Skip to Navigation
University of Pittsburgh
Print This Page Print this pages

August 28, 2008

Bowling league seeks new members

Howard Goodman is looking for members of the University community who have a little time to spare as the Panther Bowling League prepares to launch its new season.

The social group, which meets at 5:30 p.m. each Tuesday at the Pittsburgh Athletic Association, is starting the new year with an open house featuring snacks and informal bowling Sept. 9. League bowling begins Sept. 16 and the season runs through late May, concluding with a banquet and prizes for all bowlers.

Goodman, a financial analyst in the Office of Budget and Financial Reporting, is one of a trio of bowlers who are remnants of the Pitt Club bowling league, which folded in 2001. Goodman was instrumental in resurrecting the league for the 2005 season. Now entering its fourth year, the reborn group has a solid core of about two dozen bowlers — Pitt employees, retirees and graduate students, with a few non-Pitt spouses and other relatives joining in.

Goodman said he’d like to see the group grow to 40 members to fill the PAA lanes each Tuesday during the academic year. Participants can join as a three- or four-member team or come on their own to be assigned to a team.

Participants emphasize the social aspect of the group, which includes a mix of faculty, staff and administrators from many areas of the University.

Peggy Shirra, a post-doctoral fellow in biological sciences, said, “The networking is probably my favorite aspect.” Acquaintances are made and friendships forged: Shirra, who has bowled with the group for three years, recently traveled to New York City with a friend she met in the league. Sometimes, romance even blossoms on the lanes. Goodman met his wife, Cindy Lu, there.

Competitive bowlers are welcome — several members have averages of 180 or more — but the laid-back nature of the league makes it equally friendly for those with no bowling experience.

Goodman noted that the league especially is accommodating to those who can’t commit to bowling every week. Members who can’t bowl on a given Tuesday can bowl ahead of time and record their scores. Some participants who can’t commit to a weekly bowling night form larger teams in which only some of the members bowl in a given week.

Likewise, the league is sensitive to those who rely on public transit. Typically, bowlers finish between 7 and 8 p.m. Those who need to catch a bus can finish their games out of turn if necessary, Goodman said.

The PAA lanes recently have been upgraded, said bowling manager Jeff Borello. Mechanical improvements to the pit area will prevent damage to bowling balls and a new oil machine has put the lanes in good condition, he said.

The $10 weekly cost includes shoes, ball and snacks. A cash bar is available and lockers can be rented. No smoking is permitted in the club.

For additional information or to reserve a spot in the league, call the PAA at 412/586-2075 or simply show up on Sept. 9, Goodman said. The PAA is located at 4215 Fifth Ave., across from the Cathedral of Learning. The bowling lanes are just inside the back entrance.

—Kimberly K. Barlow

Filed under: Feature,Volume 41 Issue 1

Leave a Reply