On Monday nights, ISU faculty and staff take to the lanes to socialize, improve their bowling skills and, of course, compete.

“It’s a good, competitive thing,” said P.J. Hermann, Engineering and Computer Science team member and temporary associate professor of aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics. “It’s good company. It’s harmless if you lose and boosts your ego if you win.”

Martin Edelson, member of the Chemistry Metallurgy team and adjunct associate professor in the Ames Laboratory and U.S. Department of Energy, said he enjoys socializing with fellow colleagues.

“It’s an opportunity to meet people in other departments that you don’t usually come in contact with,” Edelson said. “You end up making friends across campus.”

Socializing is also important to Cindy Frederickson, member of the all-female Health and Human Performance team and academic adviser.

“It’s fun just to meet people and socialize with people from across campus,” Frederickson said.

Harvey Burkholder, this year’s league secretary/treasurer and member of the team Chemistry Metallurgy and retired chemical department science professional, said he helped organize the teams and collect dues.

Players have a chance to compete individually as well as on a team.

Teams consist of four members. There are currently 15 teams with an opening for one more.

Each member pays $7 per night, and teams pay $40 a year plus dues to the American Bowling Congress and the Women’s International Bowling Congress.

Competition is broken into two 16-week halves. At the end of the year, the winning teams of each half play each other to determine the year’s winner.

A trophy is presented to the winning team to keep until the next year.

The Agricultural Engineering team won the first half of this year’s competition. Burkholder said he thinks the two past winners, the Agricultural Engineering team and the Industrial Education and Technology team, are capable of winning again.

The competition can be heated, Edelson said.

“During bowling, you tend to growl at people, and it’s the most important thing in the world,” Edelson said. “But afterwards you smile and go about your business.”

Hermann also said he thinks competition is important to some participants.

“Some are really competitive and play for blood,” Hermann said. “Low and behold, they’re on the team at the bottom of the pole.”

Although it’s a competition, Hermann said it is also a good time.

“We wouldn’t be doing it if it wasn’t fun,” he said.

The league plays Mondays at 6:30 p.m. at the Twentieth Century Bowling alley, 505 S. Duff Ave.