Bowling Time

New way to bowl?

2010-02-22T15:01:00.000-08:00

There has been a lot of talk about the "new" way to bowl using the much acclaimed two-handed delivery technique.
However, in addition to the two-handed delivery, perhaps we should also be taking a closer look at the most successful bowler on the PBA tour today. Yes, that be Walter Ray Williams, Jr. who just recently added another title to his resume at an age when most other pro bowlers have either gone onto the senior tour or retired to bowling a once a week league.
In an age where revs and change seem to be the key words, maybe we should another look at retro.
What makes WRW so special? I'll admit, I have always told my bowling students that I would never coach anyone to bowl like WRW. I disliked his style so much that I never took the time to look closely at his form. At most, it always appeared chaotic to me and hardly worth the effort to dissect.
After his last PBA title, in February 2010, I decided to take a closer look and run his video in slow motion. What I noticed was that as chaotic as his follow-thru seems, it is merely that, a follow-thru after a very traditional delivery. By very traditional, I mean that step for step WRW follows the somewhat normal timing procedure of: set the ball in motion on the (first step of a four step delivery), allow the ball to swing down and back to its apex on the third step, and finish the slide as the ball leaves his hand (there-abouts). Looks like a normal delivery with the exception of his awkward afterburner follow-thru that always turned me off.
So what is different? For one, he doesn't have the high revs that many think is necessary in today's game. His ball generally rolls more end-over-end. A couple of other things is that (number one) he always seems to hit his target and (number two) he always seems to repeat the same thing over and over. In short, accuracy and consistency are his two main attributes. These two components are no doubt a result of his proficiency in pitching horseshoes.
So, what's a new up-coming aspiring pro bowler to do? Go for the thrilling, flashy high revs? Go for the two handed approach? Or go for the boring end over end roll, low rev rate of a consistently and accurately delivered ball?
As a USBC certified silver coach I would recommend that you most definitely try the style that suits you. However, look at what works. Just because a style isn't flashy, don't ignore it. Also, just because a style is new and flashy (ala two-handed) don't ignore that either. What a thought! Why not become proficient at a couple of styles.
Last word for today. Whichever style of bowl you settle on, one thing's for sure: accuracy has never hurt any style of bowling.

Is Change Necessary?

2009-03-06T12:55:00.000-08:00

I welcome a recent anonymous comment to an earlier posting "Don't try this at home." Referring to two-handed bowling and its success by Jason Belmonte and some of the bowlers in Bolivia.
The comment seemed to question my ability to change.
My answer is: Why change?
Is change necessary?
Since, mainly because of my age and stiffness in my back, I probably won't try two-handed bowling does that mean that I object to change?
To answer that, let me state that two weeks ago I bowled another 300 game followed four games later by a 290 game in a nine game tournament. Did I use a two-handed delivery? NO!
Did I, therefore, use the same delivery that I've been using for the past 20 years? NO!
Granted, my changes have been within the realm of single-handed deliveries, but the styles have changed from low-ball stance to mid-ball stance to high-ball stance back to mid-ball stance, with and without wrist support, four-step, five-step and multi-step (eight or more) deliveries to name a few. I've bowled 300 games and 800 series is just about every style of bowling that I've tried.
I will reiterate, that I personally will be very cautious if I ever do attempt a two handed delivery not because of being afraid to try something new, but cautious of my physical well being. I will never --- I repeat, never, advise someone not to try a new way to bowl. As I stated in that original Bowling Time: Don't try this at home, if you try the two-handed delivery, start slow -- at the line then progress into the actual walking delivery.
The two-handed success of the Bolivia bowling team stems partly from the fact that they are teaching two-handed bowling to the beginning kids and and progressing that into teen and young adult bowling.
Is two-handed bowling for everyone?
Is one-handed bowling for everyone?
Is change necessary?
You be the judge. You come up with your own answer. To be narrow minded means that there is only one answer to each of these questions.
Have a great day and enjoy.

Read your USBC magazines!

2008-12-30T16:35:00.000-08:00

The USBC magazines offers many bowling tips. One of the more helpful recent articles was "Don't twist your wrist!"
There seems to be a misconception by many beginning bowlers (plus some higher average bowlers) that in order to get your ball to curve or hook, you have to twist or flip your wrist at release so that your hand comes up the side of the ball.
If you watch most of the professionals, you will find that just the opposite is true --- their hands usually come up behind the ball and only slightly off center. This gives their ball a rolling rotation rather than a "twisting" rotation. This rolling rotation is easier to duplicate delivery after delivery which adds to their consistency.
Keep your delivery as simple as possible --- any additional movement with your wrist at the point of delivery will compound any other problems you might have.
How do you overcome a twisty wrist? Ask a USBC certified coach to help --- they are trained and have the experience to help you solve your bowling problems.
Have a great year on the lanes.

Are you ready for a change?

2007-05-06T12:28:00.000-07:00

Talk about changes! It's been a while since I've posted. Reason being (as stated many times before) is my location on the Oregon Coast is less than desirable for acquiring bowlers to coach. Again, as stated in the past, my bowling students have been the inspiration for a majority of my articles.
Starting with this posting, I will avoid adding national bowling news and PBA news ... this info can be obtained at bowl.com and pba.com.
I will concentrate on bowling tips. Some will be too simple and some will be for the higher average bowler. By "too simple" I mean that it is at times the very small, seemingly insignificant segment of your game that can make the most profound impact on your game.
Anyway, here's the new Bowling Time.
Enjoy!

Summer has begun!
This is the time of year when many bowlers decide to take time out from bowling.
Their plans are to resume bowling in the Fall with the new Winter leagues. Of course, they also plan to resume any instructions come next winter.
If this is your plan, think again.
Perhaps the worst time to take lesson is while you are concerned with being competitive in a winter league.
NOW! the beginning of summer is the time to act!
Summer leagues are usually more casual, less competitive (and therefore more fun). Summer is the time to contact that certified coach and make any necessary improvements to your game. Summer is the time to work out any kinks in your approach. Work on your timing. Work on your spare conversions. Work on any changes that increase the probability to make you a better bowler.
Summer is the time to become that bowler that you know is hidden inside your mind.
Be bold! Don't be afraid to try something different. Maybe a five step approach ... a different hand position ... a new grip ... a new target area ... a new ball speed.

Get Help and Practice

2007-01-02T12:33:00.000-08:00

January 1, 2007

Please send your comments/questions.

Happy New Year!

Time for those infamous New Year’s resolutions.

For serious bowlers two items should be placed at the top of the list.

1. Constructive practice.

2. Professional help.

I continue to see bowlers, including too many high average bowlers, who stress the value of scoring while "practicing." I usually reply that a 279 in practice has never won a tournament, however, a missed 10 pin has lost too many tournaments.

I don’t recall the bowler’s name, but a prior PWBA member once stated how she practiced the 10 pin. She set a number ... let’s say 20 ... and would practice shooting at the 10 pin (or 10 pin position) until she made 20 in a row. If she missed one, she would start over. Practice didn’t end until she reached the 20 in a row goal.

Rolling over your target could be another practice session. You might place two towels 10 inches apart at the arrows (Contact the desk person for permission to do this.). You goal might be to roll the ball though the opening 20 times in a row.

That’s constructive practice.

I have also heard bowlers say they don’t like to practice alone. Actually, when you are working on a portion of your game such as 10 pins, practicing alone is really best. You don’t need the distraction of being with another bowler.

On to professional help. While there are some very knowledgeable proficient bowlers out there, many don’t have the training to convert that knowledge into usable suggestions. Have you heard "helpful" bowlers telling their teammate to "hit their target." While that bowler’s problem may very well be "hitting their target" there is usually an underlying reason why they are not "hitting their target." First of all, league play is no the time to start coaching a player.

(I will admit that at times a teammate can point out minor flaws in another’s approach.)

Professional help is one of the only ways to find and correct a major problem and there are many trained professionals out there.

Practice and consult with a professional and have a great bowling year.

Pet peeves? How about this one?

It’s official! The last dumb bowling news release from USBC of 2006.

You may be seeing notices embedded in the foul-line area at your bowling center stating the danger of walking past that line. Seems that people don’t or can’t read the big signs that say crossing that line can be hazardous to your physical well being.

The problem appears to be serious enough that USBC has approved the application or embedding of the notice. USBC will also dictate acceptable wording for this optional foul-line notice.

Seems to me that USBC should focus on getting credibility back into the sport of bowling and let the bowling proprietors do the worrying about foul-line safety. After all, it would be the center’s concern if something should happen to their customer.

One disclaimer: USBC has made some strides to regain some sense to escalating bowling scores by not allowing some unsupervised/unopposed honor scores.

99.9 % Guarantee

2006-12-01T10:34:00.000-08:00

December 1 , 2006

Please send your comments/questions.

99.9 % Guarantee!

While coaching a bowler last week, a well intentioned other bowler came into the center — watched a few minutes then decided to add two-cents worth. While I am normally irritated when people butt into a coaching session, this bower actually had real words of wisdom. His comment amounted to: "Do what your coach is telling you, but don’t expect to see immediate improvement. Your scores will more than likely go down; however, if you if continue with the coaching, your scores will eventually be much better."

That "more than likely go down" is my 99.9 % guarantee. When there is a change, minor or major, the first result is almost always a reduction in scoring ability. When that change becomes imbedded into your muscle (and mental) memory, the scores will almost always begin to go up.

(Disclaimer: I use the words "almost always" very often not to be cynical, but to be a realist. On very rare occasions changes do not become automatic — I stress "very rare" — and a bowler’s average will not improve.)

SUBJECT TO CHANGE

2006-09-16T16:25:00.000-07:00

September 15 , 2006

Movie quote: Winners are simply willing to do what losers won’t.

SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Here we go again, talking about changes to make us bowl better.

Well, yes and no. Changes? Yes. Changes in bowling style? Not necessarily. (Style change is not really today’s topic.)

While reading the current issue of US Youth Bowler I noticed an article by USBC Junior Team USA Head Coach Rod Ross entitled Start the New Season Right.

That article brought back recent memories of me having to inform parents that their child’s "new" ball (just got it last year!) may have to be redrilled or replaced due to the child’s growth spurt.

While Ross’s article was pointed at junior bowlers, I have found that the same holds true for adult and especially senior bowlers.

We change!

Our bodies change almost daily ... granted not usually as much as a younger bowler, but we do physically change as we age.

I suggest that a young, growing bowler have their spans and hole sizes checked at least twice a year. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the ball must be redrilled twice a year, but it could.

Senior bowlers should have their spans and grips checked at least once a year ... especially if they have developed arthritic joints in their fingers.

Ross’s article also brought back memories of telling a senior bowler that they should adjust the weight of their ball (Oh! No! I’ve always thrown a 16 pound bowling ball!) Or the pitch of the holes or the span.

Yes, as our aching joints swell, the pitch of our finger and thumb holes must change to make bowling as comfortable as possible.

The ball might not be the only thing that needs changing. Have you ever noticed that senior bowler who ends up three feet in front of the foul-line?

Why? Because they begin their approach from the point that they started 40 years ago. And, instead of a "spring" in their step, it more like a "dragging autumn" step.

Changes to our bodies not only occur in the very young and the older bowlers, they (changes) occur in anyone, any age who has gained or lost weight.

Changes to the body can also occur because of an injury to .... to just about anything ... hand, arm, shoulder, legs, back etc. Any thing that can cause a disturbance to the range-of-motion of any extremity calls for some change in bowling style or bowling equipment.

Don’t be vain ... if called for, a 14 pound ball will knock down as many pins as a 16 pounder. And standing four feet closer to the foul-line might actually get your ball out onto the lanes (and the lane oil) rather than landing (in the dry area) two feet in front of the foul-line.

Putting a renewed spring into your game may be as simple as moving closer to the foul-line and redrilling your ball.

Enjoy the new bowling season.

ANKLE-BONE'S CONNECTED TO THE LEG-BONE

2006-09-01T10:33:00.000-07:00

September 1 , 2006

Movie quote: Winners are simply willing to do what losers won’t.

The ankle-bone’s connected to the leg-bone, the leg-bone’s connected to the thigh-bone ...

I’m not sure of the exact words of the old gospel song, but the message is that each bone relies on the other to stay together. The song relates this skeletal reference to religion; however, being a bowling coach I’m relating it to bowling and my age-old premise that the basic goal in bowling is to have everything in your body flowing toward the target in a smooth and natural manner.

Anytime a part of your body goes in a different direction (IE: the foot turning to the right at release ... the shoulder pushing to the left at release ... the arm [ball] push up on the first step ... this list can go on forever) the rest of your body is affected.

As your body is affected so is the probability of your ball going in the desired direction.

Yes, I realize that when the ball is in its back-swing, it is not going toward the target ... but it IS traveling in a PLANE that is related to the target (or at least it should be traveling in that plane).

The idea, is that YOU (as a unit) are traveling to your target.

The more "in line" you, your arm, the ball, your body is within this plane to your target the more likely the arm-swing will travel to the target and therefore, the ball.

In the last Bowling Time I mentioned the importance first step and the timing of the push-a-way with that first step.

I take back everything (almost) about the importance of that first step ... if that first step/push doesn’t go toward your target then the probability of the ball going to the target is slim.

Here comes "VISUALIZATION."

You, the bowler, must visualize a path or plane that starts from your shoulder (including your arm/ball). To be most efficient, this path should go in a straight line to your target.

Your visualization comes in by you "seeing" the shoulder/arm/ball traveling down this path.

Any deviation (a twist, push or step left or right) will move the body (and therefore the ball) out of your path. Remember if the shoulder goes to the right, that shoulder is connected to the arm-bone ... the arm-bone is connected to the wrist-bone ... shoulder goes right, the ball will eventually go right.

Okay, here’s my disclaimer. There are (a few) very good bowlers on the PBA circuit that defy this law of physics. I must emphasize "a few." The vast majority of the current great bowlers do travel in a straight line to their intended target.

My "ankle-bone’s connected to the leg-bone" theory of bowling is closely related to the KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) theory and the "a straight line is the closest distance between two points" theory.

The more things move outside of your path to the target the more complicated it becomes to get the ball back on line.

IN THE BEGINNING

2006-08-16T13:21:00.000-07:00

August 15 , 2006

Movie quote: Winners are simply willing to do what losers won’t.

IN THE BEGINNING

The new winter bowling season is essentially here.

This is the time of the year that many bowlers erroneously seek out bowling advice from certified coaches. (I say erroneously because bowlers should seek assistance in the summer to allow any new techniques to become transformed into habits and muscle memory.)

Since I began coaching 10 years ago, I have observed ONE major common flaw in those bowlers getting ready for the new leagues.

I began thinking that perhaps I was too picky in my observations. However, after listening to other coaches and proficient high-average bowlers I find that they are seeing the same thing and correction of that ONE item is ESSENTIAL to the success of the majority of bowlers.

Therefore, I have to repeat this: IN THE BEGINNING there was a first step (In relation to a four step approach). On that FIRST STEP ... not before and not after ... the ball must be put into motion.

I repeat, the ball MUST move simultaneously with the foot.

Ball movement that does not meet this criteria will result in an early or late release.

A ball that is pushed sooner than the foot movement will get the ball to the foul-line slightly before the slide foot causing a lack of power in the release. (No authority)

The ball that is pushed after the foot is in motion will arrive at the foul-line after the slide foot has stopped causing the bowler to yank (this can be ever so slightly) on the ball at release usually causing the ball to go left of target (for a right handed bowler).

Unfortunately there is no magic pill that a bowler can take to over come this malady; however, sometimes seeing is believing.

Have your coach (or a friend) take several video shots from the side view. (A certified coach should know the proper procedure) Be sure that they can get at least from the shoulder to the feet in the video frame on that first step. (At this time it is not necessary to video the entire approach.)

The camera needs to be perpendicular to the path of the approach (simply put, if the bowler’s first step is 15 feet away from the foul-line, the camera should be 15 feet away from the foul-line to make sure the video, at the moment of that first step, is taken 90 degrees to the path of the approach.)

NOTE: If the bowler uses a five step approach, the PUSH should be in conjunction with the second step.

After taking several video shots (I recommend at least 10) review the results in SLOW MOTION.

There should be NO (nada, none) variance!! Both the ball and foot should begin their motion at the same time!

I dislike saying, "The ball should move with the foot." or "The foot should move with the ball."

Instead, I prefer to say, "They both move at the EXACT, SAME time."

PRECISELY the same time ... in unison.

It’s as if the two were one.

I have known high average bowlers (who were "just a little off" in this first step) improve their consistency by refining this first step.

I don’t know of any other way to stress the importance of this timing other than those who possess this skill raise their probability of being a successful high-average bowler and those that don’t possess this skill often will continue in mediocrity.

Oh, yes! As with most "RULES"of bowling, there are exceptions. However, after previewing (in slow motion) hundreds of deliveries from professional matches (dating from the ‘70s to the present) I found that the pros broke this rule less then one percent of the time.

In the sport of bowling, "close" doesn’t count ... that’s in horseshoes and grenades.

Please send your comments/questions.

FIFTEEN GAMES IN 29 1/2 MINUTES!

2006-08-01T10:34:00.000-07:00

August 1 , 2006

Movie quote: Winners are simply willing to do what losers won’t.

Fifteen games in 29.5 minutes!!

That’s how long it took me to bowl fifteen games during the qualifying rounds at the USBC Senior Masters in Reno in early July.

That’s just slightly under two minutes per game.

Breaking it down even further, that equates to seven seconds for each delivery ... of which there where 253 to reach my total of 2901 (193.4 average for the 15 games and only 12 pins from cashing in my division).

Seven seconds! That includes approximately four and a half seconds setting up, and two and a half seconds for the approach and delivery.

You would think that it would not be too difficult to stay focused for a majority of those seven second periods of bowling.

Unfortunately (for me), the periods of focus were sporadic.

Here are the highlights:

Game one: Nearly flawless ... I used 15 deliveries to produce a 232 game.

Second game: Skip five pairs of lanes. Also skipped five frames of focus. Missed target to the left seven deliveries in a row ... result 162 game.

Third game: Skip five pairs of lanes. Regroup thoughts ... 210 game.

Fourth game: No carry, missed two ten-pins (one in tenth frame) ... 187.

Fifth game: See game two.

New day.

Sixth game: No carry, missed one tenpin ... 194.

Seventh game: Washout first frame ... clean for the rest of game ... 182.

Eighth game: Open first frame, missed tenpin in tenth ... 223.

Ninth game: open with split in first frame ... 193.

Tenth game: See games two and five.

New day.

Eleventh game: see games two, five, and ten.

Twelfth through fifteenth game: only opens were three splits producing games of 191, 234, 191 and 214 for a total fifteen game set of 2901.

And, while I was actually on the lanes for a total of nine hours, only 29.5 minutes of that time was actually consumed by the act of bowling.

Again, that’s approximately seven seconds on the lanes per delivery.

16 percent of my first-ball deliveries carried only seven pins or less. (One more pin per each of these shots would have netted at least 25 additional pins). Also, nine of these multi-pin leaves were not converted losing another ninety pins or thereabout.

Moral of the story?

The focus was there a majority of the time. However, in this sport-bowling compliant condition, a little inattention (non-focus) cost a lot of pins.

There was very little room for error. A two board tug to the left meant a six count or even worse, a split. A two board mistake to the right almost always resulted in a washout.

This was a graphic case for the mental game of bowling.

The ball I was using (an Ebonite The One drilled by Kenny Rettke at Walnut City Lanes in McMinnville, Oregon) worked fantastic. When I rolled it over the appropriate target it almost always resulted in a strike.

The majority of my bad shots were due to loss of focus or not letting my body do what it knew it should do (again, a mental-game glitch).

So, it’s back to the drawing board and back to my newly acquired book ... The Handbook of Bowling Psychology. I can honestly say that the games in which I truly used the techniques from this book were my better games.

Again, the moral of the story is: Inattention spells disaster when competing on a sport condition. We get used to easy lane conditions at our local bowling center where a board or two miss will still result in a strike or at least a good count.

One answer might be for centers to offer sport condition for their scratch and high powered handicap leagues.

You might suggest that to your league coordinator.

A word of caution: If you do get a sport condition in your league, be prepared to have your average go down a notch or two.

Have fun.

Please send your comments/questions.

DON'T READ THIS BOOK

2006-06-16T19:41:00.000-07:00

June 15 , 2006

DON’T READ THIS BOOK!!

That’s correct! Don’t read this book!

The new bowling book on the scene is: Sport Psychology Library: Bowling, The Handbook of Bowling Psychology by Dr Eric S Lasser, Fred Borden and Jeri Edwards.

To reiterate (and clarify), don’t read this book unless you really want to work at improving your game and you are WILLING to work at improving your game. (No, I didn’t make a mistake ... this is not a redundant statement.)

Many of us really want to work at improving our bowling game, but we don’t really want to put in the time and energy that it will take to make that improvement.

The Handbook of Bowling Psychology is one of the most comprehensive books on bowling psychology I have read. This is not a read and assimilate book, it is formulated much like an educational text workbook complete with exercises and assignments.

In this book, you will find (among other items) methods to analyze your mental game and reduce the pre-game/competition jitters/anxiety.

Many of the techniques are similar to what I have taught to my bowling students over the past 10 years. However, The Handbook of Bowling Psychology takes the mental game about twenty steps beyond my teachings. The book delves into more complex relaxation techniques, proper goal setting, three phases of "Maintaining Positive Perspective," plus how to cope with the pressure of competition, distractions, and clutch situations. (And there’s more)

In addition to the emphasis on individual bowling, there is a section devoted to team competition bowling.

This book is NOT a magic pill. You won’t be able to read it just once and automatically have a better mental/physical game. To let this book work for you, you should work each chapter (underline "work") and consult with your coach to receive feedback concerning areas you need to strengthen.

Another aspect of this book thing that I appreciate is that Lasser, Borden, and Edwards seem realize that bowlers do not come out of one mold. In many cases, they have included alternate solutions to a single problem. (This is refreshing since some people believe there is only one solution to a specific problem.)

To allow this book to work for you, you will need a pencil, notebook and a whole lot of time to devote to each chapter of this book (and bowling). Answer all the questions, use the worksheets, use the suggestions stated in The Handbook of Bowling Psychology.

Again, this is not a quick-fix for your bowling woes ... however, if you take the time to work with this book, you will have the potential to put a lock on the mental game of bowling (and other aspects of your life).

Once again, DON’T READ THIS BOOK unless you are willing to start working!

The book: Sport Psychology: Bowling, The Handbook of Bowling Psychology by Dr Eric S Lasser, Fred Borden, and Jeri Edwards.

Note: The book contains the following disclaimer: "The sport psychological techniques or physical activities discussed in this book are not intended as a substitute for consultation with a sport psychologist or physician. Further, because people respond differently, it cannot be guaranteed that these psychological techniques will result in an improvement in sport performance ....."

DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME

2006-05-31T10:52:00.000-07:00

June 1 , 2006

For the "Don’t Try this at Home" section.

Please read the news release that follows.

A "two-handed" bowler was just pins off the all-events lead at the 2006 USBC Championships.

Like anything relatively new, the first thought for many bowlers is, (just as it was for "thumbless" bowling) "I think I’ll try that."

Mind you, I’m not against trying different techniques to improve a persons’ bowling, however, here are a couple of items to consider before trying this particular style of bowling.

1. How’s your body?

2. What your age?

The two are closely related.

Two-handed bowling requires you to torque your body even more so than regular bowling. If you have ANY indication of back problems, I would shy away from this technique.

(For the same reason that golfers with bad backs have a difficult time taking that full swing while driving a golf ball.)

Younger bowlers usually have more flexible bodies and can sometimes handle the extra stress on the back.

Another problem with two-handed bowling is it cuts down on your ability to create a "free" arm-swing. Notice I said "cuts down" not eliminates the ability for the free arm-swing.

On the plus side, two-handed bowling puts the stress of the ball on both arms instead of just one. And, it is possible that a bowler can get more revs using the rotating method of releasing the ball with both hands.

If you think that coordination is important with a one-hand delivery, think again at the coordination needed to use both hands to "turn" the ball at just the right time at release.

If you do decide to give it a try, use caution. Start slow ... at the foul-line. Don’t try to "hit your mark" with the first quite-a-few balls. Concentrate on the release and getting to develop a "feel" for that release. Only after becoming comfortable with that "feel" should you attempt to start an approach. Again, be cautious ... it will be just like re-learning to walk.

I must admit, I have not attempted this style of delivery with a bowling ball. However, I have tried to duplicate the delivery without a ball in hand and for me, it is literally a pain in the back.

The push-a-way feels okay, but when I attempt to swing the imaginary ball back (on the 2nd/3rd step) I get a hitch in my hip and I feel a strain in my back.

Read this article with caution. I repeat, if you have any hip or back problems "Don’t Try This at Home!"

TWO-HANDED BOWLER MOVES TOWARD HEAD OF THE CLASS AT USBC OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Just a few hours after receiving his bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Pikeville College in Pikeville, Ky., Cassidy Schaub of Polk, Ohio was on his way to the 2006 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships.

Schaub graduated late Saturday afternoon and arrived at the American Bank Center Exhibit Hall just in time to take the lanes with some of his former college teammates Sunday night.

"I was so comfortable knowing I was going to be bowling with my teammates again," said Schaub, who averaged 206.4 in collegiate competition this year and was a second-team All-American. "Plus, my parents made the trip, and it's always nice to have them around."

The 22-year-old left-hander, who uses an unorthodox, two-handed delivery to throw with maximum speed and rotation, celebrated the occasion by posting 736 in singles, 695 in team and 694 in doubles for a 2,125 all-events total Monday, but missed the top 10 by five pins. Dave Mitchell of Farmington, Minn., leads Regular All-Events with 2,189.

Schaub adopted his unique style when he was a child and a bowling ball was too big for him to handle. At first glance, he appears to be a typical southpaw, using a standard grip with his left hand, but his right hand stays in contact with the ball's surface throughout his swing and release, creating above average revolutions.

This unusual style is becoming more and more popular across the bowling world. With a similar technique, Australia's Jason Belmonte became the youngest male ever to receive the World Bowling Writers International Player of the Year award in 2004. Also in 2004, Finland's Osku Palermaa became the first international amateur in the history of the Professional Bowlers Association to make a televised finals appearance.

These athletes and their accomplishments continue to prove that there are many different ways to be successful on the lanes.

"No one ever tried to make me change the way I throw the ball," Schaub said. "But there have been people who told me I'd never be successful using both hands. Now, when I bowl well, it feels good knowing that I've proved somebody wrong."

In 2005, Schaub had a banner year and helped the Pikeville Bears reach their first USBC Intercollegiate Team Championships. He later went on to finish seventh in Regular All-Events at the Open Championships in Baton Rouge, La.

"I thought last year's tournament (2,082) was the best I could do, so I set this year's goal at 2,000 for all-events," Schaub said. "I kept that number in mind and wanted be sure that if I fell short, I knew the reasons why. Luckily, I only needed 611 in singles, so the pressure was off."

... HELP!

YOUR INPUT IS NEEDED!

In the past, most of my "Tips for the Day" originated from the bowlers I coached. Seeing the various bowler’s problems and how these problems were solved, inspired my writing.

Unfortunately, (at my new location) there is an absence of league bowlers. (Approximately 50 between the two adult leagues at the center.)

I need questions from you!!

This Blog is for you...

Please send your comments/questions.

MORE BOTTOM LINE

2006-05-02T11:08:00.000-07:00

May 1 , 2006

Please add your comments/questions to the Bowling Time Blog.

If you would like a video analysis of your bowling form contact me for more info.

More of the BOTTOM LINE ..... Plus more bowling news.

When I began coaching ten years ago I made the decision that my philosophy (in coaching) would be: "Avoid making changes ... improve what the bowler has to offer."

In real life, that philosophy lasted almost a day.

Bowling as well as our everyday life requires changes.

IT’S A MUST!!

Look at the pros. There are big names that (after the introduction of the reactive balls) you never ever heard from. Their bowling style didn’t fit the new equipment. They refused to make the necessary changes to compete in the real bowling world.

As I stated in my last blog. If you are not able to roll the ball over your intended target, something needs to CHANGE.

If your ball is not hitting the pocket at the proper angle, something needs to CHANGE.

If your slide foot reaches the foul line three days before the ball, something needs to CHANGE.

(This is beginning to sound like: "If you ...... you must be a redneck.")

Anyway, I hope you are getting the idea.

CHANGE is the word. If you go to a coach and tell him/her that you want tot improve, but you don’t want to make any radial changes in your game, a competent coach should tell you that you’ve got the wrong attitude.

You must openly embrace CHANGE if you wish to improve your game.

I must relate an experience where a higher average bowler opted to have a session with me. The bowler was very smooth, had great timing with a powerful release. Even though he had over a 200 average, he was inconsistent at hitting his target. A study of his approach (on video) showed one major flaw. In the push-a-way, he tended to push the ball to the right causing his swing to wrap (slightly) behind his body.

His reaction to my findings was, "Oh, I’ve been told that before .... tell me something new."

I must reiterate: Embrace CHANGE.

Look for ways to become a better bowler.

Read books! (Bowling This Month is good along with the USBC publications and various web sites.)

Avoid listening to too many helpful friends.

Be careful about listening to stylized bowlers (or coaches) who only know one way to bowl or coach ... this is where a certified coach is helpful.

Did I mention, contact a certified bowling coach?

Important! Be coachable (open minded) ...listen and try the techniques given to you (by the certified coach).

Let’s get the cart before the horse.

Why do you want to be a better bowler?

Most bowlers would answer that with, "I want to bowl in tournaments."

That brings up three great semi-annual tournaments: Mini Eliminator, True Amateur Tournaments and the High Roller. The "Big Three" hit Vegas twice a year (around Super Bowl week and around Independence Day week.

It helps a coach if you have an idea of your short comings.

Invest in a squad (or two) at one of these tournaments. Note what problems you had ... this will help the coach define what areas you should work on ... your changes might be even include an equipment change.

Use your first entry as a learning experience.

(Check out the tournament web-site under this blog’s TOURNAMENT NEWS.)

Go to your coach armed with as much information as possible in addition to the open mind I mentioned earlier.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS

2006-04-10T14:32:00.000-07:00

April 15 , 2006

THE BOTTOM LINE IS?

Have a question? Add a comment to the Bowling Time Blog.

Want a video analysis of your bowling form? Contact me for more info.

Now for the BOTTOM LINE.

I realize that this is TAX DAY, however, this tip of the day doesn’t concern the IRS.

The bottom line that I’m talking about is the line (or path) of your ball toward its intended target.

I’ve observed many bowlers who were "off their game" because they consistently rolled the ball two boards to the left (for right handed bowlers) of their intended target. Consequently, the ball consistently came up high leaving a split. (Pulling the ball to the left seems to be more common that missing the target to the right.)

Just as many times, I’ve heard a "helpful" teammate tell the bowler, "Just aim two boards right of what you really want to hit."

This sounds great, but it really doesn’t solve the problem. Too often, when the bowler aims those two boards right, they really do roll over the new (two boards right) target and create another awkward spare to shoot for.

What’s the correct solution?

First, a brief analysis of what’s happening.

Our perception of our bowling environment unfortunately changes from day to day. Stress, both physical and mental plays a big role in that perception. So, when we get on the approach set to bowl, the lanes look different to our inner selves.

Our subconscious is saying things like, "There’s no way the ball can go over that target and roll into the pocket." Or, "That line will put the ball straight into the ditch!"

All the while you are still focusing on your intended target and still missing those two boards right.

All the while, the mind is still contaminating our muscle memory screaming "THAT’S NOT RIGHT!!!"

The bottom line is that you NEED to roll your ball over your target to get the desired results.

Each of us is different ... I will tell you my simple solution to this problem that works with me and has worked for several other bowlers.

In addition to your normal "visualization" of the path of the ball, adjust your stance so your feet are pointing VERY SLIGHTLY to the right of normal ... let your body go with the flow. In other words, don’t just point your feet right and let your body pointing where it normally points. The body has to move with the feet.

How much do you move the feet/body? In most cases, not much ... maybe four or five degrees at the most.

Now realign the visualization of the path of the ball (remember, the feet and body are now pointed a few degrees to the right of normal.) You are still focusing on your normal target ... you are just telling your mind that you really intend to roll the ball over THAT target.

That’s it!

Simple?

Only if you let it be.

The one thing that gets in our way of making this work is doubt. This will not work if you start thinking too much. Just make the feet/body adjustment and bowl ... don’t worry about if you’ve adjusted too much or too little ... don’t worry that you may not know how much is five degrees ... JUST MAKE THE MOVE AND BOWL!!

The only bowlers that I’ve seen that can’t make this work are the bowlers that say, "Yeah, but!"

They usually follow that up with "I’m pointing in the wrong direction." or "It looks like I’m going to throw the ball into the gutter."

To quote a sports equipment saying, just do it!

It does work, I hope you let it work for you.

Enjoy

PHYSICAL FITNESS (AGAIN?)

2006-03-15T11:40:00.000-08:00

March 15, 2006

Here we go again talking about physical fitness and bowling.

There were two reasons that prompted me to once again briefly discuss the topic of fitness: First was my recent trip to the Mini-Eliminator and TAT tournaments in Las Vegas.

Second was, believe it or not, an internet article by a professional poker player (unfortunately, attempts to retrieve that article have failed so I will not be able to accurately quote the player and give her proper credit). The poker tip was in response to a reader who asked for advice concerning (poker) tournament play ... evidently referring to tournaments such as the week long WSOP.

The reply stated that one of the first things a poker player should do (after learning the proper playing of the game) is to get into shape physically. Poker sessions at these events can run 12 to 15 hours a day! If you are not physically fit your mind will start to become mush after about five or six hours at the tables ... so guess what your thought process will be like after 10 hours! That lack of mental sharpness will cost ... and in poker, that means money.

The pro player recommended a three-days-a-week workout schedule and I don’t believe she meant three days at a bar lifting a beer mug.

Bottom line? Physical exhaustion leads to mental exhaustion ... mental exhaustion leads to poor judgement ... poor judgement leads to busting out of the tournament.

Now back to the first reason for this little talk: My trip to Las Vegas in February. On my first day of (bowling) tournament life, I rolled two games in a First Chance tournament after 10 minutes of pre-game practice with only three bowlers on the pair. Directly after that, I rolled two more games of qualifying (for the TAT) after another 10 minutes of practice with three bowlers on the pair. I then drove to the Orleans and rolled three games in my first qualifying squad after about 15 minutes of practice with three bowlers on the pair ... ate dinner and rolled another three games of qualifying after another nearly 15 minutes of practice with four bowlers on the pair. Immediately after that last squad (having made the cut) I rolled one game in the first semi-finals level after another 10 minutes of practice with two on a pair. Having made that cut I rolled the last semi-final game after another 10 minutes of practice with only two bowlers on the pair.

Now let’s add that up ... 12 games of competitive bowling along with 70 minutes of intense practice.

Mind you, professional bowlers roll many more games than that, however, they are doing this for a living. Had I not been in somewhat okay physical shape, there would have been no way I could have bowled that many games and rolled as well as I did. (There were other mental errors that were not caused by my physical condition).

Bottom line? Physical conditioning can’t hurt. There are many books out there that will help you set up a physical fitness program. In my case a fitness center is only two minutes from my home ... at my disposal is at least $20,000 worth of weight machines ready and willing to work any part of my body I so desire to work.

However, you don’t need a large assortment of machines or weights to perform a fitness program ... many household items can be used. The main thing is to get into a program ... a habit of physical exercise ... for bowling ... for poker ... for life.

AND, THE MORAL OF THE STORY IS?

2006-03-01T15:07:00.000-08:00

March 1, 2006

And, the moral of the story is?

In my last blog I noted what I did at the Mini-Eliminator in Vegas. What I left out was "the moral of the story."

That equates to two main topics: Ball choice and tenacity.

First: Ball choice for us mortals (those without ball manufactures assistance ... and there were many) can be an expensive endeavor. While at the Mini, I overheard many ball reps talking to their "favorite" bowlers. "We need to change the surface of the ball." Let’s drill one with a different pin position." ... "Let’s change the mass bias position." ... "the weight hole" .... "the CG" ... "let’s try a different ball" ...etc. etc.

You get the idea. In some respects, I felt like a guy who just bought a showroom Chevy Monte Carlo (with its one set of tires, stock engine and suspension) and took it to race in the Daytona 500.

Remember, if you go to the mega-buck tournaments expecting to win, expect to spend money on equipment. My ball change wasn’t as glamorous as the manufacturer’s hopefuls, but it was a necessary change .. With outside help it might have been better.

Why a ball change?

Many of the Mini’s bowlers have their balls drilled for their "home-town" conditions. Think of it this way. You live in southern Arizona with its mild weather. Your car is equipped with normal tires ... they might even be expensive, high performance tires. Now you take a trip to the Colorado Rockies during the winter season ... guess what? If you expect to stay on the road, those dry weather performance tires need to be replaced with traction tires.

Such is the case with bowling the Mini. That ball you use to average 220 in league might be completely useless at The Orleans, or Texas Station, or Sam’s Town during mega-buck week.

Second on my "moral of the story" list is stick-to-it (tenacity).

Many times I’ve heard bowlers say, "I think I’ll run over to Vegas and bowl one squad (of the Mini, Roller, TAT)."

Yes, there are a few bowlers who do qualify for the finals with just one try. However, I still recall the bowler who earned $25,000 for a second-place finish in the 2005 Eliminator who rolled seven squads before qualifying for the finals. (That’s over $1,000 for entry fees.) But, he stuck with it and ended up with some serious cash.

Again, that doesn’t necessarily mean that if you spend the money for seven qualifying squads you will automatically come in second place ... but the more squads you bowl, the better chance you have of cashing.

Now mix the two together. Use the early qualifying squads for the proving grounds for ball choice or change.

Take a hint .... if none of the balls in your arsenal are reacting to the lane conditions, don’t waste your money attempting to "make them work." Again, it’s like really, really trying to drive on ice with fair-weather tires ... a change is inevitable!

Okay, for all those bowlers who (in the past) I’ve told to go to Vegas, shoot one squad and come home, forget what I’ve just said.

This advice (to shoot only one squad) is for those neophyte tournament bowlers who have been thinking about shooting the Roller, or Mini, or TAT ... and thinking .... and thinking .... and thinking.

Give it a shot! See what your equipment will do on tournament conditions. See if "your line" will work. Invest one entry fee to see what area of your tournament game you need to work on to be competitive.

No, these two thoughts (on bowling the mega-buck tourneys) are not a

contradiction. The first scenario is aimed at veteran tournament bowlers, the second scenario is targeted for those who have not yet ventured into the realm of the mega-buck tournament.

Hopefully this will plant the competitive seed and give it time to grow ... after all, the July mega-buck tourneys are just around the corner!

Viva Las Vegas 02-15-06

2006-02-15T14:20:00.000-08:00

February 15, 2006

Viva Las Vegas

TOURNAMENT NEWS

Be sure to see the USBC tournaments list in the February 1, 2006 Bowling Time.

I have just returned from another Vegas trip to try my hand in the Mini-Eliminator.

The results?

Good news/Bad news.

First, it was my original intent to roll only the Mini-Eliminator; however, during my first evening (Thursday) at The Orleans in Vegas, I encountered two really bad beats in poker that depleted my first-days table allowance. So, I thought why not use the next days poker allowance and enter the TAT at the Texas Station and at least come home with a new bowling ball for my efforts plus it would be a good warmup for he Eliminator later that day.

So, Texas Station Friday morning it was.

I had extremely good ball reaction at Texas Station and what I learned at the TAT is that my focus was extremely good .... for the last two frames. Both games of the two-game qualifier ended with four strikes. It was the first eight frames that kept me from cashing. Two 180 games resulting from at least five errant shots didn’t cut it.

However, one of the two balls that accompanied me to Vegas was working well on these conditions.

I was ready for the Mini later that day ... all I had to do was to work on my focus.

As expected, the shot at the Orleans was totally different than Texas Station. In the first three-game qualifying round I started with the seven clean frames ... no strikes, but clean. A split in the eighth frame produced my third 180 game for the day (in two houses). Unlike Texas Station, the equipment I had lugged to Vegas was having little or terrible reaction on the Eliminator lane condition. Half way through the second game I decided to really play around and prepare myself for my next qualifying squad by trying different lines and angles into the pocket ... to no avail. Neither ball would react ... late in the third game, I even changed from my usual five step delivery to a four step delivery to slow my already slow ball speed. That approach change gave me limited success. I left that first qualifying round satisfied with my mechanics and focus, but not with my ball choice.

With nothing to lose, and a couple of hours til my next squad, I decided to drill the Ebonite The One bowling ball that I received for bowling the TAT. Orleans pro shop operator Ron Winger set the ball up for me and had it ready for the 8:30 p.m. squad. (It was supposed to be the 7:00 p.m. squad, but everything was running late).

So, with new ball in hand and a new four-step approach I rolled a 629 set that put me into my division’s semi-final round later that evening. Using my new style, I shot a 212 game that qualified me for the next level and a shot at the chance to go the Sunday finals. At that point, after rolling the equivalent of nearly 20 games that day, my steam ran out ... I had to strike out to shoot a non-qualifying second-place 171 game.

But, I did pick up some cash for making it to the second level of the semis.

The early squad (3:00 p.m.) on Saturday paired me with David Ozio ... but even with that inspiration, my focus was completely gone. Missed shots and irregular ball speed produced unacceptable results. So, back that evening to the 7:00 p.m. squad ... to make a long story short, I again lost my focus in the first two and a half games only to settle down in the final frames to squeak out a 603 set ... twenty pins short of qualifying (in my division) for Saturday night’s semis.

Overview.

Actually, I feel, overall, that I bowled better than I have in the past several years (at the Eliminator). I did find a ball (The One by Ebonite) that reacted well in the later squads, but not the early squads. The change from five step to four step may have had a slight effect on the outcome, but mainly the contributing factor to my less than desirable games was the lack of proper practice. My mechanics were not relegated to muscle memory and my overall focus was sporadic.

With that knowledge in mind, wait until next year.

Bowling News 2-01-2006

2006-02-01T00:12:00.000-08:00

February 1, 2006

While reading the January issue of Bowling This Month a light went on. While ABC and WIBC have been losing members over the past several years, there seems to be no lose of interest in new equipment. This issue of BTM contained their Mini Ball Reviews ... thumbnail sketches of new bowling balls that were tested from July to December 2005. Would you believe there were 54! The majority of the balls tested fall into the category of high performance or mid-price. (Only three were classified as "entry level.")

So with all the new equipment on the market, how does a bowler make a choice (as to which ball to buy)?

A couple of tips ....

Know what you want the ball to do (or not to do).

Try not to duplicate a ball that is already in your arsenal.

Try not to duplicate an existing drilling layout.

(For these last two statements, if you are replacing a favorite ball, you should try to get a new ball with similar specs.)

Your coach should be able to help you decide what ball is right for your game.

Be sure that the pro-shop operator and/or coach watch you bowl and let them determine your ball speed and style. (Some balls are NOT for slow rollers ... some are not good for fast ball speeds.)

Unless money is no object, find a ball that is versatile (Usually less aggressive balls.)

If you are building a multi-ball arsenal, select one ball that is good for oil, one that’s good for medium condition, another for dry lanes and perhaps add a plastic spare ball. Oh, yes! If you’re bowling on sport condition, add another ball.

Remember, each should have a different hole layout to take advantage of the characteristics of its cover-stock and core design.

The final comments on balls?

What manufacturer is best?

Pick a brand that you’ve scored well with. Confidence in the equipment is part of the mental game of bowling. Most manufacturers have a wide range of equipment that should satisfy just about any bowler out there.

No favorite brand? Read the ball reviews in Bowling This Month ... discuss your choice with your coach.

Good luck!

ATTITUDE 01-15-2006

2006-01-14T17:13:00.000-08:00

January 15, 2006

"Winners are simply willing to do what losers won’t"

This quote was on a wall poster in the gym in the movie Million Dollar Baby.

I guess the reason I like that poster is it is very similar to the idea I’ve been posting at the bottom of my blogs ...( The novice bowler often says "I can’t." while the advanced bowler always says, "I will!")

Why so much talk concerning our attitude in bowling? (Otherwise known as the mental game.)

One way or another, our minds prevent us from doing what the books and/or our coach keep telling us we should be doing.

Either we think too much or we think not enough.

Let’s talk about thinking too much.

"I really want to hit that mark ... I’m going to force the ball over that mark ... I’m going to make it happen!"

Whew!

While those may not be the exact words, that is the thought as perceived by the brain.

In the gymnastic event known as the balance beam, the gymnast doesn’t force themselves to walk that four-inch wide beam, they merely (after many hours, months, years practice) look at the far end of the beam and walk toward it.

Granted, it’s not quite as simple as that, but the concept is this: If they (the gymnast) think too much about walking each inch of that beam, they will become choppy, lose their fluidness, then lose their balance and fall off.

When we (as bowlers) try to force a movement (like hitting our mark) we lose our natural gate, become choppy, and subsequently miss our target.

When we think too long and too much, our muscles begin to tighten and prohibits us from being able to swing the ball naturally and truly (in the plane toward our target).

I will admit, while we are learning a new procedure, our brains may tend to be a bit overactive, but if we don’t give up, that new approach or hand position or ball position will eventually translate into an improved game.

And, yes, a change will be needed. And I reiterate a topic that I’ve discussed many times before. If you really want to improve, you WILL have to CHANGE something.

One of the PBA members who made it to the telecast this past month contributed they recent success to making a change from a five-step approach back to a four-step approach. He made a change ... practiced it to the point that he didn’t have to think about it ... and made the finals!

So to the real point of this blog ... If you are thinking too much about any one portion of your game, you probably are not devoting enough time to make that part of your game a natural movement. You are fighting the change too much to form "muscle memory." Therefore, the bowler blames the change itself for the poor performance and returns to the old bowling form and to the old scores.

We "think" ourselves right out of success.

Again, the key is practice ... the key is perfect practice ... the key is practicing what we came to the bowling center to practice.

Key items for your next practice session might be:

Right arm, right foot move at the same time (for the right handed bowler).

(this can be practiced at home with or without a ball)

At the center, roll at the tenpin every ball for 10 frames.

Seven-pin every ball for 10 frames.

2-4-5-8 bucket every ball for 10 frames.

Brooklyn side hit every ball for 10 frames.

Practice (10 frames each) rolling over every board between the five and the 30 board.

(By the way, 10 frames means both the first ball and the second ball for a total of 20 times at the intended target)

Another way to practice the tenpin is to roll at the ten until you would have hit it 20 times without missing. If you miss ... you start counting over.

DON’T LOOK AT THE SCORE! That’s not what you should be practicing.

Get to the point that whatever you practice, practice so you won’t have to think as much about that particular pin or action when you are in the heat of league or a tournament.

League is not a practice session and if you wait until you are in a tournament, it’s too late.

As the poster in the Million Dollar Baby stated, "Winners are simply willing to do what losers won’t!"

Here’s a dare for you in 2006: Make that change ... practice that change until it is second nature ... become a winner!

It’s not too late to make that 2006 resolution.

Use the comment box or send a question to bwlcoach@yahoo.com

Please send http://bowlingtime,blogspot.com to all the bowlers that you know regardless of where they live.

Happy New Year 2006

2006-01-01T11:17:00.000-08:00

January 1, 2006

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Hope all of you had a great Christmas. And, I’m not talking about physical-gift receiving-great, but GREAT!

You who have read my column and/or blog over the past eight years probably think you know what’s in store for you in this addition of Bowling Time.

Yes, it may be time for one of my semiannual goal setting spiels or lecture about New Year’s resolutions.

If you really want to know more about goal setting, check out last New Year’s blog (actually dated December 28, 2005 since I was in Las Vegas for the 2005 New Year’s celebration) to get one slant on the subject. The analogies used still hold true today.

This year will be a little different. I don’t have a long list of things for you to remember or do.

Perhaps the one main item (I believe) that bowlers should do this year is to eliminate several words or phrases from their vocabulary.

The first words are "I can’t" or "I won’t." The other is a phrase rather than a single word and it goes something like, "I throw over the (insert YOUR target board) board."

That phrase runs hand in hand with can’t and won’t.

Along that line, during a PBA shoot-out last week, one bowler was a bit perplexed with the changing lane conditions. His coach made a suggestion. The bowler didn’t follow the coach’s advice, however, the coach’s suggestion caused the PBA bowler to actually think ... he did make a change and began striking. He used his experience to make the proper move and used the coach’s statement to jog him into making a (as in any) move. So, in this case he really didn’t say "I can’t make the move you suggested." Instead his thoughts were more along the lines of, "I won’t make THAT move, but you made me realize that I can’t continue to stand at my present location and roll over my usual target so I really do need to make a drastic adjustment." (Okay, he probably didn’t say all that, but you get the idea... he was open to making a change [dreaded word in most bowlers vocabulary].)

Still along the line of "I won’t," too often I have heard bowlers say, "I’m hitting the same mark that I hit last week but the ball keeps going Brooklyn."

"Gee, why don’t you move left and roll over the 12 board?"

"Oh! No! I always stand here and I always hit the ten-board!"

To paraphrase this statement the bowler really said: "Oh! No! I won’t make any change."

Of course, at that point, the blame for the bad scoring is directed toward the lane-man or the bowling center.

Be open-minded about what your target is and where you stand. Get rid of the "I can’t" and "I won’t"and the "I always."

Slightly in a different direction, but still in the "won’t" mode: In last years resolution I alluded to the fact that many bowlers will spend hundreds of dollars to purchase the best equipment but balk at spending anything fore the advice of a qualified, certified bowling coach. Again, comments may go like "I always (there is that phrase again) have team-mate Norm tell me what I need." Or, "I can’t afford a real coach."

Not to knock team-mate Norm, but if Norm isn’t Norm Duke, Norm probably doesn’t have the required skills to properly guide you to a consistent winning form.

Also, on the point of affordability, the average high-average bowler usually has an arsenal of four to six bowling balls (at $200 + each), a ball carrier (or carriers), a $150 pair of Dexters, Linds, or Dynothane bowling shoes, plus other accessories such as towels, wrist supports, bowling tape, etc. Add that up (plus items I know that I missed) and it comes to a staggering number that usually is just short of $2,000!

So, what’s the big deal of hiring a coach for six lessons at $50 a pop?

If you really want to improve this year, find a coach ... be sure that he or she is certified by USBC or at least is a touring or previously PBA/PWBA member.

This requires a change in your mind set ... you need to trust in the experience of the coach and you need to keep the dreaded "I can’t," "I won’t," and "I always" out of the conversation.

I can’t (there, I used that phrase) guarantee too many things, but I can guarantee this: If you use the subject phrases in bowling, you will be wasting your money hiring a coach ... in fact you will be wasting your money buying any new equipment.

The novice bowler often says "I can’t." while the advanced bowler always says, "I will!"

Have a great 2006!

Oh! Yes! Make one New Year’s resolution: I will send one bowling question to Bowling Time!!

Use the comment box or send it to bwlcoach@yahoo.com

Merry Christmas 2005

2005-12-15T08:01:00.001-08:00

December 15, 2005

Merry Christmas and have a GREAT New Year!!

The Holiday season is a great time for moral reflections regardless of religious beliefs.

Just think if all the time, effort, money, and (most importantly) lives consumed by military action could be channeled toward the war against poverty or perhaps channeled toward cancer research .

What a wonderful Christmas that would be!

Send me your bowling question!!

You can use the comment box or send it to bwlcoach@yahoo.com

I have a request for you .... it appears that between 200 and 300 bowlers are now reading each posting. I would like to see that number increase to 1,000 or more.

So, if you would, please send http://bowlingtime.blogspot.com to all the bowlers that you know in or out of the United States.

Myth: Something is wrong with my bowling ... I’ll have a session with my coach and it will be all better.

Fact: I hate to say this, but there’s a very high probability that one coaching session will not be the instant fix for your bowling woes.

I often use analogies that concern cars. So, here we go. Your car isn’t running the way it should ... perhaps it’s sputtering and lacks power. You go to the mechanic ... new spark-plugs are installed and your vehicle now runs like new.

That’s nice for cars, but it ain’t necessarily so with bowling instruction. (Pardon the "ain’t")

Auto mechanics is often very straight forward ... replace the plugs or adjust the timing or adjust the fuel mixture ... all definitive actions ... all mechanical actions.

Unfortunately, in bowling, an errant shot could have many causes ranging from "mechanical" to (and this is where we humans complicate matters) mental. Many times, (more often than you would like to think) the mental game has a direct bearing on the physical game ... translating into: When a new routine is introduced by your coach, that routine is not immediately accepted by your body or your mind.

Along similar thought lines, let’s play golf!

In the January 2006 issue of Golf Magazine a reader asked the question: "I get nervous on big shots. How can I keep my brain from getting in the way?"

The editor answered with an analogy of golf being similar to brain surgery.

The bulk of the answer came from Dr Rob Dickerman, a neurosurgeon at North Texas Neurosurgical Associates.

["Brain surgery and golf are not that different," says Dickerman ...."We both have to understand how hand control and emotions are linked." Here are the doc’s keys to staying calm under pressure.

*Identify the shots you consider choke-worthy and practice them so they’ll feel like second nature on the course. (Lanes?) "Surgeons prepare by going through the movement hundreds of times before they ever touch a patient," Dickerman says. At the range or course (Bowling center), "Visualize the stroke you want to make and then act it out to get your brain and body into the motion."

*Focus on the job at hand. "A surgical maneuver off by a few millimeters can be the difference between life and death," Dickerman says. "It’s the same in golf (bowling). Forget the shot you blotched before. Concentrate on what you need to do at that time and reap the benefits later."

*See each shot as an opportunity to succeed, not a chance to fail. "Challenge yourself and say, ‘It takes pressure to make good things happen,’" he adds, "Then turn your jitters into positive energy to sink that three-footer. (Tenpin)."]

I believe a couple of keys to Dickerman’s answer lies in the phrases "... practice them so they’ll feel like second nature ..." and if the "maneuver is off by a few millimeters..."

Too many times bowlers have come to me a week before sweepers or a tournament asking for advice. Unfortunately, they are not giving themselves enough time to practice and internalize any changes that need to be made. As Dickerman said, surgeons practice a procedure hundreds of times before working on a live patient. True, making or missing a tenpin is not a life threatening situation, but making or missing that tenpin may be the difference between winning or losing a match-point or a tournament.

Also, I have heard bowlers state that the only missed their target by a board ... why did the tenpin stand. Bowling, like golf (and brain surgery) is a game of fractions of an inch.

We have a round object (the ball) hitting other round objects (the pins) and if the ball enters the pocket "a few millimeters" off, the results may not always be to your liking.

If you want to be a higher average bowler, don’t settle for "close."

Spending time and money by putting your game in the hands of a coach?? Give yourself time to practice the moves. To misquote an old cliche: Success in bowling does not come overnight.

Remember my statement from the Dec 1, 2005 blog: The novice bowler often says "I can’t." while the advanced bowler always says, "I will!"

Have a great 2006!

ADVANCED BASICS?

2005-12-01T11:51:00.000-08:00

December 1, 2005

Have a question? Make a comment or send it to bwlcoach@yahoo.com

Advanced Basics

(Check the disclaimer in Basics #5)

Advanced basics?? What an oxymoron!

But, that brings us to the question of just where is the line between basic bowling and advanced bowling?

Needless to say, we have to turn to "splitting hairs" to find any real difference.

First, let’s reflect on some known facts.

What do professional bowlers do when their game is off?

I hear so often that these pros "go back to the basics."

Five step (professional and advanced amateur) bowlers revert to the four step to get their timing on track.

They work with coaches and review videos to make sure their push-a-way is with their first step of the four step approach or with the second step of the five step approach.

They make sure their hand is behind the ball at release (for most deliveries).

They make sure their head stays steady throughout the delivery.

They make sure their eyes remain focused on the target.

And, they make sure that they visualize the path of the ball throughout its journey to the pocket (or at least through the break-point).

What’s so advanced about that?

Which brings us to the main difference between the basic bowler and the advanced bowler.

The advanced bowler is able to repeat each step with more consistency. The advanced bowler is able to take constructive advice with an open mind.

Compare basic and advance bowling in the same light as a basic (or beginner) and advanced painter.

The beginner painting has the tree, the stream, and the sky with a cloud or two ... the advanced painting has those same items. However, objects in the more advanced painting seem to flow and complement each other in a harmonious manner where the beginner painting lacks smoothness ... it’s rough and has no direction.

The colors in the more advance painting seem to be "right" ... the right balance and correct combinations where the beginner painting’s colors seem to be blobs of disconnected paint.

To reiterate, both paintings have the same ingredients but the end product is anything but the same.

To get to the finished product, an a advanced painter will test their strokes over and over until they get the desired results .... notice that I said the practice strokes over and over, not necessarily an entire painting over and over.

In that same light, an advanced bowler will practice one portion of their game over and over until they have mastered it. For example: I have seen good bowlers spend all afternoon rolling the ball at the tenpin .... every ball!

I have seen those same bowlers practice rolling their ball over the 25 board or the 5 board when their "A" game is normally over the 17 board.

Advanced basics?

In my opinion, there really is no difference except that the novice bowler often says "I can’t" while the advanced bowler always says "I will."

A high average bowler who ignores the basics will stagnate just as quickly as a novice bowler who ignores the word change. Look at the pros ... as I stated above, they have no problem going back to the basics when the need arises.

Christmas is just around the corner ... a few gift ideas:

A donation to the American Cancer Society

A bowling lesson (by a USBC certified coach)

Basics #5

2005-11-14T19:05:00.000-08:00

November 15, 2005

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

One year ago today, was the birth of the web site Bowling Time.

Have a question? Send it to bwlcoach@yahoo.com

More back to basics #5.

(Same disclaimer as in #4: The thoughts included in these Back to Basics sessions are widely accepted practices that normally lead to better bowling regardless of average. You who are familiar with the "bell curve" (used in various studies and sciences) will remember that the majority of the curve lies above a median line while the outer edges obviously are below (some on one side, and an equal sum on the other). The vast majority of successful bowlers fall into a bowling style that adhere to the top portion of the curve ... following the majority of the basic principles in these sessions. Of course, there are a few successful bowlers (the minority) whose style lie somewhere along the edges of the "bell curve." Those other styles include but are not limited to: multiple steps (6 or more), radical drifting, extremely late timing, extremely high back swing, two handed delivery, and thumbless delivery.)

Back to the basics.

If you missed the first four sessions of "basics" you should take the time to take a look at my last four blog ramblings about the first step of bowling and bowling nomenclature.

This session will be a slight departure from those basics and tend towards basic observations.

Our local Indian casino just concluded a week long pool tournament that drew an international cast of professional players.

Of course that rekindled my interest in pool playing ... so I took some of my poker winnings and purchased a cue and a book on playing pool (Play Your Best Pool by Phil Capelle).

In the first chapter, Fundamentals, Chapelle listed some of the "common mistakes" that prevent a pool player from becoming a better player. Here is a partial list:

*Indecisiveness

*Thinking negatively

*Faulty preshot routine

*No warm-up strokes

*Twisting your arm

*Twisting your wrist

*Jerking or jabbing

*Freezing over the shot

*Jumping up prematurely

*Excess tension

*Abbreviated follow through or lack of follow through

*Head or body movement during the stroke

Any of these sound familiar?

It gets better.

Still in the fundamentals chapter he talks about using a "light grip" and "Trust and confidence are the keys to a successful stroke." and "Smooth transition to the forward stroke." and "Stay with the shot ....."

In Chapter 2, How to Aim, Chapelle emphasizes (among other things) to visualize "two parallel lines drawn down the edge of each ball..." to form a channel to the pocket. Which brings us to an elaboration of last session's topic of aiming the bowling ball.

In past sessions I have suggested using a string on the lanes (if allowed by the center) to help visualize the path of the ball ... on the other hand, (in real life sessions) I often have bowlers visualize a "path" approximately ten boards wide for the ball to travel down.

Contradictory?

Not really. Some people visualize negative spaces while others visualize positive spaces. You have to determine which category suits you. If one just doesn't work, try the other. There is no right or wrong method of visualizing the path or journey that you wish the ball to travel. Just as in pool, some shooters prefer to visualize a line from the center of the ball going to the center of the pocket and others use the "path" method stated above.

The point, in bowling, is that you visualize that path beginning with the ball in the starting stance and visualize it (the ball) being in that path during every inch of motion throughout the approach.

In pool, a common mistake is to have your elbow inside or outside the plane of the cue. In bowling, when the elbow goes outside the plane of the ball, the ball usually goes over a different board than the one you were hoping for. (Missing your target!)

Yes, I used the word "usually" because as state in the "bell curve" story, there are those successful bowlers whose game does not follow the rules.

Practice visualization using both the single line path and the channel path (be sure to try them both) ... pick the one that works for you.

Have fun.

John

Back to Basic #4

2005-11-01T08:59:00.000-08:00

November 1, 2005

Have a question? Send it to bwlcoach@yahoo.com

Back to basics #4 plus.

(Disclaimer: The thoughts included in these Back to Basics sessions are widely accepted practices that normally lead to better bowling regardless of average. You who are familiar with the "bell curve" (used in various studies and sciences) will realize that the majority of the curve lies above a median line while the outer edges obviously are below (some on one side, and an equal sum on the other). While observing professional bowlers and higher average amateur bowlers, I have noticed a majority of these successful bowlers fall into a pattern of bowling that adhere to these basics principles. Then, there are those whose style lie somewhere along the edges of the "bell curve." Those "other" styles include but are not limited to: multiple steps (6 or more), radical drifting, extremely late timing, extremely high back swing, two handed delivery, and thumbless delivery.)

Back to basics.

Bet you never thought someone could talk so much about that first step in bowling.

No more!

In the last three sessions, we’ve discussed the stance and into the first step while visualizing a line or path that we want to travel down.

The timing of that first step determines the timing of the final step ... if it is off, your final timing will be off ... period ... end of story!

I also discussed visualizing the desired path of the ball and the possibility of "helping" your visualization with a piece of yarn.

At this time, the exact path location isn’t important ... we aren’t talking about "bowling" ... yet. We are talking about the ability to focus ... visualize ... imagine ... a path of the bowling ball regardless of any consequence such as score.

This is one of the most difficult (have I ever said that before?) concepts to grasp in learning to improve in the sport of bowling. DON’T THINK OF KNOCKING DOWN PINS!

Instead, think of allowing the ball to "do its thing" and being able guide the ball to any point that you desire.

(Later on, if , by coincidence, there happens to be a pin or two in the path of the ball that gets knocked over, so be it.)

Your only concern at this time should be to have the ball travel in a certain direction (or path).

I have the good fortune to be coaching in a center that has true "shadow bowling." There are no pins or scoring to complicate matters.

Last blog I mentioned placing a length of yarn down a path (if the center allows it). I didn’t elaborate as to what the correct placement should be.

For the purpose of practice, there is no "correct" answer.

Which brings me to the next (or perhaps it should have been the first) item of business ... NOMENCLATURE.

BOARDS and ARROWS and APPROACH MARKERS.

For all practical purposes, a bowling lane is 40 boards wide. Right handed bowlers count boards from right to left ... left handed bowlers count left to right.

In most centers, the are seven "arrows" approximately 15 feet beyond the foul-line. These arrows are five boards apart located (starting from the right) at the 5 board, 10 board, 15 board, 20 board (the center of the lane), 25 board, 30 board and finally the 35 board.

On the approach, there are two sets of dots ... some centers have seven dots while others have only five. Looking at the "seven dot" centers, you will notice that these dots line up with the seven arrows located on the lanes ... the first dot is at the 5 board second dot at the 10 etc.

In the five-dot centers these dots are still in 5 board increments but they have eliminated the outside dots making the beginning dot (the right dot for right handed bowlers) aligned with the second arrow ... the 10 board.

These dots and arrows are reference points so a bowler can always start are the same position on the approach and always line up to the same board on the lanes.

As they progress, bowlers will go one step further and use the individual boards located between the arrows and dots to fine-tune their game.

In the last session, I talked about the steps of bowling being similar to a trip to Mexico. The first step got you going in the right direction .... using the arrows and dots is like using a map to plot your journey.

We are now getting down to the specifics of how we are going to get to our final destination.

Remember, while on a trip, if we get lost, we have to figure out if we are still going in the correct direction. In bowling, if we get "lost" we should go back to that basic first step to see if the ball and our body is "going in the correct direction."

On to the "correct position." I reiterate, while practicing, there should be no "correct position" and no "correct target." The main idea should be to stand at the same location each time (let’s say the left foot on the 20 board) and roll the ball over the same arrow (perhaps the second arrow–10 board).

At this point, (I repeat) you should not be concerned about how many pins you knock down, but should be concerned about consistently rolling the ball over the same arrow each time.

At this point, it is very important not to think "PINS."

The pins will come later. Maybe in my next session.

Have fun bowling.

John

BOWLING BASICS #3 and other news

2005-10-15T12:14:00.000-07:00

October 15, 2005

Please send your thoughts to bwlcoach@yahoo.com

Bowling basics #3 plus news

Why so much talk about the beginning stance and first step in bowling??

Let’s compare bowling to taking a driving vacation to Mexico.

One of the first things a prudent person contemplating a long auto vacation does is prepare a list .... not necessarily a list of where they are going, but a list of things they have to do before taking the long drive.

Here’s a sample list: Check the tires ... get a tuneup ... check the windshield wipers ... lube job ... brakes okay? ... etc.

In other words, they are getting the auto ready to go on a trip. This is the same thing the stance does for the bowler, it gets the bowler ready to bowl!

Next comes the map/route ... where do I want to go?

The bowler is now thinking about where they are going to roll the ball. (Haven’t really talked about that yet. It comes in just a few more paragraphs!)

The big day is here at last ... we back out of the garage and head north ... oops, I thought we were going to Mexico. In most places in the United States, if one wants to go to Mexico, they have to drive south. Right?

Well, in bowling (on that first step), if you start moving the ball in some direction other than where you want the ball to go, chances are the ball won’t end up where you want.

This is a process that is easy to demonstrate but rather difficult to put into words, so please bear with me. Sort of like telling a new driver how to drive a manual transmission for that first time ... release the emergency brake, ... push in the clutch ... move the gear shift lever ... let up on the clutch and press down on the gas at the same time to match engine speed with actual speed that you desire the vehicle to go. All while pointing the car in the correct direction!

Just like driving, the bowler must get everything moving ... I repeat, EVERYTHING moving on that first step and, everything moving in the right direction.

That first step in bowling is complex ... it is the most import portion of the bowler’s delivery and yet most bowlers give it very little thought, perhaps thinking about getting the revs on the ball or speed, or .... something else.

On to some of the complexities of the first step.

There are some different opinions about the path of the bowler/bowling ball. Some experts say to crab-walk down the approach ... other talk about a drift ... some say to walk straight down the boards (old school thought) ... and the newer accepted opinion (One that I adhere to) is for the ball to go in a straight line to and through the target.

So, we are in the starting bear position .. Ball is in a medium to medium-high position (medium being with the forearm parallel to the floor) ... Now what?

Draw a line from your shoulder, through your arm, through the ball, through your target arrow (or board). If the bowling center will allow it, attach a colored piece of yarn (40' long) onto the lanes. That yarn would start directly beneath the ball (in your stance) and go through and 20 feet beyond your target. (Note: That should put the other end of the yarn in the "dry" portion of the lane so tape can secure it to the lanes.)

That line (yarn) is the path that your ball should travel during your approach and delivery.

Not to worry, if your ball travels that path, you feet and body will follow.

IMPORTANT: This is where visualization is imperative. You have to visualize the ball traveling along that line (if you are not allowed to use yarn at your center, you REALLY have to visual).

Did I mention that the first step is the most complex movement is bowling? Now for the confusing part ... it is also the most simple movement in bowling.

I’ll qualify that statement by comparing it once again to driving that standard shift auto. Usually the first many times a person attempts the shifting of the vehicle the arms and legs are going in every direction and the car lurches forward in a very ungracious, erratic manner sometimes stalling the vehicle ... and so it seems until one day you get into the car and the car just seems to go (smoothly) with almost no effort and with almost no thought ...

A once extremely complex, awkward, frustrating task is now effortless!!

So goes the first step of bowling. Attempting to get all your body parts moving at the same time in the same direction along an imaginary path will eventually smooth out and become almost automatic ... ALMOST.

The "almost" portion, is the part where you still need to put the key into the ignition to get things started. But, that another lesson.

Have fun bowling.

John

TOURNAMENT NEWS

Talk about damaging the credibility of bowling!

The much talked about Million Dollar Kingpin Tournament is history. Many in the industry are not optimistic about its revival. Other stories circulating claim various reasons for the "postponement" other than what are stated in the following news release. Since those claim are unsubstantiated, I will not repeat them.

Here’s the actual news release if you hear of any other documented reasons for the postponement, please let me know.

KINGPIN CHALLENGE POSTPONED UNTIL 2006

GREENDALE, Wis. - The Kingpin Million Dollar Challenge, an event that promised to pay the first $1 million first prize in bowling history, has been postponed.

The event, which is certified by the United States Bowling Congress, was scheduled to take place the end of this month at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev., but Kingpin Challenge organizers elected to postpone the event due to a slowdown in entries and growing cancellations.

"Obviously USBC is disappointed the event is not going forward but we understand the reasons behind the postponement," USBC Chief Operating Officer Jack Mordini said. "USBC initially became involved in this event to protect the interests of our members, and we have received assurances that complete refunds will be offered to bowlers."

Kingpin organizers say the event will now be conducted sometime in 2006. Details are still being worked on and an announcement is expected in the next two to four weeks. "We apologize profusely for the inconvenience this is going to cause those bowlers who have already committed," Kingpin spokesman David Woodruff said. "All contestants will be offered a full refund of any and all funds they have paid the Kingpin organizers."

Bowlers who would like a refund can contact the Kingpin offices by calling (866) 300-2292 or by visiting www.kingpinchallenge.com.

United States Bowling Congress The United States Bowling Congress, as the national governing body, ensures the integrity and protects the future of the sport, provides programs and services and enhances the bowling experience.

BALL TALK

Here is the results from the Oct 1, 2005 USBC/ ball manufacturers meeting concerning ball specs.

Seems that really not much was resolved, but people are talking about changes and that’s good news.

Oct 3, 2005

USBC BOWLING BALL TASK FORCE HOLDS INITIAL MEETING

Bowling ball reps find common ground on testing procedures, parameters

GREENDALE, Wis. - Positive dialogue and cooperation characterized the initial meeting of the United States Bowling Congress Bowling Ball Specifications Task Force Oct. 1 at USBC Headquarters in Greendale, Wis.

USBC representatives and technical volunteers from several bowling ball manufacturers held positive discussions about bowling ball performance issues and how those can impact the credibility and integrity of the sport. Among the discussion items:

* Bowling ball compliance agreements

* Review of new and existing bowling ball specifications

* Possible modification or elimination of existing bowling ball specifications

* Credibility issues in bowling

* Ball motion and dynamic ball performance

* Possible recommendation of additional bowling ball specifications

* Discussion and investigation into the possible adoption of dynamic bowling ball performance measures

* Future meetings

The task force agreed to pursue testing procedures and testing parameters concerning bowling ball motion.

"We are excited about the potential of working with ball designers and manufacturers in an effort to develop a system of ball specifications that help define our sport," said USBC Chief Operating Officer Jack Mordini. "This meeting was a good first step in making that happen. We appreciate the input from the task force and will report developments as they unfold."

"This initial meeting was quite positive and productive," said USBC Technical Director Neil Stremmel. "We hope to continue the cooperative relationship with the bowling ball manufacturers as we work together for the betterment of the sport."

Representatives from bowling ball manufacturers described the meeting as constructive.

"We as manufacturers realize we benefit by having more bowlers, so it makes sense that we work together with the USBC," said Storm Products Inc. Technical Director Steve Kloempken. "I'm relieved about how well things went. We're moving in the same direction."

"It was a very good meeting, bringing together every key person to begin a cooperative effort," said MoRich Enterprises, Inc. President Mo Pinel. "We'll now begin working together in an efficient and productive manner. The right people were here. We were represented by our best."

"It was a very productive meeting. There was great dialogue," said Lane 1 Bowling Chief Executive Officer Richie Sposato. "The concerns of both sides were heard. Now we can start testing on common ground and that is a step in the right direction.

" Representatives from the following bowling ball manufacturing companies have agreed to sit on the task force: Brunswick, Circle Athletics, Columbia Industries Inc., Dyno-Thane, Ebonite International, Hammer, Lane #1, Lane Masters, MoRich Enterprises, Inc., Roto Grip, Storm Products Inc., Track Inc. and Visionary Bowling Products.

The task force is an advisory body that will work together with the USBC Equipment Specifications Committee, which has final authority on any proposed equipment specification changes.

Plans were discussed for a future meeting but no specific date was set.

TOURNAMENT NEWS

Be sure to visit www.bowl.com for USBC tournament news.

For mega-buck and other tournament news, visit: www.high-roller.com

www.trueamateurtournaments.com

www.minieliminator.com

www.kingpinchallenge.com

www.hoinke.com

For bowling news visit: www.bowl.com

Visit www.pba.com for the latest PBA information.

http://www.pba.com

Back to Basics #2

2005-10-01T13:14:00.000-07:00

October 1, 2005

Bowling Time is meant for YOU!

Please send your thoughts to bwlcoach@yahoo.com

Bowling basics #2

In case you didn't know, there are many different parts of the game of bowling.

While reading an article from USBC I realized that a novice bowler (reading that article) may have thought that I omitted an important detail while discussing the starting stance in last month's back to basics.

You recall that I mentioned the Posture of the Bear or athletic poise or aggressive stance as the desirable starting position. However, there was no mention as to where a bowler should stand on the approach or what specific spot they should aim for.

I didn't overlook that point, I just believe where a bowler stands (or aims at) depends on too many other factors to try to pin a new bowler (especially) down to a specific spot on the approach for a starting position. Where to stand and where to aim will be discussed in a future Bowling Time.

IMPORTANT NOTE: HERE'S WHY

Unfortunately, in learning how to bowl too much emphasis is placed on RESULTS rather than TASK too early on in the process.

What do we hear from over zealous parents and coaches? "Good job, you knocked over a pin!" "You got a strike!" "etc, etc!!"

I was reminded that in Dick Ritger's school, the student rarely rolls a ball down the lanes in the first full day of the session. That initial time is spent practicing HOW to move, not necessarily where to move.

I also know that one of the complaints from my bowling students has been, "But the ball didn't hit any pins!"

I realize it's a hard concept to grasp, but ultimately, FORM is first, scoring (hitting the pins) will come later .... sometimes much later. I have had several students remark (sometimes a year or more after the lessons) that finally everything is coming together.

Repeating the TASK finally paid off in RESULTS.

Back to BASICS #2.

Pick a spot, any spot (we will refine that spot much later). The "spot" is just to be used as a reference point. Notice that I didn't say spot on the lanes, this can be done at home.

Now that you have assumed your starting position (the bear stance), you have the task of placing the ball at the "correct" height and putting your body (ball included) into motion. I will initially talk about the four-step approach.

(NOTE: Five-step bowlers who experiencing timing problems should consider returning to the four-step approach to get back into the groove.)

To begin with, the correct height of the ball for most bowlers is approximately waist high. Or, better yet, the ball should be positioned so the forearm is parallel to the floor. Practice (with ball in hand) in front of a mirror (side view) to get the feel of when your forearm is parallel to the floor. Know that feeling. Shut your eyes, move the ball around and return the ball (with arm attached) to what you think is the parallel position ... then open your eyes and see if the ball is, indeed, parallel to the floor.

Now let's get moving.

As I noted in September's session, over the past couple of months, I have reviewed hundreds of televised PBA games on ESPNCL. In my "back to basics" theme I try to see if the pros use the same techniques that the USBC Coaching (and other nationally known coaching experts) attempt to teach.

I observed that a majority of the pros started the ball/body/foot motion on the first step (right foot for right handers). About half of the bowlers pushed the ball parallel with the floor toward their target (spot/board to be discussed at a later date). About a fourth of the bowlers started with a higher ball position (with the forearm approximately 45 degrees to the floor). A little less than a fourth of the bowlers moved the ball in a slight (very slight) upward motion (ala John Jowdy's over the broomstick teaching). The remainder just sort of let the ball start down in conjunction with their forward motion (beginner bowlers, don't try this at home).

Let's not talk about that last group.

For the vast majority of bowlers, the critical point was: When that first step (with the right foot) made contact with the floor, the ball was traveling in a downward motion, slightly ahead of the foot at approximately waist level. I repeat, whether using the high position ball, the parallel moving ball or the loop over the broomstick ball, the ball was in nearly the same position at that first step.

Also, in addition to the ball, the bowler's body was moving ... ball .... arm ... foot ... head ... the entire unit/body was moving on its way to the target.

Again, you can practice much of this at home. Get into your stance. Then move the ball/arm toward a spot (any spot) as your body moves toward that same spot. When the foot makes contact with the floor, the ball should just be starting its downward motion.

Remember think of the body, ball, arm, head, etc as one unit. Don't let any part of this unit get left behind.

Once your body accepts the "entire body in motion" concept, bowling will begin to flow.

I know what many of you are thinking ... "All this about taking that first step??"

That's what bowling is all about ... the first step.

Next month I'll discuss the rest of the steps.

From the beginning

2005-09-01T00:08:00.000-07:00

September 1, 2005

Bowling Time is meant for YOU!

I need to hear your viewpoints on any aspect of bowling and, with your permission, pass them (your viewpoints) on to other readers.

Please send your thoughts to bwlcoach@yahoo.com

With that said, Bowling Time is once again evolving.

Until further notice, it will consist of two sessions as usual except that on the first of the month, there will be only the thought/bowling tip (or two) for the day and the 15th of each month there will be chiefly news-worthy news releases (plus any comments if applicable). Let me know what you think about the change.

THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY

First thought. I recently returned from bowling in the annual California State Bowling Association tournament in Sacramento. (By association rules I can legally bowl one more year)

The tournament should have been called the Handicap State Tournament (and don't bother bowling unless you have tons of pins). For without handicap bowlers had very little chance of making it near the top of the board.

For instance, one bowler rolled a scratch 805 series in the singles event and wound up in 15th place. Another 805 series (plus 98 pins of handicap) did produce a first place prize in the singles event.

In the team event, first place honors went to a team with 765 pins handicap after they shot a scratch 2892 set. (765 pins???) In 25th place was the highest "scratch" team who shot an enormous 3464 team series with only 7 pins handicap.

I don't have an answer, but I believe a change in the handicapping system should be considered.

For the scratch bowler, there was an associated Masters tournament but I doubt that that made up for the inequities of a state tournament that seems to reward the lower average teams and lower average bowlers. (What incentive does this give a bowler to maintain a 200 average?)

One other complaint before going on to a more positive note: The California Bowling Association (or whatever it is called post USBC) is still behind times as far as handling bowling equipment is concerned. This includes bowling balls and specifically bowling ball carriers/bags.

Tournament officials require ALL bags (and extra balls) to be stored in a paddock and only two balls per bowler are allowed in the bowling area. While the two ball rule doesn't bother me too much, the storing of the bags causes a great bottleneck .... bowlers are attempting to check in their equipment while bowlers finishing their squad are attempting to retrieve their equipment. Even the Nationals (with 60,000 bowlers) have eliminated the "no bags in the bowling area" rule. California needs to get out of the dark ages and allow bags to be near the bowlers. It was quite a sight to see the participants marching into the center trying to juggle two bowling balls plus their wrist supports, rosin bags, thumb-tape, shoe brushes, towels and other miscellaneous bowling equipment. They (tournament officials) should have at least allowed bowlers to place their ball on the ball return ahead of time.

Now on the positive side. As a non-smoker who now bowls in a state that allows smoking in bowling centers, I greatly appreciate the non-smoking venue of California bowling. I emphasis "GREATLY APPRECIATE." I am sure that the amount of time I spend in Oregon bowling centers will be influenced by the smoke factor.

On to the final thought for the day which will be the first of a somewhat organized series.

This series may be slanted toward the lower average bowler; however, many higher average bowlers have forgotten or never truly understood the basics that will be discussed in this series.

Most of this information can be obtained from the various bowling instruction books that are available.

As I sit in my office I'm looking out at the high-flying coastal fog that reminds me of many bowlers. It's there, going somewhere, but has no real direction. It's just wandering. Occasionally a glimmer of sunlight pokes through and then, just as quickly, the fog takes over and once again hides the sun.

Where do you want to go with your bowling? Does the real bowler come out every once-in-awhile just to be quickly obscured by the bowling fog?

To figure out where you want to go, you must first have a beginning.

Over the past several weeks, I have been previewing half a hundred bowling games by many of the top professionals bowlers. ( A side note: Many of the tournaments viewed were from obscure places such as Tulsa, OK, Portland, OR, Tacoma, WA, Dublin, CA, and Lakewood, CA ... none of these venues are to be found in the new PBA schedule.)

Back to the thought of the day.

The main feature that I was concentrating on was "the beginning."

The original "The Bowling Secrets of the Big-Money Pros" by Fred Borden contained the starting position ( plus many other aspects of coaching) that was later adopted by the USA Bowling and now USBC Bowling.

That position, known as the "Posture of the Bear" was later adopted by many athletic sports and renamed the Athletic Pose.

Simply, the pose is a body position that readies the Bear or bowler for action. Upon the preview of the above stated PBA tournaments, I found that very few bowlers (VERY FEW) had a starting posture other than the "Posture of the Bear."

That posture is akin to a sprinter (except in an upright position) poised for action ... ready to go. The knees are flexed (slightly bent), the upper body is slightly slanted making a profile view that resembles an elongated Z.

While in this ready stance there must be an equal amount of pressure (and balance) on the center of both feet. Too much pressure on the back of the foot or too much pressure on the front of the foot will result in the timing being either slightly too early or slightly too late.

Remember, the ball must be included in this balancing act. Which brings us to where and how should we be holding the ball. While viewing the 50 (plus or minus) games, I did find that, while there were varying ball heights, the ball was universally directly in front of the bowlers shoulder. Plus, a majority of the bowlers held the ball in an area between slightly higher than the waist to nearly shoulder height. The height of the ball in your stance should be determined by your mentor (hopefully a certified bowling coach).

With ball in hand I have my students assume an athletic position (ball in front of shoulder between waist and should high) ... then rock forward onto their toes to the point that they almost fall forward. That point is the point where there is obviously too much pressure on the front of the foot. Then, rock back to where the pressure is distributed between the balls of the feet and the heel with very slightly more pressure on the ball of the foot.

In that position, if you more the ball forward (without compensating with your posterior end) , your body should have the tendency to fall forward forcing you to take a step.

That's your starting position! Not imbalance, but ready to go!

It's been said that to finish a race, a runner must first start the race.

Remember: Body position (poised for action like a bear). Ball position (in front of shoulder, chest high). Balance (very, very slightly forward).

Now that you are in that position, wait until next month for the next step.

Have a great winter bowling season.

TIME FOR LEAGUES

2005-08-10T09:23:00.000-07:00

August 15, 2005

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

With the new league season upon us, it is that time of the year to think of another aspect of the game and focus on league rules.

I should just copy a past column for this one; however, maybe saying the same thing in a few different words may help get the point across.

I'm about to enter a new league in a new center in a new state. After talking to a local bowler, I find that bowlers in this league in this center in this state are just like many bowlers anywhere else. They do not like to attend league organizational meetings.

I will soon find out if the repercussions are the same .... the repercussions being bowlers questioning and complaining and getting downright mad about the rules.

For bowlers who know me, you know that I have a dislike for league meetings; however, if at all possible, you will find me attending them ... perhaps in the back of the room, but I do try to make my appearance. By attending the meetings, I attempt to know what the rules are and if there are any (rules) that might be controversial. I may not like the rules and if I dislike the rules that strongly, I have a couple of options ... I can go to another league that has rules more compatible to my likes or I can stay in the league and live with the rule.

Either way, I will try not to belittle the league or league officers for adopting questionable rules. If I see that the league is about to accept an off-beat rule, I will use my limited bowling experience in an attempt to sway the league in another direction. The other members (in attendance) of the league will have the final say.

Conversely, those who don't attend the meeting have absolutely NO say and NO reason to complain about league rules.

Make your life and the life of those who are elected (again, elected by the members in attendance) to enforce the league rules a little more pleasant ... be there ... put in your two-cents worth (of opinion) and then live with the outcome or find another league.

Have a great August and be sure to sign up for your winter leagues.

ONE MILLION!!

2005-07-31T18:22:00.000-07:00

August 1, 2005

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY and TOURNAMENT NEWS.

The bowling gods must have talked to someone in the poker industry. Let's face it. Poker really isn't much of a spectator sport. Walk into any normal poker room around the world and it just isn't that exciting. There's a bunch of men and women sitting around tables folding and folding and waiting for their cards to hit. Very dull for the spectator .... UNLESS.

Unless there is one table where the players are competing for a cool One Million dollars first place pot. Then things get heated up a bit.

Likewise, walk into any bowling center and it really isn't that exciting. UNLESS.

Unless, what if the bowlers were competing for $1,000,000?

Well, there's no more "What if?"

USBC in conjunction with NBC Sports and a fist full of other sponsors are putting some excitement into a scratch bowling tournament that is open to all bowlers.

They have organized a tournament where the winner will walk away with a million bucks. Second place has to settle for one less zero while even 5th places goes home with 60 grand! The runner ups in each division still get $7,500!

Sound interesting? If so, break out your checkbook and send in your $695 entry fee for the Kingpin Million Dollar Challenge being held at the newly renovated National Bowling Stadium in Reno

So, your next thought might be that only the hotshot youngsters will make it to the finals?

Not so! There will be a total of seven finalist. One from each of the six divisions and one wild card. (The divisions are: 30 & under, 31 to 44, 45 to 59, 60 & over, women, and open [allows certain PBA members to compete])

Bowlers will shoot a qualifying round of three games against other bowlers within their division. One out of ten in each division will advance to the roll-off rounds.

Each of the six match-play roll-off rounds consist of two games.

Then, the final two (in each division) roll-off to see who will go to the final $1,000,000 round. The runner ups of these division roll-offs enter into a one game shootout vying for the Wildcard position.

How will bowlers react to this news?

One of the package deals (room, entry, re-entry etc) has already sold out. The tournament is limited to 2,550 bowlers. (A set amount of entries in each division)

For more information concerning the Kingpin Million Dollar Challenge, call 866-300-2292 or visit www.kingpinchallenge.com.

Now for the Thought of the Day:

Three years ago USBC Coach John O'Dell made a list of the Top 10 Average Killers. The list isn't rocket science. It includes items we all should know, but seldom do we actually work at them (work as in practice).

I am not going to elaborate on all ten average killers. But will mention some that seem to be neglected more than others (note that I didn't say "are more important than others").

1. The ten pin shot. How often have you seen a bowler "practicing" and shooting nothing but the strike line? I would guess that 95 % of the bowlers who practice do not practice the ten pin exclusively. Of those 95 % I would guess that 95 % will say that the ten pin gives them more trouble than any other pin in the rack. Need I say more?

Find the line and find the ball that WILL knock down the ten pin. If you can't straighten your normal ball enough to make the corner, get a plastic ball. Remember, a plastic ball will still curve if you keep the revs up.

My advice is to learn to roll your reactive resin ball straight, but still use a plastic for the ten pin.

How do you make the aggressive go straight? Practice rolling it "end over end" with out a sideward rotation.

Oh, yes! Did I mention practice?

2. I don't seem to be able to get out of the ball. (This actually involves two of O'Dell's Killers)

There are at least two reasons why you can't "get out of the ball." Bad timing and bad fit of the ball.

Bad timing will put the ball in a awkward position at the time of release causing you to grab the ball. Grabbing or controlling the release will cause an inconsistent release and could also cause your thumb to either stick or slide out of the ball too early. Either situation is bad.

Likewise, a ball that doesn't fit properly will cause you to grab the ball (sound familiar?) Or drop the ball.

First, how does a bowler work on timing? Consult a qualified coach and do so with an open mind. I've had bowlers say that they wanted to improve their game, but when a slight change had to be made to their timing they balked stating that they've always done that .... find something else I can work on.

Ball fit falls into the same category. "Only Jack drills my equipment!" "This is the same drilling that I've used for years."

I'm not saying "go to another driller" I'm just saying that as we age our bodies change. When we purchase new equipment we might think about re-evaluating our ball fit. If you're a serious bowler, there's nothing wrong with getting a second opinion. Has your pro-shop operator keep up with new drilling techniques?

3. Why in the world is my ball not hitting the pocket consistently?

Must be the lane conditioner!

A huge percentage of the time you hear a bowler make statements such as these you can also bet that the bowler really hasn't watched the path of their ball as it rolls toward the rack.

I will not elaborate on this subject! I have student keep a simple frame by frame log.

Did my ball roll over the intended target? Yes. No.

Did the ball (on the first ball) hit the pocket? Yes. No.

Try it, you might like it.

Items One and Three require practice, and more practice, and more ......

The second item requires an open mind.

Have a great month of bowling and be sure to sign up for your winter leagues.

Slower could be better

2005-07-14T22:32:00.000-07:00

July 15, 2005

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

I’ve said it before ...

At least to others.

More is not always better.

When bowlers run into a tough, very dry condition, their first impulse is to throw the ball harder to overpower the dry lanes.

The fallacy with that concept is that when most bowlers throw harder, they usually impart more revolutions on the ball which, in turn, makes the ball hook more which, in turn, defeats the purpose of throwing harder.

The more hook combined with the faster speed will often make the ball behave in an erratic manner. An erratic projectile (bowling ball) usually means more missed targets and more missed spares resulting in low scores.

So, what do I do when I get on difficult dry lanes?

You guessed it, I throw harder.

The results?

Erratic ball motion, missed targets, missed spares, and low scores.

So what is the solution to my dilemma?

Number one is to fight the urge to increase the speed of the ball. And, number two is to take the revolution off the ball.

Getting back to a normal speed was easy. It was also a case of self preservation. Throwing the ball hard was ruining my body. However, to help keep the speed down, I changed from my normal five-step delivery down to a four step approach, lowered the ball’s starting position, and moved three feet closer to the foul-line for my beginning stance.

Cutting down on the revolutions was also easy once I decided to take off my wrist support.

The wrist device was designed not only to help support my wrist, it was also intended to increase revolutions and therefore increase the hook potential .... the two things I did not need on dry lanes.

So, off went the support and on came a change of hand position to put more of an end over end roll on the ball rather than my normal 45 degree axis angle. To accomplish the roll, I spread my index and pinky fingers and moved away from a cupped hand position ... more of a relaxed break of the wrist.

The resulting scores were higher, but more importantly, the body thanked me at the end of the evening.

Will this work for everyone?

Not necessarily. But if dry lanes are giving you fits, it’s worth a try.

Bowling Credibility as a Sport

2005-06-30T22:15:00.000-07:00

July 1, 2005

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

Many of the top bowling writers across the country are discussing this current (perhaps not so current) topic: Credibility of Bowling!

I'm not going to try to out-write what the USBC has stated in a recent news release. The problem with the credibility gap is simple: You can easily average a 220 in one house, in one part of the USA and go to another center and have problems bowling one 220 game in an evening if you can break 200 at all.

It is a fact that lane conditioning can control bowling scores. I had always thought that was true, but I now know firsthand that it is a fact!

My recent move to Oregon and bowling in a "tough" eight-lane center confirmed the fact that lanes conditioning can make the bowler's scores.

FACT: In my prior center, I could average 210 to 220 with minimal effort (not that I didn't work at it, but the lanes were forgiving). At the eight-lane Delake Bowl in Lincoln City, I am struggling to maintain that same 210 average. The kicker however, is the league is a no-tap league. Need I say more?

The following is the news release from USBC concerning the topic of credibility. My comments will follow.

GREENDALE, Wis. - The United States Bowling Congress is concerned with the degree of influence technology is having over player skill as the primary factor for success in bowling today at all levels.

As the national governing body, the USBC has begun a thorough review of the entire "System of Bowling," which includes the lanes, lane conditions, bowling balls and pins. Through improved set standards following ongoing research by the USBC Equipment Specifications Team, the USBC will ensure the future of bowling does not suffer from a lack of sporting credibility. The greatest evidence of this concern is the disproportionate rise in scoring over the past 20 years in certified league play. Similar damage has been inflicted to the credibility levels of specific aspects of the game that made it an endearing lifetime sport, such as bowler-produced power and accuracy. "Bowling is suffering from a lack of credibility in the scoring environment," says Jeff Henry, USBC Director of Sport. "Advancements in technology together with the artificial assist allowed by current lane dressing specifications have led to an environment which minimizes the influences of player ability and skill development." Bowling is unique in that it has approximately three million certified league bowlers competing at differing skill levels, with a maximum score for a game at 300. While not all certified bowlers possess the abilities to take advantage of today's technological advances, perceptions of the sport are driven by them. Among the goals of the USBC's efforts to reset the parameters of the game will be to: - Grow the sport through the respect that a credible playing field provides. - Enhance the 'risk vs. reward' element to bowling. - Better define the stars of the game. - Develop a renewed level of pride in accomplishment. - Improve the perception of bowling as a sport. - Place a higher value on coaching and practice for success. - Be sure technology does not progress to overwhelm player skill as the key ingredient for success. Statistical data illustrating the recent scoring boom, along with a detailed explanation of the USBC's philosophy towards addressing these issues can be found on www.bowl.com. The Web site also features testimonials from Hall-of-Fame bowlers Marshall Holman and Mike Aulby and current Team USA member Diandra Asbaty on the need to bring credibility back to the game today. Two changes to bowling ball specifications are already in effect. One involves the coefficient of restitution, the other the radius of gyration differential, which affects the dynamics of a bowling ball ......... Detailed explanations of the current proposed equipment specifications modifications can also be found at www.bowl.com.

So, what do you think about that?

As I have graphically found out, the ball is not the only culprit that causes inflated high scores. I believe that the changes that USBC is attempting to make on equipment is useless unless they (USBC) can also cause a change in lane conditions.

And, that will be tough.

Why?

Simple. Now that bowlers have the taste of that "walled" 300 game, they don't like the fact that their scores may go down.

How many times have you heard a bowler comment: " I won't ever go back to that center, I couldn't break 180!"

Right, we (as bowlers) want that high score and probably won't bowl if we can't achieve that high score. Therefore centers, not wanting to lose their bowlers, are going to want to maintain the walled, high scoring conditions.

The center's unwillingness to change the oil conditions is really a dis-service to the serious bowler. By doctoring the lanes, centers have duped their bowlers into thinking that they (the bowlers) are better than they really are. That's the main reason so many great "house bowlers" fail to be competitive at many of the major tournaments (amateur or pro).

I ‘ve said it before and here we go again: USBC's attempt to change equipment specs is NOT enough. BPAA must cooperate with USBC to create a true competitive environment for the serious bowler. If not on all league conditions, at least for the scratch leagues.

I have absolutely no idea what I will average at my new bowling home in a regular league. In all likelihood it may not come close to the 200 mark. This will be my challenge.

Relax, Be Happy

2005-06-11T09:08:00.000-07:00

June 15, 2005

John's Bowling Time is a personal web page dedicated to all bowlers. This site was born on November 14, 2004.

This site is for you. Your input is very important. Please email questions or suggestions to: bwlcoach@yahoo.com or add comments at the end of each posted Blog. ENJOY!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

This is old news!! Or more precisely, old news mixed with a new thought or two.

Part One: While unpacking, after our recent move to Oregon, I unearthed the Vol 5 No 20 winter 2005 issue of Frames and Lanes or at least the last page of the publication that I had carefully torn out for my future reference.

Part Two: Recall my article several sessions ago when I discussed John's Philosophy Number One. (JPNO)

Part Three: (here comes the newer info) While performing our latest physical endeavor, Tai Chi, the video instructor made the statement, "In Tai Chi, the body moves as one complete unit."

That one sentence summed up all that I've attempted to teach in bowling over the past several years. That one statement IS John's Philosophy Number One!

In Tai Chi, one of the hardest movements to accomplish is the most natural and the most necessary. That one thing is BREATHING.

Back to Part One and the Frames and Lanes article which focuses on breathing and relaxation. While on the subject of focus, breathing and relation skills are also discussed by Dr Dean Hinitz on pages 60 to 63 of his book, Focused for Bowling ( a must have, must read, must do for any serious bowler).

Again, back to F & L. "To be truly effective, practice breathing and relaxation techniques at least several times a week. Try not to concentrate too hard or you'll "overthink" and actually generate the anxiety you're trying to relieve. Let it happen naturally. Relaxation techniques take practice to be fully mastered.

1. Although it may be difficult at a bowling center, try to remove as many outside distractions as possible. Breathing and relaxation techniques best work in a quiet, relaxed atmosphere. The use of soothing classical music will reduce the distraction of outside noises.

2. Lie on your back, placing your hands by your sides. The legs should be straight, not crossed. As soon as you are comfortable, close your eyes.

3. Breathe deeply and slowly, using the diaphragm. (Note: Diaphragmic or belly breathing is covered in Dr Hinitz book) Breathe so your stomach rises and falls, not your chest. Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth.

4. Mentally visualize one of your feet. When you can "see with your mind," concentrate on relaxing all of the muscles in the foot.

5. Next, start with the other foot and relax it in the same way; then one leg, then the other leg. Continue slowly up the body until you are totally relaxed and in an even deeper mental state.

6. When finished, concentrate once more on your breathing. Without getting up, stretch your arms and legs slowly. Then open your eyes.

The use of breathing as a relaxation technique also can be used during a game. The next time you feel stress or anxiety, stop, take a few deep breaths and let your mind clear. You will automatically feel more relaxed."

My thoughts are, "That's easy for them (Frames & Lanes) to say." (Actually, the article gave credit to the Bowler's Guide available through www.bowl.com.)

To make the Frames & Lanes (Bowler's Guide) system work, we need to put all three of the above items together, mixed with a fourth ingredient.

Part One and Part Two are literally the same. When we move (per JPNO) we move the entire body as one complete unit.

To get our body to flow in the delivery stage, we have to be relaxed (a controlled relaxation) and we must be breathing in harmony with our movements.

Sounds good?

We have all these thoughts of how to breathe and how to move floating through our heads .... now for Part Four, the fourth ingredient: a Zen proverb states, "Not till you abandon all thoughts of seeking something will you be on the right road to the gate."

(Great, first we say to think about all these items, now we have to not think about them.)

The breathing, moving, and flowing-as-one need to be practiced until they require no thought. In Tai Chi, the seemingly simple movements need to be in harmony with your breathing and your breathing in harmony with the movements. At first, trying to think of your breathing in conjunction with your movements causes a clumsy and choppy response. The motions are not smooth ... the breathing appears forced and un-natural ... there is stress in trying too hard ... trying to think of every detailed movement. After much practice, the movements and breathing become natural and the body begins to flow from one position to the next without thought.

That is what your goal for the bowling delivery should be ... one fluid motion from starting stance through the four (or five) steps to the final slide and delivery of the ball.

Wow! I didn't feel a thing.

Yes, trying to relax and coordinate breathing with the delivery will take active brain participation to begin with ... it will be clumsy and strained ... you will cuss (hopefully not out load). Then, after time you will flow effortlessly to the foul-line and say, "Wow, I didn't feel a thing."

Really! How does this really happen?

My friend, Jerry Calvin, recently received a high powered, concentrated lesson from a great nationally known bowling guru. His advice to Jerry? Change your steps, change your swing, change your wrist position, change your ........! At first, all those changes were overwhelming. Then he decided to work on one change at a time until that one change became habit. Then the next change, then the next.

It takes a dedicated mind to be able to segregate the various thoughts and isolate just the one you need to work on, but that is what needs to be done.

Back to the breathing and moving and relaxing. There are three different parts to this session. Practice each part until it is habit. When all three parts become habit, you will almost automatically achieve Part Four: "Not till you abandon all thoughts of seeking something will be on the right road to the gate."

Have a great two weeks and enjoy. JM

Journey to the ABC Championships

2005-06-01T01:22:00.000-07:00

June 1, 2005

John's Bowling Time is a personal web page dedicated to all bowlers. This site was born on November 14, 2004.

This site is for you. Your input is very important. Please email questions or suggestions to: bwlcoach@yahoo.com or add comments at the end of each posted Blog. ENJOY!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

Many people ask about bowling tournaments. There are many, however, I will talk about one that every USBC card holder should definitely put on the top of their list.

That tournament is the ABC Championships. (Probably soon to be called the USBC Championships???)

The experience of this tournament goes beyond bowling. My latest experience with the Nationals began May 18 when Lennis and I left Portland, Oregon bound for Baton Rouge via (airplane) Oakland; Ontario, CA; Denver; Memphis; and New Orleans before a rented car completed the final leg of the trip.

The night before our team event, we treated ourselves to Parrain's, a Louisiana seafood restaurant recommended by a local resident. We weren't disappointed. The next day there was bowling ... made some cash in brackets. After the team event it was off to sample a local rib joint, an LSU hangout by the looks of the decor. Again, we didn't go home hungry.

Next day it was doubles and singles .. Bowling was so-so, broke even in the brackets. Then off to see the alligators and cruise the bayous at Alligator Bayou. The guide put on a better show than the Jungle ride at Disneyland and much more educational. And, real alligators ... some really big alligators. Plus, a spectacular, long lasting sunset. Thanks to Sue and Don Sostack for recommending an adventure that we will not soon forget.

After enjoying Louisiana nature, it was back to Louisiana food. During the bayou ride a local Baton Rougian mentioned another restaurant. Who were we to pass up another Cajun style meal. After the feast, we detoured to Boutin's to indulge ourselves in sweet potato pecan pie ... different, but good ... and listen to the very lively Louisiana style music.

Sunday was our day to visit the LSU Rural Life exhibit, a reconstructed 1800 era rural community. Many of the buildings were actual 1800 vintage relocated to be preserved for posterity.

Then, to New Orleans. The quickest way would have been to take I-10. But no, instead we zig-zagged down Louisiana roads 30, 74, 75, 3115, 22, 70, 44, 3127, 18, and 61 (I think there were more, but I want to keep this short.) That route took us by Oak Alley Plantation, a refurbished antebellum estate with it's namesake alley of twenty-eight gigantic oaks which were planted in the early 1700's ... impressive.

What's Louisiana without crayfish? Ed Perry, a co-bowler in Victorville, California, suggested that we not miss going to Jaegers on the Lake (Lake Pontchartrain). Crayfish were in season and the sixties style live band was drawing boatloads (literally) of customers to the docks to enjoy both the heaping mounds of freshly boiled crayfish and the lively music. The dock was rockin'. (Thanks Ed)

Our final day in New Orleans consisted of a tour of the French Quarter walking down Bourbon Street and through th French Market before taking the ferry across the Mississippi River to Gretna (an old German settlement) and finally back to the motel.

Word of caution: The area in and around New Orleans seems to have their own method of placing traffic signs. Let's just say that I was ready to leave New Orleans the next morning.

But, our trip wasn't over. From New Orleans we flew to Memphis, then to Tampa to visit Lennis's Mother for a couple of days. Then to Memphis, Denver, Ontario, San Jose, and finally Portland.

The moral of the story is: Bowling is great, but when you go a tournament such as the Nationals, be sure to take the time to soak in as much of the surroundings as you can. Take advantage of local customs ... try something new that you might not ever get the chance to experience later.

Have fun this summer, winter leagues are just around the corner.

DARE TO BE DIFFERENT

2005-05-14T22:47:00.000-07:00

May 15, 2005

John's Bowling Time is a personal web page dedicated to all bowlers. This site was born on November 14, 2004.

This site is for you. Your input is very important. Please email questions or suggestions to: bwlcoach@yahoo.com or add comments at the end of each posted Blog. ENJOY!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

Roger Anderson of Aurora, Colorado moved into second place in the Classified All-Events at the 102nd ABC Championships Tournament in Baton Rouge.

I realize that 99.9 percent of you reading this statement about Anderson really could care less who is in second place in the Classified or Regular Division as a matter of fact (unless it was you or someone you know).

Several articles ago I wrote "If it is broke, fix it!" In talking about what is broke (I know broke is bad English) I specifically stated that just because you throw a "backup ball" that might not constitute "broke." Well, Anderson reinforces that thought ... he rolls a backup ball.

If you are not a conventional bowler, be sure you do it well. Remember, bowling is a game of repeating the same motion over and over. Let me rephrase that. Bowling is a game of repeating the PRECISE motion over and over.

Next week I'm off to Baton Rouge for the Nationals. Hopefully I'll acquire some useful information and share that info with you.

Have a great two weeks. JM

Tip for the day (4-19-05)

2005-04-19T10:27:00.000-07:00

In Larry Phillips book The Tao of Poker, Phillips quoted John Paul Newport (from an article in Men's Journal) :
"Industrial psychologists call it the Hawthorne Effect. When the lights are turned brighter than normal on a factory floor, worker's productivity increases. When the lights are turned lower than normal, worker's productivity ... also increases. In time, the effect wears off, but in the short run, breaking a familiar routine enhances performance."

How does this pertain to bowling?
If you ever have one of those nights when your game just doesn't seem to be right, make a change!
Change your ball. (Even though you know it's not the ball.)
Change where you are standing. (Not just a little!)
Change your target. (Again, not just a little.)
Any change at this point is better that grinding out a mediocre performance.
Enjoy. JM

John's Philosophy Number One

2005-03-31T23:42:00.000-08:00

April 1, 2005

John's Bowling Time is a personal web page dedicated to all bowlers. This site was born on November 14, 2004.

This site is for you. Your input is very important. Please email questions or suggestions to: bwlcoach@yahoo.com or add comments at the end of each posted Blog. ENJOY!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: John's philosophy number one!

This is a simple thought that pertains to 90 percent of all bowlers with averages from 50 to 250. (The only reason it doesn't cover 100 percent is that in bowling, there are always "exceptions").

On to my all-encompassing rule or philosophy.

In bowling, the goal of every bowler performing the four step delivery should be to get everything moving toward the target at the same time, as smoothly and naturally as possible. (EVERYTHING meaning the ball, the body, the hand, the arm, the legs, the feet, the head).

Too simple?

Consider this. If you move your hand/ball after you move your feet, you have a high probability that you will be late with your timing and have to "pull" the ball at delivery resulting in "crossing over," missing your target, and receiving a low pin count.

If, on your first step, you push the ball to the right, you raise the probability of the ball wrapping around your back resulting in a shotgun effect delivery (the ball could go anywhere). You did not follow John's philosophy number one (JPNO)!

If, on that first step, you push te ball toward the ceiling .... you guessed it. You will be out of time at the finish and consequently have a 50/50 change of hitting your target. ( You did not follow JPNO! Note: Pushing to the ceiling does not mean using the "over the broom handle push-a-way" as some coaches suggest.)

Also, pushing the ball to the floor results in breaking JPNO and also raises the chance of the bowler being out of time at release.

And that's only on the first step. Follow JPNO through the first few steps: As you are walking toward your target, your head bobs up and down ... the head is breaking JPNO ... it is going up (or down) instead of toward the target. Bobbing up and down is not considered smooth nor is it natural (for most of us).

What about the giant (or miniature) steps that you see bowlers taking? They are not natural and usually are not smooth. Those awkward steps cause the different parts of your body to travel to the foul line at different rates of speed. (Ever heard someone say, "He's got fast feet"?) Fast feet is the result of bowlers breaking JPNO.

The cap off this discussion, our attention goes to the finish. You have the bend-forward-at-the-waist bowlers and you have the reach-for-the-sky, tippy-toe bowlers. Each break JPNO and also each bowler loses energy to the bowling ball. Both bowlers will argue that they are really working and this work has to produce energy. They are correct, energy is being used, but it is being used by the body and only a portion of that energy is transferred to the bowling ball. Performing gymnastic moves at the foul line does not usually equate to a hit target.

Why bother with JPNO?

By following John's Philosophy Number One a bowlers can raise the probability that they will hit their target more often. That's consistency.

Coaches can prescribe a number of different spare making systems and they can discuss the virtues of a better entry angle for more strikes. They can also talk about hand positions and ball drillings. BUT, if the ball, body, feet, arms, legs, head aren't all going in the right direction at the right time, very little is going to help knock over pins.

Bowlers who have had the good fortune to have a CATS analysis will find that the conductor of the CATS session will look at several items: Did you move to the target? Did the ball move to the target? Did your arm move to and through the target? Did your head stay on line to the target?

If any of the answers was "no," you broke JPNO!

IF IT IS BROKE ....

2005-03-15T09:20:00.000-08:00

March 15, 2005

John's Bowling Time is a personal web page dedicated to all bowlers. This site was born on November 14, 2004.

This site is for you. Your input is very important. Please email questions or suggestions to: bwlcoach@yahoo.com or add comments at the end of each posted Blog. ENJOY!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: If it is "broke", fix it!

I won't count the times that bowlers (when inquiring about lessons) have commented, "I want to get better, but I don't want to change anything."

That's akin to wanting your car to go faster and refusing to change the camshaft, add a better exhaust system, raise the compression and modify the suspension. At times, it may take changing all the mentioned items on your car to obtain the desired results.

I've also heard the comment (when suggesting a change to a bowler), "I've been told that before, give some other advice."

In the last Bowling Time, I stressed "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" as it pertained to leagues. Usually when a bowler asks for a coaching session, something is "broke." Maybe not really broke, but at least in need of a tweak. That boost may be a change of hand position, reshaping the swing, or a minor change in the footwork. But, however small the change is, it's still a change.

I've also heard bowlers say, "I don't really want to have a higher average, I just want to be more consistent!" As a coach, I get really confused when I hear that statement. An improvement in consistency WILL invariably lead to an improvement in scoring.

Consistency or higher scores? Either way, some (here comes that six letter word) C-H-A-N-G-E will be necessary.

I recently reflected to a friend that my biggest failures in coaching were with bowlers who wished to change from a "backup" ball to a regular curve ball. While they were warned of difficult times ahead, most could not or would not make the 100 % effort that it takes to make that drastic change. These were examples of bowlers who weren't necessarily "broke" in the first place. Their desire to make a change usually stemmed from someone on their team prodding them to learn the "correct" way to bowl. They expended much effort and much more frustration attempting to make a radical change. That change is akin to teaching a right handed bowler to learn to bowl with their left hand because "the lefties have it easy" on the other side of the lane.

So, what constitutes "broke?"

Indicators include: being off balance at the release; constantly missing your target; dropping the ball in front of the foul line; improper roll (rotation) of the ball. The are more indicators, but these are some of the more common faults.

(A word of wisdom. Hitting the pocket and not getting a strike does not always mean that your bowling is broke.) But that's another story.

If you have noticed that you have one or more of the above indicators, your game is "broke" and it does need to be fixed.

BALL RAMBLINGS: It may still be winter in most northern areas of the country, but it's beginning to warm up in southern states. When summer finally arrives, remember that heat kills bowling balls! Most (not all) knowledgeable technicians agree that heating bowling balls to rid them of excess oils will lead to premature ball life. With that thought in mind, leaving your bowling equipment in the trunk of your car during warmer months has the same effect ... a broke bowling ball. Protect your investment. Keep your bowling equipment out of the heat.

If It Ain't Broke!

2005-02-28T06:01:00.000-08:00

March 1, 2005

John's Bowling Time is a personal web page dedicated to all bowlers. This site was born on November 14, 2004.

This is your site, your input is very important. Please email questions or suggestions to: bwlcoach@yahoo.com or add yours at the end of each posted Blog. ENJOY!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: If it ain't broke, don't fix it! This thought can be applied in many aspects of bowling. I won't go into the pro's and con's of using this saying as it applies to bowling techniques; however, I will address the issue of leagues and formation of/or changes to leagues.

First, why talk about league rules near the end of the bowling season? Because it is this time of the year when league rules will be challenged. (Many leagues discuss changes for the following season during the end of the current season.)

We've all heard the statements such as: "I want to see all high average bowlers banned from handicap leagues." "No subs!" "Subs only if they are within 20 pins of the person they are subbing for." "We need an entering average cap for our handicap league." "We need to raise our cap for our scratch league."

Let me explain my opening statement: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Your first impression might be that I am opposed to change. But for those who know me, I have brought some controversial ideas to league meetings. My reasons for introducing new ideas into leagues are simple. If there are league rumblings from more than just a few individuals, it's time to look for a change. If the league is diminishing in size, it's time for a change. If the league is lacking competition, it's time for a change.

Before suggesting a major league change, consider the following: Is the league healthy and what are your reasons for wanting a change?

Case: There's a local scratch league that has a rather low entering average. Let me rephrase that. It has a rather low entering average if you think of it as a "masters" scratch league. However, it isn't a "masters" scratch league. The history of the league shows that it has always been a breeding ground for improving bowlers. The league has remained healthy over the recent past years.

The biggest complaint comes from bowlers who either want to keep the same team year after year or from bowlers who load up their teams and have to look for a 120 average bowler to fill the gap.

As stated above, this particular league is a breeding ground for improving bowlers. This year, nine of the nineteen teams are currently over their entering average .... the bowlers thrive on this competition .... they are improving!!

Two teams are 39 pins and 37 pins over the entering average cap. (Their bowlers have IMPROVED over their entering average.) Those two teams are in first and second position in the league standings. The core team members look for upcoming lower average bowlers to complement their team. They might not be happy with the thought of find new bowlers for next season, but they live with it and are continually watching for that low average bowler who shows potential.

Most lower average bowlers who participate in this league love the idea of "no handicap to overcome." And, a majority of the lower average bowlers (in this league) improve their bowling abilities while in the league.

What the local bowling center lacks is a "majors" outlet exclusively for higher average bowlers. The high average bowlers who dislikes the lower cap league should be willing to organize a new league rather than convert an existing, healthy league to fit their needs.

Reminds me of when I bowled in a little town in Ohio. As a beginner bowler, I was shocked to find that the bowling center had NO handicap leagues. The town was so small, all bowling teams were comprised of four bowlers. The leagues were scratch and formed by caps. There were (can't remember the exact numbers) 700 caps, 650 caps, 600 caps, etc. (You must realize, this was several years ago when a 180 average was really good and a 190 average was rare.) The bowlers were accustomed to the fact that they might have to find new members to fill the gap left by bowlers who improved. Or they would take their team to the league at the next level.

For a wrap, don't try to mold an existing, healthy league around your wants. Create a new league that conforms to the charter members' needs.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it .... try building a new model.

Most of all have fun and enjoy! JM

Dick Weber by Jim Goodwin

2005-02-17T09:38:00.000-08:00

The King Is Gone, But What A Life

By Jim Goodwin

February 15, 2005

In the television entertainment industry, it was Johnny Carson. Golf has Arnold Palmer; and for bowling, Dick Weber was THE KING. Like Carson and Palmer, Weber was the guy everybody loves, and for good reason. No one ever has, or probably ever will, do so much for an entire game and industry than Weber did for bowling. He was our hero, our ultimate role model, and we all loved him.

He also had something else in common with Carson and Palmer. He was a little shy and humble, and enjoyed his private life. He didn?t revel in his celebrity, but he understood the power of what his persona could do, and he didn?t hesitate to do anything and everything he could for the game he loved, and he did it well until the very last day of his glorious life.

When Carson died only a month ago, there were thousands of stories in newspapers and magazines, and television aired dozens of tributes. When Palmer?s day comes, I?m sure the outpouring will be enormous. They were and are icons of American culture. Weber is equally famous, but today, only in his own industry.

When we got THE CALL Monday morning, February 14, I turned on ESPN, and heard nothing about Weber?s passing. I bought a newspaper ? nothing. We got home from traveling late on the 14^th. Our local paper had a story they picked up from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in the February 15 Sports.

By now, maybe ESPN has aired something, and maybe there will be more coming, but the point is, Dick Weber was not an icon of American culture like Carson and Palmer because bowling has lost its station in the mainstream media, and that bothered Dick Weber. I know it did, because he told me on more than one occasion. His mission was to restore bowling?s place in sports status.

Dick Weber came from an era when bowling was mainstream. In the 1950?s and 60?s when he was a star on the famous Budweisers Team, and in the fledgling PBA, he was an American icon. Everybody knew his name, and face.

The first time I remember seeing him was at the 1964 All Star Tournament in Dallas. I was 14. To promote the event, and the new airplane, he bowled a match against Sylvia Wene in flight aboard an American Airlines 707 en route from New York to Dallas. Wene won, and Weber always said it was because ?the pilot tilted the plane,? when he was bowling.

Weber didn?t like what was happening to bowling, that it was fading in status, but he didn?t give up on it. Just the opposite. He bowled exhibitions around the world, he bowled in and endorsed tournaments, he bowled at fishbowls and wine glasses and other objects on the streets of New York on The Late Show. He won pro tournaments in six decades. He did far more than his share to put bowling in the spotlight.

And he was loyal. To the game, to the industry, to his family, to AMF and PBA for a half century. Even in times of trouble, he steadfastly supported even those who may not have deserved his support. He stubbornly maintained hope and an optimistic outlook. Doom and gloom didn?t exist for Weber, and he occasionally admonished naysayers, but he always did it with class and dignity.

Most people didn?t know that Dick Weber was a member of the Bowling Writers Association of America. He didn?t write, but he did a lot of television work during this career, and he attended every BWAA Convention for as long as I can remember. He loved and respected the men and women who publicize bowling, and we loved and respected him. He was one of us, and his passing will have a profound affect on next month?s BWAA meetings in Baton Rouge.

Weber didn?t simply make an appearance at BWAA meetings. He stayed the entire week, attended the meetings and parties, participated in the discussions, and rolled in the annual media bowling tournament. I?ll miss our annual dollar bet. I?m sure many others will also. He had so many dollar bets, he couldn?t keep up with them. A couple of years ago, on one of the rare occasions when I won, I forgot to make the bet, and after I beat him, I tried to collect anyway, knowing he wouldn?t remember. He would have paid me if I?d let him, but I couldn?t do it. We both had a good laugh.

I was also privileged to have a ringside seat to watch Dick bowl the doubles event with Joe Norris at the ABC National Championship tournament a few years ago. It was the equal of golfers watching Palmer and Nicklaus together. Perhaps the saddest part of losing Weber so suddenly is that we all thought he would have Norris? longevity. He was so vibrant and full of life. He often said he wanted to retire when he was ?97 or 98, but I haven?t decided yet.?

On the wall in my office there is a picture of only one bowler ? Dick Weber. It is the pencil portrait our friend and artist Stan Clark did in 1995 for the AMF Dick Weber Classic tournament produced by Gary Beck. It is autographed ?To Jim ? best of luck, Dick Weber?. Thousands of people around the world have that famous ?best of luck, Dick Weber? autograph. No bowler, probably no athlete in any sport, has signed more in his career.

I?ll always cherish mine, and my memory of the greatest man in the history of bowling.

Goodbye to Dick Weber

2005-02-15T01:06:00.000-08:00

Sunday, February 13, 2005. The unexpected death of Hall of Fame member Dick Weber was a shock to the bowling community. He will be missed by all who knew him and all who were influenced by him.

Please visit www.bowl.com to reminisce the events that made the legend of Dick Weber.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

Push the ball straight out from your body! Don't push, hinge-drop the ball from the shoulder! No, don't listen to them, push the ball up over the broom handle!

What's a bowler to do? Which coach is correct?

What am I talking about?

Of course, I'm talking about the famous or infamous push-a-way (not supposed to say that phrase any more) on the first step of the four step delivery. And, I'm going to tell you which starting motion is the correct starting motion.(For you bowlers with a five step delivery, this motion will take place on your second step.)

You might have already guessed that my correct answer is that each of the three methods of getting the ball into motion on that first step can be the correct method for any given bowler.

Remember, the purpose of the push-a-way is to establish the bowling ball's momentum.

My thought is: The question shouldn't be which method is correct, it should be which method is correct for you.

As a point of reference, there is a well respected coach who will determine what is right for you by measuring your body parts.

The thought of mechanical evaluation to determine your bowling style is not without many merits; however, my thought (totally without any scientific basis) is that many coaches seem to overlook that there are other factors besides physical makeup. Those factors include the bowler's personality and the natural gait or rhythm of the bowler.

What every coach should look for is a method to get the bowler's bowling ball into motion in a manner that suits the bowler's build, natural motion, AND personality. To clarify (as much as I can), there are fast paced tall bowlers who want things done now, and there are mellow, slow paced shorter bowlers. There are big (around) medium paced bowlers. Then there are the mild mannered, slow paced tall bowlers and ... you get the point, the combinations are almost endless.

It would be a discredit to try to get all tall bowlers to roll the ball in the same manner. Their personalities are different. Their natural gait is different.

Push? Hinge? Loop? An open minded bowler should be ready to try all three methods of putting the ball into motion. (Closed minded bowlers probably will frustrate both themselves and their coach.)

Here's where the words of caution comes in. When attempting method one ( push straight toward your target), the bowler should be careful not to extend (snap) the arm into a straight position on that push. Snapping the arm straight could result in a serious "tennis elbow" injury.

The second "push-a-way"(the hinge) is executed by hold the ball at shoulder level and, with the elbow remaining roughly at the bowler's side, allowing the ball to "fall" toward your target as you take that first step. With this push, there is a tendency for bowlers to literally drop the ball instead of hinging. This causes a non-smooth ball arc and the ball will lose its natural power.

The third "push," the "over the broom handle" is similar to method one except that the bowler visualizes the ball looping over an imaginary broom handle. One word of caution with this method. The idea is to loop the ball so that it just clears the "broom handle," it does not mean push the ball straight up. Be careful not to over do the push upward to go over the broom handle.

The purpose of each of the "push-a-ways" is to get the ball moving in an elliptical path as smoothly as possible.

Here's my cop-out for this push-a-way issue. I feel that each of the three methods mentioned has its merits. I also feel that if a bowler feels a need to improve their delivery, they should consult with a coach and try each of the different styles. The coach should be able help the bowler make an educated decision as to which push-a-way method is best suited for the individual bowler. An improper choice or a change just for change sakes may lead to improper timing and a deterioration of performance.

A proper choice may just give your timing and your game the boost that it needs.

On with the program.

"My ball isn't hooking. I want one that does!" Unfortunately, in many cases, the pro-shop operator, when hearing this statement, pulls out the most expensive, highest hook-rating ball they can find and sells it to the unwary customer. The bowler, who has just bought what they believe to be a "hook in a box," is likely to be very disappointed to find that this ball (that cost a week's wage) doesn't hook any more than the old ball.

This may be difficult to believe, but many times the real problem with the "no hook" ball isn't with the ball. If the bowler's release is up the backside of the ball, the ball (any ball) WILL go straight!

In the above scenario, both the bowler and the pro-shop operator are at fault (more so the pro-shop operator). The pro shop operator should have watched the bowler in action to see if there are any delivery problems that may be causing the "malfunction" of the "non-hooking" ball while the bowler should have confided in a USBC Certified Coach to see if there was a delivery problem.

Moral of the story? If the fish aren't biting, there may not be any bait on the hook.

Have a great year in bowling and in any of your endeavors. Most of all have fun and enjoy! JM

GO WITH THE FLOW

2005-02-01T01:47:00.000-08:00

February 1, 2005

-THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Someone in the bowling industry once made the statement, "Paralysis by analysis." Too often we THINK too much during league or tournament. How often have you heard a bowler complain about everything on or near the lanes ... too much (or too little) oil, sticky or slippery approaches, the lights are glaring, wrong oil pattern. Of course, their game suffers. Funny thing though ... a bowler on the same pair rolls three high games.

We tend to think that there is only one way (and on only one condition) that we can bowl. There’s that word THINK again.

We THINK too much about the target that we are intending to "hit." We THINK too much about the speed of our arm swing. We THINK too much about our "normal" ball reaction.

Not to be cynical, but we really do THINK too much about the way we THINK things should happen.

In one of the coaching seminars I attended, featured speaker Dr Dean Hinitz made the statement, "Don’t aim (the ball), let it happen." This is a simple statement. My interpretation (out of context) is we tend to want to force things (ball speed, arm swing, ball reaction, hitting the target, etc) to do what we expect them to do. "The ball hooked off the lanes last week, now it goes straight to the tenpin." So, knowing this, we attempt to make the ball hook off the lanes like it did last week. Rather than taking Dr Dean’s advise and just let it happen the way it wants to happen without fighting.

A personal short story: A few years ago I bowled a league at a center where I could stand somewhere around the 30 board and roll the ball out to the one board (yes, the one board) at around 40 feet. Even with my limited turn on the ball, the ball would come charging back to the pocket (I was averaging in the220's). One week in mid season, I stood at the 30, rolled to the one and the ball picked out the three pin leaving a washout. Next frame, same results. Next frame, same results.

Refusing to move, I wound up with five washouts ending with a whopping 113 game. Rather than go with the flow I THOUGHT that the lanes should be the same as always and I didn’t budge throughout that first game.

The process of just letting it happen and going with the flow should have been a normal reflex .... ball goes right, move right. Ball goes left, move left. Approaches sticky, change soles (or put on a slide sock). Out of bounds? Simple, don’t roll the ball out there.

In my mind this all relates back to Dr Hinitz reference to aiming the ball. If we try to make things happen, sure enough, it won’t. If we try too hard to make the ball go over a certain arrow, more often it will go somewhere else.

With my bowling students I use the analogy of driving a car. When we first learned to drive, we tried to force the car down the middle of the road. Usually the car sort of zig-zagged between the edge of the road and the center line. The more we tried to avoid that center line the more often we almost went off the edge of the road. As soon as we allowed ourselves to relax and just let it happen, we tended to smooth out the path of the car to the point where today we automatically drive down the center of the road (most of us) with little effort (and unfortunately too little thought). If the road is bumpy, we slow down. If everyone else is going 80, we speed up so as not to be a hazzard. If the road becomes narrow, we concentrate a little harder to stay between the lines. The novel thing is that we change according to the road and driving conditions.

We adapt and just let it happen.

Bowling should be the same. Don’t try to out think your bowling environment and don’t let your thinking hinder your game. Learn to go with the flow. You’ll enjoy bowling much more and in the long run, you’ll be a better bowler.

Have a great year in bowling and in any of your endeavors. Most of all have fun and enjoy! JM

How's your Zen today?

2005-01-17T13:55:00.000-08:00

January 15, 2005

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY and YOUR MENTAL GAME: Like many other bowlers, the Texas hold'em poker craze found a place within me. While reading Zen and the Art of Poker by Larry W Phillips, I came upon several interesting similarities between playing poker and bowling. One such sameness was found in the phrase "when striving ceases, there is life waiting as a gift."

Expounding on that thought a couple of paragraphs later Phillips stated, "You find that once you learn the game well, and stop pressing, stop trying to bull your way through, and get into the rhythm and flow of it, it arrives magically, as if by itself."

When bowlers attempt to make a change, the first thing that usually happens is their scores will go down, not up as they were expecting. This transitional period is the most important time in the change process. Too many bowlers press too hard to make the change and never get into the rhythm, and then quit (the change) before it becomes part of themselves delaying or reversing the learning process.

This is also evident with bowlers not attempting a change, but merely attempting to win a tournament. A classic example was found in the Geico Open in Mesa, Arizona where a normally smooth Parker Bohn III looked "pressed" until the game was mathematically over. At that point Bohn regained his normal rhythmic style and struck out. Bohn also regrouped for the following tournament (televised Jan 16) by running a 10 game set averaging over 260!

Back to learning new material: I recommend that bowlers (learning a new technique) practice that technique in ... you guessed it ... practice sessions and then attempt to NOT THINK about it during league play. Let whatever happens, happen. During competition, forcing yourself to think of the change or changes will cause you to "press" and therefore your scores will suffer even more. This does not mean you should revert back to your old form, but just don't be hard on yourself if the new technique doesn't click during the first week or two ... or three ... or four. See the value of the change. Believe in the value of the change. And, let it happen.

"When striving ceases, there is life waiting as a gift."

Have a great year in bowling and in any of your endeavors. Most of all have fun and enjoy! JM

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2004-12-28T14:57:00.000-08:00

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY and YOUR MENTAL GAME

This is the time of the year when readers are bombarded with one of my two annual GOAL SETTING sessions.

If you know anything about goal setting, you know there is only so much that a person can say about goal setting; however, there are many different ways to say it. This will be one of those different approaches to goal setting.

Naturally, to set a goal, you have to have some idea of where you want to go and then figure out how you are going to get there.

Use the analogy of taking a vacation.

You know you have some vacation time. Deciding where you want to go is determined by how much effort you want to expend (like in SPEND?). And, how much effort you want to put into the preparation.

Cold hard fact. In bowling, getting better is going to cost you! Time and money.

Unless you have a pipeline to free bowling and free bowling equipment, it does cost dollars to receive training, practice, and purchase equipment (not necessarily in that order) to match your bowling skills to the lane conditions.

This is where the analogy of taking a vacation comes in. Where you go is determined by how much you are willing to spend and how much time you have to spend it. Also, what you do on vacation is determined by the state of your physical and mental condition.

You won't be ready for the 20 feet high pipeline in Hawaii if you're out of shape and/or don't know how to swim. Likewise, you won't be hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon if your legs are going to give out on you a quarter of the way down and/or you suffer from acrophobia. In these instances, not being prepared could turn these dream vacations into life threatening disasters.

The results of not preparing properly for your goals in bowling doesn't have quite the same ramifications.

So, we have to make a choice: This year our vacation is going to be hiking into the Grand Canyon. Material preparation seems easy enough ... hiking shoes.

Wait, there's more. The temperatures can vary up to 40 or 50 degrees from the top of the canyon to the Colorado River. So we need enough varied clothing for the different climates encountered on the trip. And, we need water and food ... and something to carry all this stuff. And, we need to know what trails to take so we don't get lost.

All this is still seems relatively easy. We consult a hiking guide who will help us determine what boots, cloths and other hiking incidentals will be required for the trip. We pay money for the equipment and we pay money for the guide. We are ready for the excursion! Right?

Well, what more could we need? Oh, yes, I forgot one little bitty item. My legs, my breathing, my general physical condition. That's no problem, a week before I go to the Canyon, I'll run up and down a few stairs to condition my legs. Maybe, I'll even quit smoking or stop the late nights at the bar in that final week. And what about the acrophobia?

Who are we kidding? Perhaps ourselves? People do actually die in their attempt to conquer the descent into the Grand Canyon. The number one reason for those deaths is not being physically prepared.

We can easily buy all the equipment itemized on the sheet given to us by our expedition guide.

But, just reading books won't give us the proper physical or mental conditioning for the descent into the Canyon. That's where goal setting comes in.

What shape are you in at the present time? You have to be honest ... in extreme hiking your life will depend on that honesty. How long will it take you to become physically fit for the challenge ahead depends on your honest answer to the first question. Hikers who go for the big challenge of climbing big-name mountains often prepare for years before making that big ascent.

And, what if I become physically fit in time for the hike ... what do I do about my fear of heights? Perhaps a trip to a phobia analyst would be in store for the acrophobia.

To summarize: for my vacation to the bottom of the Grand I have three concerns: equipment, physical condition, and mental condition.

How is this anywhere close to having anything to do with bowling?

Other than bowling not being too life threatening, there are many similarities.

Ask a pro-shop operator. How many times does a bowler come into the shop and say something like, "I want the most expensive ball in the shop and drill it so I can bowl like Walter Ray."

That bowler might also say that they are going to take a lesson tomorrow so they can be ready for the High Roller in three weeks.

They now have the best equipment available, had a coaching session (most of which doesn't apply to them, of course), and perhaps bought a video or book and they are now ready to compete against the world-class bowlers at the Roller, Mini Eliminator, or TAT.

Sorry to say, but very seldom does it work that way. Several years ago, I asked world class coach, Suzie Minshew, how long would it take her to get a 200 average woman league-bowler ready for the now defunct PWBA. Her answer was, "Give me five years with her (the 200 average bowler) and she might be ready." (Notice the "might?")

Today's average high-average league bowler would have a culture shock if they attempted to compete on PBA conditions. They have the equipment but most truly lack the proper training and goal setting techniques to become truly great bowlers on the international and PBA scene. If they were hikers and were attempting the descent into the Grand Canyon, they couldn't complete the entire trek. They have all the latest equipment, but lack the physical and mental training and goal setting that it takes to make it all the way to the bottom and back.

As you can see, I am not going into the mechanics of setting goals (for help with goal setting, contact me at: bwlcoach@verizon.net ). This is just a wake up call for any bowler who want to pursue the challenge of Mega-Buck or PBA tournaments.

Have a great year in bowling and in any of your endeavors. Most of all have fun and enjoy! JM

Thought for the day

2004-12-19T16:40:00.000-08:00

Bowlers, check this out. A new site for bowling commentary is in the works. Hopefully it will be up as soon as I work all the bugs out of it. JM

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Bowling tape!

There's black tape, white tape, beige tape, blue tape, green tape, cork tape, smooth tape and coarse tape. Some tape is narrow, some wide. Some tape is for the fingers and/or thumb holes while other tape is applied directly to the thumb or fingers.

The big question concerning tape is WHY USE IT?

The answer boils down to fit and feel.

Does the thumb always FIT properly in the ball and does it always have the FEEL that encourages you to bowl consistently and therefore bowl better?

Which leads me to a common statement heard around most bowling centers. "I don't need (or use) tape."

That same bowler is often seen cramming their thumb into the ball at the beginning of a bowling session hoping that the thumb will reduce in size by at least the second game or thereabouts.

"Most of the time it fits perfectly."

With all of the bowling aids (and specifically bowling tape) on the market today, there is absolutely no reason why that "most of the time" can't be "all the time."

It's a fact that women's and, YES, men's fingers also fluctuate throughout the year, week, or day due to eating habits, weather and other natural causes.

I'll repeat, the is NO reason why a ball shouldn't have the proper fit.

So, you're going to try tape. Which tape is for you? And, how do I use it? (Don't laugh, there are improper why of applying tape.) Usually bowlers prefer to use the white, slightly coarser tape on the grip side of the hole (the side that the pad of the thumb rest on.) While the smooth black tape is generally used on the back side of the hole.

Is there a proper way to apply this thumb/finger tape?

NOTE: Most hole tape comes precut with one end being round and the other end square.

The preferred method of applying the hole tape is with the round end of the tape toward the top of the hole.(This give the normally creates a better feel on the thumb.) Also, the tape should not be closer than 1/8 inch from the top of the hole. This distance is dependant on the radius of the edge of the hole. (More radius, lower the tape.) Tape that is too close to the top of the hole will cause your thumb to drag as it exits the hole which in turn will cause all sorts of release problems.

Second pieces of tape should be staggered 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch again to create a better feel (the staggering will help eliminate a ridge.)

The second type of type that is becoming increasingly popular is the tape that applies directly to the thumb or finger. This usually comes in a roll so it can be cut to match the length of your appendage. This tape is use to create the same FEEL as the thumb exits the ball.

NOTE: I refer to the "thumb" because that is my preference for where I place these tapes. Some bowlers use tape in the finger hole and on the fingers as well as the thumb.)

Personally, I put the tape on the only the back of my thumb from the middle of the thumbnail to about ½ inch beyond the second joint of the thumb. I bevel both corners of the tape that is on the nail (this seems to make lifting of the tape less prevalent). I also find that if I place one end of the tape on the nail and very gently stretch the tape over my second joint, the tape fits better and stays secure longer.

I have my thumb-hole drilled very slightly larger than I think I'll ever be comfortable with. That way I can add hole tape in conjunction with my thumb/finger tape to give me the feeling that I desire. Also, I place my hole tape at least 1/4 inch from the top of the hole.

How many pieces of tape do I use? My thumb size varies. Over the course of a season or a week I might have as many as nine pieces of tape in my thumb hole while the norm is one or two.

When it comes to tape do what feels best to you, but use it. An ill fitting ball will affect your game.

MENTAL GAME

Superstitious? There's absolutely NO place for superstitions in bowling!

However, I know it's a scientific fact that the weight and magnetic balance of carrying my car keys in my right pants pocket and my fingernail clippers in my left pocket keep me in balance at the line. If one or the other is missing, the resulting uneven gravitational pull will cause me to fall over!

I don't recall the bowler, but one of the PBA regulars always wore a particular pair of underwear when bowling in the televised finals. Another always ate exactly the same breakfast and another always wore the same socks (without washing them) throughout the entire tournament.

Is it good to have these .....uh .... crutches?

It would be nice to be able to overcome the reliance on items not directly material to the actual outcome of your bowling; however, I'll go out on a limb and say if wearing Dharma beads or a magnetic bracelet or a red shirt allows you to free your mind while bowling, by all mean do so.

After all mental security is just as important to a bowler as physical security. And we all require the physical security of having that pair of shoes that give us the best feel at the line or the glove that give that secure feeling when the ball is in our hand.

If it works, don't knock it!

Have a great week in bowling and in any endeavor. Most of all have fun and enjoy! JM