Effective League Practice Time

Back in the '60s there was a team in Hawaii called, "Taro's All-Stars," a select group of bowlers who toured the state giving exhibitions and clinics promoting bowling. In the days of rubber bowling balls and lane oil from the foul line to the pit, these elite bowlers all had composite averages over 200. One of the things I remember vividly was their warm-up and practice routine prior to their matches.

Talk about organization and teamwork, they were a 5-man team so the first guy threw his ball aiming for the first arrow (5-board), the second guy threw his ball at the second arrow (10-board), the third man threw his ball on the third arrow (15-board), and so forth. After a couple of times on each lane, they huddled together and then, every one of them moved to the same mark. They had also seen how each line would work so as the match progressed, were able to make adjustments as necessary.

Taking a hint from that example, articles that I've researched, and bowling lessons I've taken, here's a simple "Choc-list" for your league or tournament practice session:

1) Don't be overly concerned with your spares since your priority is to find a line that will carry all the pins. If there happens to be a little time left, shoot a ball at the 10 pin and/or the 7 pin to put your mind at ease.

2) Try at least two or three different strike lines with each of your different bowling balls. Watch how your ball reacts on the lane. Don't make small movements; do the 1st arrow, 2nd arrow, 3rd arrow tactic. Don't be afraid to try the 25th board.

3) Aim at the dots (lay the ball down early), aim at the arrows (regular loft or pitch-out), and aim 30-feet down the lane (this will tend to make you pitch the ball further down the lane).

4) Break your wrist, cup your wrist, and try different thumb positions. This will test the different axis rotations to see which might work the best.

5) Your practice session may not end when the practice session ends. The lanes will continue to change and you should not get stuck in the "paralysis by analysis" mode. If your instinct says, "move," then by all means, move.

Keep in mind that there is a major difference between hitting the pocket and being able to carry the pins. How many times have you heard, "I pounded the pocket all night and left nothing but taps." Unlucky? I think not. You have to decide for yourself what is worse - ending up the night saying, "I tried my best," or saying, "If I could-a, should-a, would-a done something, I might have scored better."

A Hui Hou! (See You Later!)