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Our league was formed in September of 2006 and began our first week of bowling with 20 women.
We finished our 3rd season (2008-2009) with 87 women!
We were formed by women who desire to have 'female-friendly competitive challenges' in the sport of bowling; while in a relaxed 'comfort zone'.
League co-founder and avid bowler, Kim Holley,(pictured above in the army pants ) came up with the idea to once again be a part of a women's league. Kim did all the running around and negotiating with bowling centers to get this league started. She set up the original web site that got us off to a running start. It enabled interested bowlers guidelines for registration procedures, as well as offering valuable information and updates. The original e-mail address she set up also gave bowlers a chance to contact us efficiently. Kim then asked CC to join in her quest of putting together this league of women bowlers. We missed the fun we had 10 years ago, when we bowled together in a similar league, and wanted that fun to once again exist for us, as well as many others. We made calls and contacts; which resulted in women dusting off their bowling balls and shoes to form what is today our League of Women Bowlers!!! Kim Holley unfortunately left the league midway through it's first season, however her work with CC in getting this league started will be forever appreciated. Currently in our 3rd season we are 87 members strong and the largest East Coast lesbian league as well as 1 of 7 international women leagues in the IGBO membership! We are approximately at a 90% lesbian women membership.
We have all skill levels too...with women rolling averages ranging from below 100 to over 190!!! Come on out and meet the challenges!!! Or just come out and support us. Please encourage others to come out as well. Be a bowler, a sub or a cheerleader!
Our fun prize league offers 50/50 raffles every week; as well as the weekly competition for that top team/individual prize list awards. We also have many benefits as members of the gay bowling association for this area....CARA (Capital Area Rainbowlers Association). We also participate in tournaments that are just as much fun ...sponsored by CARA and the International Gay Bowling Organization (IGBO) whose organization we joined the 2008-2009 season.
We looked forward, with great enthusiasm, to our First Annual Bowling Awards Banquet, that was held at the end of the season in June. We had a blast of a good time...check the photo show web site. The Pioneer Members (women that began and stuck with the league through the first season) were awarded with personalized lavender bowling pins (real ones)...no one will ever get a 'lavender' pin again...(that's soley the privileged honor of the Pioneer Women who began this league) , personalized Award Certificates with their picture and/or team picture, engraved trophies for achievement recognitions, USBC Achievement pins and patches, gifts and gift certificates donated by local businesses and organizations, and a feeling of camaraderie like never before. It warmed me so to witness their enthusiam and appreciation...anytime bowlers want their awards and certificates before their prize money...you've gotta feel good about the season and it's members!!!
Our league was also honored with an article; in the August 2007 issue of the nationally circulated USBC bowling magazine, US Bowler!!!! The featured article appears in the League Secretaries section (preview the full article on this web site on our 'News Articles' page). Their idea is to share with other league secretaries how to encourage members by being creative and using special/unique prizes as incentives...
and we did just that! Other articles about our league are featured on our News Articles page. Co-founder CC was also awarded with honors of the MVP Award presented by the Team DC organization for her continued efforts with maintaining this league over it's beginning years. She is honored with being the first recipient of the award as this was Team DC's first annual Awards Recognition Reception to recognize sports pioneers in the Lesbian Gay Bi-Sexual Transgender Community of the DC Metropolitan Area.
These prizes and awards were made possible by the businesses and organizations who kindly donated to our leagues efforts with their goods and services...we are so grateful...they are listed on our 'Supporters' page...please support them as they have so graciously supported us. We thank them very much.
Don't miss out on this special and unique league of women bowlers...join us this season!!!
We meet 5 miles from the DC line at the Rinaldi's Riverdale Bowling Lanes in Riverdale, Maryland. It's located on Kenilworth Avenue just off of the Rt 410 (East-West Hwy intersection). The bowling alley is on the left hand side of the street coming from DC and from the Kenilworth Avenue exit off the 495 Beltway it's on the right.