From Brunswick: Future Success Of Bowling Is In The Younger Demographics
The popularity of bowling continues to increase each year, partially due to a younger demographic gravitating to the sport. Students, for example, find bowling a fun and inexpensive form of casual entertainment. However, there is also a growing trend among high school and college students joining competitive bowling. In 2010, a record number of students competed in bowling tournaments.
The United States Bowling Congress (USBC) reports over 50,000 high school and 3,500 college athletes competed in bowling tournaments in 2010.
According to the Bowling Proprietors Association of America (BPAA), the bowling industry’s trade association, as of 2010 high school bowling had seen double-digit growth in five of its last eight seasons, and the number of varsity bowlers has more than doubled within the past decade. In 2010, 47 states recognized bowling on the high school varsity or club level – a drastic increase from 20 states in 2002. During the 2010-2011 bowling season, there was a record number of participants at the varsity level. As a result of the popularity in bowling among students, many colleges now offer bowling scholarships through the NCAA.
“Bowling has become quite popular as a competitive sport among high school and college students, as we have seen trends change drastically to include bowling as a varsity sport. Many bowling centers helped nurture this growth by creating youth-oriented leagues to spark an interest in student bowlers and create a passion for bowling at a young age. This forward-thinking concept created a new generation of bowlers that will continue to impact the popularity of bowling in years to come,” says Gary Smith of Brunswick…