Return to the Special Olympics Homepage
Insider Guide Press Room Fundraising Healthy Athletes Contact Us Site Map Donate to Special Olympics
Keyword Search and Help
 
English > Coach > Coaching Guides > Bowling > The Benefits of Bowling
Coaching Guides

  Print this page

The Benefits of Bowling

Bowling is one of the most popular sports in the world. One of the reasons for its popularity is its adaptability: children and adults of nearly every ability level can participate, and it can be enjoyed as a leisure, recreational and social activity or as a competitive opportunity. Children too young to execute a full approach can stand near the foul line and, using two hands, gleefully shove the ball down the lane. Teenagers, middle-aged people, even octogenarians frequent the lanes. Bowling leagues abound. No other sport in the world has such a diversity of participants. Why? Bowling is fun, good, clean, laugh-it-up fun. Other major benefits of bowling include its easy accessibility to facilities, equipment and instruction, as well as practice, league and competitive play.
 
Bowling is a lifetime fitness sport which contributes to balance, coordination and motor skills. Bowling is able to fill the needs of so many people because it is, above all, a simple game. The rules are not complex and the basics of how to roll the ball are quickly learned. The modern game of bowling is played on an indoor wooden or urethane lane. Ten pins are arranged in a triangular formation 30 centimeters apart. The game is played by rolling a ball down the lane in an effort to knock down all the pins stationed at the end of the lane. Each individual is allowed two attempts per frame to knock down the pins. One game consists of 10 frames. The individual who has the highest score (i.e., the one who has knocked down the most pins) is the winner.
 
Bowling is an excellent recreational activity for all ages and ability levels. Because of the relatively small expenditure of energy required for participation in the game, an athlete can participate in bowling for many more years than other sports. Bowling is considered one of the largest participant sports and has emerged as a sport for the entire family to play and enjoy.
 

Back to Top
Special Olympics
1133 19th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20036 USA
+1 (202) 628-3630
Fax: +1 (202) 824-0200