Located below the cafeteria in Hilltop, the Bowling and Billiard Center was created as a hangout for students of all ages at UW-Eau Claire.

The center features 12 lanes of bowling, multiple pool tables,
foosball and air hockey.

Its laid-back atmosphere and late night hours give students a place to gather any day of the week.

Junior Lucas Thielen, who works in the BBC, said that weekdays are fairly quiet in the center. He estimated that during a 6 to 11 p.m. shift, roughly 15 students visit to bowl or play pool.

“People do come in as a stress reliever, but it doesn’t get overly
crowded,” Thielen said.

Once the weekend comes around, however, it’s a whole different story.

“It’s very crowded on the weekends, especially on Friday nights when they have Team Trivia,” Thielen said.

Team Trivia is a traveling
trivia company that hosts events all over the state. Trivia can be played free of charge in the BBC, and the
winning teams receive gift cards or cash prizes.

Sophomore Robert Seiberlich, a member of the BBC bowling league, said the lanes and bowling balls are just as good as any other alley for a lower league price.

“It’s $36 for the whole year, and that includes your half of the team registration and 10 or 11 weeks of bowling, free games and shoes,” he said.

Seiberlich’s best score at the
BBC is when he bowled a 229.

A single game of bowling is $2 plus $1 for a pair of shoes. Pool, foosball and air hockey are all $2.70 per hour.

“You don’t have to play for the whole hour,” Thielen said, “If you only play for 10 minutes, you only pay for 10 minutes.”

Other alleys cost around $6 per game with shoes, so bowling on campus is approximately half as expensive and much more
convenient.

Austrian exchange students Daniel Schafferer and Daniel Meusburger occasionally play pool on weeknights in the BBC after they have finished eating in the cafeteria.

“In the evening we see a lot of people usually, but it’s more on the weekends, Friday to Sunday,” Meusburger said.

Other busy days for the BBC include Parents’ weekend, Lil’ Sibs weekend and orientation week for new students.

“If friends or family come up, you can take them out and have something fun to do,” Thielen said. “It’s a good option for kids, students and families to hang out.”

In addition to the service it provides to students, the BBC also sponsors events for the Special Olympics, where disabled children and adults bowl in a competitive and relaxed
environment.