i posted this on the PBAforums as well but i think its a good question


There was a junior "allstar" league bowling next to me as i bowled in a sweeper on sunday, and here are a few random thoughts about what i saw about some of the supposed best juniors in the region.

Now before i say what i say i did see a few bowlers who knew what they were doing and had very good form, release, leverage, arm swing, etc.

But otherwise it seemed the majority of the bowlers seemed only to care of how many boards they crossed, or how pretty they looked.

Many their shoulders flew open and/or dropped their shoulders, short arming the ball, coming around the ball trying to hook it with their hand, simple things which can be fixed with minimal work, yet major flaws in ones game.

My question is this, why is noone teaching these kids it isn't how, its how many? I know i was guilty of many of these things in juniors as well so i am not taking a holier than thou attitude.


but i watch these juniors and realize most need to change their entire mindset of bowling if they want to compete at anything higher than local sweepers.

These problems they have and i stated above are easily fixable by an even moderatly competant bowler helping them, whether it be a coach or parent/relative. my question is why haven't they?

These teams have coaches, High school teams have coaches, traveling leagues have coaches, what do they do? I know if i was coaching ANY team, my first rule would be proper mechanics, i wouldn't change anyones shot but you need to be able to have correct balance and leverage at the foul line. Why don't these coaches fix these kids, they will have more competitive teams and help these kids get a jump start on scratch bowling

I am saying this because i was one of those kids, and i have struggled thru my first 3 yrs of adults adapting my game to suit tougher more demanding conditions, my dad helped me some but even in his hey day he was in the same boat i am now, he could score on easier shots but when a tougher condition comes around my mechanics aren't repeatable enough to consistantly repeat shots to hit a breakpoint, i wish i was taught at an earlier age how not only to score on a wall, but on anything.

I have improved lightyrs since i first became an adult, and i am using myself as a model for this, because i know what 90% of them will go thru, donating in tournaments and losing money wondering why, when all it would take was a coach to make or force them to just repeat mechanics, use correct form, come thru the ball, teach them the correct way to bowl.

Why won't coaches do this, for their teams and for the juniors futures?


sorry for this long winded thing i just thought of it as i read it, i would love to discuss possible reasons for this, or even here some comments from many of the juniors on this board


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I'm left handed and i've got a ball and a wall.

The forum whore formerly known as leftycrank300/JasonBogeyLC

My Sponsor laughs at me because I call what your describing as the "mom and pop coffee club"

Here is why things are the way they are.  Money, it cost money to have decent certified coaching.  Some centers see no need for REAL coaching.  Time, It takes a lot of time to work with 40 to 50 kid or more.  Lack of knowledge on many peoples parts.  

The learn to bowl classes that were popular years ago are just about gone.  Kids try to do what they see on tv and the lanes without knowing how and why things work.  

Many places find someone that is a pretty good house bowler that has some experience but just doesn't have the skills to do the job.  There is a difference between alot of normal 210 house bowlers and a coach.  Not every 200+ bowler can do it or has the experience in competitive bowling.  It is a very hard combination to find.

The other thing is that the kids have to have a want or need to do it.  Otherwise they are just there for fun.  Desire to be an athlete is a big part.

Smash49
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Smash49
robert@bowlersslidesock.com
Bowler's Slide Sock:  Reduces or eliminates problems with Slick OR Tacky approaches.
www.bowlersslidesock.com

That is the time issue.  Regional scratch bowlers are usually doing something else.  Tournaments, pot bowling etc.  Also many are interested only in their games and how to make money and improve themselves.  I'm not saying all but many.  You would need to find some that are willing to do it.  Then after you find that you need to have someone that can communicate with them at the right level.  It takes commitment, communication and hard work.  If a center is even interested in the quality of their youth programs at all.

Smash49
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Smash49
robert@bowlersslidesock.com
Bowler's Slide Sock:  Reduces or eliminates problems with Slick OR Tacky approaches.
www.bowlersslidesock.com

Well, first off, as a Junior coach, I'm going to echo the general opinion here and say you can't blame the coaches.  You said that you were stubborn and didn't want to listen to your coaches, what makes todays kids any different?  There are some kids that when I try to change something, they try for 2 or 3 frames and when it doesn't work they go back to their old, incorrect way.  Often times, the best coach is experience.  That's why I love "Beat the Coach" week.  I walk in and shoot a high 600 and destroy all the 160-180 no it alls then they realize that maybe I do know a thing or two after all.

Secondly, saying that you need to be a hot shot scratch bowler to coach is ridiculous.  Just because you can execute, doesn't give you the eye you need to be a coach. And vice versa. John Jowdy, one of the greatest coaches ever, holds maybe a 180 something average if I remember correctly.  I'm a solid 195 bowler.  Am I the greatest coach of all time?  No.  Do a know a few things about bowling and how to teach it to others?  Yes.   And most of the top scratch bowlers are too full of themselves to take the time to teach someone without expecting something in return.  Two of the best coaches I had as junior averaged maybe 190, but they knew what to look for and how to relate it to those they were coaching.  

And let's not forget about the parents.  I have a kid in league that insists on throwing the ball no thumb.  I told him when he puts his thumb in the ball I will help him.  He won't even put his thumb in for corner pins.  This irritated his mother because she thinks he should be allowed to bowl however he wants and we should help him regardless.  Well, in my opinion, and that held by most others, no thumb is too hard to teach correctly.  Either you can do it, or you can't.  

Have you returned to your junior program to coach?  It's real easy to critisize from the sidelines.  Join us in the trenches and your opinion might change.

It's funny, in my first year of bowling ABC leagues and competition I see mechanics 10 times worse from adults than I did in youth leagues and youth tournaments.

Sure the cream of the crop is alot better, but the mediocore and lower lever bowlers are ALOT worse.
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-DJ Marshall
"Repetition beats luck everytime"


Edited on 3/29/2004 2:57 PM