Almost there, “This is it, this is the one, I can feel it”, said Sven. As if all the planets were lining up everything that happened this cold and bitter January morning just made it right. In the parking lot of St.Clair lanes, sitting in the warm and cozy seat of the car, he listens to his favorite songs, eats his donuts, and drinks the chocolate milk.

Another car pulls into the parking lot, they pull into the spot right next to the door, grab their things and go inside. Staring at the entrance waiting to go in, the game plan starts in his head. “The shots there, you know what to do Sven, you were here yesterday ”, He said out loud to himself like a crazy person. The time had finally felt right. He got out of the car, opened the trunk and grabbed his equipment.

The inside was cold and empty. He went to the check in table to grab his scorecard and figure out what lane he was starting on, but the tournament directors were still setting up. He went and sat at a table top by himself waiting for someone he knew to walk in the doors. 7:30 finally hits and Sven is told he can finally check-in. He gets his lane assignment of 25. He moves his equipment over near 2 vending machines that were right next to a staircase leading to some lockers.

He starts opening his bags to get ready for his first game. He puts his bowling shoes on and gets out his pencil pouch with misc. bowling items. He gets the tape and scissors out and cuts a 2 inch strip off the roll. He puts the tape and scissors back and opens the bag to grab his bowling balls. He only grabs the High Road Pearl and his Icestorm (both names of bowling balls) and puts them up on the rack. His friend Joe walks in the door and he waits till he’s checked in to ask what lane he is starting on. Joe says, “I’m starting on lane 24”. Sven states he is on 25 and they are excited they are next to each other.

8:15 strikes the clock and the announcements start, explaining how the lane movements are going to be and that it will be a PBA style game. A PBA style game is where the person starting on an odd number lane will throw their first frame and then the person on the even number lane will throw 2 frames. Everyone gets 10 minutes of practice before they start competition. Sven throws a few shots on each lane and feels confident. The person that Sven is facing in the first game is also a left handed bowler.

The game starts off with Sven throwing his first shot, and he strikes. His second and third frames are also strikes. He goes up for his fourth and fifth frames and strikes both. Sven still feels that he is making good consistent shots. He goes up for his sixth and seventh shots feeling more confident than all the others and strikes both again. He goes up to throw his eighth shot and he is so nervous he can hardly stand. He takes a few deep breaths to calm himself down. He throws the ball and strikes. At this point Sven says to himself, “You have the chance.