Versailles’ Keith Bohman has been at McBo’s Lanes for 54 years. “Bowling means a lot to the kids, and a lot to those who help to make it possible for them.” – Keith Bohman, McBo’s Bowling Center (Press Pros Feature Photos)
For 54 years Versailles’ Keith Bohman has been around the tiny bowling center across from Hole Field, the community’s family sports landmark…and the hidden haven for those who needed a different competitive outlet than those who played across the street.
Versailles, OH – It was -7 degrees, give or take, at 7:15 am Saturday morning. And bowling was not a going concern for most seeking something to do…something to see…or something to cheer about.
But the cold notwithstanding, the parking lot at the tiny McBo’s Bowling Center in Versailles was beginning to fill up. Weather could not keep away the faithful for high school bowling competition inside.
Speedway Lanes, in New Bremen, is proud to support bowling on Press Pros Magazine.com.
With the MAC Conference schedule having completed last weekend, this week area teams were bowling non-conference opponents to keep sharp for this week’s upcoming league tournament, and following that…the OHSAA district and regional tournaments.
Publisher Sonny Fulks writes OHSAA and Ohio State sports for Press Pros Magazine.com.
“I had to get here at 7:15 just to find a place to sit,” said a supporter and relative from Versailles, accustomed to the tight fit inside McBo’s.
And indeed, by first pitch at 9 am the place was packed. Finding an open seat was as hard as making the 7-10 split.
“I would imagine about a hundred bowlers, all told,” said long-time proprietor Keith Bohman. “And at least a hundred people sitting, or standing, to watch. It’s pretty much this way all the time.”
Proportionately, there’s probably no other OHSAA sport that has the support that high school bowling enjoys. Go to most high school football or basketball games on a Friday night and you’ll nearly always find an available seat. But go to a high school bowling contest on a Saturday morning, at least locally, and the place is going to be full a half hour prior to the start of competition.
“There’s tremendous support for high school bowling in the area,” says Bohman, who’s knocked around the bowling center on West Main Street in Versailles for more than five decades.
“Bowling fills a need for a lot of kids too small, or too short to play the other high school sports. But if they want to work at it they can bowl. And a lot of them do.”
Bowlerstore.com, in Versailles, is the presenting sponsor of high school bowling on Press Pros Magazine.com.
And from November through February McBo’s, as well as other bowling centers in New Bremen (Speedway, Brian Alig), Fort Recovery (Miracle, Jared Stammen), Coldwater (Pla-Mor, Rick Hartings), and Minster (Community, Doug and Lori Davidson) are the ‘unofficial’ official homes for those communities’ high school bowling teams.
Doug Davidson and Bowlerstore.com, in Versailles, is the presenting sponsor of high school bowling on Press Pros. Davidson is also the former coach at Versailles.
“There’s great support for it here in Versailles,” says Bohman. “The school district has been great to pay for practice time during the season, and that saves me from billing families individually. And then on bowling weekends, I can’t tell you how many people volunteer to come in and help set up and tear down bleachers, move chairs, and do what’s necessary to host 200 people here on a Saturday morning. Bowling means a lot to these kids, and I think it means a lot to those who help to make it possible. Because frankly, I don’t have enough people here to get it done without their help.
“And,” he adds. “I don’t know where Versailles bowling would be without Tyler Phlipot.”
Phlipot is is the long-time coach for both boys and girls at Versailles, and associate at the Bowlerstore.com store, in Versailles. Prior to Phlipot, Community Lanes owner Doug Davidson served as coach at Versailles.
Practice what you preach…Tyler Phlipot walks the walk and talks the talk as boys and girls bowling coach at Versailles High School. (Press Pros Feature Photos)
“I don’t know how much longer he’ll want to do it, because he has kids of his own at the age where they’ll want to play. But if you ask him Tyler always says he enjoys coaching for the kids’ sake.”
Running a bowling center is not easy. Ask Rick Hartings in Coldwater, Brian Alig in New Bremen, or Doug and Lori Davidson in Minster. The term bowling on the sign outside is deceiving, as every successful establishment is as much a community entertainment center and dining destination as it is a place to bowl.
“It takes a lot of time, and staff,” laughs Bohman, who at 62 admits that he’s finding new ways to do more with less. I know Coldwater and Minster has more full-time people than I have, and I’m fortunate to have my kids come in occasionally, and my son’s fiance’ is helping. And when we get done with bowling today we shut down to get ready for a corporate party later this evening. There’s tables, chairs, food preparation, and getting the lanes cleaned and ready for another crowd. And if you own a bowling center any time you’re open you need to be busy. We already have twenty five private parties booked for February, and that’s all we can do.”
That’s the business side of a bowling center, for sure, and if you survey a hundred people you’re apt to find that 75% of them say that the food at the local lanes is the best in town. In Coldwater Pla-Mor features a full-service restaurant that’s full in the morning’s for breakfast. In Minster, Community Lane’s outdoor entertainment plaza is second to none. Every community bowling center is, in fact, a community meeting place.
Pla-Mor lanes proudly sponsors coverage of bowling on Press Pros Magazine.com.
But ask every bowling proprietor and they’ll soon tell you that it’s the people and the kids who bowl that make the business about something more than profit and loss.
Rick Hartings is the long-time bowling coach at Coldwater, leading the Cavalier boys and girls teams to multiple state championships.
“It’s competitive, and yet it’s something that the average person can afford,” says Bohman. “It’s not like golf where you have the expense of clubs and memberships. And you really don’t have to be a great athlete. It gives a lot of these kids a competitive purpose, and if you really want to work at it anyone can become a good bowler, even if they aren’t good in another sport.
“In fact,” adds Bohman. “I’d say that there’s a lot of kids who need bowling more than bowling needs them.”
There was only one shift on Saturday, the 9 am one, which lightened the load on preparation for people coming and going in the afternoon. And twice during our time talking with Keith Bohman he was interrupted to go fix a malfunction on the lanes, another example of doing more with less when you own a bowling center.
Kids and adults, alike, packed to go home. The ones who bowled well felt good about their game going into the conference tournament next week. Those that didn’t hope to get in some added work on Sunday, perhaps. No different from basketball…practice makes perfect. But you can’t do it in your driveway – or in zero weather. You need Keith Bohman, Rick Hartings, Brian Alig, and Doug Davidson.
“You’d like to shut off the lights and go home sometimes, like everyone else,” laughs Bohman. “Because there’s only so many hours in the day.”
But….
Some kids need bowling…more than bowling needs them!
Community Lanes sponsors your favorite area sports on Press Pros. We’re so much more than a bowling center. Visit us soon.