Just about everyone today knows that it’s good for the mind and body to have a healthy and active lifestyle. This applies to people of all ages, shapes and sizes. Not everyone, though, has the money to join a gym nor is everyone in a condition that will allow for vigorous exercise. Still others do not have the drive or willpower to stay true to a regular fitness routine. One of the best ways to combat some of these points is to find fun activities, particularly in a group setting, which will not only keep you active but also allow for bonding and friendship. This type of environment is very conducive to longevity. If a person is having fun while being physically active, the chances are greatly improved that they will continue to take part in the activity.

A good way to pursue this kind of fitness is to join a league. Some team sports are very easy to play, require little cash outlay and allow participants to mingle socially, in addition to playing the game. The rules are quite easy to understand which makes participation welcoming and not intimidating. Some examples of league play would include bocce (and its close cousin, petanque), shuffleboard and bowling. Although these sports may appear tame to the extreme enthusiasts, they actually do offer health benefits. They involve quite a bit of muscle movement, bending and stretching. They also exercise joints, tendons and ligaments. Seniors, in particular, can benefit tremendously from fun leagues and, by far, the most popular of these is bowling.

Virtually every bowling alley has its leagues and it would not be any stretch of the imagination to believe that a majority have afternoon play that is dominated by senior citizens. The bowling alley is a gathering place where the seniors can socialize. Naturally, in some cases, there will still be serious competition but most participants in these types of leagues are not looking to bowl a perfect game.

Another fun aspect of a bowling league is undoubtedly the end of season or end of year banquet. This may be a simple gathering on the last day of play or it may be a rather elaborate social event. It is at this time that many awards for bowling will be presented. They may be serious awards which involve the presentation of medals, ribbons and trophies or somewhat silly awards that can also be gifts and prizes.

There are many standard awards for bowling. Among them are High Average, High Single Game and High Triple Game. Generally, bowling awards are also divided by gender. Perhaps the most coveted of any bowling award is the one that is presented for a Perfect Game (these are sometimes called a “300 Award” or “300 Club Award” in recognition of an actual perfect score).

To make a presentation fun, leagues may include silly awards like a “Groaner Award” (for lowest score), a “Gutter Award” (for the most gutter balls), or even “Most Fashionable in Bowling Shoes.” Due to the fun and friendship aspect of a bowling league, it can be guaranteed that even these awards will be accepted in the spirit in which they are intended.