Traverse City Record-Eagle

Kathleen Gest: Senior Focus

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April 23, 2011

Senior Focus: Bowling without a ball

By Kathleen Gest, Local columnist ----

Walk into the Traverse City Senior Center on a Thursday morning and you might hear the sound of bowling pins scattering and shouts of "Come on, get a strike!"

For two hours each week, the Walt Room is transformed into a bowling alley -- by means of Nintendo's Wii sports gaming system.

Wii Sport, introduced in 2006, is sometimes thought of as a system for young gamers. However, some of the most avid Wii bowlers are seniors.

Three years ago, recognizing the popularity of Wii bowling, Lori Wells, director of the Senior Center, and Pat Thompson, program coordinator, put together the Wii bowling program. The systems were donated by Bob Winnie and Jackie Thomas Sutherland.

"At the Senior Center, we use the Wii gaming system in the form of bowling leagues," Thompson said. "Although we bowl year round, we break it into eight-week leagues with a bowling banquet at the end. We even have bowling shirts -- the only things we don't have are bowling balls, funky shoes and beer."

During league play, individual bowlers compete against the other participants each week. The eight-week leagues are made up of more than 20 bowlers and are run like regular bowling leagues, using handicaps and scores, compiled and recorded each week.

At the end of the eight weeks, trophies are given out in various categories -- including the bowler with the highest score, the best game and the most improved.

"We have participants who have bowled all of their lives in leagues, but now can't bowl a regular game, because the ball is too heavy. The smile on their face is wonderful to see, when they realize they can bowl again," Thompson said. "The competition is there too, as everyone tries to achieve that perfect game of 300."

All of the Wii virtual sports are based on physical motion, which often means you must stand and mimic the moves that you want created on the screen, coaxing some sedentary seniors out of their chairs and onto their feet.

In addition to the benefits of simply moving around, Wii bowling improves balance among some older people and enhances hand-eye coordination. But Wii bowling also brings out a spirit of competitiveness and challenges bowlers mentally and emotionally.

Besides league play, the Senior Center hosts a night of pizza and Wii bowling Thursdays at 4 p.m. Any Senior Center member is welcome and no experience is necessary; $4 covers the cost of pizza, salad and dessert.

The Senior Center has partnered with Turtle Creek Casino to sponsor Wii bowling tournaments.

The Turtle Roll will be held at the casino Wednesday, May 4.

Teams from six counties already are in place, but future tournaments are planned.

"We host the tournament here at Turtle Creek Casino, because it just sounded like a lot of fun," said Joe Kaubenaw, special events coordinator. "It introduces us to a different group of seniors and gives them a different perspective on what we can offer."

Kalkaska County took first and second place in last September's Turtle Roll Tournament.

For more information on Wii bowling at the Senior Center and to register for the next Wii bowling league or fun night, call 922-4911 or email lwells@tcseniorcenter.com.

Kathleen Bellaw Gest is a local freelance writer. For more about the Traverse City Senior Center, go to www.tcseniorcenter.com.

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