I went adult when I was 17, I should of stayed one more year as a junior, but I felt my game needed a challange.  Kind of funny, my best apponent was Andrew  Cain.  Some of you may know him, but its funny to say I needed a challange when Andrew Cain was there.  But I felt it was more mental work than physical, and the only way to get this was to bowl against some drunks ( thats what I called adults back then ) and find out how to make my mental game better.  

I was in for a rude awakening, it wasnt what I expected.  These guys that I thought were drunks, HA!  This guy who average 180-some, played with my head so bad!  He even told me my game was junk!  I had to rethink it, and I found out why he said that.  

I see this problem with lots of Juniors.  All we ever wanted to do was throw the biggest hook and try to score doing it, and I'm speaking as if I was a junior.  Yea, the ball looks pretty, and makes heads turn, but I didn't do all that well in tournaments.  I bowled Vegas, San Diego, Bunches in Phoenix, and of course in Tucson being where Im from.  If I would of Learn to hit a mark and try to be consistant, I would of been a bad-ass!  But I had to be the one with the biggest bend.  

I've learned now that the less hit you have, the better bowler you are going to be.  Im not saying you dont have to hit the ball, you can still good hit, just need to learn to control it, and I see that alot with junior bowlers, even from my time.  If for anyone that is a junior right now, and wants to be the best, look at your game, and I mean take a look and see how you can make it better, and easier on yourself.

Its wierd I thought I was a hot shot coming out of juniors, and it took me only a couple of weeks to find out that I wasn't as good as I thought I was.  Today, my brother is a collegite bowler ( soon to be for Wichita State ) and says my game would be perfect for the PBA.                            



Junior bowlers, stay untill your 21, suck up the FREE scholarship money that they basically give out, and enjoy it as much as you can.  I wish there was scholarships back in my time like there is now.  I might have gone to school, and probably be a much better bowler much sooner.  Learn from your peers, and take it to heart.
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By all means not no part of anybody's nation.  Mabey Nascar Nations.....

i see many juniors "practicing" but their concentration level isn't what it should be----many spend more time looking at brand new balls in the pro shop or getting candy bars out of the vending machine than going and practicing with a real plan of attack. last summer a junior player i know well practiced with me three times a week. i would bowl eight games without stopping and put everything into every shot---both mentally and physically. i would be drenched with sweat but knew my hard work would pay off in leagues and tournaments in the fall. i had my best year ever----becaused i worked hard and had the desire to improve. on the other hand, "tyler" bolwed about three games in the time i took me to bowl eight. he only got three games in because he spent time in the pro shop, getting candy bars in the vending machine, watching tv in the lounge, etc. he wanted to improve but wasn't willing to do what it took to improve.

Edited on 5/8/2005 10:28 PM