Bowling is a sport.

I'm interested in hearing what you have to say. Second, I only provided the definition to give a picture of what a "sport" really is. I wasn't saying that bowling is a sport simply because the dictionary says so. Sorry if this was inappropriate, I have no real experience with debating. Ok, now let's get into the debate. Good luck to the both of us! 1. Bowling requires a high degree of skill. Professional bowling requires an extremely high degree of skill, both physical and mental. This is different than going out to a bowling alley with some friends to drink beer while you throw the ball at the pins for fun. That activity is comparable to playing catch with a baseball, and baseball is universally accepted as a sport. Those activities are not truly competitive, and are not 100% of what the sport fully entails. Anybody can throw a baseball, just like anybody can throw a bowling ball. However, for serious competitive bowling, you need to have many mastered skills. Lanes are sometimes covered with oil patterns designed to add challenge, and to make it more difficult to throw strikes (this is called "sport shot" and is always used in professional bowling). You must find a line to throw your ball and hit it every time. Otherwise, you will not get a strike or spare, which hurts your score. Also, lane oil breaks down and can cause changes in how a ball moves. As a result, you must learn how to adjust your position accordingly. Next, proper balance, footwork, and form must be followed on every throw. While muscle strength or running speed are not necessary, other physical skills are still needed, which fits in the definition of a sport. For mental skills, every throw must be nearly perfect, especially on difficult oil patterns; anything off with your approach can cause you to miss a key spare or strike. Missed throws can be extremely distracting and kill confidence. Therefore, bowlers must have an extremely high degree of mental focus and preparation. All of these factors prove professional bowling requires specialized skill. 2. Bowlers can be considered athletes. I consider an athlete to be someone who trains themselves in order to get optimal personal performance in their chosen sport. A football player must train to become better, which is through strength training and drills. Also, all bowlers train themselves to become better. While they don't need overpowering strength, they must train their muscle memory, their balance and coordination, and their mental game. This can take years of practice and training to achieve optimal performance. Your definition of an athlete may differ from mine, but my definition can describe a serious, professional bowler. 3. Organized, professional competition. Every sport has some organizational structure, such as an overseeing organization, or professional leagues or circuits. Bowling fits this description. Every bowling alley has leagues where bowlers come to compete against others. The PBA (Professional Bowler's Association) is the highest level of competition, containing only the elite professionals. It is impossible to say the name of a sport without some professionals playing it. Bowling has just that. 4. It's more than just a "game" Those who don't consider bowling a sport see it as a "game" and nothing more. This description is inaccurate. All sports are games. However, all games are not sports, and a game doesn't necessarily require a degree of skill. In a game such as Monopoly, a person who has played the game 100 times before can lose to a person playing for the first time. This is not the case with bowling. A skilled professional will never lose to a first time bowler from the street. This also refers to the "requiring skill" argument. Because of these facts, bowling is more than a "game. " Now it's your turn. Let's see what you have to say.