Kirtland Lanes plans all-women's bowling league

  • Published
  • By Ryan Stark
  • Nucleus writer
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  Kirtland Lanes Bowling Center has plans for a new, all-women's bowling league.

Bowling center manager Rick Montoya said the idea for the league came from his wife, Janie.

Montoya served in the Marines for 27 years as a helicopter aircrew member and maintenance chief. He and his wife remember the challenges faced by military families.

"I deployed 11 or 12 times, and my wife stayed home with the kids," he said. "It takes a special lady to stay back here. Those families struggle."

Janie even gave him the idea for the name, the "Hot Mamas' League," Montoya said.

Ten ladies have signed up as of Monday, and Rick hopes for eight more. The first  members' meeting will be Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the bowling center.

"They say the service member's job is pretty though, but I don't think it's as tough as being a service member's spouse," Montoya said. "I'm hoping some of those women might come out to join this league, get to know each other and have a good time."

He has introduced many other improvements to the center since he became manager in 2012. Back then, the center was in constant danger of being shut down, he said.

"When I first started, someone was calling me every month saying, 'We're going to shut you down,'" Montoya said. "We didn't even have any bowling leagues back then."

The bowling center now has quite a few leagues, and recently picked up a new Tuesday night men's league when Leisure Bowl, a longtime mainstay in the Albuquerque bowling-alley scene, closed down.

Montoya said his goal is to make the center a premier, affordable destination for the base community.

Prices for bowling haven't been raised in 18 months, he said, and the fees are about half the cost of off-base bowling alleys.

"We try and keep it very affordable," he said. "A family can come here and have a whole night of fun for $40 or $50."

A few free amenities have also been added recently.

When the pool tables were re-surfaced, Montoya had the coin slots removed and made them free to play. There has also been a free-to-use Nintendo Wii system with popular games, including "Guitar Hero."

There are also new bowling shoes, a new machine to clean and polish the lanes, and the restaurant will have a conveyor-belt pizza oven soon.

The center is open seven days a week. It is available for anyone with base access, including contractors, Department of Defense civilian employees and workers at Sandia National Laboratories.

Other specials and events include:

■ Every day after 1 p.m., it's $6 for three games, including shoe rental. Each additional games is $2 per person.

■ Bowling is $1.50 per game, with $2.50 shoe rental and free socks, on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesdays from 5 to 9 p.m.

■ Karaoke happens every Friday from 8 to 11 p.m.

■ Cosmic Bowling is on Wednesdays from 6 to 9 p.m., Fridays 8 p.m. to midnight and Saturdays from 6 p.m. to midnight.

■ "Bonanza Bingo" cards -- something like lottery cards -- are available for $1 each. For more about the Bowling Center and its leagues, call 846-6851.