The Wheee! Of Wii Bowling

By Nancy K. Crevier

They were having a ball — but not one that could be seen, hoisted, tossed, or rolled. It was an afternoon of good-natured fun and competition when members of the Newtown Senior Center met with members of the senior centers from Weston, Monroe, and Bethel Monday afternoon, September 29, for the area quarterfinals of the Health Net Cup Nintendo Wii Virtual Bowling Tournament.

Gathered in the main room of the Monroe Senior Center on Cutlers Farm Road, the tournament participants cheered each other on as the four teams of four rolled their virtual bowling balls down the virtual bowling lanes on two big screens at the front of the room. A few of the on-lookers even had pom-poms to wave wildly when team members scored a strike, a not uncommon occurrence.

Organized by Health Net, a managed health care company that provides health benefits to approximately 6.6 million individuals through group, individual, Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and Veterans Affairs programs, since August the tournament has involved senior citizens from 90 centers across the state.

When Wii came out with the bowling game last year, said Health Net spokesperson Rob Gedarovich, the organization decided to try it out at a few senior centers. “We had such positive feedback that we asked for statewide participation and 90 centers decided to take part in the tournament,” he said. The attractive aspect of Wii Bowling is that it is a team sport and whether a person is in a wheelchair, uses a walker, is on crutches, or has his or her two feet planted firmly on the ground, everyone is on the same footing when involved in this activity. “It’s great for all seniors and gives them the opportunity to socialize with other center members and get in a little exercise while having fun,” said Mr Gedarovich.

Health Net community events coordinator Bob Beckwith agreed. “A lot of centers wanted to participate. It gets people to be active,” he said.

As part of the Wii Virtual Bowling Tournament program, Health Net gave 88 Wii systems to senior centers that committed to participating, including Newtown, said Mr Beckwith, and that meant standing in line like everyone else, hoping to get one or two of the systems at a time until Health Net had enough. “It involved quite a lot of waiting in line,” chuckled Mr Beckwith.

On Monday, each team played two games with winners advancing on a “knock out” basis. Regional competition will take place in October in Shelton, with finals scheduled to be played in Wallingford.

From Newtown, Senior Center members Bob Sharpe, Rose Lindmark, Bea Piskura, and Barbara Millard made up the team, with Marianne Posser, Angie Fedak, and Phyllis Fives serving as alternates.

When all the arms had been lifted high and the virtual balls fired down the virtual lanes, though, it was the Monroe team that came out on top, outscoring second place Newtown 1,233 points to 1,226 points. “We gave them a challenge,” declared Newtown Senior Center Director Marilyn Place, “and they just had a wonderful time.”

While they have rolled their last ball in the Health Net Wii Virtual Tournament, it is not the end of the line for the Newtown team, which plans to continue on to other tournaments. Wheee!