My son is 13 years old and somewhat of a bowling phenom. He has loved bowling since he was about five. At nine he joined a league. He has had lessons with a retired bowler, and it has helped.
Over the summer he worked out in a football preparation camp. It was brutal, but he stuck with it. Once school started, he was planning on playing for the 7th grade team. Practices were going great. Then he realized that football would interfere with bowling, so he dropped football. Man, does he love bowling.
Last night he was involved in an adult/child tourney. The adult was an 18 year old buddy of his, and he was the child. The two of them basically put on a show for everyone else. They each had over 600 for their three games. In their 3rd game, my son threw 8 consecutive strikes. When his 9th ball left the 10 pin standing, there was an audible “aawwwwww” from the spectators.
Anyway, I’d like to get him a “good job” type gift. Any ideas? I guess a gift certificate for the pro shop is a safe bet, but any other thoughts? He has nice balls (and the jokes that go with that…he’s 13 after all), a cool bag, and good shoes.
Do you make him pay for his own games at the lanes?
Certainly, you could get him a shitload of free games.
It’s good he’s taking lessons. A bad bowling shot will last forever.
Maybe another lesson, but that’s not really a “gift”. If he’s got shoes, balls and a bag, there’s really not a whole lot else. Maybe there’s a nice bowling coffee table book with cool bowling pictures.
Perhaps a trip to a bowling tournament on a higher level than he’s been in? I assume he’d find it entertaining, but an out-of-town trip might be a treat in and of itself. He could touch base with some like-minded people, and might find it cool to meet a pro or semi-pro.
When I go the lanes with him, I pay. He pays for some out of his allowance. His coach from prior lessons hangs out at the lanes, and from time to time he does refresher type lessons. I was impressed by how much the coach stressed mental stuff. “In order to be a winner you have to think like a winner” type stuff that I would have laughed off, has really helped my son.
A shitload of free games might only last him a month.
This is a great idea, and I’m glad you’re down with it, vetbridge. I’ve been twice and loved it. Particularly the opportunity to bowl on the lanes there, but the history and exhibits are very cool, too.
When you say that you guys have traveled to tournaments, do you mean his own tournaments, or PBA tournaments? Having him bowl in a Pro-Am with the professionals should be a real treat for him if he hasn’t done it before, assuming he follows bowling on TV at all.
Well, in the event it is helpful, here is a link to the PBA schedule for this season. Click on the link to whichever tournaments you might be interested in, and you’ll see the schedule of events for the tournament, including for the Pro-Ams, along with a link to the Pro-Am entry forms.
I wouldn’t buy him any sort of equipment. Bowlers are ver particular about what they want. It’s kind of like how most guys know NOT to buy clothes for their GF/wives, cuz, ya’ know of course, us men have no taste for that sort of thing.
But hey, he’s 13. I don’t know of a lot of 13yo who have a pocket full of cash. So I’d say buy him a butt-load of free games.
It’s not like he wont use them.
Any chance of getting him a pin from the bowling alley where the tournament was? They do replace them sometimes. My son has one from the Pro-Am he bowled in, signed by the pro he bowled with. He thought it was pretty cool at the time, and he was about the same age as your guy.
A shitload of free games might only last him a month. 