I wasn't really sure what to write about this week so i thought i'd write about something that is a little unique and something that i think is really cool with my family. As you all already know i am huge into bowling, what many people, even many of my close friends don't even know that i am a 4th generation bowler, it may even go back farther than that but that is as far back as i know.
I know my great grandpa Roerdink was a bowler because my grandpa has a picture of him with his team from the American Bowling Congress National Tournament from sometime in the 1950's, i was also just told this week by a member of my church that he (my great grandpa) was a pretty good bowler back in the day, unfortunately i have no memory of him.
My grandpa has been involved in bowling for a long time in his life. It started out when he got a job as a pin boy for the 4 lanes that were at the former Knotty Pine in Oostburg. His job was to set pins, clear 'deadwood' off the pindeck, and get the ball rolling back to the bowler. He has told me stories about how he knew who was bowling and who to take cover for as some bowlers threw the ball much harder and sent pins flying places, making it necessary to dive for cover to avoid being hit by flying pins.
My dad has been the biggest influence on me getting into bowling, he's been one of my coaches for as long as i can remember, even when he didn't realize i was doing things backwards at the start because i am a lefty and everything looked right from his perspective as a righty. I owe much of my success on the lanes to what my dad has taught me and supported through as i bowled tournaments and leagues and high school meets.
One of my grandpa's brothers (my great uncle) is also a bowler, as is my dad's brother (my uncle) altogether on our monday night team there are 5 Roerdinks on the roster. We have already had 3 generations bowling on the team on the same night which i think is really cool. How many other sports are there where you can have 3 generations of family competing at a high level in a sport they share a mutual love for?
I love bowling for many reasons but this is one thing that makes bowling really special for me that i take for granted way to often.
Thanks Dad and Grandpa for getting me involved in a game i now love!
It's really something to be able to connect with your family like that. You almost find some sense of meaning in life or belonging because of it. I'm happy you pursue and maintain what your family has built. Personally, My family is a bunch of chiropractors. I grew up running around the office watching them work on patients and learning about healing. It's most definitely affected who I am and how I view life.
ReplyDeleteI think it's pretty awesome that you can do something that you really love with the bonus of getting to do it with people you love. Your comment about not many sports are able to have "older" generations competing, it's always the young people participating and the older people in the stands. I'm glad you have this experience and enjoy it.
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