Are You Ready?

Over the next two to three weeks, the 2010 - 2011 bowling leagues will be starting in my area. Boy, that seems like a really short summer! I participated in a couple of short summer leagues, one was ten weeks and the other of fourteen weeks duration. They were fun leagues but more importantly, I was kept "tuned up" because I used them as practice outings for sharpening up my bowling muscles.

There were many, many more of you who took the summer off and did not lift a bowling ball, or further, did not step inside a bowling center at all. I want to remind those of you in this category that this is a "sport," and therefore, coming back to it after a long lay-off should be treated as such

It doesn't matter that you think you did a lot of other things to keep your muscles moving - fixing things around the house, golfing, running, walking, miscellaneous exercises - remember that bowling requires a different set of muscle combinations and you need to tone them up before the season begins. Also, there are several other things you need to check out and make sure they are functioning properly prior to your league beginning.

Here's a "Choc-List" of four major areas to check within the next couple of weeks:

1) Your physical shape and well-being. Have you been exercising with a regular routine to keep you in overall physical shape? Have you lost or gained any weight? Get in several sessions of practice games to loosen up those muscles especially in the arms, back, and leg areas. Remember that you need to bowl three (or four) games depending on the type of league you signed up for.

2) Your bowling ball and shoes. Have the bowling balls "bled" while in storage? Are they still carrying the soaked up oil from last season? Has your bowling grip changed? Have your shoes stiffened up? Get your bowling balls down to the pro shop for re-finishing and cleaning, grip measurements checked, and finger inserts changed. "You can't compensate for a bad grip or dead bowling ball." You might need new shoes, depending on their condition after having been stored and not used for several months.

4) Your supporting equipment/accessories. When was the last time you cleaned out your bowling bag or your locker? Dirty socks or towels laying around? Last years re-cap sheets stored in the side pockets? Do you need to replenish any accessories such as tape inserts, band aids, or bowling ball cleaner/polisher.

5) Your bowling centers. Have they changed the lanes and/or approaches? Is it still the same air conditioning system? Have they re-decorated the insides? Synthetic lanes and approaches take some getting used to before a person feels "natural" bowling on them. Just think about walking into a completely strange bowling center and how much adjustments you have to make. Of course, if nothing was done to your center, this becomes a moot point.

A Hui Hou! (See You Again!)