Let the good times roll

The Senior League is the perfect place to let the good times roll. Tuesday night and Thursday morning the Porterville Lanes the parking lot is at capacity, and inside energetic seniors fill all 16 bowling lanes.

“It gets in your blood,” said Rotha Anderson, who was recently voted 2012 Woman of the Year by Porterville Chamber of Commerce. “This is the Senior League and we love it.”

Anderson has been bowling for 48 years and she, like many in the league continue despite some aches and pains.

“I’ve had a broken elbow. I’m right handed, and broke my right wrist,” Anderson said. “And had my left hip replaced, and I’m still bowling. This is like going to a club. It’s fun, and you know everybody. It gets in your blood.”

Stories of people bowling into their 80s and 90s and are common. As far as longevity, Art Hogg may have the set the bar pretty high.

“He was 101 years old,” said Porterville Lanes owner Rod Tramp. “It’s phenomenal. It’s the camaraderie, competition and exercise.”

Arnold Crawford, 76, bowls in the Senior League and has been bowling for about 25 years.

“It’s a game that both sexes can do together at almost any age,” he said. “It’s reasonable and fun. Fun is the main thing. You can come down for two hours every night and have a good time with a lot of people.”

Bowling is one of the most popular sports in the world, according to the website of the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame. There are over 95 million people who enjoy the sport in 90 countries. It also works 184 muscles in your body, burns between 320 to 580 calories, and is a tremendous cardiovascular work out. It’s a weight bearing exercise.

“We all have aches and pains,” said Lori Resurreccion, “but bowling gives us an opportunity to forget about them. It helps us limber up and stretch our muscles. You’re bending over and lifting up a heavy ball and throwing it.”

Resurreccion joined the Senior League five years ago as a social activity since her retirement.

“The league is like a big family. When there’s a birthday, we all celebrate,” she said. “And there is a lot of positive reinforcement. When someone is bowling particularly well, it is often announced over the speaker system.”

The Senior League also is open to bowlers of varied experience.

“Bowling is a handicap sport. So different skill levels can compete together,” Crawford said. “You can start with a high handicap, meaning little or no skill, but the more you practice bowling the better you get. Porterville Lanes is really good about working with people to find them a spot on a league. Come and bring your friends.”

Irvin Covert, 63, introduced his wife, Kathie, to bowling and says playfully that he “created a monster.”

Kathie said that she bowled on the Breast Cancer League in Visalia after she was diagnosed with breast cancer and successfully treated. She has been a cancer survivor for 28 years.

“I had three little boys to raise and I was lucky enough to do it,” Kathie said. “We had so much fun bowling in that league. Our team was the Pink Double D’s. Some of the money we raised went to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Research and we had fun doing it.”

Recently, the Senior League and Porterville Lanes celebrated Merle Viberg’s retirement with lunch and cake. Popular with almost everyone, Viberg has been a mechanic at the bowling alley taking care of the lanes and pin-setters, “for a fast 16 years,” he said. “I’ll be 80 in March, and I’m thinking of going down and working with the seniors in town.”

Viberg formerly worked at Olive Avenue Bowl for 13 years.

Porterville Lanes, located at 952 W. Grand Ave., features modern electronic scoring, a lounge with cocktails, three pool tables, and a quaint old-fashioned café.

For more information on any of the leagues at Porterville Lanes, call Senior League secretary Cheryl Anderson at 781-3991.

“This is a great place to be out and socialize and relieve stress,” Cheryl said. “Bowling is great for your mental and physical well-being. This is such a great little league.”