By Emma Lamison
At Sunrise Lanes in St. Petersburg, bowling has been a common activity for older players, but now people on the younger side are also joining leagues, bringing new energy to the lanes and helping the sport stay alive.
“We still have our regulars that come in for each season, but now we are seeing a mix of younger people who are getting into it,” Sunrise Lanes manager Josh Quarles said.
Different leagues fill the lanes from Mondays to Thursdays, sometimes multiple leagues in a day. Some are more competitive than others, while a few teams are just there for fun and to socialize.
“Right now, I bowl on the Tuesday and Thursday night league,” 18-year-old Jeremiah Bates said. “My dad got me into it. He bowls for three different leagues.”
Committed to the sport, Bates said he owns six different bowling balls, each with a specific purpose depending on the lane conditions and how he wants the ball to move.
According to the manager, older bowlers seem to be very accepting at Sunrise Lanes when it comes to young new bowlers.
“I never thought a kid would want to bowl with us oldies, but it turns out he is better than me,” long-time bowler Mario Rugghia said.
Many bowlers return to the same leagues every year, with some even bowling more than once a week.
Each league has its own secretary who oversees the rules and teams, so no two leagues are exactly alike, allowing players to choose the one that best fits their style
“There’s a league for everybody,” Quarles said. “We have leagues if you want to compete or just to have a fun time.”
Sunrise Lanes also hosts tournaments for bowlers with a cash prize. These events bring in a lot of players across Florida, some even traveling up to five hours to attend.
For certain tournaments, players need to be members of the United States Bowling Congress, the sport’s national governing body, which provides standardized rules and player benefits.
“The tournaments are a big deal,” Quarles said. “We get bowlers from Orlando and even Tallahassee.”
The tournaments sometimes draw in a bunch of people, and all 32 of Sunrise’s lanes are filled with teams competing.
“The last tournament I competed in, I was grouped in the top 10 bowlers to compete in a final game,” Bates said.
According to the USBC, the 2024 USBC Junior Gold Championships “drew an impressive 3,114 participants, joined by 147 players at the USA Bowling National Championships, 1,144 competitors in Survivor and 898 bowlers at the Youth Open.”
This growth is giving young bowlers more than just time on the lanes — it’s opening doors to recognition, scholarship opportunities and potential college careers.
The USBC reported that these events awarded an extraordinary $685,570 in scholarships – an investment that directly supports young athletes in pursuing their education and dreams.
As more young people, like Bates, join leagues and play in tournaments, they’re helping keep the sport alive for the next generation.