the season is the TNBA Central Regional Junior Tournament, which is held Easter weekend within a seven state region.
“Our kids will compete against 800 to 1,100 other kids,” Mr. Hayes explained. “We raise funds every year to charter a bus–if not, some won’t have transportation.”
Sponsors are being sought to help with transportation costs and sponsoring a child for the entire season at $292 or part of the season at $10 per week.
“Trust me when I say that someone offered $1, and we were extremely blessed–we take nothing for granted,” he said.
Anyone interested in being a sponsor can contact Mr. Hayes at 419-764-1835 or by email at george. hayes@utoledo.edu.
The long-time bowling coach is proud of the organization and its commitment to children.
“I’ve been involved with this league a total of 27 years, and every day is truly a blessing,” he said.
All coaches and adult leaders undergo SafeSport training through the U.S. Bowling Congress to work with children and protect minors from misconduct and abuse.
Other officers of the league are: Sherese Williamson, assistant coordinator; Anna Lowery, secretary/treasurer; and Bessie Mack, president.