When Hilo Lanes abruptly closed in May, many bowlers were left searching for answers, concerned about the future of the sport in East Hawaii.
When Hilo Lanes abruptly closed in May, many bowlers were left searching for answers, concerned about the future of the sport in East Hawaii.
The latest casualty from the closure is the Waiakea High School bowling program.
The school did not list bowling on its list of teams for the upcoming Big Island Interscholastic Federation season at the June 12 deadline.
Waiakea Principal Kelcy Koga and Athletic Director Tom Correa reportedly made the call to cut the program because of the lack of a practice facility and travel concerns.
“This is a big hit, especially for the seniors,” Waiakea bowling coach Tracy Nakashima said. “I guess the principal decided it was too much. As a coach, I hope this isn’t the end and we can find a way for our program to continue on, despite the closure of the Hilo Lanes.”
Tracy and his father Calvin Nakashima coach the Waiakea bowling squads — Tracy the boys and Calvin the girls. The school has been a BIIF powerhouse under the Nakashimas, winning four of the last five boys team titles, and five straight on the girls side.
Last season, St. Joseph, Keaau, Konawaena, Kealakehe, Hilo, Waiakea, Ka‘u, Pahoa and Kamehameha-Hawaii fielded bowling teams. Konawaena and Kealakehe used KBXtreme as their home lanes for head-to-head matchups, while other matches were played at Hilo Lanes, including the BIIF championships.
“The way I look at it, Kona teams have travelled to our side for how long? What makes it different from us going out there,” Nakashima said.
Kilauea Military Camp has been mentioned as an alternative, but the facility only has six lanes.
Keaau, Kamehameha and Hilo are among the East Hawaii teams slated to continue on with their programs.
The decision has not been well received by parents and athletes on the team, who have voiced displeasure with the school’s decision.
“The parents are talking now,” Nakashima said. “We just have to wait and see what happens. Honestly, I hope the school can find a way. The kids deserve it.”
Keeping the ball rolling
Attempting to fill the void left when Hilo Lanes closed, KBXtreme in Kailua-Kona has reached out to displaced East Hawaii bowlers, hoping to give them an opportunity to keep playing the sport.
“We have definitely been impacted by the closure,” KBXtreme general manager Calvin Higa said. “I think it was a shock for all of us. We have tried to be as accommodating as possible, whether that means adjusting hours or even helping to make some sort of mass transportation available.”
Higa said the leagues have filled up quickly, with many senior bowlers making the cross-island trip to bowl. A group of Hawaii Junior Bowlers also makes the trip once a month for practice.
However, Higa believes it is just a temporary solution and the island is big enough for two bowling centers.
“We have been contacted by a lot of different groups and have been exploring options of expanding KBXtreme to Hilo. There are too many people affected for such an important activity to stop.
“Having a physical activity for seniors and keeping the schools’ bowling programs going is important. Without the lanes in Hilo, they cannot go on with their daily lifestyle or continue to pursue their passion for the sport. We would like to see those things continue.”
The Kona facility underwent a $3 million face-lift four years ago and changed its name from Kona Bowl to KBXtreme. Higa said the primary reason for the change was to convert from a bowling center into a family entertainment center.
“It was needed,” Higa said. “We closely followed trends across the U.S. and the traditional bowling centers were not thriving as much as they did 10 or 20 years ago.”
With the sun shining most days of the year and a bevy of free outdoor activities available, bowling alleys in Hawaii face a unique set of challenges.
“I don’t know if it’s more challenging than on the mainland, but definitely different,” Higa said. “Summer is traditionally a slower time for bowling centers. We have inverse here. Summer is our busiest time.”
A reason for the summer spike could be the “Kids Bowl Free” program, which is now in its third year at KBXtreme. With the program, children younger than 15 can bowl two free games on weekdays from June 1 to Aug. 31.
“It’s no secret, the bowling population is an aging one,” Higa said. “Keeping youngsters engaged and developing interest in the sport is very important.”
According to Higa, the program has yielded great results.
“This is a great family bonding experience for us,” said Ryan Stevens, who brought his family of five to bowl Friday at KBXtreme. “Since Swing Zone closed, it has been hard to find an activity for the entire family to enjoy. We always have fun here. The kids love it.”
The facility has also stepped up to help out the high school squads. On top of practices and Big Island Interscholastic Federation tournaments, this year, the Hawaii State Athletic Association championships will be a three-day event held at KBXtreme. The event was slated for Hilo Lanes, prior to the closure.