FORT BRAGG, N.C. - Sgt. Brian Noel stared intently down the smoothly waxed lane, grasping one of his eight custom-made bowling balls in his hands. He drew a quick breath then methodically made his way towards the line and, contorting his body into a shape that only those serious about the sport can achieve, sent his 14 pound ball careening towards the ten frightened pins as they huddled together for safety. They didn't stand a chance.

"I should have people take pictures of me more often," Noel joked, referring to the photographer snapping away as he bowled at Lafayette Lanes on Raeford Road. "I just bowled a 300."

Three things take up most of Noel's time: his Family, the Army and bowling. On Saturdays, Noel is able to combine two of those three when he bowls with his wife, Amanda, and four sons; Brandon, Caleb, Justin and Evan. But, it's not often that Soldiers get to combine the Army with bowling.

The All-Army Bowling Team is made up of only eight Soldiers; four male and four female. Two years ago, Noel took one of those four coveted spots. He represented the Army in the Armed Forces Bowling Competition in Hawaii. In his own words, Noel bowled a decent set, but at a competition like that, it wasn't good enough. Last year, Noel returned to the tryouts at Fort Bliss, Texas. He bowled a solid first day, but on his second day he hurt his elbow.

"People around me actually heard my elbow pop," Noel said. "My arm felt odd, but I still finished out the tryouts."

His elbow kept him from doing his best last year. Doctors at Womack Army Medical Center told him his ulnar nerve had separated from his elbow. He had surgery in April of this year and went through physical therapy, which to his delight consisted of playing Wii bowling.

"The doctors told me for the first few months that I shouldn't lift anything heavier than a toothbrush," Noel recalled. This forced him to take a break from bowling. The last time he'd gone more than a month without the sport was in 2004 when he did a six-month deployment to Baghdad with the 8th Psychological Operations Battalion. Since June, Noel has been back in the full swing of bowling, preparing for this year's All-Army tryouts. He plays in a league on Thursday nights, bowls during his lunch hour Wednesdays through Fridays, and bowls with his family on Saturdays.

Mike Bidnick, who spent six years in the Army and was stationed at Fort Bragg with the 82nd Airborne Division, works the counter at Lafayette Lanes. He drilled the holes for Noel's bowling balls, and often gives him advice about his game.

"From start to finish, Brian's game is really solid," Mike said. "His timing's great. He has good pushaway, good follow through."

Noel smiles mischievously when he talks about what first got him interested in bowling.

"I used to hate bowling," Noel says. "But, back in 1998 I got married and my wife liked to bowl so we went a few times.

I'm probably the most competitive person you'll meet. My wife actually beat me a few times and I wasn't going to let that happen again. So, I'd sneak into the bowling alley at lunch time and practice to be able to beat my wife and I just got hooked on it."

Noel likes the fact that the Army gives him the opportunity to excel at something he loves.

"If you're good at something and the Army offers you a chance to develop that, I'm gonna take advantage of that," Noel said. "I love bowling; the Army has a bowling team. Easy match."

If all his hard work pays off and he makes this year's team, Noel will represent the Army at the Armed Forces Bowling Competition at Fort Bliss, Texas, Dec. 4 through 8. The top four bowlers from that competition go to Las Vegas to compete for a spot on Team USA.