Background

Brandon, Manitoba is home to Thunderbird Bowl which offers both 5 pin and 10 pin bowling.  Not sure what 5 pin bowling looks like?  Check out this great video produced by the Canadian 5 Pin Bowling Association:

And, here is an amateur video about 10 pin bowling:

Thunderbird Bowl offers a variety of kids' bowling programs.

8 for 8 Program

For just $80 total (includes instruction, shoes, ball, and taxes), your child can bowl once per week for eight weeks. Due to the popularity of the program, now in its second year, there are two levels in which your children can participate:

• • • Entry Level – for new bowlers
    • Boot Camp – for bowlers returning to the program.

Entry level bowlers bowl for 45 minute sessions per week while Boot Camp bowlers bowl for an hour per week.  And, children can choose either 5 pin or 10 pin bowling for the 8 week duration.  Parents like the fact that the program is inexpensive and is short in duration.

Age 

Kids ages 4 to 17 can participate in the program.

Where 

Classes are offered at Thunderbird Bowl located at 2140 Currie Blvd, Brandon, MB, R7B 4E7.  See the following map for more detail and directions:

When

During the fall/winter of 2013-14, parents can choose one of the following times per week for the eight week duration:

• • • Tuesday: 5:30pm to 6:15pm (Entry Level) or 6:30pm (Boot Camp)
    • Saturday: 10:30am to 11:15am (Entry Level) or 11:30am (Boot Camp)

Classes generally run all year round but check for availability of summer classes by contacting Thunderbird Bowl.

Cost

$80 per 8 week session.

Equipment

Participants are provided rental bowling shoes plus one piece of bowling equipment they get to keep.  In previous sessions, participants have received bowling balls, or bags!  If a ball is not provided by the program for a given session, Thunderbird Bowl provides the bowling balls.

Instructors

Trever Peters is the 10 pin instructor.  He has bowled since he was a child and is a former Bantam National Champion.  Dave Mansall is the 5 pin instructor.  He used to own the Minnedosa lanes and his boys have been both provincial and national champions.

Youth Bowling Canada

Whether your child has participated in the 8 for 8 program or not, if your child wants to progress to the next level of bowling, they would move to the Youth Bowling Canada program.  Youth Bowling Canada offers programs in both 5 pin and 10 pin bowling.

Age

Kids ages 6 to 21 can participate in the program in the following divisions:

5 Pin

10 Pin

Where 

Classes are offered at Thunderbird Bowl located at 2140 Currie Blvd, Brandon, MB, R7B 4E7.  See the following map for more detail and directions:

When

During the fall/winter of 2013-14, participants bowl twice per week as follows:

This year is divided into four segments:  two segments in the Fall and two segments in the Winter. Check the calendar for registration dates and times along with segment information.

Cost

Total cost for a session is equal to the registration fee plus a segment cost as follows: 

* Includes $70.00 rental fee plus $7.00 for badges, zone tournament fees and miscellaneous.

Equipment

Participants can rent bowling shoes and bowling balls are provided.  As kids advance, they may want to purchase their own ball and shoes.

Instructors

Trevel Peters is the 10 pin instructor.  He has bowled since he was a child and is a former Bantam National Champion.  Dave Mansall is the 5 pin instructor.  He used to own the Minnedosa lanes and his boys have been both provincial and national champions.

For More Information

Contact Thunderbird Bowl or check out their website.  Also, check out Canadian 5 Pin Bowling Association or the Canadian 10 Pin Federation.