sport shot league for youth

[bowl400]

i help out with the local junior league.  i conduct informal clinics prior to the start of the saturday morning leagues.  the leagues consist of handicap fun leagues and a scratch league.  i asked the junior director why the scratch kids were bowling on such an easy house shot.  the response i got was that if they put out a sport/pba type shot, no one would bowl.  is this true?  do our so called scratch youth only want to bowl league on the easiest house shots.  another question for you "elite" players.  if your local house did not or would not put out a tougher condition for you, how far would you (or your parents) be willing to travel to bowl on a sport/pba type condition.  what i see now is that our youth bowlers are being trained on easy house shots and when they go to the big junior tournaments, they get schooled by the competitors who train on tougher conditions.  do we want to create the next generation of 240 average house hacks or do we want to create the next generation of great players.
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Tag Team Coaching success story

Edited on 9/25/2007 8:02 PM

[bowl400]

i forgot to add that one parent told me that the junior director said that since only 4 kids in the league were going to junior gold, why should the rest of the bowlers suffer.  fortunately for that parent, a college program recognized the potential in the child and signed her to a letter of intent anyway.  and you wonder why some of our more talented kids give up on the whole thing and go do something else.
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Tag Team Coaching success story

[fins4ever88]

I would love to bowl exclusively on tougher patterns. Throwing strike after strike when you know you have 3-5 boards of error gets old.

I have a lot more fun toughing it out just to average 170 rather than just throwing a ball the whole game for a 190+ average.
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---Ryan

[bowl400]

just the kind of feedback i was looking for.  it is my belief that if you create a league that features a tough shot, the people will come.  my adult pba league has many bowlers from outside of the local area.  why the owner thinks that it does not apply to our younger bowlers, i just cannot understand.  back in the day, it was like that.  people from all over would come to bowl the big scratch leagues knowing that they could measure themselves against the best in an area.  and the shots were tough back then.  thanks to all who have responded in the positive so far and kudos to you if you seek out the tougher conditions.  you will only benefit from the experience when you get ready to bowl the big national tournaments.  you are our future.
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Tag Team Coaching success story

[willie makeit]

My son stopped bowling in Sat morn leagues 4 years ago at age 11. Not enough competition for him. We've been traveling every weekend to tournaments in other states. The only serious league he has bowled in the past year was a PBA league which had a major influence in him improving so much at JG last year. Having said all this, I would have to admit that I appear to be the exception more than the rule. Most parents can't or won't make this kind of committment. I saw early on my son's potential and decided if he wanted to do it, I would support him to whatever extent possible.

The question I would have for the other parents in your league who made that comment is,"why should the serious, successful bowlers suffer at getting better just because the others see it as recreation or a baby sitting service?" I would try to have the center put out a shot for them either in league or after so they can improve.......but that's assuming it doesn't interfere with their ever profitable birthday parties.