I felt like posting an insightful post about my experience today up in Wabasha, MN. I am a 22yo from WI that has been bowling seriously for about 5 years now. This year has been my first real venture into bowling a lot of tournaments.
I used to think that bowling well was all about league bowling and shooting that huge score. It eventually was getting to the point for me that I wanted to shoot a 300 or a high 700 series or I did not feel like bowling that night. Looking back on my bowling experience this year makes me realize that was a little sick.
Anyways, on to my story, I was bowling in The Great River Open in Wabasha, which has Pete Weber, Parker Bohn III, Brian Voss, and Norm Duke participating. This is the second year this event has been held there. I bowled in it the first year and averaged a very solid 150 for the 4 game qualifyer. I did not know a thing about bowling at that time except for the THS. This was one of the experiences that made me realize there is a lot more to this amazing game we know as bowling.
Anyhow, the shot was on a Cheetah pattern with 2 feet extended onto it to make it a 39foot shot on a wood surface. It was also the same for that this year. I shot games of 183, 221, 210, and 205 for +19 for 4 games this time around. I ended up finishing 5th out of 150 some bowlers and the top 28 amateurs plus the 4 listed pros above made the match play. This is the first time I've made match play in a tournament in my bowling career. Let me tell you I can't get enough from the experience I had today.
I got stuck having to bowl Team USA's own Scott Pohl in the first round of the bracket. He struggled a little the first 2 games in qualifying and ended up killing the 3rd and 4th game to break around even. Having to a bowl a bowler of his caliber made me super nervous. We ended up putting on the match of the first round. The format was best 2 out of 3 games. He made a big mistake late and gave me the first game 198-185. The 2nd game, I converted 3 huge splits to shoot 199 with one open, but he shot in the 240s to tie it up. In the third game, I feel the pressure cave in on me like I have never felt pressure in my life. I ended up giving Scott a HUGE run for his money. I threw 2 terrible shots and had 5/ and a brooklyn up.
Then Dave Freeman came up to me and said I just need to relax and bowl like I know how to. He said I wasn't throwing the ball. So I settled down and realxed and ran off a very solid game until the 10th frame. If I was bowling anyone else I would have cruised to an easy win, but Scott is a hell of a bowler. I got up first in the 10th needing two strikes to beat him, which I thought was an impossibility going into this match. Needless to say I let the pressure cave in on me and I left a split on the first ball in the 10th for 218. He proceeded to punch out for the 256 and advance.
Looking back on this experience that happened a few hours ago, I realized that tournament bowling match play is where it is at. I have NEVER felt that intense feeling of competition, and I want MORE of it. This single day has sparked a new interest in bowling that I have not had before. I now want to strive to become the best bowler I can possibly become. I just felt the need to share this experience with everyone here because I have been a religious viewer of this site ever since I started seriously pursuing bowling.
If anyone would like to talk about this, feel free to post and I will respond as soon as possible.
Also, congratulations to Scott, you are one hell of an amazing bowler and I will not forget the experience of bowling with you today.
Jason
