Bowling the sport of choice for Maris Grove resident

By Mark Abromaitis
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

It’s about competition, coordination, and most importantly, camaraderie.

For Marie Neugebauer, a resident of Maris Grove, bowling isn’t just a hobby or a pastime. It’s a way of life. And it has been since 1955, when she first started.

“A good friend needed an extra player for her team, and asked if I wanted to give it a try. I had never bowled before but thought, ‘what the heck’ and gave it a try. I was hooked.”

No time to spare
It quickly became a passion for Neugebauer. She says, “I just love the camaraderie of the people.” Soon she found herself bowling six or seven times a week.

The Delaware native currently carries a 160 average. “But that’s fallen off a bit recently. It used to be a bit higher,” she says with a chuckle.

Since moving to Maris Grove, bowling hasn’t been put on the back burner. In fact, Neugebauer has had the time to pursue her passion and meet new people with the same love. She said that she goes to the lanes once or twice a week.

Any opportunity to roll
She and a group of other kingpin aficionados have even recently started an informal bowling club. The group meets once a week to roll and relax with each other.

“We all signed up for bowling on an interest sheet and figured we should give it a try,” she says. “But this is just a casual outing.”

On the biggest stage
Later this summer, Neugebauer says that she will be participating in a U.S. Bowling Congress national tournament. But this competition is bigger than those held at the local lanes. This one welcomes 50,000 bowlers from around the country. She will compete in singles, doubles, and five-person team competitions for cash prizes.

It will be the 38th year in a row that she and a team from her home state of Delaware will be participating. Each year, the location of the tournament changes. This year the tournament will take her to Charlotte, N.C.