Bo-Fish Bowling News: the Positive Source for Bowling Worldwide

Bowling Better
by Brian Dodds

Article Archive #2

Summertime Fun
Does Timing + Arm-swing = Release? (Part 2 of 2)
Does Timing + Arm-swing = Release? (Part 1 of 2)
Kelly’s Focus
The Striking Answer
Is A Wrist Accessory For You?
Mental Improvements Can Help Your Physical Challenges
Hitting the Ball
Coaching Myths and Tournament Tips
Finding A Qualified Instructor

Summertime Fun

Here’s a list of things I recommend you do this summer. If you are really into the game, very competitive and a tournament bowler, then by all means spend some time on improving at least one aspect of your game with a coach. Go for that next level of competency. Join a sport league and study some of the better bowlers. Stay tuned physically and mentally.

Whether this fits your personality and approach to the game or not, do not forget the most important part of our great sport, having fun. If bowling (or coaching bowling) ceases to be fun then get out. Find something that makes you smile, a sport that does provide you with energy and enthusiasm, one that brings out the best in your personality. The best part of our sport is it is a life-long sport and can be played no matter the weather the world over.

Sign up for a summer league but take a relaxed approach to it. Use the opportunity to get a new ball by joining a “have a ball” league. Bowl with your spouse and/or kids, try a different format than you normally bowl or just use the weekly outing as a breather from yard work and your job.

Check out a regional PBA event. Many name pros continue to compete throughout the year at these smaller tournaments and you may pick up a few pointers by watching them bowl in person. You or someone in your family may get lucky and see your favorite professional in action and get that autograph you always wanted.

Take your family vacation to a resort that offers bowling. If the weather should turn on you you’ll still have a recreational and social outlet at hand. If your vacation is not yet planned, swing through St. Louis and visit the Bowling Hall of Fame.

There are many clinics and schools available throughout the year. Schedule your vacation around attendance at one of them. Many bowlers like to stay local and attend a one or two-day camp but some enjoy the travel and the chance to meet some of the “name” coaches.

Stuck at home recovering from an illness or injury? Borrow some instructional videotapes from your library system. Even the older ones have value when it comes to a better understanding of the basics. Remember that you can learn quicker by “replaying in your mind” a good approach than you can by doing it. Take notes and when you are back on your feet ask your instructor about how you compare with the swing keys you noticed on the tapes.

Visit some of the bowling websites and check out coaching tips that they provide. You can view the latest equipment choices, read ball reviews, get to know your favorite pros, learn more about the industry, locate camps, instructors, etc. all from the convenience of your computer.

Lastly, get some personal game advice from someone objective. Take a few minutes to write yourself a game plan for improvement. Thoughts left in your head seldom become action. Go to the www.bowl.com website and locate a coaching class scheduled for your area. Sign up for a USABC Level I class to learn more about the basics of the game to help you or to become a better coach.

This past season has been a lot of fun for me and I hope you have found something of value in my columns. Whatever you decide to do this summer, relax, learn and have fun doing it. Be safe. I’ll “see” you this fall season.

When trying to simulate a proper release think of the position one’s hand might be in when tossing a horseshoe underhanded, or a softball, or throwing a bean bag underhanded into a bucket. Starting to see a picture in your mind? How about picturing your wrist and hand being a seed or food scoop in the bulk section at your local feed or food store? By keeping your “scoop” in the correct position nothing falls out of it. If your shoulder tilts forward the contents of the scoop will begin to fall out. With a bowling ball in your hand, you must be able to maintain a wrist and hand position under and behind the ball to the point of release.

Just as your scoop (wrist and hand) reaches your slide foot ankle you tip it slightly while continuing a smooth swing forward with your arm. The ball comes off the thumb just as it arrives behind your ankle and the fingers give the ball tilt and roll as it falls off your hand when you tip the “scoop”.

Remember, for best leverage position and opportunity to have a successful roll, keep your chin in line with your knee and toes. For best release, stay under and behind the ball throughout the delivery.

You will know you are successful for sure when you can view video of yourself. Or, have a friend who understands what to look for watch you practice and provide feedback. Better yet, engage a coach to work with you so that the other basics of your game remain sound while you improve or learn your new delivery.

What are some results you may now have or do not want to have? What does the ball motion look like before learning a good release and after learning one? If you can see the rotational movement of the ball you should be able to distinguish if the ball is spinning (like a top), if it is sliding or if it is rolling.

If your ball is rolling, in what direction is it rotating? Is it rolling end-over-end, left to right or right to left? A right-hander should see the ball rotating right to left and hooking. A left-hander the opposite.

The goal with changing your hand/wrist position at release should be the same as with other changes. Become adept at several release positions, 10° to 20°, often referred to as “up the back”, 45°, and 80° to 90° or off the side of the ball. The more positions you can master, the better your chances of adjusting and improving your scores.

One reminder. Do not forget how to release the ball the way you do today. Although it may result in a weaker delivery, under some conditions you may wish to “pull it back out of your inventory” and use it again.

Coaching language has a popular formula; T + A = R. Good timing plus a straight, relaxed arm-swing equals a good release. It sounds almost too simple and in fact, it is. The release is so important but so overlooked that I almost always ask top players something about it.

Recently I wrote about Kelly Kulick’s approach to the mental game. When I spoke with her a few weeks ago Kelly was coaching at an Ebonite Demo Day. Occasionally she would pick up a ball and make a shot or two. I marveled at her timing, balance, and especially her release.

I approached the current U.S. Women’s Open champion to inquire what part of her physical game she was currently working on. Somewhat to my surprise she responded it was her release! I say somewhat because, as with most champions who have form we can only wish for, Kelly was trying to better something that was already fantastic. She thought otherwise and was trying to take that part of her game to another level.

The same situation occurred last summer when I spent a couple of days in Akron with TEAM USA. I was filming the release of Diandra Hyman (now Hyman-Asbaty). I marveled at her ability to hit the first arrow, then the second, third, fourth and the fifth and continuing to strike shot after shot but using the same ball. Diandra simply changed her body alignment, speed and release position.

I asked her what she was working on and she told me….her release! Diandra has a better release than many professionals and was arguably the best female amateur in the world last year. I was filming her release and, like Kelly responded to me a few weeks ago, Diandra said she was not satisfied.

What is the formula for a great release? The rather diminutive but athletic Diandra and the taller, physically buff Kelly have one very obvious trait in common; great form from their set-up to the line. The first requirement is to start with good posture in the stance and then maintain that posture all the way to the line. Remember toe-knee-chin? The primary change from start to finish is a lower body position at release.

Good timing is important in being able to maintain good posture, balance and position at the finish. And a loose arm-swing enables consistency and also helps one’s timing. Hand position is often the only thing we focus on, but unless you are a strong player with exceptional balance, the essentials of a sound approach cannot be overlooked.

Keeping the hand under and behind the ball is a key to a strong release. Not squeezing the ball is even more functionally important. Maintain a relaxed arm-swing throughout the approach and start with your hand and wrist in a good position in your set-up. Be sure you stay behind the ball and release through to your target. If you get your shoulder ahead or even over the ball just a bit it becomes difficult to repeatedly deliver the ball with accuracy or with the tilt and revolutions of a top bowler.

I don’t know about you but I can’t wait for the PWBA tour to come back so I can root for my favorite women bowlers. My fingers are crossed, just as I am sure theirs are, in the hopes that a package can be put together in time for a re-start in the near future. Hopefully the LCT (Ladies Classic Tour) regional events will fill in until that happens. Bowling should be represented at all levels for the competitive, ageless, genderless sport that it is. The story lines of the women professionals are just as interesting and compelling as the men’s are.

One of my favorite players, and an athlete who I believe will soon dominate, is Kelly Kulick. A former Rookie-of-the-Year and the current reigning US Open Champion, Kelly is a class act and has lots of game. Okay, so you know all that. Why am I writing about her?

A recent conversation with Kelly centered on the mental game and her approach to it. She told me that she had tried strategies to improve her focus but none of the usual stuff worked for her. TEAM USA is big on diaphragmatic breathing, positive mental imagery, and relaxation techniques. I have written about each of these and teach them in coaching classes. They were not the answer for this young professional.

For champion Kulick, focusing on a specific physical part of her game helps the most. The prime example is one many of us witnessed on the US Open final telecast. Do you remember Kelly talking to herself after several shots? She kept reminding herself to keep her shoulder up.

Champion Kulick told me she needs something physical to focus on. Doing so gives her feedback that tells her something about her process, something tangible. This helps her to concentrate on her process (versus product) and, I think, helps keep other distractions at bay.

I highly recommend this strategy as trying to relax by using imaging, rather than focusing on something tangible, can be difficult for some of us. I’ve tried imagining gentle butterflies, a soothing mountain stream, etc. but these images became distractions and proved counterproductive. Now I use my ball start and focus through the second step on total swing relaxation. My perfect image is the ball free-falling into my back-swing. By maintaining this focus the rest of my body can do what it knows how to do in a more natural manner.

As with other suggestions, try this with an open mind. Experiment and find your own point of focus. Maybe it’s hand position for you, your first step or other movement. Remember to look at your target and let it flow.

The test of one’s ability in any sport is consistent performance at a premium level. Almost every sport adds longevity to its list of hall-of-fame requirements. Under the PBA’s new format, these criteria are condensed into a season of competition. If you don’t finish in the top 50, or win a tournament, you will not be among the elite exempt field for the following season. There are other ways to qualify but winning a weekly tour stop or major offers the most direct path. You must excel every week in a grueling format.

Whether you are a fan of the new tournament format or not, you will likely agree with me that this season has provided some of the most competitive and entertaining tournament finals in PBA history. Bowler-Of-The-Year honors are still in doubt as the season nears its end.

One bowler who could walk away with the title with a couple of wins is former rookie of the year Brad Angelo. Despite not gaining his break-through first win (through the Days Inn Open when this column was written) he has been near the top or has been the number one ranked bowler for much of the season. Consistency has been his middle name.

His high strike percentage is even more astounding to many. Randy Pedersen remarked on a telecast that fellow pros are amazed and that no one has been able to explain why Brad gets so many more than everyone else.

I am sure someone will try to get Brad on a CATS (Computer Aided Tracking System) to acquire some statistical data. Randy may be the one to do it. When it’s done, here’s what I think will be discovered.

Under most conditions he probably has the best entry angle, and consistent ball speed combined with roll-out. There is always a lot of discussion about ball stability and roll-out versus roll at the pocket but some data I saw a few years ago convinced me that success factors have not changed over the years. The key is having an optimum pocket area created by a ball entry angle of at least 4°.

A few years ago Phil Cardinale, at the time with Track (currently with Dyno-Thane), presented a pro-shop seminar in Rochester, NY that I attended. For those of you who were there with me, look in your files for the data he presented.

Phil showed us one of his company’s balls had a pocket area 4.3 boards wide and the percentage was 100%! Average angle of entry was 4.9° with a speed range of 13.8 to 15.6 mph, not very fast by pro tour standards. Another ball that struck every time, but with a lower range of speed (13. 5 to 14.1 mph), had a pocket of 5.6 inches! Average angle of entry was slightly over 5.5°.

Consistent in the testing of several balls was the fact that they each were rolling “end-over-end”. They had rolled-out at approximately 3 to 5 feet in front of the pocket. This means that the angle of entry was maintained, not changing, at entry.

Look at the PBA rankings and rate each of the top bowlers. Compare the style of one you like or admire to yours. Choose something he does well that you would like to change in your game and work on it. I don’t expect anyone to be able to equal the consistent performance of Mr. Angelo but becoming more consistent with any one part of your game will quickly prove its worth.

Often I am asked my opinion on the use of wrist devices. When should a bowler use one? Will they help my daughter/son’s weak wrist? Are they of help to keep a wrist straight? Will they help a bowler learn to have a better release and/or hook the ball? Etc. etc.

Seldom have I recommended their use because a bowler can become dependant upon one very quickly and may slack off learning several release positions. There certainly are instances where the use of one is appropriate and I am more in favor of them today than I have been in the past. And honestly speaking, until recently I had not tried any of the current technology.

There are many devices that serve different functions. Ask your pro shop operator to explain each to you after you share your issues regarding your release concerns. But first let me qualify one important safety concern. Talk to your physician regarding any hand or wrist injury prior to choosing to use any device. There may be a compelling reason to use a prescribed medical support, a recommendation not to bowl at all, or some information a Dr. may suggest is important you share with your pro shop operator when making a selection.

There are several good supports that are meant to do just that; provide support for your hand or wrist. Due to a hand injury, I wore a support for years. Please do not buy a support with the thought that it will help you to throw a hook ball if you do not already do so. A support may give you some confidence that you can hold onto a ball through the delivery with less pain and perhaps less effort. And if you choose to try a wrist or hand device please remember to do this; have your grip re-measured by a certified pro-shop operator because your span and hole pitches may need to be changed as a result.

There are several products that will help position your hand and wrist such that you can add a particular axis tilt and/or more revolutions to your ball at release. You can quickly come to depend on an aid and you may prefer or even need to wear one all the time. Better to master a new release position without one or use the product as a learning tool. I am not saying this is a bad thing, just be aware you can quickly lose the feel of delivering a ball properly in other positions that you currently do not think twice about.

There are several professionals wearing these aids who score well. Only you and your coach can decide if one may be of benefit to you and if you want to continue wearing it whenever you bowl, only when you train, or some combination of both.

Work with your instructor to learn a proper approach and posture to attain maximum benefit from your investment. While wrist supports are not very expensive some of the release aids can cost you a good sum.

I mention working with a coach when purchasing a release aid because wearing one will not necessarily result in attaining the tilt or rotation you hope for. It remains possible to wear a very expensive release aid but still deliver the ball with a spin rather than a roll or with no rotation at all. Since recently trying one of the new models I have ordered a release aid in my size and will experiment some more with it. I am sure there is sufficient interest, not to mention a plethora of devices, to discuss this subject again. Whatever your choice, good luck and have fun!

I have found that most bowlers have an understanding of their physical skills shortcomings. Many of us, coaches included, often overlook the parallel need to address mental game improvements.

A bowler I’ll refer to as “W” approached me a few months ago seeking a lesson to improve consistency. “W” averages around 200 and bowls two or three times a week. He was experiencing release problems and felt that several games he began with the first eight or nine strikes should have become 300’s. To date he had not been successful with any.

We started with a couple of basic physical parts to his game. I felt that helping him to free up his swing and stay relaxed through release were key to elevating his opportunities into a successful 300. This process is 90% mental as is most of our game. We must develop our swing to the point of repeatability and then “Let it happen”. As the great “Hall-of-Famer” Billy Welu used to say “trust is a must or your game is a bust”.

“W” probably knew coming into the lesson what Iwe would work on. As the session progressed he did what many students do in a lesson versus competition. He displayed better form, showing me improvement in almost every approach. (Don’t we usually want to show our teacher what we have learned?) I said little in terms of tweaking his physical game as he continued to roll strike after strike. After all, what’s to be said to someone when they are successful, other than “good shot”?

After about 8 consecutive strikes I stopped “W” for several minutes and made sure that I commented about how many strikes he had. When I asked him to resume he struck again. I kept speaking with him about consecutive strikes and personal records, etc. He threw two more and then made a great shot only to leave one pin. A 299 in a lesson session!

After breaking off his string of strikes I reinforced all the good I had just witnessed and we talked about his thought process. Relaxing the grip, enabling a smooth, relaxed ball start, letting the ball float in the back-swing and allowing a smooth release all enable consistency. Maintaining a mental focus of process versus product will work for you as it did for “W”. With proper focus and technique he was able to deliver the ball without “helping” it by grabbing, squeezing or muscling the swing. So will you.

Oh yeah. Almost forgot the end of this story. Just a few weeks ago “W” walked up to me with an honor score form in hand. He had rolled his 300!

He raised his game another level by combining a physical skill and a mental process improvement.

If your focus is on the right things, you can relax and “feel” your game improve. Combine physical game changes with mental improvements and you’ll improve your success rate.

We often talk of someone “hitting” the ball at release, but few bowlers who believe they are adding something to their shot actually accomplish it. In fact, most lose the added power they are trying to achieve. Let’s dissect exactly what hitting the release is and, more to my point, what it is not.

The recent 2004 U.S. Open finals provided viewers with some classic stylists. What a thrill to watch Chris Barnes, Brian Voss, Pete Weber, Walter Ray Williams Jr. and two-handed bowler Osku Palermaa. 20 year-old phenom Palermaa aside, let’s take a look at the others and their releases. Walter Ray uses loft to his advantage as good as anybody ever has, the great Earl Anthony included. Some think this is hitting the ball at release. Most of the time he is lofting the ball, not hitting the release.

Chris Barnes is a master at choosing hand positions and matching up with ball selection and speed. The roll he and Pete Weber achieve on their ball is not due to hitting the ball at release, it comes from hand position, leverage and a relaxed grip. Brian Voss added some revolutions a couple of years ago by changing his arm position in the back-swing, not by “hitting” the release.

Hitting the release is not about pulling through hard with your hand or shoulder. When this occurs you lose a lot of power and the dynamic reaction of the ball is changed, usually not for the better. There will likely be more skid instead of added roll, less speed and we’ll find ourselves leaving a lot of corner pins. Worse, we’ll probably leave all the back row single pins, 7, 8, 9 and 10. Why? A forced release changes the axis tilt and delays the ball’s roll sufficiently to make the ball travel an inch too far past the ideal pocket entry area.

So what exactly is hitting the ball supposed to be and how can we use the technique to help us? Hitting the ball is the finger pressure we put on the ball as it comes off our hand. Sometimes it is caused by grabbing the ball. This situation was referred to in the U.S. Open telecast when Weber threw a bad shot in the middle of the title game against Voss. Pete’s swing on that shot was not as relaxed through release as it normally is.

By adding finger pressure the ball will hook a bit harder at the pocket area. Too much pressure on drier conditions and you are going to see some splits. Too much pressure on oily conditions and the ball will likely sail a bit causing light hits or washouts.

One caveat here if I may. Please don’t take my comments out of context. Understand that there are other adjustments to compensate for these reactions. I just want to make you aware of what can happen, all other things being equal, when you do learn to properly hit the ball.

When putting together a practice matrix you should have loft, angle, speed, equipment and release (LASER) as five adjustments you should learn and practice. Add another column to your matrix; finger pressure (this is in the Fred Borden/Jeri Edwards practice matrix from their latest offering “Advanced Adjustments; Knowledge is the Key”). Practice a slight flick with the tips of your fingers as the ball comes off your hand your next time out. Try a release with no pressure and one with a lot of pressure. Notice the difference in ball and pin reaction. Add this to your skills inventory but don’t overuse it. As with any other skill you learn, you will not need to use this all the time. In fact, you may seldom need it. Just be knowledgeable, competent and be aware.

Myth #2: If you played the sport, you’re obviously qualified to coach the sport.

Myth #5: The more years of experience you have as a coach, the better you are at coaching.

Myth #7: Trained coaches are needed most at the advanced level of sport, rather than at the introductory level.

I am often asked by bowlers, as they are nearing tournament time, what they should be doing to get ready to compete at a different level or under different conditions. Many of us only bowl a few tournaments a year, often more as a social or recreational activity with our friends and teammates. Some bowlers are in a panic knowing that their game is not up to par at this time.

I would never ask a teammate or student to do something they had yet to master. My advice is to rely on basics. If you have been trying to make a change in your game recently you should stick with the change even if you are not completely accomplished at it yet. Don’t fall back into bad habits. It takes some of us longer to learn a new way of doing things and that’s life. If you are making a change remember the reason for it; you want to improve something that needed to be better. Stick it out.

Maximize your current style. Stay relaxed and focus. Just trying to hit your mark can sometimes be a challenge, especially when you add performance stress to your routine, but remember why you are bowling and have fun.

Do you have an expectation that you should be bowling much better than you are, and do you think you would have an opportunity to make some money if you were bowling better but need some adjustments? Seek out a coach to tweak your game. Again, don’t make any major changes unless you are an individual that can physically perform something new within the first few attempts.

For a seasoned tournament player, getting a couple of new balls drilled up is no big deal and is probably the norm. For most I would not recommend doing this just prior to competition unless there is ample opportunity to practice and learn what can and cannot be done with the new equipment.

If you have some time, try to get information on the condition you will bowl on and seek an opportunity to bowl on the same or similar condition. Having some similar experience will help you to be more comfortable and confident.

The good news for us all is that we each have a “Zen environment” we can take with us wherever we go; our personal routine. Yes, the lighting may be different than you are used to, it may be noisier, smell different or have a different lane surface but you can still take comfort in having some pre-shot habits and a positive thought process to help you focus.

One more thought. A coach will tell you “if you think you can, or you think you can’t, you are probably right”. Keep a positive attitude and pay attention when you bowl. Every delivery will teach you something of value. Good luck and good bowling.

When you are ready to elevate your game it’s likely you’ll want to find a qualified instructor. Just as you look for a pro shop technician who is IBPSIA certified or who comes with good referrals, a solid reputation and lots of experience, so too should you look for these same attributes in an instructor. What IBPSIA (International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association) does for the pro shop world, USA Bowling does for the coaching part of our sport. You can find a certified professional instructor on the web at www.bowl.com. Do the same as you would if you were looking for a golf or tennis teacher. Ask around and, if possible, get a referral from someone who has taken lessons from a qualified instructor. Another source of instruction is a Ritger certified coach. There are a few in this area and again, ask for referrals.

What attributes should a good instructor have? Look for good communication skills, patience and a positive, supportive attitude. A good instructor must be flexible in her/his style and in what they teach. Each of us learns differently and we do not want someone who insists on teaching everyone the same thing the same way. Also be aware of someone who tries to teach you her or his personal way of bowling. Finding a coach with a caring attitude, someone with whom you can establish a good rapport is very important.

Having skill at teaching someone means that person will inquire about your current physical condition (arthritis for example) and want to know what your goals are. “What physical limitations or injuries do you have if any, why do you bowl and why are you here?” should be questions you are asked fairly early in your first lesson. You should begin to make a connection with and feel comfortable with your coach after the first 5 or 10 minutes.

Of course it is vital that your coach knows how to get to the root cause of your scoring issue rather than just give you a tip or two. The difference is in the long-term affect on your game. How many times have you heard someone say “you didn’t hit the second arrow” or you “need to stop chicken-winging and roll the ball”? This is totally useless information isn’t it? You already knew you were doing something incorrectly or you would not be taking a lesson. What you want from the instructor is to correct the cause (a positive), not comment (negatively) on the affect.

I’ve yet to name the most important thing to have when taking a lesson...FUN! If the game isn’t fun for you then find something that is. And, if the instructor isn’t passionate about teaching the game, then I suggest you find another coach.

Next time we’ll look at some myths about coaching; what to and what not to look for.

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