As some of you may have read i had rolloffs for my national team this past weekend. All was going great, 2 out of the 3 days were bowled and i was coming 2nd(they take the top 3). The officials of the team were (according to my coach) coming upto him and saying how glad they were i was going to be in the team and how i was going to fit in great, etc etc etc.

So sunday morning comes, and i just never felt comfortable on the lanes. My thumb didnt feel comfortable in the ball (rmembering i ripped it up last week, a little plastic skin held it up though, thanks to whoever suggested that!), for some reason i lost confidence even though i was averaging 220ish for the first 2 days. I went out and bowled 6 games of complete and utter SH!T, and dropped too 7th.

Clearly shattered i retreated to the games arcade where i sat in one of the car games and didnt move for the whole hour break(i wasnt playing the game), i was so shattered that my coach had to come get me to inform me that practice for the last block of 3 games had already started and i was on lane 3. I went back down there, with all hope lost and bolwed 230something 190 240 something, and remained in 7th.

Could it be that i have a fear of winning? That is what my coach and father claim. If this is true then how cam i fix it? Is their any way, or is that just how i always will be?

good luck and high scoring
matt

You bowled so good the first two days that you put to much pressure on yourself to do it again. If you would have went in with the same attitude that you had at first you probably would have done much better. It's just one of those things that happens. You will get over it and move on. Just remember that you cant expect every game, or every session to be perfect, even the best bowlers have off days.
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You can always hit em hard when you've got the balls

Lefties are the only people in their right minds.

no1bucsfan

no1,

I have been through this before.  There was a tournament where I bowled really well for the first block (720) at a local World Team Challenge.  The team as a whole was doing pretty well.  For some reason, I kept thinking to myself not to blow it instead of thinking positive.  We had a chance at the semis for Sunday and as I get up in the 10th of the final game, I leave a 1-3 (could not keep the ball right the lanes were so dry).  Instead of just putting my thumb in it and killing the rotation, I was stubborn and flagged the entire spare hooking it across the lane.  What I am trying to say, is that you get so ahead of yourself and so comfortable, you tend to lose focus and instead, put more pressure on yourself to make the perfect shot everytime rather than staying relaxed and executing the shot like you had to start the day.  Take each shot one at a time and make the competition beat you.  I have the mentality that they are out to beat me.  I am not out there to beat them.  Use that mentality and you should be just fine.  Good luck to you in the future and just continue what you are doing.  You will be fine.
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If anyone out there is worried about the scores being too high, try duckpin!!