By Karen L. Willoughby
“Wholesome family entertainment” permeates Gateway Lanes, especially with the start of the annual 24-week Junior League bowling for youngsters between the ages of four and 16. The league opened on Oct. 3.
With wooden lanes freshly synthetic-coated two years ago, children and adults alike can experience the best-possible ball-rolling for error-free glides that lead to continual game improvement. It is the coating used on lanes for professional tournaments.
“The idea of league bowling is simply to score more above your average than your opponent or opposing team,” Gateway Lanes owner Linda Marrelli explained. “So, it becomes you against the pins, not your opposing teammates.”
“Bowling brings out your inner strength and your patience,” Marrelli continued. “It is an extremely positive-minded sport. Parents tend to stay [while their children bowl], so it promotes family interaction and connectedness.”
With some of the eight lanes available at the start of the Junior League, there’s still time to get involved in the action that concludes in early April with an in-house tournament. Week by week, Marrelli keeps a continual watch on the action, ready to provide timely one-on-one instruction even as she calls out encouragement.
“I don’t like badgering back-and-forth,” Marrelli said. “That’s not keeping with the positive mindset of the sport. That doesn’t happen here during Junior League.”
“We work on sportsmanship,” the Gateway Lanes owner continued. “In order to become a better bowler, you learn focus, which in turn helps with schoolwork.”
Bowling is a sport that teaches how to compete as an individual, partner and teammate, Marrelli said. “Along with competition comes sportsmanship, learning to be a good loser and good winner, to be humble and appreciative, and to be consciously courteous of your competition.”
Good sportsmanship, she explained, also includes “not showing one’s temper physically or verbally, but I really have not had a child do this here, very often.”
Bowling is as good for adults as it is for youngsters, Marrelli said.
“It’s good exercise and good stress relief,” she said. “People told us they really noticed that when COVID hit. They said they couldn’t wait to get back bowling.”
Though Gateway Lanes only closed for six weeks during the pandemic, the Ben Steele family was one who been away longer, out of an overabundance of caution when his wife Melanie was pregnant with their third child. They’re glad to be back, Ben said, bouncing his youngest in his arms while watching his oldest child, 11-year-old Oliver, bowl.
“It’s a great activity we have here in Helper,” Ben said. “Linda goes and gives pointers and tons of encouragement. They take so much effort to make it fun for the kids. They make it feel like it’s family, which accentuates the positive of living in a small community.”
“They” refers to co-owner Frank Marrelli, Linda’s husband. He also owns the lumber and hardware firm, Central Commission and Supply Co., in Helper.
Allison Nielsen heard about Gateway Lanes online and was intrigued, she said, “because it’s local, it keeps the money in our town, and Frank and Linda are really good people.”
Her son Chance, 8, added that he loves bowling, but then, “I just like every kind of sport. I just like being here, and everything else.”
“Everything else” includes hamburgers, fries and chicken strips as well as other snacks and fountain beverages that are always available. Beer too, though not much of that is seen on Sunday afternoons when the Junior League bowls.
Sunday evenings, it is Mixed (men and women on the same team) Leagues. Monday and Wednesday are five-person Ladies Leagues. Tuesdays, five-person Men’s Leagues. Thursday mornings are reserved for four-person Ladies Leagues, while Thursday early evenings offer three-person scratch games, and from 9 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., Club Bowl under disco lights.
Gateway Lanes opens at noon seven days per week, six of which are open bowling until 5:30 p.m. Sunday afternoons are saved for Junior League. Fridays and Saturdays are reserved all day for open bowling.
The Marrelli couple bought the bowling center in 1989 and has been continually updating it ever since. This included reconfiguring space, including a Pro Shop owned and operated by Joe Juliano for mostly new items (balls, bags, cleaning supplies, shoes, socks), incorporating computerized score consoles, arcade games and the synthetic lanes. These are among the more visible updates to the building. The building got its start in 1927 as a stage theatre before it became a movie theater during World War 2. Then, renovation was underway into what in 1961 became Bonnie Lanes and Gateway Lanes in 1989.
“I’ve been coming here since I was 15,” said Tyson Damron, who now lives in Price. “I still bowl here, and I’ve been bringing Oakleigh since last year when she was five. Her average is now 61.”
“Bowling has taught Oakleigh patience and the ability to move past failure, immediately moving into the next frame, how important it is to be consistent,” Damron continued. “This is a great place for a fun and safe environment for everyone.”
