BowlingFans.com: Tom Blasco's Expert Bowling Tips - How Did You Practice Today Or This Week?

BowlingFans.com, The site for the fans, by the fans....

Tom Blasco's Expert Bowling Tips:

How Did You Practice Today Or This Week?
10/03/2000 - By Tom Blasco
      "I went out a threw nothing but strikes - I don't need to practice. My house shot is so easy and I strike at will." Sound familiar?

      "I went out and worked on learning to walk straight. I also worked on playing angles and hand positions, I even worked on playing rollout. Today, I worked on speed control from hard to soft speeds. Yesterday, I worked with my equipment learning what each ball does and how it reads the lanes. I even put tape on my axis point so I can see the ball more clearly relative to its skid, hook and roll factors. You know last week I was even concerned about the span of my ball since I haven't had it checked in a long time and I lost 35 pounds. A weight gain or loss will change your span -- you should have it checked."

      We all hear about practice and the lack of practice and all the different reasons why we do or do not. We can easily fall in the same trap that is sounding the land, "that there's no need for practice because it is so easy." We even got to the point of blaming the bowling balls for making it easier. And, we point the finger at the proprietors for making easy house shots. We seem to have all the reasons for not practicing.

      However, there is a bright light at the end of the tunnel. It may not be extremely bright but it is there. I have bowlers and have met bowlers that actually do practice. Asking them why they do practice, most of them reply:

to improve what they already know how to do,
to learn new skills and methods of approaching the game,
some want to increase their skills to become more tournament eligible and competitive,
some reply that they want to get better so they can play in their local classic or scratch league, have desires to bowl in high school or college or are thinking about bowling in megabucks tournaments or joining the PBA down the road,
some say they are learning more about themselves and how to handle pressure situations.
some even believe they are learning more about the mental aspects of the game and throwing bowling balls in pressure situations.

As an instructor, with only a slight glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel, I feel real good. I feel good because there are rays of light, one here and one there, but they are there and that's a comfort too me. At least there are some that still appreciate our game and sport for what it is, "the ultimate challenge -- man against himself," in sport and life. It's comforting to know that some players still believe in:

The essence of making a shot, even though the lanes are dead easy.
still realize the value of hitting a target,
learning new skills and methods to make them more competitive not only in there own environment, but on the road as well,
playing to win all the time - no mercy, no free gifts, no dumping games or frames,
the mental controlling the physical game and becoming more aware of it,
Taking lessons to learn more about the game.

Now that I can see this light and I have students that are interested in becoming better players, I can continue my quest to build the best players in the world. But more enjoyable is realizing that I have contributed in some manner to not only my players becoming better bowlers, but better young men and women and than grown adults.

Discuss your issues with bowlers who thrive on helping each other out 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at the Physical/Mental Game & Lane Conditions Forum at BowlingFans.com Message Board Community.

BowlingFans.com Recent Expert Tips:

The Nine Cs by Tom Blasco
Mental Toughness by Tom Blasco
The How's And Whys Of Your Inner Workings-The brain (part 1) by Tom Blasco
The How's And Whys Of Your Inner Workings-The brain (part 2) by Tom Blasco
The How's And Whys Of Your Inner Workings-The brain (part 3) by Tom Blasco
The How's And Whys Of Your Inner Workings-The brain (part 4) by Tom Blasco
Mental Training to Improve Concentration by Tom Blasco
Interviewing College Students by Tom Blasco
Into The Season by Tom Blasco
Tuning In to your Mental Game by Tom Blasco
Hot Tips for Senior Bowlers (part 1) by Tom Blasco
Hot Tips for Senior Bowlers (part 2) by Tom Blasco
Check Your Grip by Tom Blasco
12 Keys To Personal Bowling Success by Tom Blasco
The Competitive Athlete by Tom Blasco
Fast Feet by Tom Blasco
Our Needs, Our Wants, Our Desires - What Drives Us, Our Understanding And Our Awareness by Tom Blasco
My Mind - Friend or Foe? by Tom Blasco
Impact Education by Tom Blasco
Learning Experience or Skills by Tom Blasco
Managing Your Spare Game by George Freeman
Travelling with Bowling Balls - Redux by Robert Knight
Bowling On The Sport Condition by George Freeman
Through A Child's Eyes by George Freeman
Go Practice! by George Freeman
Taking Your Time On Spares by George Freeman
Shopping For The Holidays by George Freeman
Offer Some Help by George Freeman
Playing To Your Potential by Tom Blasco
Dealing With Luck by George Freeman
When To Use New Techniques by George Freeman

About BowlingFans.com | Contact Us | Advertise With Us | Privacy Policy
Use of this site signifies your agreement to the Conditions of Use.

Copyright � 1998 - 2008 - BowlingFans.com or its affiliates.
BowlingFans.com, BowlingFans, The Right Approach, Kegler's Connection, Tour411, BallBeat, BowlingCommunity.com, BowlSearch.com, and Bowling News You Can Use are trademarks of Holodeck Corporation. All other trademarks and tradenames are property of their respective owners.