‘Dart Bowl provided the opportunity for [my students] to flourish, and they loved it.’

When Steven Strong saw the beaming smiles of his special education students knocking down pins, he knew how special of a place Dart Bowl was. 

But, really, he knew much before then.

“I lived in the same house ever since I was 3 years old, in the neighborhood near Dart Bowl, and it was the first bowling alley that I remember going to,” he said. “I learned how to bowl there, even as a little kid who didn’t know to bowl correctly.” 

When he got to McCallum in 2009, he started going every day. 

“I grabbed some enchiladas when I’d go after school with friends, and then I found out it was a PE credit to take bowling, so I got into that class,” he said. “That’s when I got a lot better at bowling and realized that I could be decent, because I was doing it every day.”

Even after graduating, Strong continued going to Dart Bowl. That’s when he saw the other side of the magic: the teacher’s standpoint. 

Working with the special education program at Webb Middle School, Strong brought his students to the lanes every other Thursday.

“The smiles and energy that it would give our kids, to be able to go down and hit pins, and for us to see their excitement and see that they were proud of themselves, which was something we really pushed for, was something we loved,” he said. “Dart Bowl provided the opportunity for them to flourish, and they loved it.”

The final Friday at Dart Bowl marked Strong’s last visit to the alley, and it, too, holds a special place in his heart. 

“It was like a piece of pre-2020 for a bit,” he said. “Everyone was happy and laughing and in their own groups and tables, but still cheering on the person next to them that they don’t even know, saying good job when they got a strike. There was a sense of normalcy.”

When Strong went to pay at the end of the night, he asked the cashier, what’s next?

She shrugged.

“I told her that I had been going there and went to high school across the street, and she asked me what year I graduated, and I said 2013. She said, ‘Well, I’ve been here since 2002, so I’ve probably yelled at you a couple times before.’ I said ‘Yeah, you probably did end up yelling at me, and I probably deserved it.’” He laughed. 

“I think it’s important to honor and respect and appreciate Dart Bowl, but also to realize that there are human beings behind it,” Strong said. “They now might need our support. Just always remember to lend a helping hand if you have one. Cause there are always people that need it.”