By Doug Halberstadt
Sports Columnist

It’s that time of year again. Summer is quickly slipping away. Labor Day weekend is here. It’s getting dark out earlier. High school football has started. The college and pro games are just around the corner. It’s my favorite time of year.

One of the things I thoroughly enjoy about the onset of fall is our bowling league starts up again. After taking the summer months off, it’s time to return to the lanes this week. I’ve bowled on Tuesday nights for the last several years. It’s been so many that I’ve actually lost track.

Bowling is the one sport where I’ve experienced the most success as a participant. Granted, I’ve yet to roll a perfect game, but I have achieved some of the goals I’ve set for myself in the sport. Last season, I finally rolled my first 700-plus series. That goal was one that I’ve had for many years. I hit the 731 mark during the second week of the year. I also had a 697 a few weeks later. It just proves that bowling is a sport that even as you get into your “senior years,” you can still improve.

For the last few seasons, my average has increased from year to year. My goal last year was to average 200 over the 33-week season. I came up just a few pins short, and finished with a 199.45 average. So, I will shoot for a 200 or higher average once again this year.

I’m going to set a series goal of 750 for this year. My individual high game is a 278. Besides having the yearly goal of a perfect game, I’m also going to add a 280 or higher game as another goal for this year.

Good Luck to all the league bowlers as they return to their home lanes over the next couple of weeks. Except when they bowl our team, of course.

I like the competition of our five-man teams each week, but what really motivates me are the personal goals I set each season. I’ll give it my best again this year, and if I hit that 300 game, you can pretty much bet the farm you’ll read about it in an upcoming column.

Doug Halberstadt can be reached via e-mail at Dougster61@aol.com.