St. Charles Bowl defies odds

Kaitlin Guerin, 14, of St. Charles ties her shoes before bowling in the St. Charles Bowl’s youth bowling league on Thursday (Sandy Bressner – sbressner@kcchronicle.com)

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ST. CHARLES – Summer is a black hole for most bowling alleys.

League play is at its peak in the fall and winter. Too many summer entertainment options keep alleys operating under scaled-back, summer hours.

A decade ago, the summertime malaise included St. Charles Bowl. That was before the dawn of a youth bowling league that has spiked in popularity by the year, attracting 1,044 kids this summer.

Monday through Friday during league hours, there’s nothing quiet about St. Charles Bowl.

“To have 1,000 kids in a junior program in the summertime is unheard of,” said Mike Sopper, St. Charles Bowl’s bowling pro. “It’s something we’re extremely proud of.”

Few alleys even attempt to attract kids for summer leagues, a concession to family vacations, Little League and other summer distractions.

But former St. Charles Bowl manager Nelson Townsend saw summer leagues click at previous alleys where he had worked, and started St. Charles’ “Pepsi and Hot Dog” league nine years ago.

The results have amazed.

“We used to not even be open during the day,” said Anne Kijowksi, co-manager of the alley with Julia Bork. “Now, not only are we open, but we’re packed.”

The reasons for the program’s vibrancy are many.

Free bowling games during the week are offered to league members, a carrot that Bork said some parents find hard to believe.

“I go ‘Yes, it’s right,’ ” Bork said. “It blows the parents’ minds.”

League members are given a hot dog and soda each week, and a popular year-end banquet includes a DJ, pizza, candy and awards for everyone.

Bowlers age 3 to 20, boys and girls, are eligible for the league. The younger bowlers bowl two games a week, while bowlers 9 and older roll three. Cost is $110 for the older kids and $90 for the younger ones, who bumper bowl.

The 10-week league runs from June to mid-August, and has grown so popular that long lines form when registration opens in January, Sopper said.

The league gained national acclaim last month when it was highlighted in a feature article in “Bowling Center Management,” an industry magazine.

While Tri-Cities kids come out in force, Bork said the league also draws heavily from nearby towns such as South Elgin, Elburn, Sugar Grove and West Chicago.

Dara Kappel, of St. Charles, took her 7-year-old daughter, Samantha, to the second of three league sessions – or shifts, as they are called – offered on Thursday. While free time is valued during the summer, Kappel said it is helpful to have at least one structured activity to help pass the time.

“They want to know what they’re doing every hour,” Kappel said of her children. “ ‘What’s next?’ ”

Kathy Schamberger, of South Elgin, signed up daughter Ashley, 10, and son Andrew, 7, for the third straight year. The kids bowl with their cousins and appreciate the year-end awards, Schamberger said.

“They all feel successful about what they’ve done throughout the summer,” Schamberger said.

A key ingredient to the league’s success is the personal tone alley employees  strike with the kids. Bork called bowlers by their first name on Thursday as they requested their rental shoes.

“We try to know everybody who walks through the front door,” Sopper said.

That is becoming an increasingly ambitious goal each summer.

Spots still available
There are still openings for some league sessions, with pro-rated pricing available. To inquire, call 630-584-9400 or stop by St. Charles Bowl, located at 2520 W. Main St.