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When people are offered to spend their children's birthday at a bowling alley, many are perplexed. Why is that?
There are many controversial opinions about where it is better to celebrate a child’s birthday. There are a huge number of options, and everyone will insist on their own, as the only true one.
And one of these “correct” options can be considered - Pleasure all the way through or how to celebrate a child’s birthday in a paintball club.
An establishment like bowling is no worse an option for holding festive events (compared to others).
Organizing a bowling tournament
At the moment, we have held hundreds of tournaments, sports days, competitions - corporate, family, international. Since 2005, we have been organizing competitions at a professional level, although our participants are not professional athletes.
The leader and inspirer of our team, a football player with extensive experience playing for FC CSKA and Zenit, V.Yu. Kulik, from his own experience, knows how important good organization of competitions and thoughtfulness of each stage are.
Unlike many, he knows what goes into a good organization of a sports tournament.
Therefore, from our very first tournament, we demonstrated an excellent level of event organization and have not received a single complaint in 10+ years of work. Most of our clients become regulars.
Myths and prejudices on the topic of bowling and bowling alleys.
What confuses parents who have never taken their children bowling the most?
1) Firstly, many are convinced that it will be difficult for a child to throw a ball. In fact, this is not true. There are lightweight versions of the balls, and there are also special ones for children. In addition, there are special modifications of tracks (for example, with special lifting sides) designed for children, as well as other equipment for these purposes. Of course, very young children will not be able to play this game; there is still a certain age threshold, but it is selected solely on an individual basis.
2) Other opponents of the above idea give the following argument: even if children can play bowling, they will get tired very quickly, and the further holding of the holiday will be in question.
Here you can object like this: children do not have to take part in the game at all! They can sit quietly at the festive table, enjoy pastries, cake, salads, drinks and other dishes, and their parents will play instead of them. This approach allows you to kill several birds with one stone: adults will be able to take part with interest not only in the celebration, but also in active recreation, such as bowling, which will bring them even closer to their own children and strengthen family relationships.
If you decide to have a party at home, read: How to celebrate a child’s birthday at home
As for children, watching their parents compete for them in a sports competition is no less interesting than playing on their own! Kids can become active fans and watch the competition process with excitement.
3) Another common myth is that an establishment such as a bowling alley is not intended for celebrating children's birthdays.
In fact, holding festive events, corporate events, anniversaries, parties and birthdays (including, of course, children’s) is a quite common practice for bowling clubs. Stylish decoration of the room with inflatable balloons, garlands, banners, illumination will allow you to create an atmosphere appropriate for the holiday, and thematic musical accompaniment will guarantee a cheerful and friendly mood among those celebrating.
It's time to go bowling!
How and where to hold a corporate event so that it does not turn into a banal feast for the team, divided into groups “based on interests”? This question arises every time before the responsible persons when the next holiday approaches. It would be nice to combine pleasant communication (or even a business meeting) with active recreation, get a boost of energy and feel like you belong to the team... You can’t go wrong if you invite your colleagues to the bowling club.
To play or not to play...
Why bowling? Yes, because here one is for all and all is for one! Non-standard environment, non-standard tasks, extreme conditions... The format of the event is a joint action in which all participants must be involved. Even if you organize a holiday in the form of a banquet, it is also advisable to add active elements to it that will allow colleagues to get to know each other better and feel at ease and comfortable. You can’t even imagine how close your teammates can become and with what respect you will begin to treat the representatives of the opposing team, who knock out “strike” after “strike”... And those who are not included in the team will perform well in support groups.
This game is universal, it appeals to everyone: 18 to 80 year olds, men, women and children - people of different heights, builds and... levels of training. Have you seen how respectable people perform the dance of success, knocking out all ten pins the first time? As if they, at least, won a million in Sportloto! The mood lifts instantly - after all, the mechanism of a small victory is activated and a feeling of excitement is born, which everyday work life sometimes deprives us of. It’s not bad if the winners expect at least small prizes. And it’s even more wonderful if the boss personally presents them.
Bowling, unlike a standard feast, cannot be organized in the office. And this is another great opportunity to relax. No matter how much you want, a corporate event at your workplace will not allow you to be distracted - you will still be bothered by calls, visits from visitors, and unresolved issues.
So, warn your colleagues about the appropriate dress code - cocktail dresses and tuxedos will have to be replaced by comfortable sportswear. But first, it’s not a bad idea to familiarize yourself with the rules and history of this amazing game.
Carry everything you own with you, or Something about the rules
The principle of the game is simple. As in “towns”: with one chock (ball) you need to knock down as many other chocks (pins) as possible. Only modern “towns” are colored with neon lights, the pins are lined up with a special device - a pinspotter, and the points are counted by a computer. If previously the main raw material for making balls was guaiac wood or buckout, then in 1905 the first rubber ball, Evertrue, appeared. And in 1914, Brunswick successfully introduced the Mineralite ball to the market, advertising a “mysterious rubber material.”
A bowling game consists of ten frames. A frame is one pin arrangement. Each frame allows two attempts to knock down the pins. If after the first throw the player knocks down all the pins, he is awarded a strike . If the pins remaining after the first throw are knocked down in the second attempt of the same frame, which is called spaa , that’s also not bad. In the last frame, you can make three throws. Moreover, if you manage to complete a strike, the pins will be placed again. That is, if the stars are on your side, you can catch the bird of happiness 12 times. This is the maximum score - 300 points.
It is not at all necessary to burden your head, which is busy with competitive emotions, with all sorts of calculations. In modern bowling alleys, this work is performed by a computer, and the points scored by the players are displayed on monitors. The sign “X” indicates a strike, “/” - space. If both attempts in one frame ended in failure - all the pins remained in place - a “-” (dash) is placed. The group of pins remaining after the first throw, if the head (first) pin is knocked down, is called a split and is usually designated as 0. The total current amount, taking into account prize points, is entered in the bottom line. And at the end of the game, the computer will also show a funny cartoon about the last blow with you in the leading role.
A novice bowler is recommended to first practice his throwing technique. The ball has three holes for fingers - the thumb, index and little finger. The middle and nameless ones are bent, resulting in a sign known to every heavy metal lover. While running, the player swings the ball, “put on” the fingers of the throwing hand. A beginner's run-up is four steps, a professional's is five. The ball weighs from 2.4 to 6.4 kg, and it rolls along the track for about 20 m. The main thing is not to fly away after the ball and not step on the track in the impulse to throw. I really don’t recommend it: it is lubricated with special oil so that the balls roll better, and you can easily slip and get hurt. Moreover, this is considered a gross mistake.
Choosing the right ball is one of the most important components of success. To find out which one is right for you, you need to swing it like a pendulum - the ball should not be too heavy or too light, make sure that you do not get the feeling that you can launch it without straining.
Regular players get their own balls, in which they have “personal” holes drilled. In Kyiv, the specialists performing this work can be counted on one hand. To make the bowler feel as comfortable as possible, the distance between the holes is measured and calculated with millimeter precision, and rubber tips are inserted inside the holes to completely relieve tension from the hand.
There are about 1200 combinations of hitting the ball into the pins. And several types of shots - hook, crank, back up, etc. The easiest way to knock down all the pins with one blow is to hit the “pocket” between the first and third pin. It is, of course, relatively simple, since the size of the “pocket” is only one inch. You can hit the seventh pin, and it will pull all the others with it. Or another option - the ball rushes into the fourth pin, ricocheting from it, knocking down the seventh, and the rest fall, knocked down by each other. Perhaps you can come up with some of your own options...
Friendship wins in corporate bowling tournaments
Where did the ball roll out from?
About ten years ago, balls were rolled in bowling alleys. Today, the synthesis of a sports game and useful leisure is called more elegantly - bowling. True, to the game itself they also added inviting illumination, catchy music, several comfortable tables, a bar counter where you can sit while waiting for your turn and have something to drink.
It must be said that this gambling, exciting game is not at all a newfangled trend in the life of entertainment centers, but an action with centuries-old traditions. Archaeologists say the balls and pins were found in Egypt, in a child's tomb dating back to 5200 BC. e. It turns out that bowling began to be played more than 7,000 years ago. The first man to throw a strike was Abdul Gizeh (Cairo, 7202 BC), and Hans Heinrich of Muggendorf (Germany) hit the first 5-7 split (466 AD). However, these are only versions.
In the 3rd and 4th centuries AD in Germany, a game similar to modern bowling was of a religious nature and symbolized the eradication of paganism. The word “pin” itself comes from the German kegel (a type of ancient German weapon). A skittle, symbolizing a pagan, was placed in the far corner of the monastery and a ball was thrown at it from another corner. It was believed that only a good person could knock down all or almost all the pins; toasts were made in his honor at the banquet. Otherwise, penance (punishment) was imposed on the player.
In the 15th century in Europe, bowling (its close relatives, for example, were the English skittles and logats) became so popular that the British kings Edward II and Richard II were forced to ban this game among soldiers, since they spent much more time on it. than for exercises in shooting, fencing and horse riding. However, the game was later brought to America during colonial times. Moreover, as an appendage to taverns. And if bowling in America had also been left to the mercy of the colonists, then, perhaps, like in England, the game would never have been able to escape beyond the drinking bars.
The game Dutch Rubbers, similar to modern bowling, was born in Holland and then brought to England. The game scheme was the same as today, but there were nine pins instead of ten. In those days, bowling alleys were not yet mechanized, so the players were served by a boy (pinboy), who placed the pins and returned the balls to the players, monitored compliance with the rules and kept score.
Pinboy. Photo from 1949 (Massachusetts, USA)
How did you switch to a game of 10 pins? In America, when playing nine-pin balls, people fought for money; naturally, many scammers appeared who organized bets. Therefore, these gambling competitions were prohibited. And in order to circumvent the letter of the law, the number “10” began to appear in the rules of the game. There, in America, the modern name of the game appeared: bowling (from the English bowl - ball), which meant “to roll balls”.
The popularity of the game grew rapidly. But at first it was preferred mainly by emigrants from Germany. However, even among the Germans this game had many varieties, so there were certain problems associated with its standardization.
The first National Bowling Association (NBA) was founded in 1875. It included 27 bowling centers in Manhattan. At the same time, certain rules were established regarding the size of the ball, the removal of knocked down pins from the lanes and the installation of the center pin. These rules were even published, but did not receive due recognition. It took almost ten years for the American Bowling Congress, founded in 1895, to officially declare that the game was now fully controlled. Thus began the history of real American bowling.
In 1970, the International Olympic Committee recognized bowling as a sport. Today, the International Bowling Federation unites 125 national federations in two official areas: the Ten Pin Bowling Association and the Nine Pin Bowling Association.
Five questions for the manager. How not to forget to take into account the most important...
- Find out what equipment is used in a particular club. It is produced on the world market by a dozen of the largest manufacturers, the most worthy among which are the American companies Brunswick, AMF Bowling, Italian Sabim, Chinese Zhonglu, Yangji Vision Dacos.
- Try to book the playing lanes in advance, because our demand still exceeds supply, so from Friday evenings, on weekends and holidays, the bowling clubs are sold out. Find out what time is still free for the day you are interested in and whether an instructor will serve your game (this is very important if the team consists of beginners).
- In bowling clubs, players are given appropriate equipment: T-shirts, shirts, special shoes. Be sure to ask the club staff if they have the right sizes of clothes and shoes.
- All living people have sweaty hands while playing. In addition, the balls are usually “oiled”. Therefore, it is better to find out in advance what is included in the range of services: are there towels, is there a special hand dryer installed. If not, recommend that your players stock up on wipes (preferably wet ones) or special talcum powder.
- Find out how much an hour of treadmill play costs. Don't forget to inquire about benefits. Thus, students and schoolchildren are often provided with significant discounts (up to 50%). Bowling alleys also offer other discount programs.
Isn't the game for everyone?
Today it is still impossible to say with complete confidence that bowling is a common game in our country. In Kyiv, for example, there are just over twenty decent bowling clubs (there are over eight thousand of them in the USA). Thus, bowling clubs of the “Vitamin” chain operate in shopping malls, “Metropolis”, “Rhythm”; another worthy club - "Swallowtail" - settled in the "Karavan" entertainment complex, and the very democratic "Chameleon" settled on the third floor of the "Ukraine" department store. The prices in these establishments are considerable. But for single players. Having assembled a team of at least six people, you can divide the amount per hour of play (for example, 75 UAH) equally, it will not be so expensive. In addition, for corporate clients, and even those who simultaneously use other leisure club offers, many owners offer significant discounts.
Did your manager instruct you to collect information about the conditions for holding a corporate event and draw up an estimate of upcoming expenses? Then it makes sense to call existing establishments and conduct bowling monitoring. After all, in principle, prices are often advertised, and they can change, often downward. It is advisable to discuss all the nuances directly with the club manager. You can roughly estimate the following cost: during the least influx of guests (Monday to Thursday - from 11.00 to 19.00) - 70–80 UAH. per hour, during prime time (Friday and Saturday - from 19.00 to 01.00) - 190–200 UAH.
By the way, with a serious approach, expenses are not limited to this. To achieve significant results, a bowler needs to have his own personal accessories - a ball on the hand (about 200 US dollars), shoes on the foot, special, bowling, with different soles - one pushes off, the other slides (from 250 US dollars). Professional shoes differ from amateur, rental shoes in that one sole has rubber and rubber (it is non-slip), and the second has a slippery toe and a rubber and rubber heel. This is necessary so that at the moment of the throw you do not “fly away” onto the track along with the ball - just drive a little. In rental shoes, both soles are sliding. It would also be a good idea to have a wrist lock so that the game does not end with a sprain. That's another 50 dollars, at least. Add gloves, hand dryer balls, boot covers, ball bags, etc. To complete the look, you will also need a Polo or La costa shirt.
And keep in mind that a wise leader never forgets: “He who knows how to rest well can work well.”
The article was provided to our portal by the editors of the magazine “Secretary-Referent”
HR-League
Author: Zhoga Elena
Additional bonuses from the establishment.
Professionally trained club staff will help children (and, if necessary, adults) understand the rules of the game, explain how to use the ball, and be sure to congratulate the birthday boy or girl.
As a gift for a birthday celebration, most modern bowling clubs provide significant discounts and bonus programs not only for their regular customers, but also for newcomers.
If you still haven’t decided on a place for the holiday, the article Where is the best place to celebrate a child’s name day will help you.
Another popular service for children is a professional actor (animator) as the host of a holiday program. Any child will not only be interested, but also have fun communicating with a clown or fairy-tale character who will reveal to him the secrets of such an exciting game as bowling.
That’s why it’s worth trying to spend your child’s birthday at a bowling alley at least once - everyone will probably have a lot of positive impressions and a good mood.
Corporate events: three stories
All or nothing
Elena Kravtsova, HR Director, Investment Company, Moscow
“All or nothing” - this is the most important law when organizing a corporate holiday. In other words, a poorly prepared and carelessly spent evening will do more harm to the company than no such events at all. Experience shows that neither the cost of the banquet, nor the fame of the invited artists, nor the location of the event are of decisive importance. Success is brought by advance preparation, clear planning of all stages of the holiday, drawing up its program taking into account the type of activity of the company, age and social status of the participants. Each of the events described above is carefully prepared and thought out. All of them, despite differences in form and content, apparently helped to increase the status of the company in the eyes of its employees, thus fulfilling their main purpose. But, in my opinion, not all ideas can be unconditionally used by organizers of corporate events in other companies. The most consistent with the concept of “corporate holiday” are parties held in. The organizers followed the most important principles of preparing a corporate celebration: unfamiliar employees of the company were placed in a situation of forced interaction, all participants were in the same position (bowlers or “riders” on tires), each received a gift. Avoiding the traditional banquet (when communication is possible only with neighbors) is an excellent idea of the organizers, because after a team game, the buffet facilitates communication between unfamiliar people. Using tires instead of skis, in addition to reducing the risk of injury, also has a psychological advantage, since it equalizes the chances of trained people and those who are not in good shape. In general, the holidays were conceived and implemented very competently; the original ideas here are perfectly combined with traditional forms of holding intra-company celebrations. A trip to Turkey, organized in, cannot be called a corporate holiday in the strict sense of the word. This is a mixture of various events - team building training, exchange of experience between employees of various departments and all kinds of entertainment, i.e. actually a joint recreation of employees. One can only be happy for the organizers of this action - it seems that they successfully managed to combine such important and diverse issues. However, it is worth noting that such events should not replace regular corporate holidays, especially since only department heads took part in the trip. It is advisable to hold regular celebrations in all departments, where both ordinary employees and management will be involved. A story about “Employee Initiation”, which is regularly held at ., caused a conflicting reaction in me. The undoubted advantages are the choice of the Japanese theme of the holiday, careful attention to the design and content of the action. However, I see the choice of entertainment to implement the main theme of the holiday as controversial. Organizers of initiation of new employees need to understand that they are walking on a razor's edge. The psychological discomfort experienced by a person when entering a new team is extremely strong, and creating a situation where newcomers compete with each other and old-timers watch them is, at the very least, courageous solution. Employee initiation in itself is a great idea, but there is no need to exacerbate the already existing divide between “old” and new employees. Perhaps if all workers participated equally in the same games, regardless of status and length of service, the team-building effect would be greater. Then, perhaps, the participants would not demand “more stringent tests for beginners.”
Festive table
After an hour of bowling, we had a festive table for children and adults.
We really liked that the Semenov club has a special children's menu, having studied it in more detail, our choice fell on a dish with the unusual name “Chicken Coop Run” (potatoes with chicken kebab), and the manager Elena recommended that we order homemade pizza, which is prepared here from Italian dough. We ordered Three Cheese, Salami and Margherita, and of course a huge fruit plate.
For drinks, we chose natural fruit drinks and juices of our own production.
What do we offer
- We will organize a charter flight to the tournament site for the team and delegation if you want to hold the competition in another city or country.
- We resolve issues of accommodation and food for all visitors.
- We independently resolve all issues with the tournament venue: we rent a hall, organize equipment, decor, sound, music and other accompaniment.
- We provide professional judging.
- We prepare the program for the opening and closing of the event, write scripts, come up with nominations for the winners, purchase prizes and souvenirs.
- We provide communication with the press and broadcast tournaments on the Internet.
- We organize medical support for athletes throughout the games.
- If your team has free time in a new city, we will take care of excursion and entertainment support.
You can order the organization of a bowling tournament in your hometown or make the competition a traveling event, including trips around the country or abroad into the cultural program. We organize tournaments both in Russia and abroad.
Unite your team, travel, stimulate your employees, increase your rating in the labor market, strengthen your reputation in the eyes of business partners, appear more often in the information space - clients love it!
About children's bowling
I would like to say separately what bowling for children is like?
First of all, this is safety for the child, plus the presence of:
- specially designated children's paths;
- a “slide” for the little ones, from which you can push balls rather than throw them;
- children's shoe sizes with anti-slip coating, starting from size 31, which is also very convenient and can be found in few bowling centers;
- special sides on the children's track that prevented the ball from rolling off the track.
Our event was organized by a very competent and professional manager Elena.
Through her we booked 2 bowling lanes: one for children, one for adults, chose a holiday menu, and booked a karaoke room.
So, the big day has come!!!
We met in the lobby of the Semenov club along with the guests, the children gave gifts and joyfully ran to change their bowling shoes. The fierce struggle lasted for an hour; it was difficult to tear the children away from the paths, they were so captivated by the process of the game. Even little Arisha pushed balls down the slide and took part in what seemed like an adult game at first glance.
Scheduled tournaments for 2017-2018
On this page https://sport-tek.ru/turniry-i-spetsialnye-proekty-sport-tek-na-2017-god/ you will see a list of all tournaments scheduled for 2021. You can sign up your team for one of the future events.
If nothing suitable was found or you want your own tournament, in another place, at another time, just call and tell us when and where to organize it.
