Game 1: 219
Game 2: 192
Game 3: 158
Series: 569
Week Avg: 189
Season Avg: 211
Welp, reality hit me hard this week and the fantasy I was living on the lanes quickly came to an end. It has been feast or famine for me through the first four weeks of the season and this week was famine time.
Right away I got off to a rough start in practice. A recent cold snap here in western Pennsylvania caused my thumb to shrink a bit and I had to put some tape in the ball. It took a few throws to get my grip right and I never really threw a good ball during practice.
Not to be discouraged I made a guesstimate as to where I should stand to start the first game, moving my body and mark a board left from my usual line. Luckily it worked great and I started the night with a 5-bagger. In the sixth frame I missed my mark right by a board and the ball just hung out the length of the lane to leave the 1-2-8, which I chopped for an open. I struck again in the seventh frame and threw a couple spares and a strike before leaving an 8-10 split my second ball in the tenth frame.
The second game started with two opens, a missed 10-pin and a split. I struck in the third and had the ball hang out on me the next two frames to spare and split for another open. Instead of fighting the lanes which were running high when I hit my mark and hanging out when I missed slightly I decided to make a ball change in the sixth frame. The change worked great and I was in the pocket the rest of the game with five strikes and two nine counts.
The third game presented the same difficulties as the others. Accuracy was the name of the game and I just didn't have it Monday night. When I hit my marks I was in the pocket, but the Python wouldn't carry the corners. When I was off my marks the ball held right and I would leave pretty large groupings on the deck. Two bad opens, including a missed 7-pin, left much to be desired and I was lucky to escape with a 158.
I thought the oil played like a shorter version of the Shark sport pattern this week. Left of the 10 board was hooking pretty well, but anything to the outside of 9 wasn't coming back. Unfortunately I didn't have this epiphany until the drive home after the damage had been done. I probably should have stood at about 28 and played over 12, further inside than usual but the ball was moving well in the backends and would have produced good carry. I'm having a hard time picking up on how to apply my previous experiences to the changing conditions I've faced so far this season and it is something I will need to get better at quickly if I want to continue improving.
To make matters worse, I was not throwing a good ball this week. Adjusting to different fits was a concern every time I changed balls. My thumb was loose in the Python and when I switched back to the more snug fit of the C-System I was holding onto the ball way too long. The quick change in weather really had an impact on my thumb size and I'm looking forward to a more stable climate once autumn and winter kick in. The fit problem pulled me into a downward spiral of timing and balance issues that really did a number on my third game. Instead of trying to battle the lanes and my physical issues I should have just concentrated on fixing my game and let the lanes come to me in time.
As a great man once said, "A bowler's mind divided cannot strike" . . . or something like that.
September 26, 2013
September 20, 2013
Week 3 Recap
Game 1: 231
Game 2: 203
Game 3: 245
Series: 679
Week Avg: 226
Season Avg: 218
We finally had the whole team together this week and our opponent had four of five bowlers so we expected to be in for a long, but competitive night of action.
The lanes played pretty close to where they were the week before; however, most everyone was playing left of the second arrow and so I really only had to contend and adapt to whatever changes my ball made to the oil conditions. I struck right away and spared in the second frame before shooting the next six in a row. In the ninth frame I left a 4-7-10 and missed my mark on the spare attempt for a big open leading into the tenth frame. I managed to spare and strike in the tenth for a 231 game, but the open foundation frame really stung.
Throughout the second game I was struggling to find a new line that would carry. After starting with a double I came in high in the third frame and started to leave single pins. I scattered a few strikes in the game to keep within striking distance. I needed good pin count in the tenth frame to pull off a team win and a solid pocket hit left the 8-10 split. That is already the second game this year that was within my reach and I let it slip away.
The last game was much stronger. I was not going to let that second game happen again. Two members of the opposing team rolled off one game so they could leave early, so there were seven of us on the pair and the pace picked up a bit, which had the potential to screw things up. Luckily it didn't. I doubled, spared, and then threw my second six-bagger of the night. I left the 7-pin on my first ball of the tenth frame and another errant spare attempt officially cost me a 700 series.
I left the center pretty disappointed, but the drive home gave me some time to realize that I've reached a point in my game where I can be really upset about leaving three opens and averaging 226 in a night. This was the first time I ever came close to throwing back to back 700 series and I really wanted that. It was also unfortunate that one open fell in the ninth frame and two others came in the tenth. If any of those come earlier in the game I may have reached 700 and possibly won the team a game.
The season is still very young, but I'm getting a little concerned that my mental game suffered slightly over the summer. I spent a lot of time working on the details, but I really only threw five regular games and didn't have a chance to get in a pressure situation. Last year if the game was in reach I could go out there and get the job done, but so far that hasn't been the case this year. Hopefully it will come back to me as the season progresses.
Game 2: 203
Game 3: 245
Series: 679
Week Avg: 226
Season Avg: 218
We finally had the whole team together this week and our opponent had four of five bowlers so we expected to be in for a long, but competitive night of action.
The lanes played pretty close to where they were the week before; however, most everyone was playing left of the second arrow and so I really only had to contend and adapt to whatever changes my ball made to the oil conditions. I struck right away and spared in the second frame before shooting the next six in a row. In the ninth frame I left a 4-7-10 and missed my mark on the spare attempt for a big open leading into the tenth frame. I managed to spare and strike in the tenth for a 231 game, but the open foundation frame really stung.
Throughout the second game I was struggling to find a new line that would carry. After starting with a double I came in high in the third frame and started to leave single pins. I scattered a few strikes in the game to keep within striking distance. I needed good pin count in the tenth frame to pull off a team win and a solid pocket hit left the 8-10 split. That is already the second game this year that was within my reach and I let it slip away.
The last game was much stronger. I was not going to let that second game happen again. Two members of the opposing team rolled off one game so they could leave early, so there were seven of us on the pair and the pace picked up a bit, which had the potential to screw things up. Luckily it didn't. I doubled, spared, and then threw my second six-bagger of the night. I left the 7-pin on my first ball of the tenth frame and another errant spare attempt officially cost me a 700 series.
I left the center pretty disappointed, but the drive home gave me some time to realize that I've reached a point in my game where I can be really upset about leaving three opens and averaging 226 in a night. This was the first time I ever came close to throwing back to back 700 series and I really wanted that. It was also unfortunate that one open fell in the ninth frame and two others came in the tenth. If any of those come earlier in the game I may have reached 700 and possibly won the team a game.
The season is still very young, but I'm getting a little concerned that my mental game suffered slightly over the summer. I spent a lot of time working on the details, but I really only threw five regular games and didn't have a chance to get in a pressure situation. Last year if the game was in reach I could go out there and get the job done, but so far that hasn't been the case this year. Hopefully it will come back to me as the season progresses.
September 11, 2013
Week 2 Recap
Game 1: 236
Game 2: 234
Game 3: 245
Series: 715
Week Avg: 238
Season Avg: 214
When we arrived at the lanes this week we found out that they filled our team with a nice couple that were in the league last year. From a pacing stand point this was a relief. It should also make for a fun and more competitive season. One of our regulars had scheduled vacation this week, though, so we will have to wait until week 3 to get the whole team in action.
This week was the complete opposite of week 1. The lanes were being oiled as I walked in the door and so they played pretty similarly to the majority of last season. I was also a bit more focused this week and made a conscious effort to make better decisions and adjustments.
After starting the first game with a couple of light pocket hits I moved a half board right in the third frame and really never looked back. After a strike in the third and a missed 10-pin in the fourth (my only open of the night) I struck the next six in a row and spared to finish the tenth frame for a 236.
The second game was pretty similar with a spare or two breaking up a string of strikes. I shot a 234 in the second. I started the third game with two more spares and then had another six bagger. I started running a little high and so I moved up a few inches on the approach, but never really got back to form to finish out the evening. I needed to strike on my first ball in the tenth to get the win for the team, but I left the 4-pin. I spared and left the 8-10 to finish the game with a 245 and a 715 series.
If there is such a thing as an effortless 700 series this was it. As long as I put the ball between the second and third arrows it was a strike. When I did leave something it was a corner pin and when something was a bit off it was easy to identify and correct. My one shot outside the pocket was a Brooklyn strike.
This was probably the most consistent high series I've ever had and despite the success I never found myself feeling rushed or nervous. I've finally thrown enough bigger names to stay calm and focus on the task at hand. I can now act like I've been there before because I have; now its just the matter of getting up to that next level where I start to feel the butterflies again.
Nights like this are fun, but they make for a terrible weekly blog post, don't they?
Game 2: 234
Game 3: 245
Series: 715
Week Avg: 238
Season Avg: 214
When we arrived at the lanes this week we found out that they filled our team with a nice couple that were in the league last year. From a pacing stand point this was a relief. It should also make for a fun and more competitive season. One of our regulars had scheduled vacation this week, though, so we will have to wait until week 3 to get the whole team in action.
This week was the complete opposite of week 1. The lanes were being oiled as I walked in the door and so they played pretty similarly to the majority of last season. I was also a bit more focused this week and made a conscious effort to make better decisions and adjustments.
After starting the first game with a couple of light pocket hits I moved a half board right in the third frame and really never looked back. After a strike in the third and a missed 10-pin in the fourth (my only open of the night) I struck the next six in a row and spared to finish the tenth frame for a 236.
The second game was pretty similar with a spare or two breaking up a string of strikes. I shot a 234 in the second. I started the third game with two more spares and then had another six bagger. I started running a little high and so I moved up a few inches on the approach, but never really got back to form to finish out the evening. I needed to strike on my first ball in the tenth to get the win for the team, but I left the 4-pin. I spared and left the 8-10 to finish the game with a 245 and a 715 series.
If there is such a thing as an effortless 700 series this was it. As long as I put the ball between the second and third arrows it was a strike. When I did leave something it was a corner pin and when something was a bit off it was easy to identify and correct. My one shot outside the pocket was a Brooklyn strike.
This was probably the most consistent high series I've ever had and despite the success I never found myself feeling rushed or nervous. I've finally thrown enough bigger names to stay calm and focus on the task at hand. I can now act like I've been there before because I have; now its just the matter of getting up to that next level where I start to feel the butterflies again.
Nights like this are fun, but they make for a terrible weekly blog post, don't they?
September 4, 2013
Week 1 Recap
Game 1: 180
Game 2: 222
Game 3: 168
Series: 570
Week Avg: 190
Season Avg: 190
Our team is down to three bowlers this season with two "Vacancies" filling in the fourth and fifth spots. It might fill in in the coming weeks, but for now we might be looking at early nights all season long. This will put a lot of emphasis on quick decision making and also run the risk of a faster pace than is really needed. We will have to be mindful that we are bowling at a pace that works best for us, or else we'll be putting ourselves at a disadvantage every week.
Unfortunately one of our bowlers had to work and so we were down to only two bowlers for opening night. The lanes were a bit drier than I remember seeing seeing all last year. Perhaps the center forgot leagues were starting that night. It took some time, but by the end of practice I thought I had found a line that worked well for me . . .
I was so wrong! I started the first game of the season with four straight splits. A 4-6, 5-7, 8-10, and 3-10. Luckily I managed to convert the last one. There were even a few pocket hits in there and I think the other team started to feel bad for me. All I could do was laugh, really. I switched down to a weaker ball and managed to throw a turkey and spare out for a 180 game. The three straight opens killed me.
As the first game wore on I started coming in a bit light. I thought that this was being caused by the front end oil being pushed further down the lane so I decided to go on the offensive. I switched back up to the C-System and was able to throw my preferred line for most of the game. By the end of the game the oil was gone and I switched back down to the Python. I left a 3-9-10 in the seventh frame, but managed to convert the spare and finish with a clean 222.
The third game was a lot like the first. Some mixed success, but overall I wasn't very comfortable. I left two additional splits this game, converting one of them. I missed a 10-pin on my last ball in the tenth frame for my only non-split open of the night. It was a hard fought 168 to be sure, but I was thankful to escape with that and live to fight another day.
I know what you're thinking because I was thinking it to: "Zach, this summer you practiced playing all those different lines, why didn't you just do that?" I did move left a bit to catch some oil in the middle of the lane, but either the ball wouldn't grab or I wouldn't get good carry when I did hit the pocket. Could I have fine tuned a better line to the pocket that was more successful? Probably. Actually that is most likely what I will do from here on out.
But my thinking was this: I carry two different balls for a reason and with my style of play these conditions seemed better suited for the Python. I transitioned from ball to ball without any issue or "lost frames," so I think the summer practice did help me in that regard. Plus it was week 1 of 34, if I am going to start experimenting this was the perfect time to do it.
I think it is important to look at the positives from this week's outing. The first positive is the seamless transition from ball to ball that I mentioned before. The other big one is the successful implementation of the offensive strategy I outlined above. In the second game I read what was happening on the lanes and worked the oil to benefit me. Without that big game I don't know how this week would have turned out, but I think it would have taken more than the Labor Day break to recover.
Game 2: 222
Game 3: 168
Series: 570
Week Avg: 190
Season Avg: 190
Our team is down to three bowlers this season with two "Vacancies" filling in the fourth and fifth spots. It might fill in in the coming weeks, but for now we might be looking at early nights all season long. This will put a lot of emphasis on quick decision making and also run the risk of a faster pace than is really needed. We will have to be mindful that we are bowling at a pace that works best for us, or else we'll be putting ourselves at a disadvantage every week.
Unfortunately one of our bowlers had to work and so we were down to only two bowlers for opening night. The lanes were a bit drier than I remember seeing seeing all last year. Perhaps the center forgot leagues were starting that night. It took some time, but by the end of practice I thought I had found a line that worked well for me . . .
I was so wrong! I started the first game of the season with four straight splits. A 4-6, 5-7, 8-10, and 3-10. Luckily I managed to convert the last one. There were even a few pocket hits in there and I think the other team started to feel bad for me. All I could do was laugh, really. I switched down to a weaker ball and managed to throw a turkey and spare out for a 180 game. The three straight opens killed me.
As the first game wore on I started coming in a bit light. I thought that this was being caused by the front end oil being pushed further down the lane so I decided to go on the offensive. I switched back up to the C-System and was able to throw my preferred line for most of the game. By the end of the game the oil was gone and I switched back down to the Python. I left a 3-9-10 in the seventh frame, but managed to convert the spare and finish with a clean 222.
The third game was a lot like the first. Some mixed success, but overall I wasn't very comfortable. I left two additional splits this game, converting one of them. I missed a 10-pin on my last ball in the tenth frame for my only non-split open of the night. It was a hard fought 168 to be sure, but I was thankful to escape with that and live to fight another day.
I know what you're thinking because I was thinking it to: "Zach, this summer you practiced playing all those different lines, why didn't you just do that?" I did move left a bit to catch some oil in the middle of the lane, but either the ball wouldn't grab or I wouldn't get good carry when I did hit the pocket. Could I have fine tuned a better line to the pocket that was more successful? Probably. Actually that is most likely what I will do from here on out.
But my thinking was this: I carry two different balls for a reason and with my style of play these conditions seemed better suited for the Python. I transitioned from ball to ball without any issue or "lost frames," so I think the summer practice did help me in that regard. Plus it was week 1 of 34, if I am going to start experimenting this was the perfect time to do it.
I think it is important to look at the positives from this week's outing. The first positive is the seamless transition from ball to ball that I mentioned before. The other big one is the successful implementation of the offensive strategy I outlined above. In the second game I read what was happening on the lanes and worked the oil to benefit me. Without that big game I don't know how this week would have turned out, but I think it would have taken more than the Labor Day break to recover.
August 26, 2013
Sandbagger Prevention League Results and Thoughts
I’m not gonna lie: managing the Sandbagger Prevention League
was a lot more time consuming than I anticipated. I was basically managing seven leagues all
at the same time and these silly things called work and life kept getting in
the way. But I finally have results for our 27 week season. Thanks again to all
that participated.
The final scratch averages were as follows, with Sam as our simulated sandbagger:
The goal of the SPL was to identify a league in which good bowlers were rewarded, sandbagging was not beneficial, and not so good bowlers were kept in competition so they would be driven to get better. As a baseline our eight bowlers participated in a scratch league with predictable results as follows:
The scratch league results are nearly identical to the list of averages. Sam and EBH swapped spots, but their averages are only a pin off so I think that is negligible. While sandbagging is clearly not beneficial in a scratch league, we also see that poor bowlers are kept well out of competition with everyone else. Scratch leagues are great for advanced bowlers or groups at a similar skill level, but they are not for an all-inclusive league.
Using the same scratch scores I broke our bowlers down into two divisions based on average. Sam and EBH dominated their division and Matt 1 and Matt 2 ran away with theirs. Two rounds of divisional brackets were used to determine the division champions. The winner of each division then bowled head to head to crown a league champion, with the championship match being 100% handicap based on the higher average of the two bowlers. EBH defeated Matt 1 for the league title.
Another scratch divisional league awarded 1-4 points based on how the bowler’s series ranked within their division in addition to one point being awarded for each game won in head to head play. I didn’t use the brackets to determine the division champions this time and so the bowler with the most points in each division squared off for the league title: Sam and Matt 1. This time the better bowler prevailed and Matt 1 was the league champion.
Competition was pretty good within the divisions, especially the top tier division with the three Matts and me. Only 19 pins separated the best and worst averages and most matches were pretty close. The lower division had a greater disparity between the best and worst averages and the standings were not as close as a result.
Next I tested the traditional 100% handicap league with the following results:
The best bowlers came in first and second, but the worst bowler finished third. A skilled sandbagger could also take advantage of this league to climb the standings. These results are not overly shocking because the better bowlers averaged so much higher than the worse ones and so the large skill difference negated the benefit of the handicap. I am also not a skilled sandbagger and had a difficult time plotting Sam’s results to cheat the system.
Another 100% handicap league assigned one point per game won in head to head competition, but then also awarded 1-8 points based on how the bowler’s series ranked that week. Using the same games with this small scoring change resulted in the following standings:
The mid-level bowlers were particularly punished here because they lacked the benefit of a high skill level and a high handicap; though, competition between bowlers of comparable skill was much better. A combination of awarding points based on how a series ranks each week and the division format could render a pretty competitive league.
The same two league styles were also used in an 80% handicap based system to see if a lower handicap would alter the results. The regular league results were as follows:
And the league that awarded 1-8 points based on series resulted in the following:
The straight 80% and 100% handicap league kept the closest competition with 57.5 points separating the first and last place bowlers. While the scratch league results came the closest to reflecting the bowlers’ skill levels, the 80% handicap league that awarded series points also came pretty close.
The Takeaway
There is really no way for a bowling league to fairly compensate for a 100+ pin difference in average between bowlers. As a scratch league the lower average bowlers are more likely to feel that they can never catch up to the high average bowlers, probably resulting in them quitting instead of using it as motivation to get better. In a handicap league the better bowlers are essentially punished for their skill and mid-level bowlers become fodder for those with high averages and high handicaps. When you factor in prizes for winning the league, most improved average, etc., the temptation for sandbagging is pretty strong. I know, no groundbreaking results here.
The divisions within a scratch league idea did work out pretty well, though. When bowlers averaged within 20 pins of each other their point totals stayed close while still reflecting the bowlers’ skill levels. The ability to advance to a higher division could serve the motivator role without being too overwhelming. If payouts are kept within divisions they will be a bit smaller which in turn could further discourage sandbagging. This could be tweaked to work at the individual and team levels.
Now there seems to be a growing divide among bowlers, at least if you can trust those on Facebook groups as a representative sample. I’ve seen many conversations where good bowlers belittle the accomplishments of others in house leagues, essentially stating that it isn’t real bowling since the ball does most of the work. I disagree to an extent, the ball doesn’t throw itself down the lane, but there is most definitely a difference between accomplishments on a THP and sport patterns.
I think there is a great desire for bowlers to try out the sport patterns, but the USBC and local centers do not make them easy to come by (at least not in Pittsburgh). A drive needs to be made to make USBC sanctioned sport leagues the norm in league bowling. This gives good bowlers the motivation they need to get even better and provides practical experience for tournaments. House leagues still have their place at the junior level and in beginner leagues since they are a great way to learn bowling basics. Much like junior bowling, I think the introduction of coaches at beginner leagues for those that wish to utilize them would also help push new bowlers to improve. The scheduling of coaches could be the responsibility of the local USBC chapters and could also help promote the various coach certifications.
As it stands there is no set milestone in place, other than honor scores, to entice the majority of bowlers to improve. If they do not set personal goals then they are perfectly content showing up every week to go through the motions. If the USBC can include minor ways to reward good bowling, like becoming eligible to move into a higher tier league (i.e. graduating from a THP beginner league to a sport league) then perhaps the talent pool will improve so that handicaps are no longer required to “level the playing field,” effectively eliminating the sandbagger to a dark place in bowling’s history.
The final scratch averages were as follows, with Sam as our simulated sandbagger:
Matt 1
|
219
|
Matt 2
|
213
|
Matt 3
|
205
|
Zach
|
200
|
EBH
|
174
|
Sam
|
173
|
Doc
|
157
|
Lauren
|
112
|
The goal of the SPL was to identify a league in which good bowlers were rewarded, sandbagging was not beneficial, and not so good bowlers were kept in competition so they would be driven to get better. As a baseline our eight bowlers participated in a scratch league with predictable results as follows:
Matt 1
|
105
|
Matt 2
|
102
|
Matt 3
|
96
|
Zach
|
84
|
Sam
|
61
|
EBH
|
57
|
Doc
|
32
|
Lauren
|
3
|
The scratch league results are nearly identical to the list of averages. Sam and EBH swapped spots, but their averages are only a pin off so I think that is negligible. While sandbagging is clearly not beneficial in a scratch league, we also see that poor bowlers are kept well out of competition with everyone else. Scratch leagues are great for advanced bowlers or groups at a similar skill level, but they are not for an all-inclusive league.
Using the same scratch scores I broke our bowlers down into two divisions based on average. Sam and EBH dominated their division and Matt 1 and Matt 2 ran away with theirs. Two rounds of divisional brackets were used to determine the division champions. The winner of each division then bowled head to head to crown a league champion, with the championship match being 100% handicap based on the higher average of the two bowlers. EBH defeated Matt 1 for the league title.
Another scratch divisional league awarded 1-4 points based on how the bowler’s series ranked within their division in addition to one point being awarded for each game won in head to head play. I didn’t use the brackets to determine the division champions this time and so the bowler with the most points in each division squared off for the league title: Sam and Matt 1. This time the better bowler prevailed and Matt 1 was the league champion.
Competition was pretty good within the divisions, especially the top tier division with the three Matts and me. Only 19 pins separated the best and worst averages and most matches were pretty close. The lower division had a greater disparity between the best and worst averages and the standings were not as close as a result.
Next I tested the traditional 100% handicap league with the following results:
Matt 1
|
90
|
Matt 2
|
88
|
Lauren
|
75
|
Matt 3
|
71
|
Sam
|
68
|
Zach
|
65.5
|
EBH
|
54
|
Doc
|
32.5
|
The best bowlers came in first and second, but the worst bowler finished third. A skilled sandbagger could also take advantage of this league to climb the standings. These results are not overly shocking because the better bowlers averaged so much higher than the worse ones and so the large skill difference negated the benefit of the handicap. I am also not a skilled sandbagger and had a difficult time plotting Sam’s results to cheat the system.
Another 100% handicap league assigned one point per game won in head to head competition, but then also awarded 1-8 points based on how the bowler’s series ranked that week. Using the same games with this small scoring change resulted in the following standings:
Matt 1
|
210
|
Matt 2
|
207
|
Zach
|
174.5
|
Sam
|
174
|
Matt 3
|
168
|
Lauren
|
149
|
EBH
|
125
|
Doc
|
103.5
|
The mid-level bowlers were particularly punished here because they lacked the benefit of a high skill level and a high handicap; though, competition between bowlers of comparable skill was much better. A combination of awarding points based on how a series ranks each week and the division format could render a pretty competitive league.
The same two league styles were also used in an 80% handicap based system to see if a lower handicap would alter the results. The regular league results were as follows:
Matt 1
|
96.5
|
Matt 2
|
95
|
Matt 3
|
75
|
Sam
|
70
|
Zach
|
67
|
Lauren
|
50
|
EBH
|
49.5
|
Doc
|
39
|
And the league that awarded 1-8 points based on series resulted in the following:
Matt 1
|
225.5
|
Matt 2
|
223
|
Zach
|
185
|
Matt 3
|
181
|
Sam
|
165
|
EBH
|
129.5
|
Doc
|
100
|
Lauren
|
93
|
The straight 80% and 100% handicap league kept the closest competition with 57.5 points separating the first and last place bowlers. While the scratch league results came the closest to reflecting the bowlers’ skill levels, the 80% handicap league that awarded series points also came pretty close.
The Takeaway
There is really no way for a bowling league to fairly compensate for a 100+ pin difference in average between bowlers. As a scratch league the lower average bowlers are more likely to feel that they can never catch up to the high average bowlers, probably resulting in them quitting instead of using it as motivation to get better. In a handicap league the better bowlers are essentially punished for their skill and mid-level bowlers become fodder for those with high averages and high handicaps. When you factor in prizes for winning the league, most improved average, etc., the temptation for sandbagging is pretty strong. I know, no groundbreaking results here.
The divisions within a scratch league idea did work out pretty well, though. When bowlers averaged within 20 pins of each other their point totals stayed close while still reflecting the bowlers’ skill levels. The ability to advance to a higher division could serve the motivator role without being too overwhelming. If payouts are kept within divisions they will be a bit smaller which in turn could further discourage sandbagging. This could be tweaked to work at the individual and team levels.
Now there seems to be a growing divide among bowlers, at least if you can trust those on Facebook groups as a representative sample. I’ve seen many conversations where good bowlers belittle the accomplishments of others in house leagues, essentially stating that it isn’t real bowling since the ball does most of the work. I disagree to an extent, the ball doesn’t throw itself down the lane, but there is most definitely a difference between accomplishments on a THP and sport patterns.
I think there is a great desire for bowlers to try out the sport patterns, but the USBC and local centers do not make them easy to come by (at least not in Pittsburgh). A drive needs to be made to make USBC sanctioned sport leagues the norm in league bowling. This gives good bowlers the motivation they need to get even better and provides practical experience for tournaments. House leagues still have their place at the junior level and in beginner leagues since they are a great way to learn bowling basics. Much like junior bowling, I think the introduction of coaches at beginner leagues for those that wish to utilize them would also help push new bowlers to improve. The scheduling of coaches could be the responsibility of the local USBC chapters and could also help promote the various coach certifications.
As it stands there is no set milestone in place, other than honor scores, to entice the majority of bowlers to improve. If they do not set personal goals then they are perfectly content showing up every week to go through the motions. If the USBC can include minor ways to reward good bowling, like becoming eligible to move into a higher tier league (i.e. graduating from a THP beginner league to a sport league) then perhaps the talent pool will improve so that handicaps are no longer required to “level the playing field,” effectively eliminating the sandbagger to a dark place in bowling’s history.
August 19, 2013
Summer Practice #4
Where did the summer go? I expected to get in two practice sessions per month this summer to stay fresh and try out a few new ideas to improve my game. Yet here I am, exactly one week until the start of fall leagues and about three practice sessions short of my goal.
But the old saying of quality over quantity has prevailed this off-season. While I didn't hit the lanes as much as I would have liked, I made each session count and I think I have benefited from the time I did spend in the bowling center. I've become more comfortable playing different areas of the lane by striking from the first, second and third arrows with regularity. I've also gotten better at adjusting from one ball to the other by switching between them from frame to frame. And I learned what doesn't work. Speed changes do more harm than good for me, and so I will move that further down the flow chart of adjustments.
For my last practice session I wanted to shoot a straight three game series to see if I have improved over the summer, or at least to make sure I haven't gotten worse. My first game was a 243. I was striking fairly easily and my only open was a 10-pin. I had some difficulty striking my second game, but was able to pick up my spares until I could adjust. In the tenth frame I left the 3-10 and when I attempted the spare my ball took out the 3-pin and grazed the 10-pin just enough to make it spin, but not fall. I finished that game with a 199. I did pretty well in the third game, throwing a turkey and a four bagger, but I also left a 4-10 split and missed the 4-7 in the tenth frame to finish with a 216. It was a pretty good way to finish the off-season and I'm really looking forward to starting the season.
We had our league meeting last Tuesday, which was pretty uneventful. My team is down two bowlers this year: my wife is not returning because we are expecting another baby in December and Joe, our lead off man who bowled great last year decided that 36 weeks is too long a season. One interesting change this year is that the league is accepting junior bowlers who are 17 and older. The only difference for them is that any money earned would be paid out as a scholarship so their junior/collegiate eligibility is not put in jeopardy. Its quite the risk to the junior bowler, I think, but who am I to say no, especially when the league is hurting to fill the teams.
Week 1 starts on August 26th and I can't wait to start where last season left off. Time to put it to the wood.
But the old saying of quality over quantity has prevailed this off-season. While I didn't hit the lanes as much as I would have liked, I made each session count and I think I have benefited from the time I did spend in the bowling center. I've become more comfortable playing different areas of the lane by striking from the first, second and third arrows with regularity. I've also gotten better at adjusting from one ball to the other by switching between them from frame to frame. And I learned what doesn't work. Speed changes do more harm than good for me, and so I will move that further down the flow chart of adjustments.
For my last practice session I wanted to shoot a straight three game series to see if I have improved over the summer, or at least to make sure I haven't gotten worse. My first game was a 243. I was striking fairly easily and my only open was a 10-pin. I had some difficulty striking my second game, but was able to pick up my spares until I could adjust. In the tenth frame I left the 3-10 and when I attempted the spare my ball took out the 3-pin and grazed the 10-pin just enough to make it spin, but not fall. I finished that game with a 199. I did pretty well in the third game, throwing a turkey and a four bagger, but I also left a 4-10 split and missed the 4-7 in the tenth frame to finish with a 216. It was a pretty good way to finish the off-season and I'm really looking forward to starting the season.
We had our league meeting last Tuesday, which was pretty uneventful. My team is down two bowlers this year: my wife is not returning because we are expecting another baby in December and Joe, our lead off man who bowled great last year decided that 36 weeks is too long a season. One interesting change this year is that the league is accepting junior bowlers who are 17 and older. The only difference for them is that any money earned would be paid out as a scholarship so their junior/collegiate eligibility is not put in jeopardy. Its quite the risk to the junior bowler, I think, but who am I to say no, especially when the league is hurting to fill the teams.
Week 1 starts on August 26th and I can't wait to start where last season left off. Time to put it to the wood.
July 26, 2013
Keep Calm and Keep Bowling
On a whim this week I decided to check out the US Open standings. I was pleased to see that a former teammate and competitor from my junior days, Jacqui Reese, was competing. I was even more pleased to see that coming into Friday's match play she was tied for seventh, four spots away from making her first television appearance. After dominating the Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley women's bowling scene for about eight years it is great to see her excel at the highest level.
It was really a pleasure to watch Jacqui's junior career and if you were smart enough to really pay attention you could really learn a lot from how she approached the game. We were in the same Saturday morning and summer doubles league for a few years and I was lucky enough to bowl on her team for the junior team tournament back in 2002/2003. You could never tell how well Jacqui was bowling just by looking at her. Some bowlers wear their performance like a mask: if they are doing well they are all smiles, but if they are doing poorly they look angry or defeated. Jacqui had one look while she was bowling: determined. After every shot you could tell that she was analyzing what she just did and thinking about the next throw. It was very methodical, professional even, and it is the epitome of how a good bowler should concentrate on their game.
It took a long time for this lesson to sink in for me. When I was doing bad I felt even worse. I'd get mad. I couldn't concentrate. I couldn't make adjustments. The whole outing was a bust. I spent a little over two years away from bowling when I started college and when I came back I had a new attitude. I decided to take the Jacqui approach, at least for the most part. I refuse to let my performance get me so upset that I can't concentrate or make adjustments. I've said many times that every game, every outing, is a learning experience and you need to seize that lesson as it is happening rather than reflecting on a poor night of bowling once it is over. A bad week at league can stick with you the rest of the day, which is why leagues take place at night (this is contrary to the popular belief that we bowl at night so we can work during the day), but while you are in the moment keep your calm, remember what you know about how to adjust, and keep trying until you find what works.
I can't argue with the results. I averaged somewhere in the 181 range when I finished juniors. Once I made an effort to keep my composure I jumped into the 190s and have been on a steady increase ever since.
So good luck through the rest of the tournament, Jacqui, and thanks for being a great role model.
Keep calm and keep bowling.
It was really a pleasure to watch Jacqui's junior career and if you were smart enough to really pay attention you could really learn a lot from how she approached the game. We were in the same Saturday morning and summer doubles league for a few years and I was lucky enough to bowl on her team for the junior team tournament back in 2002/2003. You could never tell how well Jacqui was bowling just by looking at her. Some bowlers wear their performance like a mask: if they are doing well they are all smiles, but if they are doing poorly they look angry or defeated. Jacqui had one look while she was bowling: determined. After every shot you could tell that she was analyzing what she just did and thinking about the next throw. It was very methodical, professional even, and it is the epitome of how a good bowler should concentrate on their game.
It took a long time for this lesson to sink in for me. When I was doing bad I felt even worse. I'd get mad. I couldn't concentrate. I couldn't make adjustments. The whole outing was a bust. I spent a little over two years away from bowling when I started college and when I came back I had a new attitude. I decided to take the Jacqui approach, at least for the most part. I refuse to let my performance get me so upset that I can't concentrate or make adjustments. I've said many times that every game, every outing, is a learning experience and you need to seize that lesson as it is happening rather than reflecting on a poor night of bowling once it is over. A bad week at league can stick with you the rest of the day, which is why leagues take place at night (this is contrary to the popular belief that we bowl at night so we can work during the day), but while you are in the moment keep your calm, remember what you know about how to adjust, and keep trying until you find what works.
I can't argue with the results. I averaged somewhere in the 181 range when I finished juniors. Once I made an effort to keep my composure I jumped into the 190s and have been on a steady increase ever since.
So good luck through the rest of the tournament, Jacqui, and thanks for being a great role model.
Keep calm and keep bowling.
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