RHONDA SWAIM: Her infectious positivity to the sport of bowling has grown and survived with her during life’s challenges

STORY BY BOB LABBE | PHOTOS BY JOSHUA BERRY | LIVING 50 PLUS

On April 27, 2011, the Harvest home of Rhonda and Mike Swaim was completed destroyed by a long-track EF-5 wedge tornado that would kill 72 people in its 102-mile path of Hackleburg to Harvest. The Swaims rode out the thunderous, train-like sounds of the 200-plus miles per hour winds in a next-door storm shelter holding each other before exiting the underground locale to see the complete devastation of their home and all of their personal belongings.

Now married for 42 years, the Harvest couple think back on the day that in mere moments changed the lives of thousands and do so with a personal release of a sense of humor. Through all of the storm destruction the husband-wife were happy to see the only personal items unscathed was all of their bowling equipment. Both are avid contestants in the sport of bowling with Rhonda Swaim part of the local bowling governing board, in some capacity since 1991. Matter of fact, since 2006 she has held the position of USBC Association Manager, the only paid position within the Association, which has allowed her to be the best-known member of local bowling.

“I’m sort of the voice and face of local bowling as when I walk into any bowling center here in North Alabama, everyone knows me, even at the locations we take care of,” said Swaim, now 65 and who continues to bowl in several leagues including one with her husband and their two children, Jon, 40, and Michelle, 30, at Redstone Bowling Center on a team called ‘All In The Family.’ She added, “I oversee all tournaments that are USBC sponsored including local and state events. I process the membership fee of each of the 2,000 bowlers of our membership, handle year-end awards and entertain any question each bowling center may have including those facilities as far away as Decatur, Hartselle and Cullman.”

Born in the small town of Morris, Ill., Swaim grew up an avid roller skater and never knew the building next to the skating rink was a bowling center. At age six she fell down a 20-step stairway breaking both shoulder blades, but unbeknownst to doctors at the time, she also broke her back and to this day has severe nerve pain that has led to fibromyalgia. After graduating high school and beginning in the usual workforce, Swaim joined the U.S. Army in 1983 and was stationed in Fort Jackson S.C. going through basic training as much as possible. She soon found out her physical limitations would keep her out of the military but before leaving she ran into a soldier who was the acting camp cook, who said to her, “I’ll marry you.”

By June of that year, the two found an apartment and were married. After her husband remained in the Army for 10 years, they moved back to his hometown of Harvest. But before arriving back in Alabama, they were stationed in Germany and that’s where Swaim had her introduction to bowling at the suggestion of her husband as they lived on base away from much of the area’s athletic facilities and the bowling center was about all that was available for extra recreational outings.

Swaim seemed to quickly take to the sport and admittedly said she didn’t have a high average in the sport, but the comradery among the bowlers continued to make an impression on her. “I say, with the sport of bowling no matter your ability you could still have fun at it,” said Swaim, who has grown and exceled to the point she currently carries a 132 average. Her husband rolls with a 190 average while her son, Jon, has a 207 average and daughter Michelle stands on the line with a 150average.

“Best part of the sport is the fact the ball will come back to you and you can try again,” said Swaim with a laugh. “Unlike golf, where you have to chase down the ball, in bowling the ball always comes back to me. Plus, everyone associated with the sport is very encouraging. Some people have said to me they’re not capable of bowling due to an injury. I quickly tell them about my health situation.”

Besides her severe back injury and constant nerve pain, Swaim was diagnosed with stage 4 cervical cancer in 1987, but through numerous treatments she’s been declared cancer free for 30 years. The cancer survivor also suffers from an eye disorder called Dry Drusen, which is a buildup of calcium deposits on the optic nerve causing blurred vision and a tunnel-type view directly in front of her. She began developing the condition in her 20’s and in 2016 was forced to give up driving due to the lack of good eyesight. She’s also undergone several knee surgeries.

Despite all of the situations which have occurred in her life, Swaim has taken any of the negative connotations and has made a most enriched and inspirational adulthood that is looked upon by others as a gift to have in the community and a leader of bowling, as well as, a Christian women who “takes one day at a time. I was raised Catholic and have a strong Christian belief and I truly feel God doesn’t give you more than you can handle. You can’t dwell on what’s not going right but keep going. You must enjoy what you got.”

Swaim became a Level II coach many years ago and once taught bowling in local schools. Her dedicated, tireless work in the sport has presented her with an array of awards and accolades and includes being chosen in 2007 for the Huntsville USBC Hall of Fame and, in 2016, the Helen Baker Award presented by the National USBC for outstanding Leadership as Association Manager. The later award was a first for any association in Alabama.

Swaim continues to bowl in two different leagues at the Redstone Bowling Center and is proud of her current 130 average, which is only slightly lower than her career high average of 160. Her highest single game score is 225.

“I enjoy getting out there and competing as others at the lanes love to watch me bowl with my peripheral blindness as I can only see what I’m directly looking at,” said Swaim. “I’ve bowled in the National Open Tournament for the last five years and doing so with my family. I have yet to place but being with my family and other bowlers is great fun.”

Her success on the lanes has been rewarding as in 2021 at the Women’s Nationals held in Chicago, Swaim won the National Championship and took home a cool $1-thousand for her efforts. Her team also placed in the same tournament. Her talents on the lanes showed even more three years ago at a senior tournament at the Redstone Bowling Center. Swaim explained, “I was working the tournament and one of the participants, Stan Finley, came to me and stated he needed a partner to compete in the Co-Ed Division of Mixed Doubles. I agreed to help but was forced to use a house bowling ball and shoes. We ended up tied for first place.”

Swaim cherishes her years of experiences she has had in bowling, especially those beginning years with her husband in Germany, to the opportunities to bowl with her children and now even bowling with her grandchildren, who tackle competition in youth leagues at Huntsville’s Pin Palace Bowling Center.

“Bowling is a family community full of love and support. When someone has sad news, we are all there to support in any way possible,” said Swaim. “When someone in our bowling community passes on, it breaks the hearts of everyone in our bowling family, not just the family of their loved one.

Just like the bowling equipment that survived the killer winds of a tornado, Swaim has survived much more and attributed her infectious positivity to the sport she has grown with and has survived with.