Seniors find fun, exercise in Wii bowling

James “J. Love” Swinton led the room in a cheer.

“Strawberry Jelly. Blackberry Jam. Who’s gonna’ win? We am, we am.”

As the small crowd laughed and cheered, Swinton took position in front of the bowling alley and swung his arm. A cartoon figure on a 50-inch television screen took a similar stance and released a computerized bowling ball.

The unusual Wii bowling tournament took place Monday at Rose Hill Senior Center in Dothan. The youngest players were in their early 60s, others were in their mid to late-70s and the two were 84. With four players on each team, the Rose Bowlers defended their home turf against the Geneva Mighty Strikers from the Geneva Senior Citizens Center in the first match between the two teams.

Bowling for Rose Hill were Mac “the Knife” McSween, Annie “Get Your Gun” Hollis, Maggie “the Arrow” Evans and Dorothy “the Wiz” Ward. For Geneva, there was Swinton, along with Olliev “Olive Oil” Trant, Wanda “Wonder Woman” Hensley and Julia “Downtown Julie Brown” Howard.

With only one reminder to secure their wrist safety straps, the teams got down to business quickly. Strikes and spares were as common as gutter balls as supporters surrounded the teams with signs that read “Go! Win!” and “Geneva is Here to Win.”

“Downtown Julie Brown” Howard was one of the more expressive players, punching her fist in the air with each strike. She gave a “gobble, gobble, gobble” before earning her third strike in a row in one game for a “turkey” strike. And Maggie “the Arrow” Evans stared down the alley with a serious gaze, eventually taking the top score for Rose Hill.

But it was Swinton who came out on top in the end.

The one-time league bowler finished up with 428 points, leading his Geneva team to victory with 1,435 points to Rose Hill’s 1,012 points.
Swinton claims he wasn’t a good bowler during his league days 20 years ago. The Wii bowling, he said, is similar to actual bowling as far as scoring and the techniques used to make the points.

“The good thing about it is you don’t have that big old heavy ball in your hands,” he said.

The Nintendo Wii is becoming more common in senior centers as a tool to get seniors up, active and interacting with others while having fun.

“The younger seniors are looking for something other than quilting when they come in,” said Robbie Owens, manager of the Geneva center. “We still quilt, but this is something more people can do. What’s funny is now when they go home, they beat their grandchildren.”

Competition is all in good fun, however.

“It’s good exercise,” said Evans of the Rose Hill team. “I enjoy the fellowship and the sportsmanship.”