Bowl-versity = Bowling University
Bowlingball.com has a section called BowlVersity that is full of tips and articles for bowlers at all levels. Since I'm constantly seeking ways to improve my game, the eternal student in me has enrolled in my own personal bowl-versity, starting with all the wonderful teachers and gurus I have had: special mention to my own GoPapa Joel (mentor and cheerer extraordinaire), Jops "one board" Datu, and Angie "you can do it" Sotomango - thank you so much! Then there is my Bowling Fundamentals book by Michele Mullen (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0736051201 ), YouTube videos on bowling tips (Fred Borden is a personal favorite), the BowlVersity articles mentioned above, and a wonderful coach named Sue Minchew who I fatefully discovered online in the midst of my summer slump. Sue can be found in bowlersparadise.com, and the article of hers that speaks to my game today is at this link: http://www.bowlersparadise.com/articles/coachescorner/susie-minshew/dont-get-crazy-over-it.shtml I try to read Sue's articles regularly, since her tips are SO helpful to me, and I know I need all the help I can get!
Of course, all the reading and videos won't help me without regular practice at the lanes - it is a mental and physical game. I have to constantly work on good muscle memory on my approach, my release and my spares. I also need to build a tough, intuitive mental game that allows me to quickly find my line and to adjust effectively. Like I said in a previous blog, there are no bad days on the lanes if you are learning and get the take-home lesson. With practice, I learn what works for me and what doesn't, which I write down in my trusty pink notebook to facilitate review and recall. As a scientist, I try to keep only those learnings that have been validated, those tips that have proven true time and time again (such as move left if the ball curves left). But sometimes stuff in the discard pile comes back, so those tips get an asterisk as something to conditionally try - they're the back burner stuff that worked at one point, but may not always work, such as strategies to consistently get the 10-pin (still working on that!).
In the best of days, my card catalog of everything I've ever done, both good and bad, comes through crystal clear (without looking at my notes!) and what I need to do becomes instinctive. It feels like déjà vu, I KNOW exactly what to do and how to do it, and, more importantly, am able to do it! My recent practices have felt this way at certain moments, like a slowing down of time, a clearness of mind, a feeling of utter control and awareness of what I am doing, a zenlike state where bowling seems easy. Like a runner's second wind, it is a certain kind of high, one that makes me play as good as I do in my dreams. Oh, to have that feeling stay, how glorious that would be, my goals would certainly be attainable!
Of course the bubble bursts, and my string of strikes gets interrupted by gutterballs and open frames. But that's where practice helps with both my mental and physical game, allowing me to determine what helps to bring about the zenlike state (detachment and objectivity), and what tricks make my physical game more consistent and my weaknesses not as big a factor (focus and slowing down). Practice is also invaluable in building on my card catalog of experiences and learnings, on what worked and what didn't based on certain conditions. The hope is that the learnings make league play as good as (or better than!) practice, just as quizzes and final exams demonstrate that the student has learned the course material. And then the bigger hope is retention, a continuous demonstration of a learned skill, not just dumb luck! So I have to be patient, I am progressing, this is my journey, and I AM truly happy to have these zenlike moments along my journey when I can see what I am capable of, and can truly say that my education is paying off. To be able to play at the best of my current abilities IS sufficient reward, but always celebrated with the humility of knowing that the next bad day or seasonal slump may hit at any time.
So school is in session. It'll be a lifelong bowl-versity for me, class may never be dismissed! See you at the lanes, or shall I say "at class"?
UPDATE: Been getting consistent averages in the 140s at practice sessions this week. The zenlike moments have given me turkeys (whoo hoo!) but the gutterballs and mental farts have kept my scores in the 120 - 167 range. The Gutterball Reduction Initiative (GRI) is better, with my GRI index (gutterballs per game) kept at 1.0-1.2. Did not get to discuss this with Donna, but I do get to bring home my birthday cake ball tomorrow - not sure if I can try it out before league, but I'll be writing about it and this week's league next time (if not earlier!). Have practice tonight, while my Joey and GoPapa Joel are at Adult-Child League. Thanks for reading!
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