Oxford Lanes’ Generation Gap bowling league brings families and friends together
Oxford Lanes offers three summer bowling leagues, including Generation Gap, to provide an opportunity for families to have fun while bringing the Oxford community together.
On Thursdays, Cheryl Dishmond brings her 13-year-old grandson, Ryker Garwood, to Oxford Lanes for Generation Gap bowling.
Dishmond first heard about Generation Gap through another league, Funday Sunday. This summer, she started bowling with Ryker to get out of the house and hang out.
“It’s mainly just to spend time together,” Dishmond said. “That’s what I get from it. [It’s] just time to communicate together instead of being on your phones, being on screens. We just sit and talk, eat [dinner] and have a good time.”
Dishmond and Ryker join a handful of families who congregate at Oxford Lanes each week. Parents and grandparents bring their children to the bowling alley to talk with other families, grab dinner and, of course, compete on the alley.
Oxford Lanes hosts three leagues during the summer: a youth club on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m., a three-person mixed handicap league on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. and Generation Gap on Thursdays at 7 p.m.
Andrew Niemen, the owner of Oxford Lanes, said that people of all ages can compete in bowling and have the same experience — whether they’re 10 years old or 90.
“It’s a gathering spot for people to use [for] social events,” Niemen said. “Whether it’s going to be actual organized play or just open play or some kind of fundraiser … it gives everybody that opportunity to get together.”
During the summer, Oxford Lanes offers an activity for town residents to not only spend time with family, but also to interact with other community members. At Generation Gap, multiple families meet weekly to see each other and check in.
Dishmond said this aspect of Generation Gap appeals to her more than simply going to Oxford Lanes for open bowling.
“You meet different people,” Dishmond said. “You get to play different teams, different groups. When you go just as a family, you’re pretty much in your own little group, whereas here you meet other people, you get to bowl [with] other people.”
Throughout the year, Oxford Lanes hosts men’s and women’s leagues as well as fraternity leagues. However, a main focus for the summer leagues is attracting bowlers from various skill levels.
The ultimate goal is to bring everybody together and have fun.
“It’s something that families can do together,” said James Turner, who attends Generation Gap with his kids each week. “Everyone just gets to have fun. I bowled in a league when I was a kid, and it’s something that’s always fun.”
