Sad day for Pikesville Bowling Youth

I’m writing to you because I feel that the community should be made aware of what is happening at the AMF Bowling Center in Pikesville.  The AMF Pikesville has had a long standing youth league on Saturday’s for over 28 years.  This league is tremendously special because it combines children from ALL over the Pikesville, Owings Mill, Randallstown, and Reisterstown areas into a combined team spanning different religions, colors, nationalities, and ages.  Over these years they have helped build friendships, sportsmanship, and a communal bond as well as some championship bowlers.  For the past 4 years a youth team from Pikesville has attending the National Duck Youth Association National Championships.  My son and daughter have participated in this league since they were 4 years old.  Last year my son's team, no child older than 13, not only went to Nationals but they also won 2nd place in a National Round Robin Tournament against high school and college age kids. They have grown up bowling and have learned about themselves, teamwork, and dedication with the help of the coaches and directors of the league. 

Two years ago the Pikesville area hired a new District Manager who has destroyed the league.  Last year he changed the time of the league from it's long standing 1pm time slot to 9am claiming that the center needed the space for birthday celebrations in the afternoon.  This crushed the league which had 40 some players to half because families were unwilling to commit to such an early time slot and forced the other half to transfer to Westview Lanes.  Although at the end of league play last year Pikesville agreed to a 10AM start the district manager has changed the center hours opening at 11AM instead of 9AM.  This change means that the youth league that has been at Pikesville for almost 30 years as well as the Special Needs league that has been at Pikesville for many years will be cancelled.  When speaking with the manager and district manager they seem unconcerned.  We have asked that they open just one hour earlier or start birthday parties one hour later (at 1PM instead of 12PM) to allow the league to stay at Pikesville because this small one hour change will affect so many youth in our are but the district manager has refused.

I am highly disappointed at AMF and Bowlmor (the company that purchased AMF earlier this year) for dismantlement a long standing positive youth and special needs program.  I encourage all readers to contact the center to complain or better yet, take your business to a local business that supports the youth of the community.

Thank you for your consideration.