Summer semester of uni is finally finished and im back at it again. It's been a while since the last installment, so i will post everything ive done so far, for those that have forgot what has been happening or those who missed it. Feel free to give me feedback, flamings, props, death threats... ok not the last one... but give me some advice on how its going.

good luck and high scoring
matt


40 Boards of Glory

Nice balance, good timing, caught it a little too much though. Damn, another nose breaker. I’m in for it now.

“That’s not good enough Drew. Shots like that aren’t going to win you titles, hell you won’t even beet Corey bloody Davis with that crap. C’mon man I know your better then that.”

“Another few games down there boys?”
“Yea, please, if you wouldn’t mind Jason.”

Meet my coach, Tim Thompson, and the owner of my local bowl Jason Gillmon. Great blokes, the type of guys you need behind you when you want to make it to the big time like I do. Tim knows how to switch me on like no other coach has before, and Jason, well he’s the guy who puts down the tough conditions for me to practice on, and lets me bowl for next to nothing.

“6 games in, and your averaging 196, if this were a tournament you would have an uphill battle to make cut from here, you realise that don’t you? Are you going to start trying now or what?”
“Yea, alright, sorry my mind hasn’t been on song this afternoon, ill concentrate.”
“Good cause I don’t want you to waste anymore of my time”

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“Mum, Dad, I’m home.”
“How was school son?”
“Boring, the usual, I went down to the bowl, Tim says hi.”
“And how did you bowl?”

Mums always the first to ask that, she takes more interest in my bowling then dad, he always wanted me to play basketball.

“Not too bad I guess, have to do better this weekend if I want to cut though.”
“Just don’t forget about your school work ok drew?”
“Yeah mum I know, I won’t.”

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Finally the day has arrived. There is a regional being held this weekend, and its at Concorde Lanes, about 45 minutes drive from where I live. This is my first attempt at a regional in a while, time to find out if I’m good enough. With the format of the regionals the same as the PBA it gives everyone a great stepping stone into the big time. Tim came with me this weekend, he always manages to sleep in the car, no matter how long or short the trip. Were here.

“Tim, wake up mate, were here!”
“Huh? Oh, ok then, good stuff. You uh… get ure gear inside, ill be in soon.”

Wow, look at all the bowlers here. There must be 300 people in the centre, not all of them are bowlers, but that’s still a fair size crowd. Mike Haugen, Brian Kretzer, Chris Johnson, Brad Angelo… Wow, ill be up against it today. Finally, Tim’s dragged himself out of the car, and has come inside.

“So Drew, what’s the format today?”
“8 games qualifying then cut to the top 32. Then everyone goes into a bracket and its elimination from there.”
“Ok, so we just want to focus on the top 32 for the moment. It doesn’t matter where you qualify, just so long as you do.”
“That’s the idea, hold up their calling for everyone to check-in, ill be back in a second.”

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“Ok, not too bad Drew. 895 for 4 puts you in about 17th place. But its close, your only 70 in front of 32nd, and only 90 behind first, so don’t let your guard down.”
“All under control Timmy, hows Corey doing?”
“Don’t concern yourself with him, concentrate on your own game.”

He said that with a wink and a huge smile, I guess that means Corey is doing so well. But there are 4 games to go. With a nod to Tim, I walked back down to the lanes to take my shot.

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“Make sure you stretch before you start again”

They re-oil the lanes half way through the day, this time their putting down a PBA pattern. Apparently its pattern E. Only 35 feet long, better go get the pearl ball.

“Yea I will, stop stressing. Damn man your stressing more then I am.”
“Just keep bowling well, I want this as much as you do ya know.”

That’s one of the best things about Tim he is just as concerned with how I bowl as how he bowls, more so even. He pours his heart and soul into me and my game, no wonder were such good mates.

“The backends are going to be bigger for the second half you know that right?”
“Why do you think I went and got the Threat?”
“As long as you’re thinking, good.”

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Ok, so the threat wasn’t quite what I was looking for, bit to over under on the short pattern, so I’ve changed to Mutant. The thing hooks a tonne, and so it should being drilled 5x5, so I’m using most of the lane. I’m getting a more even reaction, so we will see how things go. The guy in 32nd is on my pair, so I can keep an idea how the cut is going with him.

“C’mon Drew, lets start off strong, keep that follow through going.”

Keep your feet slow, that’s the main thing, everything else will fall into place. Ok, no one beside you, time to bowl. Steady, and… pushaway, smooth swing, nice strong release, didn’t finish the follow through fully though. Well it’s gone long enough, c’mon now, swing home. Uh-oh looks like its finishing a little too strong… get lucky.

“C’mon drew get lucky”

High pocket… trip that 4…. Yes! X.

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“C'mon Drew you got to keep your follow through happening, its costing you. Twice in the first 5 frames you’ve got it right and you’ve been rewarded both times. It’s the reason you keep going high, if you don’t finish it, it’s going to jump on you. It’s a short pattern, you can’t afford to stop short ok?”

“Yea I know, it feels like I’m getting there, but I mustn’t be… Ill work on it ok?”

Hmm, scorecards not too bad so far. X 9/ 9/ X X 8/. I’ve got some work to do though, the guy who was in 32nd is on 220 pace.

Ok c'mon lets get this one right, gotta get something happening…. Man that release felt smooth and I definitely hit my follow through that time…. This looks good… FLUSH… X.

“That’s it right there drew! You couldn’t have bowled that much better. A few more of them and were back smooth sailing.”

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X 9/ 9/ X X 8/ X X X 9/X. Didn’t miss pocket again all game, had a half pocket mix, but it wasn’t too bad. 8 pin in the 10th broke up a nice run, but still a 220odd isn’t too bad, keeps me right up there.

“Drew, I got a standings sheet. You wanna see, or do you just wanna keep bowling and not know?”
“Nar gimme a look.”
“You’re still in 17th, some people moved around you, but you stayed steady. But your 84 in front of 32nd now, still a way behind 1st, but we won’t worry about that. Corey is picking up his game, he’s in 39th now, just shot a 245.”
“Ok cool, steady sailing, no panicking right?”
“That’s about the size of it, go give em hell.”

Sorry i just saw this post now matt. Great stuff!! sounds just like me! lol i am always pushing but not too hard, keeping everyone focused! Keep writing this thing!!

Dude!, it's good! i want to know how this tournament ends!!
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I am Canadian Dude! GOO BIG FIN!!! MIKA K ALL THE WAY!

I'm waiting for the chapter where the girls to show up.
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~~~SrK - Have balls, will travel

Old bowlers never die, we just don't score as often

It is good so far. I say mostly about bowling, but have a little things outside of bowling in it too. Like, maybe how sometimes other things in life can come and effect his bowling or something. Thats makes it a little more real life.
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B-Car