Bowling champions, clinic draws crowd

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Devante Williams
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  Two champion bowlers, Norm Duke and Randy Pedersen, conducted a bowling clinic Sunday at Thunderbolt Lanes. The clinic included on-lane instruction with the pros, trick shot exhibition, challenge match and photo and autograph session. The bowling clinic was sponsored by Next Level Bowling, which offers clinics for all players from beginners to those more advanced.

The clinic was well attended by the Luke Air Force Base community including a good showing of single Airmen, who were offered free admission.

"The purpose of the clinic is to help people improve their game," Duke said. "Others love the game as much as I do, but they need direction. We're here to help those who are interested in getting better."

Pedersen believes that he can give back to the armed forces through the clinics and by doing and teaching the thing he does the best -- bowling.

"Anytime we can do anything for the men and women of the armed forces, it is an added bonus for us," he said. "We love what we do and we love teaching the art of bowling. It's a nice way to bring people together."

Duke feels that this clinic is a way of saying thank you to the men and women of the armed services.

"Each time we go to a military base we have an opportunity to give something back to those who protect us," he said. "We get to wake up in a hotel room or in our homes every day and Soldiers out there are waking up to very little in the way of comfort. This is one way at least for us to do what we can to give back."

Some of the techniques they reviewed during the event were basics such as release of the bowling ball and how to correctly hold it.

"We teach everything from basic to advanced depending on the skill level of the player," Pedersen said. "We cover a lot of ground during the three-hour clinic. We try to get in as much as we can and get as many people as possible involved."

During the clinic, the single Airmen participated in a challenge match on Duke's team while Pedersen picked his team by raffle tickets. The match was close, but Duke's team was victorious with a final score of 190 to 187. Duke presented the Airmen with a bowl towel and prizes.

Airman 1st Class Marquis Craft, 56th Mission Support Group knowledge operations management, said he hoped there would be more in the future.

"This was an amazing event," he said. "A lot of people got something out of the clinic. I learned about different bowling styles. I would definitely recommend the bowling clinic to anyone who bowls or wants to learn how."

Both Duke and Pedersen agreed it was an amazing event and hope the participants enjoyed the clinic.

"It's an honor for us to be invited here and be able to interact with and show our appreciation to the men and women of the armed forces," Pedersen said.