THERE isn’t much more that puts a smile on the face of Annette Mickley than the sight of a young bowler rolling his first strike or scoring her new high game. And in her first year as the manager of the youth bowling program at Rochelle’s T-Byrd Lanes, Mickley is hoping to keep local children active in the sport.
Mickley took over the program for Donna Weiler, who oversaw it for roughly 20 years. With three daughters all involved in bowling, Mickley said the sport holds a special place in her heart, and she is looking forward to giving local bowlers something to cheer about as well.
“I didn’t realize how much work you have to put in for the kids, but I really enjoy it,” she said. “My kids have been in the program since they were 4 years old… I just felt like I wanted the program to continue after Donna stepped down.”

While Mickley said she’s aiming to give kids some of the same experiences they’ve had before, she also said she’s making some changes to further enhance that experience. Those changes include a “treasure box” for two lucky bowlers chosen at random who roll a high score in addition to more feedback from local parents.
“I’m trying new things to make the program more fun for the kids,” she said. “I’m getting the parents more involved and seeing what they would like to see. It’s a team sport and the parents are a part of that by cheering them on so I’m going a little outside of the box to see what parents want the program to be like.”
Bowlers in the program receive weekly awards, and the fun doesn’t stop there. Halloween candy, pizza parties, end-of-the-year awards and “beat the coach” competitions are also included, and at just $7 a week for youth and high school bowlers and only $5 for bumper bowlers, Mickley said the experience Rochelle bowlers can gain is unlike any other program around town.
“I know there are some programs in Rockford and DeKalb, but I just feel that the kids need something to do here on Saturdays instead of just sitting around the house,” she said. “It’s a way to get out of the house and to meet new friends and learn a new sport… Being a parent I used to only sit and cheer for my own children, but being in charge I’ve gotten to know the kids personally, and to see their eyes light up when they get a strike… It’s a different experience now that I’m cheering on all the kids and encouraging them to interact with each other.”
This season’s youth leagues will be coming to an end in the coming weeks, but the action will start up once again in September. League sessions typically last around 2-3 hours in length, and with each season spanning over six months, Mickley encourages any interest families to sign their children up for the Rochelle program.
“A lot of our months are during the winter so it gets the kids out of the house in the winter,” she said. “They can’t go outside and play if it’s really cold, so they can come inside and bowl and have fun.”