Ok, I have a problem right now.  I am in the usual saturday morning youth league at my bowling alley.  It is an easy wall shot, but I just do plain horrible in it.  I think mainly because I'm tired.  I've tired caffeine and everything to wake me up and bowl better, but it doesn't work.  I have to work on friday and saturday nights until about 1 am, so I can't get too much sleep.  I've tried taking naps on friday afternoon, but no help there either.  I feel like my mind simply isn't in the game, and I'm not making my adjustments or hitting my mark like I should.  I'm not as accurate, nor do I throw with my normal revs and speed in the morning.

That's not really the problem though.  I am also part of a traveling league that has matches saturday afternoons.  When I'm awake, I shoot about 30 to 40 pins over my saturday morning league average.  Our traveling league is huge though, so only about 5 of the 20 kids or so get to bowl every week.  Last week was my first chance to bowl in a match, and I thought I did pretty decent bowling 30 some pins over my saturday morning average.  This was on a much tougher shot then my youth saturday morning league as well.  The problem is, the traveling league coach is basing traveling league line-up on how well everyone does in the saturday morning league, so I basically am not in the line up for traveling league at all for the rest of the season because of my performance in the morning league.  Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can help my bad morning bowling syndrome?

Edited on 10/13/2003 2:13 PM

When I was a jr.

I used to get up 2-3 hours before leagues started (9am)
I am not a morning person, therefore getting up a few hours earlier
helps me to get my head in the game, get loose and all that fun stuff.

I used to get up about 6 or 7, and drag around the house until I woke up.

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Eric T. Spivey, P.E.
 Visionary Test Staff Member

Take livespive's advise and get up earlier. Important thing is to be fully awake and functional when you bowl.

Maybe get into the habit of taking a shower first thing when you wake up.

Sawbones is correct about night and morning person, but you should not accept that. You are young and can adapt to whatever type you want to be.

Where I grew up in Asia we do not have a lot of things and not performing our best at all times is a luxury we do not have. If you miss your chance, there are dozens ready to replace you.


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baiki

If waking up is a problem, I'd recommend getting up about an hour earlier, going for a run or doing some type of exercise and then taking a shower.  Geting the blood flowing and heart pumping always helps.
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Dominic A. Pelc

Thanks for the responses everyone.  I'm going to try eating a good breakfast before I go, which I usually don't have time for.  I'll try waking up at 8:30 this week too, as opposed to 9:45 when the league starts at 10:00  It doesn't help to have JUST woken up 15 minutes before.  Overall, yeah I'm a night person, but things are going to have to change I suppose.

I suppose there are a few benefits.  This weekend I am bowling in my first tournament (I've been bowling for about a year and a half or so), and it is a handicapped YABA city tournament I think.  So I'm going to have a huge handicap, and if I'm awake, all those 200+ average crankers are going to have trouble with me and my monstrous handicap .  Now, don't jump on me for sandbagging or anything, because I truly am trying my best on saturday morning, not my fault I suck when I'm tired  Wish me luck, and thanks again for the suggestions.

Mr. H

Will do