DES MOINES- We saw the official end to high school football on Friday night. Some central Iowa teams made their fans very proud.
On Saturday, that theme continued as the Special Olympics of Iowa hosted its annual bowling championships. The tournament was played at four different spots across the state, including two separate sites in Des Moines. Players rotated across different lanes at Merle Hay Lanes. They’re all in pursuit of their division titles. The top players can get near 200, but they’ll tell you it’s not the scores that really matter.
“You hear the bowling alley kind of erupt in cheers when a strike goes on. It’s awesome. There’s a lot of parents, coaches, and peers supporting the athletes. So, you know, when a strike is rolled in the bowling alley, you can hear it,” says Tanner Nissen, an organizer with Special Olympics Iowa.
“I get very excited, more excited, but sometimes I don’t get strikes. Sometimes, I get spares or splits, but the thing is that I get excited for the most is when I get strikes.” says Colton Lubbert, one of the bowlers at Saturday’s event.
About 1000 bowlers participated across the state. Two other sites included Council Bluffs and Cedar Rapids.
