While watching his own children bowl a few years ago, Steve Spinney, manager of Falcon Lanes, was struck with an idea.

Spinney realized that other area schools, such as Seneca Falls, have high school bowling teams and he wondered if there would be any interest in getting a team together in Auburn.

“From talking to people, I#'ve heard there was a team here 20 years ago or so, the late 70's, early 80's,” Spinney said.

“When I went to school in Union Springs we didn't have a team, but I know other schools do, so I just wondered what it might take to get something like this off the ground.”

But after the initial idea, Spinney didn't get very far in his original inquiry.

Until recently, while watching his daughter bowl and looking at all the talented young bowlers that come into the Falcon Lanes on a regular basis and compete in the junior leagues, Spinney was again struck by the idea and has decided to put it into motion.

Along with PBA member Michelle Feldman of Skaneateles, Spinney has started gauging interest in a high school team.

Spinney said that if they are able to get enough interest in getting a team together, he and Feldman would handle the coaching duties.

“We've had a good response,” Spinney said.

“We've talked to some of the kids in the schools and the interest is there, I think. From what I've heard at other schools like Seneca Falls, these are big events and all the parents are there at the matches to watch and everything. I think we could have something similar here.” Spinney said that there are many advantages to having a high school team.

“For a lot of kids that bowl there isn't a winter sport to play,” Spinney said. “So this would be a great opportunity to for them to have a team sport during this time of year.”

There are other advantages as well.

“There is a lot of scholarship money out there for bowling,” Spinney said. “There are kids that are getting thousands and thousands of dollars in scholarships for bowling and I think it would be great to give our kids the opportunity to get involved in that.”

While these efforts are in the tentative stages, Spinney has begun to take his first few steps forward with his idea.

After talking to Auburn High School Athletic Director Tamela Ray, Spinney has set out on a course to make this idea a reality.

“We are getting interest,” Spinney said. “We are trying to get signatures and be able to show that there is an interest in this, so that we can make a formal presentation to the school board and let people know that there is an interest in getting a team together.”

Spinney has also tentatively begun to look for sponsorship and other support for the potential program.

Spinney said that just like any other high school athletic team, a bowling team would need a home field or in this case lanes, to practice and compete on as well as other expenses like traveling.

Through Feldman's connections on the PBA, Spinney said that he will also be getting in touch with Carolyn Dorin-Ballard of the U.S. Bowling Congress.

Spinney said that Dorin-Ballard is very involved with high school bowling and hopes that she might be able to point him in the right direction in terms of getting a program up and running and finding ways to manage the expense through things like grants and donations.

If he is able to get a high school program together, Spinney does envision a time when there will be similar programs, much like modified and JV programs, that also reach out to younger players in the elementary and middle school levels.

But for now, Spinney is moving forward one step at time.

“There is interest there and there are some very talented bowlers here,” Spinney said. “I think this would be a great opportunity for them. There is a lot of work to be done and a lot we are learning as we go, but I think if we can do this it will be a great opportunity for all of these kids.”

For more information or to help gather signatures contact Steve Spinney at 252-9398.