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OFF
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Split Season
Steve Stein
I Contributing Writer
T
he Downtown Fox B'nai B'rith
bowling league has been
around for a long time. Nearly
100 years, to be exact.
But the league is taking a thoroughly
modern approach to its new season.
Instead of a long, 30-plus-week
season that lasts from late summer
through the following spring, the
league will have two 12-week seasons
separated by a three-week break.
League President Justin Kaplan said
he feels the schedule fits much better
into the lifestyle of today's bowlers.
"A lot of people just can't commit to
a long season:' he said. "Maybe they
play other sports or they have family
and work commitments. So far, the
reaction to the change has been very
positive. We don't feel this is an experi-
ment. We hope this catches on:'
Downtown Fox seasons will be
from Oct. 1 through Dec. 17 and Jan.
7 through April 1. Bowling will be
at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays at Drakeshire
Lanes in Farmington Hills. An awards
banquet will wrap up the year.
To get things rolling, free bowling
is offered at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 17 and
Sept. 24. The first night is more of a
party, with free food and free bowl-
ing instruction. The second night will
begin with a league meeting.
There were 12 four-man teams in
the league last year, but some teams
had five or six bowlers to make sure
they had a full roster each week.
Kaplan said the league is competi-
tive, but it values camaraderie and fun
just as much as winning.
"We have people of all averages:'
he said. "We want the lower average
bowlers to improve. I've worked with
people to help them.
"People need to know if they have a
low average, they're not going to hurt
their team. There's no need to worry
about that.
"We use a 90 percent handicap sys-
tem, so low-average bowlers get a lot
of pins and can help their team a ton,
sometimes more than high-average
bowlers:'
Bowling week after week in league
play and B'nai B'rith tournaments can
make a difference. Just ask Kaplan, 35,
a Commerce Township resident and
entrepreneur, who has bowled in the
INCLUDING ST. JOHN
AND EVENING WEAR.
THURSDAY, JUNE 20 -
SATURDAY, JUNE 22.
league for 15 years.
"When I started, I averaged 140 or
150, and I was bowling off the wrong
foot:' he said. "Now I average 200:'
Bloomfield Township resident
Lowell Weiss has bowled in the league
for three years. He began as a 145 aver-
age bowler and now he's in the 170s.
He said he likes the fact that the
league is a good venue for men who
are new to the Detroit area or return-
ing to live here.
"The league gives you a weekly event
to go to where you can meet people
with the same interests:' he said. "You
go from not knowing anyone to having
30 to 40 new friends. You can also do
business networking:'
Weiss, 30, a financial adviser and
certified financial planner, said bowl-
ers in the league range from young
adults through seniors, and that's also
an attraction.
"Whether you're a low-average
bowler who wants to improve, a high-
average bowler who loves bowling, or
someone who simply wants to have
fun, our league can be for you:' he
said.
Interested bowlers can contact
Kaplan at (248) 672-0818 or
justin-kaplan@comcast.net.
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Hoops At The JCC
Basketball in the summer? Why not.
The Kenny Goldman Basketball
League will play host to a 3-on-3
tournament Sunday, July 7, at the
Jewish Community Center in West
Bloomfield.
There are divisions for players age
12 and under, 14 and under, 17 and
under, 18 and over and 35 and over.
The winning team in each division
will earn a cash prize. Second- and
third-place finishers also will win
prizes.
Each team is guaranteed three
games, with games running for 15
minutes or until a team scores 21
points. Pool play will set up matchups
for bracket play. Games will begin at 8
a.m. July 7.
Entry fee is $80 per team (cash or
credit card payment only). Registration
deadline is Wednesday, July 3.
For information and to register, con-
tact Bruce Wineman at (248) 432-5498
or bwineman@jccdet.org.
❑
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June 20 • 2013
57