Bowling alleys are typically seen as Saturday night destinations for family fun, but for senior Jordan Farmer it is about getting better in his sport on Monday nights. Though there is a competitive spice to his passion for bowling it is still a family friendly affair that he looks forward to.
“It’s like a second home, I get along with everybody here,” said Farmer. “It’s positive vibes because everybody is here to have a good time.”
Though he averages a 205 now, Farmer first began at the age of 14. “Watching him bowl for the first time was like watching a baby walk for his first time,” said Andrew Carterez, one of Farmer’s bowling friends.
In just his first year of bowling, his traveling team took first place and he was awarded most improved bowler.
He stands with a steady posture and a serious energy radiates him as he holds the 15 pound ball. With all of the noise and chaotic commotion around him, he remains focused and undisturbed. Even after he bowls two perfect strikes his face remains serious with no celebration at the end like most would do. “I guess I’m more zoned in,” said Farmer. “I’m the same way when it comes to baseball.”
The highest Farmer has scored in bowling is a 299, which is only one pin away from a perfect 300, meaning straight strikes every frame. The 299 Trophy he received was no award but merely a reminder of what could have been. The final pin is the hardest one for him to knock down, meaning every other pin falls down except one. “No one wants to bowl near perfect,” said Farmer.
Bowling is a flexible sport that gives an individual the opportunity to compete yet still have fun with family and friends at the same time.
A father coaching his son is very common to see but when a father becomes a teammate, he is more than a teacher. It is rare to see father-son teammates and even more rare to see a lack of clashing between the duo.
Yet, there is minimal competition between Farmer and his father as they take turns bowling. Little jokes are mutered here and there but great smiles and laughs emerge from them. “This is our time to hangout together,” said Farmer.
“We hangout at home, just without the bowling balls,” Joe Farmer, Farmer’s father, said. “This is just an added feature,” Kay Farmer, his mother, said.
Bowling is a hobby for Farmer. “It can make my days better or worse depending on how I bowl. It does have an effect on me,” said Farmer.
He has gotten scholarships here and there worth $100 and does plan to continue bowling even after high school.