Nonfiction Writing Program professor Tisa Bryant reports from Colonial Lanes, where the 116th Annual NWP Bowling Tournament drew a crowd on Saturday, November 4:

Iowa City. "It was raucous, rapid, enthusiastic, full of hidden talents and brazen acts of championship-level bowling! We had Melissa Febos’s devil-may-care squad, Death Dive, Inara [Verzemnieks]’s 10-strong Gutter Genre crew bowling on two lanes, and Sarah’s jewel-faced team, Writer’s Strike, all vying for a vintage bedazzled bronze trophy. Team captains all made sure their teams had their heads in the game, even though their balls sometimes veered into the gutter. But that’s alright. This is the Nonfiction Writing Program at the University of Iowa. Everybody is a winner!

I was impressed by the camaraderie, the cheering on across lanes and teams, rapid pizza-eating, stealth beer-drinking and soda sipping, and, of course, the t-shirts!  Nicely done! Bonus points to Bela for her knowledge of New England’s candlepin bowling tradition. A connoisseur’s game, for sure. 

After much popping around the lanes snapping terrible, candid photos, I managed to tally up the score and announce a winner.

The results:

Writer’s Strike, bowling an average of 636, won the game! Hooray!

Did everyone have a good time? From the heartfelt huddles, victory photos and general good cheer, I’d say yes!"