Renegade Rip

Issue date: 10/10/07 Section: News

Music teacher John Gerhold, as well as many other members of the BC faculty, bowl at Regency Lanes on Sept. 27.

Professors pose in specific stances to send shiny balls of various colors down waxed lanes in hopes of hitting just the right pin.
"It's a lot of fun," said Susan Pinza, chair of the professors' bowling league. "People love it."
Professors and faculty at Bakersfield College have been bowling in their own league for about 25 years. It was started by English professor Terry Fleener.
"I've been running it since the year 2000," said Pinza.
Though the league is designed for competition, according to Pinza, the league gives BC faculty a chance to get to know one another.
"It's wonderful because so many of us are in different departments on campus," said Pinza. The campus does not offer employees many chances to meet others in different departments. "We kind of get a chance to become a family, really."
A family of 32 this semester, and they bowl every Thursday, 4 p.m., at Regency Lanes. Afterward, they relax in some restaurant that Gail Richardson, or "restaurant diva," had suggested, said Pinza.
"People tend to like this at the end of the week, as opposed to the beginning of the week," said Pinza, "because it gives them something to look forward to."
However, according to Pinza, there have been schedule conflicts. "I have gotten calls," claims Pinza, "especially from classified employees who are still working at four o'clock in the afternoon."
Non-faculty employees do not have the same opportunities to change their schedules each semester, however, they have gone through loopholes in the past, said Pinza. They would save up their breaks and use them on Thursday afternoons or work longer days.
Though the bowling schedule may be debilitating for some, according to Pinza, they have to take into consideration all other leagues that pack a bowling ally.
"Bowling alleys tend to get filled with a lot of leagues," said Pinza, "so we had to try to find a place that would work into our schedule."
However, there are those who still manage to bowl in the league.
"We've had people who bowled since the beginning," said Pinza, and others who bowl maybe every other semester.
Though the league does not compete against any other leagues, they still keep a record of their rankings each week. According to Pinza, teams can view other teams' wins and losses while keeping track of their own progress.

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