By Julia Boyle
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE
Four bowling teams from Erickson communities across the country battled it out this past summer in Erickson Sports’ first Nintendo Wii bowling tournament.
Parkville’s local team, the Oak Crest Mighty Oaks, brought home a second-place finish at the end of the three-part series.
What’s more astounding, though, is the attention the series garnered on the Internet.
Now famous online
“The video has gotten almost 80,000 hits on You- Tube,” says Zach Cheney, associate video producer at EricksonTribune.com. YouTube is the most prominent video website where anyone can post and see digital videos.
“I’m hooked. I want to see rounds two and three! These are retirement homes?” a YouTube blogger posted after seeing game one of the series.
International acclaim
Additionally, Cheney says the videos have been picked up by more than 100 blogs and even some international websites. One blogger on Wired.com posted, “This video is incredible!!! I can only hope to get into a league like this today, let alone when I’m 60.” Another said, “Now tell me that’s not hardcore.”
“I think it was so successful because you don’t normally see people this age playing video games and getting so into it,” Cheney says. “It just demonstrates how vibrant these communities are and how the Wii has broken down age barriers in many ways.”
The three-part tournament can be viewed on this website in the Video News section.