Author Topic: Question on youth coaching? (Read 818 times)

sdbowler · « **on:** March 07, 2009, 07:21:30 AM »

For those of you that are involved in coaching youth leagues can you please give me ideas on how you coach them. I guess I am wondering do you feel like you are talking down to the bowler or are you talking to them as a person and taking time to watch them? When the person is bowling do you get on the lane and help them while they are bowling or wait until they are done? How often do you actually give tips/pointers, ie after every shot or allow a few to be done? There are a few people that have taken over the coaching at the center where I was asked to be a coach at and I don't agree with the way they are going about it and I am only helping a few people out that seem like they actually want the help.
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Kyle

Nicanor · « **Reply #1 on:** March 07, 2009, 03:49:38 PM »

The house I coach on turns four lanes on for me 1/2 hour before shadow and I work with any of the junior bowlers who show up during that tinme for free. I also coach on non league days. As far as coaching during league play, I do only a little because it will not only take the fun out of it for that junior, but for the others on the team and bowlers around being disrupted. If I do make suggestions during league play, I watch for a few frames first, them make small recommendations not to change the whole game in a few few frames. The juniors are there to bowl and have fun, overcoaching takes the fun out of bowling for a lot of juniors especially the ones that don't want it. Thats why I coach before and after league, those who want help during league a little and on non league days/afternoons.

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Nicanor (Ten On The Deck)

sdbowler · « **Reply #2 on:** March 07, 2009, 04:27:12 PM »

Nicanor thanks for the reply. How do you feel about a coach getting on the approach while the child is trying to bowl? I have seen this happen a few times and it really upsets me that they would do this. To me coaching should be done after they have bowled the frame not during.
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Kyle

DanH78 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 07, 2009, 04:28:30 PM »

Well, it all depends on the individual. First, I can't help every kid after every shot. We've got 4 coaches and 18 lanes. What I try to do is stay on one pair for a while, help those that want help, then move to another pair for a while and so on. I also don't have a problem focusing on just a few bowlers if they really need to work on something.

Not every kid wants help, some just want to show up throw the ball and have fun, so I pretty much leave them alone. The important thing is to make sure all the kids know you are available to help them and not that you will only work with certain kids.

I will walk down onto the lanes while they are bowling to help, no sense in waiting till they are done. Kids generally don't have the attention span to remember after the fact, so I get them while they are doing it.

It doesn't matter if it's coaching bowling or teaching someone a new software program, talking down to a person isn't going to get results. Obviously, if they are a beginning bowler, you can't get super technical and use all sorts of jargon, but you can still address them as intelligent young people and they will respond (hopefully).
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It IS next year!

Nicanor · « **Reply #4 on:** March 07, 2009, 05:27:29 PM »

I don't go on the approach during league play ever, unless someone falls and I want to make sure they're ok. I am the only coach for fourty lanes and I walk up and down talking to the juniors who I work on during a regular base and those who will listen a little. I also look for the parents so I can place the junior with at least one parent. Occassionally I talk to the parent and let them know what I've been talking to their junior about.

I also coach two world team challenge teams at our center. We won it last year in Vegas. If you center will let you coach a half hour prior to league start, you can spend some time with the juniors and it will help identify juniors you can work with during league without going on the lanes.

Good luck.

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Nicanor (Ten On The Deck)

Smash49 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 07, 2009, 06:08:37 PM »

We talk with the youth bowlers. We have one social youth league and our Big Cats Advance Youth League (C). Our advanced league has a great deal of coaching and in some cases it is done on the approach depending on the students. Coaching happens in the bowlers area, on the concourse and even down the lane. We take our students down the sides of the lanes and into the pro shop. As many aspects of youth bowling are taught as possible. Youth bowlers even plug and prep their own equipment. Students are video taped and charted. We feel that Big Cats (C) is one of the most progressive youth systems in bowling. A proven award winning system. So you may go as deep as you want into youth coaching just check the rules first. Many youth organizations tend to be nothing more than baby sitters with adults sucking down coffee and eating donuts. They call coaching someone screaming "throw the ball harder honey!". On the other hand there are some darn good youth leagues and organizations also.

Smash49
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Smash49

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Edited on 3/7/2009 9:16 PM

ThongPrincess · « **Reply #6 on:** March 07, 2009, 06:46:46 PM »

I work with every kid that will listen. You come across a few who when you offer suggestions say that my mom/dad/grandma/grandpa/ says to do this. To those I let them know I am available if they need help and move on.

Before league play I will offer most of the coaching and sometimes actually get on the approach with them. Like Nicanor, the kids are given 30 minutes of practice before league starts.

Once league starts I offer suggestions for adjustments based on what they are doing and what I observe, but I never go onto the approach. That is not fair to the teams on the adjoining lanes. I also talk to some of them after league as they evaluate their performance. This is when I work with them on the mental game offering ways to keep focused when the lanes are tougher than they are used to.

If there are problems that cannot be fixed with just suggestions, I have had them come off the lanes and roll a few on the concourse between their turn up to bowl. I had a few that would get the arm swing out of a pendulum swing and the concourse is a great place for them to work it out.
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USBC Bronze Coach

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Quaker 10/93 - 4/07

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baltimora · « **Reply #7 on:** March 07, 2009, 07:07:41 PM »

i work with the younger kids mostly. i find them quite rewarding as they listen for the most part and they frequently let you know if you don't make enough suggestions. i leave the older kids mostly to the coach in my group that is a better bowler. he watches the older kids intently anyway. i just make suggestions as to what the younger kids should do (which are obviously just the same basics over and over) and if they choose to listen great.
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Jay · « **Reply #8 on:** March 07, 2009, 07:55:33 PM »

Wow, I'd like to be in either Nicanor's or Smash's youth program. I consider myself an intermediate or advanced youth bowler as far as how competetive I can be, but I've always wished one of my leagues had legit coaches(especially because one of them is PBAX). I'm always looking to improve and I'm open to trying new things so I could really benefit from having a good pair of eyes on site. My driller is a good person to watch me and remind me of what I should be doing if something's not right, but he's not always able to. The coaches we do have, Nicanor summed up pretty good. They're pretty much just babysitters, except for bowlers that lack really basic things.

sdbowler · « **Reply #9 on:** March 08, 2009, 02:15:33 PM »

Thanks to all of you for your input. Smash that sounds like one heck of a program you have. I would love to be able to see it or get more info. I guess since the season is almost over I will grin and bear it and try to do something next year.
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Kyle

Author Topic: Question on youth coaching? (Read 818 times)

sdbowler

Question on youth coaching?

Nicanor

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sdbowler

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DanH78

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Nicanor

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Smash49

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ThongPrincess

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baltimora

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Jay

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sdbowler

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