If you're over 50 and have some free time on Thursday mornings, why not give bowling a try?
I stopped by Brattleboro Bowl this past week to visit with the Brattleboro Senior Bowling League. They're a small but fun-loving group of older bowlers who meet every Thursday at 9:30 a.m., for friendly competition and camaraderie.
The 40 or so men and women in the league are mostly in their 60s, 70s, and 80s. The oldest bowler is 98-year-old Howard Manley.
While the skill of the bowlers varies greatly, what keeps the competition on the level is the use of handicap scoring. Generally, handicaps are a formula based upon a bowler's average league score, subtracted from the league's basis score (usually between 200 and 220), then multiplied by a percentage (usually between 80 and 100 percent).
Blum said new teams will soon be forming for the winter league. Anyone interested in joining can call Brattleboro Bowl at 802-257-1177.
• As for the scores from Week 13, Team 5 (41-24) is still in first place, while Team 1 and Team 3 (both 36-29) are tied for second place. Team 8 (34-31) is in third, followed by Team 2 (32-33), Team 9 (31.5-33.5), Team 10, Team 6, and Team 7 (all 30-35), and Team 4 (24.5-40.5).
Edna Fletcher had the women's high handicap game (254) while Jeanne Czuy had the high handicap series (682). Norm Corliss had the men's high handicap game (238), while Peter Ashworth had the high handicap series (651). Team 9 had the high team handicap game (882) and Team 10 had the high handicap series (2,563).
Josie Rigby (556) was the lone woman with a 500-plus series, she also had a 211 game. Robert Rigby led the men with a 597 series. He was joined by Charles Marchant (504), Marty Adams (520), Fred Ashworth (573), and Warren Corriveau Sr. (503). Rigby had a pair of 200-plus games (203, 212), Ashworth rolled a 204, and Adams had a 203.
Suddenly, it's winter
The winter season for high school sports in Vermont begins this week.
• Ice hockey begins on Dec. 9. The Brattleboro boys open at home with a 4:45 p.m. game against Rutland at Withington Rink. The Brattleboro girls start the season on the road at Missisquoi on Saturday, Dec. 16.
• Girls' basketball begins on Dec. 8. Leland & Gray opens with a pair of home games in Townshend - Arlington on Dec. 8 at 8 p.m., and Brattleboro at 1 p.m. on Dec. 9.
Brattleboro has its first game on Dec. 8, at 6 p.m., at Burr & Burton, and won't play its home opener until Thursday, Dec. 14, at 7 p.m., against Otter Valley.
Twin Valley starts its season on the road against Mid-Vermont Christian School on Dec. 12, at 5:30 p.m, and plays its home opener in Whtingham on Thursday, Dec. 14, at 6:30 p.m., against West Rutland.
Bellows Falls travels to West Rutland on Dec. 9, and Arlington on Dec. 13, before playing their first home game on Tuesday, Dec. 19, at 7 p.m., against Proctor.
• Boys basketball begins on Wednesday, Dec. 13. Brattleboro opens on the road against Amherst, Mass., while Leland & Gray is on the road against Poultney, and Bellows Falls hosts Long Trail School. All are 7 p.m. starts.
The Rebels play their home opener against Long Trail School on Monday, Dec. 18, at 7 p.m.
Twin Valley opens at Proctor on Dec. 15 at 7 p.m., and will play in the Green Mountain Holiday Tournament in Chester on Dec. 21.
• Brattleboro will again field a varsity bowling team this season, one of 11 schools in Vermont to do so. The first tournament for all 11 teams is the Holiday Classic in Rutland on Dec. 9, starting at 9 a.m. Weekly competition begins after that.
The Colonels will have their home matches at Brattleboro Bowl on Jan. 13 and 27, and will be on the road in Claremont, N.H., on Dec. 16, Rutland on Dec. 30 and Jan. 20, South Royalton on Jan. 6 and Feb. 10, and Barre on Feb. 3.
The state individual tournament is scheduled for Feb. 24 at Champlain Lanes in Shelburne, and the state team tournament is set for March 3 at Twin City Lanes in Barre.
• Leland & Gray continues its snowboarding program this season, with Mount Snow as its training and competition base. The Rebels will host one event this season, a slopestyle competition at Mount Snow on Jan. 30.
• Brattleboro again is the lone Windham County public high school with a varsity nordic ski team. Their first meet, a freestyle event, is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 16 at Prospect Mountain in Woodford.
Weather-permitting, the Colonels will host a freestyle meet at VABEC on Jan. 24, and the Marble Valley League Classic on Feb. 7 at the Brattleboro Country Club.
• Bellows Falls is fielding an indoor track team this season. Their first meet is at Dartmouth College on Dec. 16.
MVL field hockey all-stars named
• The three-time state champion Bellows Falls Terriers dominated the selections for the Marble Valley League's field hockey all-star team.
Bethany Coursen was named A Division Coach of the Year and her four top scorers - Abbe Cravinho, Reaghan Baldasaro, Molly Kelly, and Madison Streeter - all made the A Division first team.
Brattleboro was also well-represented, with Kharisma Boyd, Natalya Forkin, and Olivia Slent also being named to the A Division first team.
Cota, Clark lead Division II All-State football team
• Shane Clark and Logan Cota and were first-team selections to the Vermont Division II All-State football team on both offense and defense.
Clark was the Terriers' leading running back and played linebacker on defense. Cota was the starting quarterback, but made the All-State team as a running back and as a defensive back.
• The guys on the offensive line that blocked for Clark and Cota, Reno Tuttle and Jared Zobkiw, were first- and second-team selections, respectively, on offense. Tuttle and Zobkiw were second-team selections on defense, both as defensive linemen.
BOC to hold annual meeting Dec. 14
• The Brattleboro Outing Club (BOC) will convene its annual meeting for members, supporters, and the general public on Thursday, December 14th, at 7 p.m., at the Brattleboro Country Club (BCC), on Upper Dummerston Road in Brattleboro.
Both BOC and BCC are open to the public, and all Brattleboro area residents are invited. Refreshments will be available. The agenda includes a wrap-up of 2017, and a look forward to 2018, as well as elections of officers, and a discussion of the possibility of adding another program.
BOC is one of the oldest civic outdoor sports associations in the country, founded by local sports enthusiast Fred Harris in 1922. Its original mission to “encourage, develop and promote family outdoor life and good fellowship” holds true to this day.
Current programs include cross country skiing at the BCC, paddling (canoes, kayaks, and SUPs), rowing, and tennis at the BOC's clay courts on Cedar Street. The evening will include a recap of each activity. There will also be a discussion of the possibility of restarting the Junior Ski Jumping Program.
Questions? Visit www.BrattleboroOutingClub.org, or call 802-254-3666.
Holiday vacation fun at the Rec
• The holiday break for Brattleboro students is coming up on Dec. 22. It's not too early to start thinking about things to do during vacation week, and the Brattleboro Recreation & Parks Department has a few ideas.
There will be free Open Gym and Game Room time for all ages from 1:30 to 5 p.m. on Dec. 22, and Dec. 26-29. There will be no Open Gym or Game Room on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Years' Day.
Hours for public skating at the Nelson Withington Rink will be extended on Dec. 22, and Dec. 26-29 to 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. The rink will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Skate rentals are available for $3 a session and, if you are looking for a stocking stuffer, $5 gift cards for the rink's snack bar are available.
The annual Bowling Day is Wednesday, Dec. 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Brattleboro Bowl on Putney Road. The cost is $7 and includes two games, shoes, and a hot dog and drink. Children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult.
If more information is needed on any of these activities, call the Brattleboro Recreation & Parks Office at 802-254-5808 or visit their website at www.brattleboro.org.