1. Mike Herbert 2310
2. Bobby Torraville 2220
3. Brad Rowland 2207
4. Nathan Cooper 2175
5. Wade Thompson 2169
6. Tom England 2158
7. Martin Talbot 2144
8. Jeff England 2138
9. Ian Gawel 2132
10. Max Lafreniere 2112
Congrats to Mike Herbert who went home with the $4000 first place prize. With 52 entries this year, this event promises to be an even better success next year.
I will once again be posting updated Masters aggregates from across the country next week. Thanks to all that have gone out of their way to send me updated results from their provinces, it's greatly appreciated. If there has been a tournament bowled recently that you would like posted up here, please feel free to send me an email at fivepinblog@live.ca and I will try my best to make sure every event result gets posted.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
BOWLER BEWARE!
First off I'd like to say congratulations to Mike Herbert for winning the Oshawa Open this past weekend. There were some great scores and with a great turnout this year, this event promises to be even stronger next year!
The following article is the next installment by Tom Paterson. While we emphasize the importance of improving your game within, it always helps to have that watchful eye in the background, helping you make the best of your game. Jim Head dealt with coaches in his article a couple weeks ago, and Paterson puts the spotlight back on them this week.
The following article is the next installment by Tom Paterson. While we emphasize the importance of improving your game within, it always helps to have that watchful eye in the background, helping you make the best of your game. Jim Head dealt with coaches in his article a couple weeks ago, and Paterson puts the spotlight back on them this week.
Bowler Beware
Good Coaches – Don’t Just Stand There!
It seems the end of the approach is like a giant magnet to instructors and coaches. Yet it is likely
in and of itself the most unproductive option for coaches. Coaches can vastly improve the
quality of their communication and effectiveness as instructors/coaches by simply moving
around. Get on the lane, view, share insights, probe from all sorts of angles on the lane, off the
lane, don’t just stand there! Too many coaches (both in practice and tournament play) just
stand there. This is the least effective method to use in communicating. IF this is you, may I
suggest attaching a pair of inline skates to your feet.
Good Coaches – Mirror – Model
Model what you want an athlete to copy. – Simply showing the athlete what it looks like both in
static form and in movement will add greatly to the clarity and efficiency of instruction.
Mirror – by literally going through the motions of the skill set with the athlete provides
feedback instantly to progress.
Good Coaches – Probe
Every question is a good question but…some are simply better. Aim to inquire with open ended
statements or questions. This involves the brain in thinking rather than simply barking out a
quick yes/no response. Probing also encourages ownership and helps develop independent
problem solving.
Good Coaches – Develop Independent Problem Solvers
The great coaches find that their athletes can solve many of their own problems simply from
the development of reflective skills. Questioning is the key ingredient to developing
independent problem solvers. BUT…developing independent problem solvers are not just about
asking questions it is also about the coach affirming with genuine enthusiasm when the athlete
is making progress.Good Coaches – Don’t use cookie cutters
There is no one best way of instructing. There can be lots of common denominators but…the
path to success as a coach is not by following one constant set of criteria. You need to take the
player from where they are at intellectually, emotionally, and physically, all the while paying
attention to their current skill set and interests. The great coaches give the athletes what they
need, avoiding the temptation to mold them into how they do things.
Good Coaches – Develop their expertise
The great ones never stop learning. AND…they do not limit themselves to learning in
conventional methods. Reading is one excellent form of developing knowledge but…read from
a broad spectrum of interests.. For example books on leadership can be immensely important
in developing a new insight. Great coaches are also good at transferring relevant knowledge
from other sports into their sport. For example a baseball pitchers variety of grips can help
bowlers with experimentation of different grips.Lurking behind each lane staring forward, nodding once in awhile, more stationary than mobile,
standing seemingly impervious to what is truly going rests a well intentioned individual who
really needs to get out more. Yes get out more…. That is. Get out on the lane coach don’t just
stand there and nod with the occasional putting in of 2 cents worth of knowledge.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
23 Questions with…Fraser Hambly
Since I started this blog, I've been saying that this sort of venture isn't something I would be able to do alone, and thankfully right from the very beginning I haven't had to. I've had some of the premier bowlers in Canada contribute to this site, making what I think a very valuable resource for any 5pin bowler. I've been working with an idea to take a glimpse into the minds of the prominent figures in our sport. Taking this idea and running with it, is Steve Barker. Over the course of time, Barker will be picking the brains of bowlers across Canada for your reading enjoyment. What better way to start Barker's feature on this site, than with the man sits at the top of Ontario's top 90 bowlers of all time, Fraser Hambly.
23 Questions with...Fraser Hambly
In most sports, the greatest players can often be recognized by one name. Golf has Jack, Arnie, Ernie, Phil, Tiger and Elin (oops). In hockey, you knew who the announcers were talking about if you heard Gordie, Wayne or Mario. 5-Pin has a few of their own, but the most recognizable has got to be FRASER.
Inducted into the O5PBA Hall of Fame in 1989, Fraser Hambly's accomplishments and contribution to our game is incredible. He is the only 4-time Ontario Open Singles Champion and turned those wins into 2 National Titles to go with a Silver and a Bronze. He has also won 5 Open Team Championships in Ontario. Between the Open and the Masters, Fraser has won a National Championship in 5 decades! In addition to winning adult league High Average titles in 6 consecutive decades, he has also won 60+ tournaments, spanning 6 decades. In 1974, Fraser won the Canadian Invitational Singles, netting $10,000! (Worth about $100,000 now)
A 10-time winner on the regular MBAO tournament tour, Fraser has also won 9 Senior Scratch titles. Fraser has thrown an incredible 16 Perfect games (2 sanctioned), an 1162 triple, 1654 for 5, 3087 for 10, and held a league average of 289!!
A member of the C5 All-Century team, Fraser was also voted Ontario's #1 Bowler of all-time in the 1999 "Top 90" list.
I recently had the privilege to delve into the mind of a legend;
Fraser, we appreciate you taking time for us.
At what age did you start bowling? 12
Did you play YBC?
No, but I played CJBC (Canadian Junior Bowling Congress) for a few years, before our team was banned for bowling in a men’s league and accepting prize money.
Do you recall what you averaged back then?
At 12, I averaged 212; at 13 and 14, I averaged in the 240’s; at 15, I averaged in the 270’s; at 16, I averaged 287 (admittedly, scoring conditions were easy)
Most of us know that you throw a classic medium-speed back-up ball.
How many steps do you take in your approach?
I take what I call a 3 1/2 step approach, the first “step” being a shuffle step with my right foot to start the approach.
What do you use for a target?
I use the arrows for the most part, but I also use the boards between the arrows, and I often look down the lane past the arrows to ensure getting the ball out.
How many league games do you currently play per week?
I play 4 games per week and have done that for the last 8 years, usually throwing in 1 practice session. * I’m currently not playing the 2nd half at Bathurst – retirement looms?)
What is the highest number of leagues you've ever played at one time? 3
What is your current average? Rather not say, let’s just say it’s embarrassing.
What is/was your highest EVER league average? 289
At what stage(s) of your development did your average drastically improve, and what lead to the significant change?
My average improved dramatically after my first year of bowling (212 to 242) mainly because I was bowling more, starting to set pins, and receiving some basic instruction. The manager (Dick Bell) at Shea’s Avenue Road also let us bowl for free quite often, much to the chagrin of the owner. We would take turns setting pins for each other.
Then after 2 years in the 240’s, my average went up to over 270. This was mainly due to instruction by Ted Datzeff. He spent quite a bit of time with me, and really stressed rhythm, balance, consistency and a never-give-up attitude. I also started bowling in one of the top men’s major leagues of the day, and got to see just how the best players went about their business.
In your prime, did you normally practice each week?
I normally wouldn’t practice in my prime because I was bowling 2/3 leagues, bowling all kinds of sweeps (money games after bowling), and bowling all kinds of tournaments. I suppose the sweeps (especially the smaller ones) were a type of practice. If my game got a bit off, I would occasionally throw in a practice session, and concentrate on the fundamentals.
Did you specifically practice before a big tournament?
With the amount of bowling I was doing, I would seldom practice before a big tournament. If anything, I would bowl less, so that I would be fresh mentally and physically for a big tourney. The famous golfer Jack Nicklaus was one of the first to use this type of “peaking”, and Tiger Woods has certainly followed this method
If so, what methods/drills do you use?
When I did practice, I would try and find a condition similar to the upcoming tournament, and work on the speed and rotation of the ball that I thought would be effective. I also always spent some time shooting corners.
Personalized bowling balls have been around for just over 20 years now. Before that, players had to adjust not only to different lanes, but to the different sizes and types of house balls. While personal balls are good for the image of 5-Pin, I also think that they have leveled the field somewhat because players can use different balls for certain conditions. Would you agree with that assessment and do you think that they're good for the game?
I think that personalized balls are wonderful for the sport, in that it gives the sport a more professional look, and that bowlers take pride in owning their own equipment. It’s great that any bowler can get a ball that fits their hand properly and feels the right weight to them. That being said, I do feel that personalized balls level the field somewhat, but to only a very small degree. They do help with varying lane speeds, but the bowler still has to be able to read the lanes correctly, and execute the shot. I think the sad part is that bowlers nowadays don’t have to learn as many different shots, but I still feel the best bowlers (not the best equipment) will prevail most often.
How many "sets" of balls do you own? 4
How many would you normally take to a tournament? 3
It amazes me how many different balls some players take to an event. I think that some people are too quick to change balls, rather than fixing a technical flaw or making a different adjustment. Plus, even when they're playing okay, in the back of their minds they must be wondering how their other balls might be working. What do you think? Are you of the mindset that you should adjust yourself first, or do you think the more tools in the box, the better?
I agree with you 100% that some people are way too quick to change balls. I remember bowling in a tournament where one of the guys warmed up with almost every ball being a perfect strike with proper rotation and speed, only to change balls after the 4th frame because of a poor start. His first 2 games were terrible, before he switched back to the original ball and bowled great – it was a perfect example of way too quick a change.
I personally always start with my preferred rubber balls, and if I don’t like the way they’re reacting, I’ll try a few adjustments. If the adjustments obviously aren’t working, then I’ll try different equipment. I have to be convinced in my own mind though, that it’s not my poor technique causing the problem before I’ll switch equipment.
What is/was your favourite event to compete in, and why?
The Ontario Open has long been my favourite tournament. Not only do you have to beat almost all the best bowlers in the province to win the Singles, you have the added thrill of Team play in an unmatched atmosphere anywhere else in 5-pin bowling. You have the thrill of the qualifying rounds in Hamilton, and the unparalleled excitement of the Stepladder Finals in front of a fired-up crowd.
What is/was your favourite bowling centre(s), and why?
I think my 2 favourite centres over the years were O’Connor Bowl and Willow Bowl. O’Connor was the first “modern-type” centre and it still holds up well even today. The owner John Martin was truly innovative – he held the first 10 game big money tournament (O’Connor Open), and he held many other important tournaments over the years, including the Marathon and the Canadian Invitational with a $10,000 first prize. I was very pleased to win both these tournaments. The early CBC shows were also held at O’Connor, and for years it was certainly the premier bowling centre in Ontario.
Willow Bowl was great in that the proprietors were very particular with having great conditions at all times. It also had the Friday Men’s Major league where virtually all the best bowlers in the city played – you had to shoot about 290 to win the high average, and there would be more than 20 players over 270 in the peak scoring years, partially attributable to the original blue band. Then there were the famous “sweeps” during and after Friday night bowling.
Which conditions/environments do you prefer? String or Freefall? Freefall
Wood or Synthetic? Wood
If you are throwing the ball consistently and are punching HEADPINS in bunches, how would you normally adjust?
The first thing I would try would be to move my starting approach spot ½ - 1 board either left or right.
If that didn’t work, I would try and slow my ball down either with a shorter approach or a shorter backswing.
Next, I would try and change my aiming spot slightly.
If those didn’t work, I would try and switch to either a softer or harder ball.
If none of those worked, I would make a big move on the approach (at least 5 boards).
If I was still picking headpins, I would just accept the fact that some days, no matter how hard you try, you’ll just pick a bunch of headpins – it’s just part of the game.
If you needed 16 points in the tenth frame to win a match, what strategy would you use? In other words, would you throw normally or play thin/chisel? Explain.
In my prime, I would always play thin. During a year in the early 80’s, I saw 5/6 tournaments lost in the last frame, when the bowler only needed a mark to win, and punched a headpin. If you play thin, you might get a strike, leave a corner or get a chop-off or miss the headpin. If you strike you win, and any of the others leave you alive for a spare and the win. To play thin though, you must practice this shot, and be at the top of your game and have every confidence that you can pull it off.
What was the best or highest scoring match that you were involved in?
I’d like to mention 3 matches in particular.
One of the the best matches I was ever involved was actually a sweep. It was after Friday night bowling at Willow Bowl in the later 60’s, and 4 of us were banned from the big sweep because we were winning too much of the money. So we decided to have our own sweep of 10 games at 50 cents up and down the line. The bowlers all turned out to be Hall of Famers – Holly Leet, Jimmy Hoult, Rusty Starr and myself. We all shot over 3000 for the 10 games, the high being about 3150, next about 3120, next about 3080 and last being about 3030. Rusty Starr was low and had to pay out $130, plus the lineage for a set like that! You knew it was something special because most of the other bowlers stayed around to watch the conclusion.
Another exciting match was when I won the Canadian Invitational in ’74 and $10,000 (way more than I was earning as a teacher at the time). It was a 5 game final between the 2 winners of the qualifying round (120 bowlers in each). It was a back and forth match all the way, and in the 4th game, I picked 7 headpins in a row to be down about 100. My opponent started well the last game and I was still struggling. Fortunately for me, I started striking and he started picking. I ended up throwing the last 5 strikes to win by a narrow margin. I have to give my opponent Roger Dunberry a lot of credit, as he was first up on the lane to raise my arm in victory – talk about sportsmanship!
The ’90 Ontario Open Singles was also a very exciting match. After winning a couple of matches to get to the final, I was behind all the way, mainly due to headpins on my part and good bowling by my opponent. He made a critical error in the 7th frame on a double to give me a chance, and as it turned out I needed to strike out in the 10th frame to win by a few pins. This was in the days before personal balls, and there was only 1 ball on the rack that I really liked. After getting the first strike, I had to wait for what seemed like an eternity, for the ball to come back, and I had to wait even longer after the second strike. I almost was going to throw another ball as the wait was excruciating and I was way out of my normal routine. At the last second it returned, and after I threw the third strike, I did something I had never done before – I ran onto the next approach and leaped up in the air. It was something very uncharacteristic for me and wasn’t planned. It was just pure joy.
What is your proudest moment in bowling?
I’m going to use a collective here as my proudest moment in bowling is Ontario and Canadian Open wins. To have won the Ontario Open Singles and Men’s Teams 4 times each and to have won the Canadian Open Singles twice and medaled the other 2 times make me especially proud.
What is your "most embarrassing" moment? (If any)
I’ve had several embarrassing moments, but the most embarrassing was when there was some media coverage for the newly renovated Shamrock Bowl. I was bowling an exhibition match against a reporter from the National Post. The approaches were very very slippery (at least that’s the excuse I’m using, but I think it was a combination of that and choking) and I bowled 150. There was a silver lining though in that at least I beat him and the scores weren’t put in the paper.
As mentioned above, you have a number of perfect games. The majority of people reading this are still looking for their first 450 game, but I know several people (Connie Ward, Jeff Forester, Shawn Morris, etc) that have thrown more than one. After throwing YOUR first 450, did the subsequent ones get easier?
I think they got a little easier in that you had the knowledge that you have done it before, but the 12th strike is always pressure-packed.
Now Fraser, I remember you throwing a 440 at the Open. Was there something funny you said to your teammates before the 12th shot?
It was actually during the championship match - Toronto versus York West. The match was high scoring and very close all the way, but we (Toronto) opened up a small lead in the 9th frame, and expanded it in the 10th. I was bowling anchor for the first time all tournament and when it came down to me, we had already clinched the title, which was very thrilling. I had started on 9 in a row, each one being important due to the closeness of the match. I threw the first 2 strikes easily enough, but then I think I was out of gas and I got very nervous. I got up on the approach, but didn’t feel comfortable, so I came back and asked my teammates how we were going to split up the perfect game award (I think it was a trip). They laughed, but what I was trying to do was to get looser – unfortunately, in this case it didn’t work, as I missed the headpin. I was never less disappointed in my life at missing a perfect game, as we were all so happy to have won the championship.
I understand that gambling used to be huge in bowling. In my first year at Zone qualifying for the Open, there were 3 guys who bet $1 per pin, up and down the ladder, over 20 games. This meant that the person who was last had to pay off both players that finished ahead of him, and whoever finished second also had to pay the winner. But I understand that there used to be "bookies" at the lanes who took all sorts of bets? Do you have any interesting gambling stories to pass along?
I only saw the bookies at the very beginning of my career at Spadina Bowl. They would set odds for almost anything: who would beat whom, the score you had to beat (250 for example – it would vary depending on the bowler). A very popular bet was “26”. You bowled on say lane 1, and if you got a mark, you bowled 1 or 2 balls on lane 2. Using the old count, you won if you got a strike or spare on lane 1 and then got everything but the left corner on 1 or 2 balls on lane 2. Therefore you needed to count ”26” in the first frame to win. The bookies liked this game best because the action was so fast.
One Friday night at Willow Bowl, there was a sweep after bowling for 50 cents a pin up and down the line. One bowler who was leaving right after bowling to drive to Florida, decided to play one game of sweeps .There were at least 20 bowlers in the game and he shot about 170. The average of the other scores was around 270, so he lost about $1000 in one game – remember this was in the 60’s. When he showed up at bowling a couple of Fridays later, I asked him how Florida was. He said that it wasn’t so good, as the farthest south he got after that game was Mississauga.
Growing up, what mentors or idols (if any) did you have? And how did they influence you?
As I mentioned earlier Ted Datzeff, had a considerable impact on developing my game when I was young.
As far as idols go, when we were in our teens we often watched the Toronto Singles championship. Rusty Starr was always so interesting to watch. He was a tall slender man, who had a monstrous medium-slow back-up ball, but he was deadly accurate and he looked like he never got flustered. Billy Hoult was always fun to watch, as he was so animated when he got on a roll. Bert Garside was also very interesting as he was referred to as the “Splendid Splinter”. He was very thin with a beautiful high backswing and a smooth back-up ball and he was the master of gamesmanship. Jimmy Hoult was great to watch as he had a slow smooth delivery, good looks (chick magnet of his day) and a smile and kind word for everyone.
Holly Leet was the bowler who influenced me the most. He had transformed himself from a hard thrower into a finesse bowler when he realized the slower ball was more effective on the new blue bands, and especially on the Double Diamond machines. We were among the few bowlers who believed in shooting for the pocket rather than the headpin. We talked bowling a lot and agreed on most things. I was the new kid breaking into the established ranks and he gave me a lot of confidence that I had the goods to succeed.
Walter Heeney also provided a lot of encouragement and support as the years went on.
What current players do you enjoy watching, and why?
I enjoy watching all the really top players. It’s fascinating to watch how both these women and men play, and to watch their different styles and attitudes. I wouldn’t necessarily agree with everything they do, but they’re fascinating to watch.
What positives do you see with the current "state" of the game?
It’s great to see so many young stars coming up. It’s also great that automatic scoring and all the other essentials to make bowling fun and easy for the masses are in place at many centres. NEB’s Funworld is a perfect example of what 5-pin bowling can be for everyone, from the novice to the expert.
I know that number of centres and bowlers in Toronto is dwindling at an alarming rate. I attribute most of this to the fact that so many new Canadians now inhabit the city. Many of these people are from other countries, and have never been exposed to the Canadian game. Would you agree? Can you think of other reasons for the decline in the Big Smoke?
Outside of the fact that there are so many New Canadians in Toronto, the price of real estate in the city itself makes it very difficult to run a bowling centre when much more money can be realized from a sale. This compounds the problem for New Canadians, as there is often no centre nearby. In addition, there are so many other things vying for the entertainment dollar. 5-pin bowling seems to be doing best in smaller areas with a more homogeneous population.
For a time, both CBC and TSN carried different 5-Pin series. In watching reruns, I find it frustrating missing four frames from a match and then watching a player stand around for 3 minutes waiting for a pin to be reset!! Other than some editing issues, do you have any suggestions or format ideas that might improve any possible future broadcasts better?
I think the broadcasters should go back and focus on the Open and Masters National championships. This is where you have the real atmosphere and people are enthusiastically cheering for their favourites, not just some polite applause after each shot on the Pins game for example. Take curling for example – would you rather watch the Brier or the Skins Game?
With the advent of Facebook, email, etc, it's easy to stay in touch with the rest of the country. In my three Nationals, I haven't noticed anything too bitter, but I understand that there used to be a healthy rivalry between Ontario and The West. Was this the case?
I think the bitterness between the West and Ontario is way overblown. For the most part, the bowlers all respect each other – that doesn’t mean you don’t play hard against each other. I know one year we were playing a Western team at the Masters Nationals and 4 of the bowlers came over and apologized for their 5th bowler BEFORE the game even started, because they figured he would do something stupid. I think the actions of those 4 bowlers typify the attitude of the vast majority of all players from all provinces.
What, if anything, really concerns you about our game?
The thing that concerns me the most is the loss of bowling centres and bowlers. I am encouraged that there seem to be more younger people operating centres, and that there seems to be some stabilization in certain areas.
And finally, what advice would you give to a bowler who's looking to improve their game?
Outside of having the desire and dedication to improve, I think the most important thing is to learn to shoot for as high an average as you can. It’s no secret that the bowlers with the highest averages win the most tournaments overall. To shoot your highest possible average you must be focused on each and every shot. Being able to do this will hold you in good stead when playing tournaments – this focus or concentration will be part of your normal routine and you won’t have to call on something extra.
Fraser, thanks again for your stories, your insight and your time. I'm sure all of the readers will enjoy this as much as I did!
23 Questions with...Fraser Hambly
In most sports, the greatest players can often be recognized by one name. Golf has Jack, Arnie, Ernie, Phil, Tiger and Elin (oops). In hockey, you knew who the announcers were talking about if you heard Gordie, Wayne or Mario. 5-Pin has a few of their own, but the most recognizable has got to be FRASER.
Inducted into the O5PBA Hall of Fame in 1989, Fraser Hambly's accomplishments and contribution to our game is incredible. He is the only 4-time Ontario Open Singles Champion and turned those wins into 2 National Titles to go with a Silver and a Bronze. He has also won 5 Open Team Championships in Ontario. Between the Open and the Masters, Fraser has won a National Championship in 5 decades! In addition to winning adult league High Average titles in 6 consecutive decades, he has also won 60+ tournaments, spanning 6 decades. In 1974, Fraser won the Canadian Invitational Singles, netting $10,000! (Worth about $100,000 now)
A 10-time winner on the regular MBAO tournament tour, Fraser has also won 9 Senior Scratch titles. Fraser has thrown an incredible 16 Perfect games (2 sanctioned), an 1162 triple, 1654 for 5, 3087 for 10, and held a league average of 289!!
A member of the C5 All-Century team, Fraser was also voted Ontario's #1 Bowler of all-time in the 1999 "Top 90" list.
I recently had the privilege to delve into the mind of a legend;
Fraser, we appreciate you taking time for us.
At what age did you start bowling? 12
Did you play YBC?
No, but I played CJBC (Canadian Junior Bowling Congress) for a few years, before our team was banned for bowling in a men’s league and accepting prize money.
Do you recall what you averaged back then?
At 12, I averaged 212; at 13 and 14, I averaged in the 240’s; at 15, I averaged in the 270’s; at 16, I averaged 287 (admittedly, scoring conditions were easy)
Most of us know that you throw a classic medium-speed back-up ball.
How many steps do you take in your approach?
I take what I call a 3 1/2 step approach, the first “step” being a shuffle step with my right foot to start the approach.
What do you use for a target?
I use the arrows for the most part, but I also use the boards between the arrows, and I often look down the lane past the arrows to ensure getting the ball out.
How many league games do you currently play per week?
I play 4 games per week and have done that for the last 8 years, usually throwing in 1 practice session. * I’m currently not playing the 2nd half at Bathurst – retirement looms?)
What is the highest number of leagues you've ever played at one time? 3
What is your current average? Rather not say, let’s just say it’s embarrassing.
What is/was your highest EVER league average? 289
At what stage(s) of your development did your average drastically improve, and what lead to the significant change?
My average improved dramatically after my first year of bowling (212 to 242) mainly because I was bowling more, starting to set pins, and receiving some basic instruction. The manager (Dick Bell) at Shea’s Avenue Road also let us bowl for free quite often, much to the chagrin of the owner. We would take turns setting pins for each other.
Then after 2 years in the 240’s, my average went up to over 270. This was mainly due to instruction by Ted Datzeff. He spent quite a bit of time with me, and really stressed rhythm, balance, consistency and a never-give-up attitude. I also started bowling in one of the top men’s major leagues of the day, and got to see just how the best players went about their business.
In your prime, did you normally practice each week?
I normally wouldn’t practice in my prime because I was bowling 2/3 leagues, bowling all kinds of sweeps (money games after bowling), and bowling all kinds of tournaments. I suppose the sweeps (especially the smaller ones) were a type of practice. If my game got a bit off, I would occasionally throw in a practice session, and concentrate on the fundamentals.
Did you specifically practice before a big tournament?
With the amount of bowling I was doing, I would seldom practice before a big tournament. If anything, I would bowl less, so that I would be fresh mentally and physically for a big tourney. The famous golfer Jack Nicklaus was one of the first to use this type of “peaking”, and Tiger Woods has certainly followed this method
If so, what methods/drills do you use?
When I did practice, I would try and find a condition similar to the upcoming tournament, and work on the speed and rotation of the ball that I thought would be effective. I also always spent some time shooting corners.
Personalized bowling balls have been around for just over 20 years now. Before that, players had to adjust not only to different lanes, but to the different sizes and types of house balls. While personal balls are good for the image of 5-Pin, I also think that they have leveled the field somewhat because players can use different balls for certain conditions. Would you agree with that assessment and do you think that they're good for the game?
I think that personalized balls are wonderful for the sport, in that it gives the sport a more professional look, and that bowlers take pride in owning their own equipment. It’s great that any bowler can get a ball that fits their hand properly and feels the right weight to them. That being said, I do feel that personalized balls level the field somewhat, but to only a very small degree. They do help with varying lane speeds, but the bowler still has to be able to read the lanes correctly, and execute the shot. I think the sad part is that bowlers nowadays don’t have to learn as many different shots, but I still feel the best bowlers (not the best equipment) will prevail most often.
How many "sets" of balls do you own? 4
How many would you normally take to a tournament? 3
It amazes me how many different balls some players take to an event. I think that some people are too quick to change balls, rather than fixing a technical flaw or making a different adjustment. Plus, even when they're playing okay, in the back of their minds they must be wondering how their other balls might be working. What do you think? Are you of the mindset that you should adjust yourself first, or do you think the more tools in the box, the better?
I agree with you 100% that some people are way too quick to change balls. I remember bowling in a tournament where one of the guys warmed up with almost every ball being a perfect strike with proper rotation and speed, only to change balls after the 4th frame because of a poor start. His first 2 games were terrible, before he switched back to the original ball and bowled great – it was a perfect example of way too quick a change.
I personally always start with my preferred rubber balls, and if I don’t like the way they’re reacting, I’ll try a few adjustments. If the adjustments obviously aren’t working, then I’ll try different equipment. I have to be convinced in my own mind though, that it’s not my poor technique causing the problem before I’ll switch equipment.
What is/was your favourite event to compete in, and why?
The Ontario Open has long been my favourite tournament. Not only do you have to beat almost all the best bowlers in the province to win the Singles, you have the added thrill of Team play in an unmatched atmosphere anywhere else in 5-pin bowling. You have the thrill of the qualifying rounds in Hamilton, and the unparalleled excitement of the Stepladder Finals in front of a fired-up crowd.
What is/was your favourite bowling centre(s), and why?
I think my 2 favourite centres over the years were O’Connor Bowl and Willow Bowl. O’Connor was the first “modern-type” centre and it still holds up well even today. The owner John Martin was truly innovative – he held the first 10 game big money tournament (O’Connor Open), and he held many other important tournaments over the years, including the Marathon and the Canadian Invitational with a $10,000 first prize. I was very pleased to win both these tournaments. The early CBC shows were also held at O’Connor, and for years it was certainly the premier bowling centre in Ontario.
Willow Bowl was great in that the proprietors were very particular with having great conditions at all times. It also had the Friday Men’s Major league where virtually all the best bowlers in the city played – you had to shoot about 290 to win the high average, and there would be more than 20 players over 270 in the peak scoring years, partially attributable to the original blue band. Then there were the famous “sweeps” during and after Friday night bowling.
Which conditions/environments do you prefer? String or Freefall? Freefall
Wood or Synthetic? Wood
If you are throwing the ball consistently and are punching HEADPINS in bunches, how would you normally adjust?
The first thing I would try would be to move my starting approach spot ½ - 1 board either left or right.
If that didn’t work, I would try and slow my ball down either with a shorter approach or a shorter backswing.
Next, I would try and change my aiming spot slightly.
If those didn’t work, I would try and switch to either a softer or harder ball.
If none of those worked, I would make a big move on the approach (at least 5 boards).
If I was still picking headpins, I would just accept the fact that some days, no matter how hard you try, you’ll just pick a bunch of headpins – it’s just part of the game.
If you needed 16 points in the tenth frame to win a match, what strategy would you use? In other words, would you throw normally or play thin/chisel? Explain.
In my prime, I would always play thin. During a year in the early 80’s, I saw 5/6 tournaments lost in the last frame, when the bowler only needed a mark to win, and punched a headpin. If you play thin, you might get a strike, leave a corner or get a chop-off or miss the headpin. If you strike you win, and any of the others leave you alive for a spare and the win. To play thin though, you must practice this shot, and be at the top of your game and have every confidence that you can pull it off.
What was the best or highest scoring match that you were involved in?
I’d like to mention 3 matches in particular.
One of the the best matches I was ever involved was actually a sweep. It was after Friday night bowling at Willow Bowl in the later 60’s, and 4 of us were banned from the big sweep because we were winning too much of the money. So we decided to have our own sweep of 10 games at 50 cents up and down the line. The bowlers all turned out to be Hall of Famers – Holly Leet, Jimmy Hoult, Rusty Starr and myself. We all shot over 3000 for the 10 games, the high being about 3150, next about 3120, next about 3080 and last being about 3030. Rusty Starr was low and had to pay out $130, plus the lineage for a set like that! You knew it was something special because most of the other bowlers stayed around to watch the conclusion.
Another exciting match was when I won the Canadian Invitational in ’74 and $10,000 (way more than I was earning as a teacher at the time). It was a 5 game final between the 2 winners of the qualifying round (120 bowlers in each). It was a back and forth match all the way, and in the 4th game, I picked 7 headpins in a row to be down about 100. My opponent started well the last game and I was still struggling. Fortunately for me, I started striking and he started picking. I ended up throwing the last 5 strikes to win by a narrow margin. I have to give my opponent Roger Dunberry a lot of credit, as he was first up on the lane to raise my arm in victory – talk about sportsmanship!
The ’90 Ontario Open Singles was also a very exciting match. After winning a couple of matches to get to the final, I was behind all the way, mainly due to headpins on my part and good bowling by my opponent. He made a critical error in the 7th frame on a double to give me a chance, and as it turned out I needed to strike out in the 10th frame to win by a few pins. This was in the days before personal balls, and there was only 1 ball on the rack that I really liked. After getting the first strike, I had to wait for what seemed like an eternity, for the ball to come back, and I had to wait even longer after the second strike. I almost was going to throw another ball as the wait was excruciating and I was way out of my normal routine. At the last second it returned, and after I threw the third strike, I did something I had never done before – I ran onto the next approach and leaped up in the air. It was something very uncharacteristic for me and wasn’t planned. It was just pure joy.
What is your proudest moment in bowling?
I’m going to use a collective here as my proudest moment in bowling is Ontario and Canadian Open wins. To have won the Ontario Open Singles and Men’s Teams 4 times each and to have won the Canadian Open Singles twice and medaled the other 2 times make me especially proud.
What is your "most embarrassing" moment? (If any)
I’ve had several embarrassing moments, but the most embarrassing was when there was some media coverage for the newly renovated Shamrock Bowl. I was bowling an exhibition match against a reporter from the National Post. The approaches were very very slippery (at least that’s the excuse I’m using, but I think it was a combination of that and choking) and I bowled 150. There was a silver lining though in that at least I beat him and the scores weren’t put in the paper.
As mentioned above, you have a number of perfect games. The majority of people reading this are still looking for their first 450 game, but I know several people (Connie Ward, Jeff Forester, Shawn Morris, etc) that have thrown more than one. After throwing YOUR first 450, did the subsequent ones get easier?
I think they got a little easier in that you had the knowledge that you have done it before, but the 12th strike is always pressure-packed.
Now Fraser, I remember you throwing a 440 at the Open. Was there something funny you said to your teammates before the 12th shot?
It was actually during the championship match - Toronto versus York West. The match was high scoring and very close all the way, but we (Toronto) opened up a small lead in the 9th frame, and expanded it in the 10th. I was bowling anchor for the first time all tournament and when it came down to me, we had already clinched the title, which was very thrilling. I had started on 9 in a row, each one being important due to the closeness of the match. I threw the first 2 strikes easily enough, but then I think I was out of gas and I got very nervous. I got up on the approach, but didn’t feel comfortable, so I came back and asked my teammates how we were going to split up the perfect game award (I think it was a trip). They laughed, but what I was trying to do was to get looser – unfortunately, in this case it didn’t work, as I missed the headpin. I was never less disappointed in my life at missing a perfect game, as we were all so happy to have won the championship.
I understand that gambling used to be huge in bowling. In my first year at Zone qualifying for the Open, there were 3 guys who bet $1 per pin, up and down the ladder, over 20 games. This meant that the person who was last had to pay off both players that finished ahead of him, and whoever finished second also had to pay the winner. But I understand that there used to be "bookies" at the lanes who took all sorts of bets? Do you have any interesting gambling stories to pass along?
I only saw the bookies at the very beginning of my career at Spadina Bowl. They would set odds for almost anything: who would beat whom, the score you had to beat (250 for example – it would vary depending on the bowler). A very popular bet was “26”. You bowled on say lane 1, and if you got a mark, you bowled 1 or 2 balls on lane 2. Using the old count, you won if you got a strike or spare on lane 1 and then got everything but the left corner on 1 or 2 balls on lane 2. Therefore you needed to count ”26” in the first frame to win. The bookies liked this game best because the action was so fast.
One Friday night at Willow Bowl, there was a sweep after bowling for 50 cents a pin up and down the line. One bowler who was leaving right after bowling to drive to Florida, decided to play one game of sweeps .There were at least 20 bowlers in the game and he shot about 170. The average of the other scores was around 270, so he lost about $1000 in one game – remember this was in the 60’s. When he showed up at bowling a couple of Fridays later, I asked him how Florida was. He said that it wasn’t so good, as the farthest south he got after that game was Mississauga.
Growing up, what mentors or idols (if any) did you have? And how did they influence you?
As I mentioned earlier Ted Datzeff, had a considerable impact on developing my game when I was young.
As far as idols go, when we were in our teens we often watched the Toronto Singles championship. Rusty Starr was always so interesting to watch. He was a tall slender man, who had a monstrous medium-slow back-up ball, but he was deadly accurate and he looked like he never got flustered. Billy Hoult was always fun to watch, as he was so animated when he got on a roll. Bert Garside was also very interesting as he was referred to as the “Splendid Splinter”. He was very thin with a beautiful high backswing and a smooth back-up ball and he was the master of gamesmanship. Jimmy Hoult was great to watch as he had a slow smooth delivery, good looks (chick magnet of his day) and a smile and kind word for everyone.
Holly Leet was the bowler who influenced me the most. He had transformed himself from a hard thrower into a finesse bowler when he realized the slower ball was more effective on the new blue bands, and especially on the Double Diamond machines. We were among the few bowlers who believed in shooting for the pocket rather than the headpin. We talked bowling a lot and agreed on most things. I was the new kid breaking into the established ranks and he gave me a lot of confidence that I had the goods to succeed.
Walter Heeney also provided a lot of encouragement and support as the years went on.
What current players do you enjoy watching, and why?
I enjoy watching all the really top players. It’s fascinating to watch how both these women and men play, and to watch their different styles and attitudes. I wouldn’t necessarily agree with everything they do, but they’re fascinating to watch.
What positives do you see with the current "state" of the game?
It’s great to see so many young stars coming up. It’s also great that automatic scoring and all the other essentials to make bowling fun and easy for the masses are in place at many centres. NEB’s Funworld is a perfect example of what 5-pin bowling can be for everyone, from the novice to the expert.
I know that number of centres and bowlers in Toronto is dwindling at an alarming rate. I attribute most of this to the fact that so many new Canadians now inhabit the city. Many of these people are from other countries, and have never been exposed to the Canadian game. Would you agree? Can you think of other reasons for the decline in the Big Smoke?
Outside of the fact that there are so many New Canadians in Toronto, the price of real estate in the city itself makes it very difficult to run a bowling centre when much more money can be realized from a sale. This compounds the problem for New Canadians, as there is often no centre nearby. In addition, there are so many other things vying for the entertainment dollar. 5-pin bowling seems to be doing best in smaller areas with a more homogeneous population.
For a time, both CBC and TSN carried different 5-Pin series. In watching reruns, I find it frustrating missing four frames from a match and then watching a player stand around for 3 minutes waiting for a pin to be reset!! Other than some editing issues, do you have any suggestions or format ideas that might improve any possible future broadcasts better?
I think the broadcasters should go back and focus on the Open and Masters National championships. This is where you have the real atmosphere and people are enthusiastically cheering for their favourites, not just some polite applause after each shot on the Pins game for example. Take curling for example – would you rather watch the Brier or the Skins Game?
With the advent of Facebook, email, etc, it's easy to stay in touch with the rest of the country. In my three Nationals, I haven't noticed anything too bitter, but I understand that there used to be a healthy rivalry between Ontario and The West. Was this the case?
I think the bitterness between the West and Ontario is way overblown. For the most part, the bowlers all respect each other – that doesn’t mean you don’t play hard against each other. I know one year we were playing a Western team at the Masters Nationals and 4 of the bowlers came over and apologized for their 5th bowler BEFORE the game even started, because they figured he would do something stupid. I think the actions of those 4 bowlers typify the attitude of the vast majority of all players from all provinces.
What, if anything, really concerns you about our game?
The thing that concerns me the most is the loss of bowling centres and bowlers. I am encouraged that there seem to be more younger people operating centres, and that there seems to be some stabilization in certain areas.
And finally, what advice would you give to a bowler who's looking to improve their game?
Outside of having the desire and dedication to improve, I think the most important thing is to learn to shoot for as high an average as you can. It’s no secret that the bowlers with the highest averages win the most tournaments overall. To shoot your highest possible average you must be focused on each and every shot. Being able to do this will hold you in good stead when playing tournaments – this focus or concentration will be part of your normal routine and you won’t have to call on something extra.
Fraser, thanks again for your stories, your insight and your time. I'm sure all of the readers will enjoy this as much as I did!
Monday, January 17, 2011
What Does Accuracy Really Get You?
After a lot of thought as to what I’d write next for a blog, I came up with something I think is stressed at all levels, but not always for the right reasons. The following blog is on “accuracy”.
If you ask almost anyone in bowling what accuracy gets you, the answer will more than likely be one simple word; strikes. While no one in their right mind would argue that point I think some just as important aspects aren’t as quickly thrown into the mix. Right from an early age, bowlers are taught to hit the middle. You hear bowlers frequently tossing out percentages, the number of times they hit the middle and how many strikes were thrown. One important thing to remember is simply, hitting the middle doesn’t always result in a strike. Sure, as the saying goes, you can’t throw a strike if you don’t hit the middle. But what happens if you aren’t getting strikes?
I’d be a fool to tell you that every time I’ve hit the middle I’ve gotten a strike. No one out there is THAT accurate. Spareable, and on frequent occasions, unspareable shots will be left and your accuracy will be tested in a different way. These are all valuable shots that will separate a good bowler from a GREAT bowler. I’ve always maintained that a bowler that hit’s the middle 90% of the time, should be able to hit either corner pin 90% of the time. There is no viable excuse not to be. Hitting the middle and hitting the headpin both require the same accuracy. Hitting your spot while shooting at the corner pin should come just as easily as hitting your spot for the middle. Same goes for shooting at the 3pin. Of course, having the 3/2 up requires you to hit the 3pin on the side, but the ball should be striking the 3pin at the same percentage. From time to time I get asked why I don’t practice my corner pins in warm up for either league or a tournament. In truth, I am with every warm up ball I throw. I’m just not aiming at the corner pin.
While the cynic might read this and proclaim I’m telling everyone to no longer shoot their corners in warm up. That is not the case at all. In fact, I urge everyone to test their lines at their corners and measure their success rate at hitting the middle, the 3pins and their corners. If you have a problem with pinning, say, your left corner, maybe you should be trying a different line that mimics your shot at the headpin.
The most important weapon that accuracy gives me in my bowling arsenal is something that a lot of the big name bowlers have learned and utilized along their careers. Adjustments through accuracy. I remember bowling at a Masters’ tournament a few years ago and getting on a bit of a roll. One game in particular, had me start on the first 4 strikes only to bury a right corner in the 5th. After sparing the shot, I struck out to finish the game for a 418. Anyone on my lane would tell you that there was nothing different in my shot in the 5th compared to any of the other shots. It was in the left pocket just like several of my previous shots but with a single difference. Earlier in the day I was having trouble carrying that right corner. Most people would be satisfied with throwing that same shot, hoping the right corner would eventually give in and start falling. However, an accurate bowler would make a small adjustment until they find the right combination to carry that corner, without sacrificing hitting the pocket. My adjustment was simple. I shortened my backswing I would say no more than 6 inches and the right corner starting carrying. Needless to say, when my backswing was back 6 inches longer that 5th frame, I was pretty confident of the result before the ball left my hand.
Being accurate gives a bowler the freedom to experiment to enhance their game. Let’s be honest, the game feels pretty easy when throwing strikes by the truckload. It’s important to know what small adjustments will make the difference for you and without accuracy, you could be playing the guessing game.
Here are some of the adjustments I make personally to get back on a string of strikes:
If my ball is coming in too tight to the middle, I will switch from my normal 3 step approach to a 4 step approach. The extra step changes the timing of my arm swing slightly, making the release a fraction of a second later than previously, allowing my ball to roll more left than with a 3 step approach.
I may change the height at which I hold my ball at the beginning of my approach. changing the height simply changes the length of your pendulum swing.
I may change my backswing length. This accomplishes the same as holding the ball at a different height, except there is more potential to change the speed of the ball than holding the ball at a different height. (this is usually the first suggestion I’ll make to someone trying to find the pocket)
I may change my step sizes (generally the first step). This would be an adjustment for those who are not comfortable with changing the lengths of their armswing.
I stress that these are key adjustments I make strictly based on accuracy. All of these change my timing by a fraction. If you are punching 3pins constantly, chances are these adjustments won’t result in drastic changes in where your ball ends up. The important thing is that you find what works best for you, and what makes you the most comfortable. Now that you’ve finished reading this……let’s go hit the lanes and practice those corner pins!
If you ask almost anyone in bowling what accuracy gets you, the answer will more than likely be one simple word; strikes. While no one in their right mind would argue that point I think some just as important aspects aren’t as quickly thrown into the mix. Right from an early age, bowlers are taught to hit the middle. You hear bowlers frequently tossing out percentages, the number of times they hit the middle and how many strikes were thrown. One important thing to remember is simply, hitting the middle doesn’t always result in a strike. Sure, as the saying goes, you can’t throw a strike if you don’t hit the middle. But what happens if you aren’t getting strikes?
I’d be a fool to tell you that every time I’ve hit the middle I’ve gotten a strike. No one out there is THAT accurate. Spareable, and on frequent occasions, unspareable shots will be left and your accuracy will be tested in a different way. These are all valuable shots that will separate a good bowler from a GREAT bowler. I’ve always maintained that a bowler that hit’s the middle 90% of the time, should be able to hit either corner pin 90% of the time. There is no viable excuse not to be. Hitting the middle and hitting the headpin both require the same accuracy. Hitting your spot while shooting at the corner pin should come just as easily as hitting your spot for the middle. Same goes for shooting at the 3pin. Of course, having the 3/2 up requires you to hit the 3pin on the side, but the ball should be striking the 3pin at the same percentage. From time to time I get asked why I don’t practice my corner pins in warm up for either league or a tournament. In truth, I am with every warm up ball I throw. I’m just not aiming at the corner pin.
While the cynic might read this and proclaim I’m telling everyone to no longer shoot their corners in warm up. That is not the case at all. In fact, I urge everyone to test their lines at their corners and measure their success rate at hitting the middle, the 3pins and their corners. If you have a problem with pinning, say, your left corner, maybe you should be trying a different line that mimics your shot at the headpin.
The most important weapon that accuracy gives me in my bowling arsenal is something that a lot of the big name bowlers have learned and utilized along their careers. Adjustments through accuracy. I remember bowling at a Masters’ tournament a few years ago and getting on a bit of a roll. One game in particular, had me start on the first 4 strikes only to bury a right corner in the 5th. After sparing the shot, I struck out to finish the game for a 418. Anyone on my lane would tell you that there was nothing different in my shot in the 5th compared to any of the other shots. It was in the left pocket just like several of my previous shots but with a single difference. Earlier in the day I was having trouble carrying that right corner. Most people would be satisfied with throwing that same shot, hoping the right corner would eventually give in and start falling. However, an accurate bowler would make a small adjustment until they find the right combination to carry that corner, without sacrificing hitting the pocket. My adjustment was simple. I shortened my backswing I would say no more than 6 inches and the right corner starting carrying. Needless to say, when my backswing was back 6 inches longer that 5th frame, I was pretty confident of the result before the ball left my hand.
Being accurate gives a bowler the freedom to experiment to enhance their game. Let’s be honest, the game feels pretty easy when throwing strikes by the truckload. It’s important to know what small adjustments will make the difference for you and without accuracy, you could be playing the guessing game.
Here are some of the adjustments I make personally to get back on a string of strikes:
If my ball is coming in too tight to the middle, I will switch from my normal 3 step approach to a 4 step approach. The extra step changes the timing of my arm swing slightly, making the release a fraction of a second later than previously, allowing my ball to roll more left than with a 3 step approach.
I may change the height at which I hold my ball at the beginning of my approach. changing the height simply changes the length of your pendulum swing.
I may change my backswing length. This accomplishes the same as holding the ball at a different height, except there is more potential to change the speed of the ball than holding the ball at a different height. (this is usually the first suggestion I’ll make to someone trying to find the pocket)
I may change my step sizes (generally the first step). This would be an adjustment for those who are not comfortable with changing the lengths of their armswing.
I stress that these are key adjustments I make strictly based on accuracy. All of these change my timing by a fraction. If you are punching 3pins constantly, chances are these adjustments won’t result in drastic changes in where your ball ends up. The important thing is that you find what works best for you, and what makes you the most comfortable. Now that you’ve finished reading this……let’s go hit the lanes and practice those corner pins!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Provincial Masters Aggregates
Hey everyone, before I list off each Provincial Masters aggregate standings, I just thought I'd throw in a word about an upcoming tournament. NEB's Funworld presents the Palmer Knight Annual Oshawa Open 5pin tournament to be held Saturday January 22 (1pm start) and Sunday January 23. (9:30am start) This 8 game qualifier costs $150 to enter and is guaranteed $4000 payout for 1st place. I recommend anyone who is interested in playing to contact Jeff England at jeff@nebsfunworld.com to reserve your spot or for all the vital info.
The following is an up to date Masters' aggregate list for each province. One of my main goals for this site is to be a one stop source for bowlers, and I believe keeping everyone across the country connected to what's going on in each province is important. I will try to post updated lists a couple times throughout the season to keep everyone informed, and to make sure those bowlers that are having great seasons be recognized on here. Congrats to everyone listed on the great seasons so far, and good luck the rest of the season!
The following is an up to date Masters' aggregate list for each province. One of my main goals for this site is to be a one stop source for bowlers, and I believe keeping everyone across the country connected to what's going on in each province is important. I will try to post updated lists a couple times throughout the season to keep everyone informed, and to make sure those bowlers that are having great seasons be recognized on here. Congrats to everyone listed on the great seasons so far, and good luck the rest of the season!
BRITISH COLUMBIA
1. TYLER DESABRAIS +207 1. DOROTHY BURT +418
2. SHAWN FEHR +163 2. MARGARET LINDSAY +175
3. AL SMITH +146 3. KAREN SYRNYK +139
4. RYAN BORNE +37 4. DENISE UTTLEY +95
5. QUINTON YELICH +31 5. DIANNE MCPHEE -10
6. PIERRE DUFRESNE +24 6. LEE-ANNE WILSON -45
7. RICHARD REDWOOD -172 7. GRAINE WILLMOTT -267
8. SCOTT HAWRELAK -249 8. HEATHER LEASKE -303
9. GARRY CHARLES -277 9. JOAN RITCHIE -331
10. IAIN WALKER -493 10. JO-ANNE BORGFORD -471
TOURNAMENT DIVISION:
1. DARRYL WOOD 4380 1. KIM CHADWICK 4342
2. DARREN RICH 4350 2. JACKIE GROSART 4123
3. IAIN MACRITCHIE 4237 3. SANDY WAAGE 4095
4. MIKE ELDER 4087 4. KELLY GORSEK 3809
5. LARRY RICHET 3998 5. VICTORIA DACOSTA 3797
6. NICK UTTLEY 3923 6. CAROLE BROOK 3790
7. RON SANDNES 3920 7. DEBBIE EALEY 3572
8.DICK BORGENSTROM 3892 8. JENNIFER NEFF 3548
9. MATT SCHULTZ 3832 9. CALYN BURESH 3464
10. CLIVE MOIR 3827
ALBERTA
1. MATT MORIN +330 1. SHERRI BENNETT +464
2. TRAVIS ZACHARY +305 2. KIMBERLY STREIT +450
3. STEVE LECKIE +272 3. AMY DILLEN +427
4. PIERRE BIGRAS +266 4. JENNIFER CUNNINGHAM +353
5. BRUCE WATSON +211 5. ALYSHIA MEYERS +309
6. DENNIS ARNDT +208 6. RHONDA LILLICO +301
7. BRAD HEBERT +205 7. TRACY LOROFF +252
8. BRAD MALLARD +171 8. MELISSA OLSON +200
9. BOB STIRLING +156 9. MAILINDA THOMSON +168
10. GLEN CHRISTENSEN +155 10. MICHELLE ARMSTRONG +136
TOURNAMENT DIVISION:
1. GENE ZIEBARTH 4326 1. JENNIFER MARSHALL 4069
2. BRUCE MORTER 4395 2. ALISON ROBERTS 3984
3. TIM WISEMAN 4253 3. TRACY SMITH 3927
4. MIKE LACOURSIERE 4212 4. BEVERLEY MAGNUS 3866
5. ROB PRICE 4192 5. ANNETTE CAMPBELL 3825
6. DEREK DOBBS 4111 6. DIANNE VIOLINI 3822
7. DEXTER WISEMAN 4097 7. SHAUNA PIRIE-LAISNEZ 3697
8. VICTOR FOBART 4090 8. TARA SEITZ 3696
9. MARK SAWATZKY 4077 9. ANNETTE BRUNEAU 3656
10. BRAD WILTON 4056 10. ALYSSA MADSEN 3597
SASKATCHEWAN
1. BRIAN ANDERSEN +313 1. DIANE SYROTA +252
2. ANDREW HARTMAN +121 2. KARIN KIRKLAND +47
3. DAVID LAMARSH +97 3. RITA JACOB +47
4. DEAN NAGEL +47 4. DIANNE SMUTT +45
5. CLIFFORD FORSYTH -14 5. JESSICA FREELAND +15
6. ROHIT GUPTA -40 6. SANDI BACON -4
7. LES WARDROP -73 7. JOYCE KOSTIUK -8
8. SAM FOSTER -105 8. KYLA DEIBERT -33
9. JASON RASCHKE -109 9. KRISTA REMESHYLO -49
10. RANDY KOSTIUK -167 10. LAURA ANDERSEN -70
TOURNAMENT DIVISION:
1. TOM PATERSON 4433 1. LEANNE BERZOLLA 3943
2. DON CLEARIHUE 4252 2. MICHELLE ZVER 3901
3. BRAD MOENS 4088 3. LISA ZVER 3874
4. GLENN TARASOFF 4034 4. LINDSAY BERGE 3840
5. RYAN ENGLOT 4011 5. TRACY ANSETH 3760
6. LONNY AKERS 3919 6. JAMIE DAWSON 3554
7. ROB ARMSTRONG 3902 7. JENNIFER CLARK 3397
8. KERRY SULLIVAN 3887 8. KRISTEN ENGLOT 3262
9. KEVIN RAK 3875
10. LEN ANSETH 3841
MANITOBA
1. RON BURKE +526 1. CHERYL BURKE +473
2. DAVE KEMP +493 2. CHAR HURD +308
3. DOUG SARGEANT +456 3. CINDY COUSINS +215
4. DWAYNE GELARDI +431 4. GISELE SAYER +165
5. CAM BOON +427 5. VAL CATELLIER +165
6. CHRIS SMEATON +416 6. KATHY KOZAK +113
7. SCOTT SAUNDERSON +409 7. TABATHA GELARDI +76
8. GRANT SZPAK +382 8. MAY GOLDSWORTHY +73
9. CAL GOLDSWORTHY +233 9. SHERRI MANEK +37
10. BOB KOMOSKY +200 10. RHONDA JONES -1
TOURNAMENT DIVISION:
1. SCOTT BARBOUR 4317 1. JANNA ALBLAS 4348
2. GEOFF BORN 4027 2. HOLLY CHAIKOWSKI 4097
3. BRAD RUSNAK 3957 3. KAREN ARMSTRONG 4088
4. KEVIN BOYKO 3936 4. SANDI ANDERSON 3806
5. TREVOR COOK 3895 5. ERIN NEWTON 3685
6. GARRY HAMM 3879 6. CHRIS MONCHAK 3680
7. CHAD VAN DALE 3810 7. LORIE CHAIKOWSKI 3599
8. TIM HOOPER 3700 8. MICHELLE BROWN 3575
9. AARON ALBLAS 3697 9. KRISTA PURDY 3571
10. MIKE CLARKE 3674 10. LIZZIE QUINT 3511
NORTHERN ONTARIO
1. SHAWN NUGENT +389 1. RENEE LAFRAMBOISE +322
2. FRANK FRANOLLA +294 2. RHONDA LITTLE +212
3. RICHARD STAMARSKI +286 3. JOANNE SEVIGNY +212
4. RICHARD LAVELLEE +237 4. JEANNINE HORNER +193
5. RON PARKER +204 5. TANYA PORTO +188
6. DON GAMACHE +183 6. MILISSE COTE +159
7. BRIAN BONNIE +138 7. LYNN MOORE +132
8. TOM WILLIAMS +125 8. NAT BERRY +117
9. ROBERT PETAWANAQUEB +125 9. DENISE DIDONE +117
10. JOHN MACDOUGALL +114 10. YVETTE MACLELLAN +103
TOURNAMENT DIVISION:
1. SHAWN NUGENT 1745 1. RENEE LAFRAMBOISE 1648
2. BRIAN BONNIE 1590 2. JOANNE SEVIGNY 1628
3. TOM WILLIAMS 1583 3. YVETTE MACLELLAN 1579
4. ROBERT PETAWANAQUEB 1577 4. RHONDA LITTLE 1508
5. MIKE MCNAMARA 1570 5. NAT BERRY 1449
6. DENNIS UMAKOSHI 1553 6. AMANDA NICHOLS 1405
7. DON GAMACHE 1539 7. SARAH UMAKOSHI 1369
8. PATRICK HAUSER 1524 8. STEPHANIE COTE 1366
9. AL PAQUETTE 1483 9. ROSANNE LESCAULT 1353
10. GASTON COTE 1434 10. LINDA RYAN 1344
SOUTHERN ONTARIO
1. JORDAN O’BRIEN +349 1. PENNY JOHNSON +386
2. ANDREW RAINEY +323 2. KERI BATES +293
3. NATHAN CONWAY +316 3. ELIZABETH WINTER +277
4. MATTHEW CRANE +278 4. MEGAN FLANNIGAN +264
5. MATTHEW KOWALYK +272 5. DONNA TAYLOR +261
6. LARRY WINTER +261 6. SHASTA SMITH +243
7. SEAN GORMAN +259 7. JANET FOUGERE +240
8. BRIAN SILLETT +255 8. VICKY ROBINS +197
9. FRANK NEWMAN +232 9. VERONICA DOUGHAN +191
10. GLEN WALLBANK +227 10. KELLY JAREGO +172
TOURNAMENT DIVISION:
1. MITCH DAVIES 6525 1. KRISTI LAMPMAN 6272
2. BOBBY TORRAVILLE 6521 2. KAROLE MCDONNELL 6132
3. JOHN YOUNG 6379 3. CHRISTINA HERBERT 6085
4. JOHN CONTI 6253 4. ERICA BORTOLIN 6075
5. GEOFF STEVENS 6228 5. KAYLA-MARIE ANDERSON 6066
6. MARC GONEAU 6025 6. BRENDA WALTERS 5972
7. MARK BEDARD 6000 7. TRACY SMITH 5948
8. TERRY LITTLE 5947 8. BRENDA PANKOFF 5724
9. SHAWN COOMBS 5940 9. JOANNE NADEAU 5588
10. DAVID BENTLEY 5925 10. SANDI DICKSON 5482
QUEBEC
1. FRANCIS COULTIER +502 1. LINDA HALEY +372
2. STEPHANE LABELLE +267 2. JENNIFER SAUVE +354
3. DANIEL LIBERTY +225 3. LYNE VILLENEUVE +114
4. BENOIT ST-LAURENT +205 4. JOCELYNE PERIARD +104
5. YVES LEBLANC +186 5. MURIELLE GUENETTE +11
6. BRUNO CECYRE +130
7. PAT HALEY +108
8. YVES LAMOUREUX +107
9. JEAN-PIERRE SAUMURE +65
10. LEONARD RABY +65
TOURNAMENT DIVISION:
1. SHAWN HALEY 4372 1. ISABELLE PLANTE 4328
2. SYLVAIN BERCIER 4321 2. HELENE GODMAIRE 4089
3. PATRICK CARROLL 4168 3. NATALIE TRUDEL 4001
4. BRUNO CECYRE 4116 4. MARIE-JOSEE CECYRE 4000
5. GUILLAUME CHARBONNEAU 4116 5. NATHALIE PARENT 3909
6. FRANCIS COULTIER 4057 6. JULIE LACHANCE 3790
7. MATTHIEU PAUZE 4022 7. VANESSA GAUVREAU 3711
8. STEVEN GOULET 3970 8. LUCIE BERUBE 3319
9. RENE DUGUAY 3969
10. LUC DUGUAY 3963
NEWFOUNDLAND
No tournament results posted.
TOURNAMENT DIVISION:
No tournament results posted.
Monday, January 10, 2011
More On Dynamics Of 5pin: By John Honeyford
The following article, is written by John Honeyford and is a continuation of one of my previous articles on the testing completed by the USBC for the BPAC. The topic about this testing really seems to have created some talk about how 5pin is, how it was and how people think it will be. This means that so far, the articles on this site seem to be doing what I intended them to do: make people talk about 5pin bowling. I've decided to change things up a bit and run an article every Monday, leaving every Thursday for a new feature called "20 Questions" and also for posting recent results in tournaments across Canada. To those who have approached me to talk about this site, either to simply talk about it or to offer some assistance, I thank you and encourage everyone to keep doing so. As I tell everyone I talk to, I only write what I think, and post up other contributor's articles without knowing what anyone else thinks of them. Hearing that people are enjoying these articles, learning from them, or simply trying to apply what is being said is a great compliment, and only encourages me to continue this idea, and look for ways to expand it further. Here is this week's article on the more dynamics regarding 5pin bowling by John Honeyford!
I will endeavor to expand on some of the points that Jeff has mentioned very effectively in his posting regarding the research that the Bowl Canada undertook with the USBC. As some of you know I have been interested in the technology of the game for many years, from the years I spent working in the business and 35-odd years of playing the game competitively (I won’t talk about the last couple).
Bowler’s styles are a function of their learning environment, combined with their physicality and personality. Imagine going into a time warp and walking into a major tournament in progress back in 1975. The major difference that you would notice, besides the hair and the polyester, is the speed of balls going down the lanes. They were a bit SLOWER.
Why? The game was played with hard wood pins, PBS bands and primarily on lacquer lane surfaces. Brunswick Tiger Stripe, Double Diamond and PBS house balls were on the racks, all the same hardness. Roughly 75% of the houses (talking Southern Ontario) were still thankfully freefall (don’t get me started). The need for speed just wasn’t there, and on Double Diamond pinsetters in particular, not such a bright idea. If silicone spray was used to help get the pins around the pressure curve in the machine (in the YouTube videos – it is the steel wheel-driven curve on the left side) some exciting vertical pin fall displays could be experienced. At any YBC event you could instantly tell which kids played in Double Diamond houses just by watching them throw a ball. They were at medium speed and rolling, and mostly down the middle 10 boards of the lane. The Fleetwood lanes were/are also 42” wide, characterized by 2 additional boards, inside third arrow on each side, with the headpin arrow offset one board to the left. (Cobourg actually has both 42 and 41-inch lanes).
As years passed, more houses converted to string machines, and in the late 80’s plastic pins were introduced. Beyond the economic benefit of plastic pins there was a distinct change in the nature and manner with which the game was played. The density of plastic pins was more generally helpful to a harder thrown ball in the string environment. In the Double Diamond world, the increased gyration of free-standing pins can still make the faster ball a liability, but we were also introduced to personal bowling equipment at this time which is another factor to consider.
Jeff mentioned the point about the full-sized ball in his posting. A full-sized ball strikes the pin at mid-point on the band, which promotes lateral movement in both string and freefall worlds. Some other variables are angle of attack to the pin, band resilience, pin base condition, ball hardness, weight, ball roll, and retained energy due to friction from the lane.
I am no physics expert, but as some are aware I have been engaged in a bit of bowling ball ’fun’ since 1998 when I met Lionel Beauparlant, who had worked for General Tire in Welland, the maker of the Brunswick, Double Diamond, and PBS installation balls. He turned and refinished balls for houses, and that was a memorable number of visits that we made to him. I have gone on to give some classes in recent years on bowling balls at the O5 Bowling School, and a number of competitive players too.While we do not have the ball dynamics of the 10-pin game, which with walled lanes has caused total havoc (233 USBC sanctioned 300 games in Buffalo last year alone), we do have some different options in our game.
Different types of balls aren’t crutches, just tools to do the job. Sort of like tires – all season radials, snows for the winter. Some are harder, so they will skid more in the front part of the lane (that most people will perceive but won’t see) and then roll. Some are softer, so they see friction on the lane and roll earlier, and acrylics which are quite porous, sensitive to side roll put on the ball, and can actually flare and roll-out at the pins. The heavier ball deflects less (I tried 3 lb 12 oz duckpin balls on Double Diamond freefall machines and lacquer once, 4 beautiful sets of Aces) and in the old days 3-8 was the maximum weight in the CBA rule book (wood pins, and pin boys). Once you get down to 3-6 the risk of not carrying can ensue, with the ball jumping off pins and potentially jumping past the corner - a function of resistance. The lighter balls were less an issue in the wood pin days, though at slow speed they’d jump too if the bands resisted.
It is just important to understand the shape that a bowler wants to see the ball take on the lane surface be it straight or breaking, and by reacting to and not penalizing oneself by using something that doesn’t carry due to the scoring environment at hand. An example would be having a desired ‘A’ game with a couple of boards of movement, then struggle to score by throwing hard-shelled balls on very fast lanes (or the reverse). This is why it was often a benefit to see full-sized house balls in a fast Double Diamond house in the pre-1990 days to keep the pins down and in play (but then again I shot 270 at O’Connor one year with the small balls but I had to spin them, so in that case it was sort of like watching Bullwinkle - watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat).
Our Duckpin cousins in the U.S. tend to have their ball preferences too. Comets, which are a hard shelled ball that hit the pins very hard, and Ebonite Prolines and Arrow balls which are soft and tend to create more lateral pin motion. In Petites Quilles, they use combinations of ball hardness and weight, coupled with backspin rotation on fully oiled lanes, and softer gray bands also used on certain pins to reduce deflection. The backspin is used to reduce the ball deflection, and they want the ball to stop rotating backwards right at the pins to enhance this.
I know that I have expanded on Jeff’s thoughts like a waistline at Mary Brown’s, but kudos to Jeff for launching this blog.
I will endeavor to expand on some of the points that Jeff has mentioned very effectively in his posting regarding the research that the Bowl Canada undertook with the USBC. As some of you know I have been interested in the technology of the game for many years, from the years I spent working in the business and 35-odd years of playing the game competitively (I won’t talk about the last couple).
Bowler’s styles are a function of their learning environment, combined with their physicality and personality. Imagine going into a time warp and walking into a major tournament in progress back in 1975. The major difference that you would notice, besides the hair and the polyester, is the speed of balls going down the lanes. They were a bit SLOWER.
Why? The game was played with hard wood pins, PBS bands and primarily on lacquer lane surfaces. Brunswick Tiger Stripe, Double Diamond and PBS house balls were on the racks, all the same hardness. Roughly 75% of the houses (talking Southern Ontario) were still thankfully freefall (don’t get me started). The need for speed just wasn’t there, and on Double Diamond pinsetters in particular, not such a bright idea. If silicone spray was used to help get the pins around the pressure curve in the machine (in the YouTube videos – it is the steel wheel-driven curve on the left side) some exciting vertical pin fall displays could be experienced. At any YBC event you could instantly tell which kids played in Double Diamond houses just by watching them throw a ball. They were at medium speed and rolling, and mostly down the middle 10 boards of the lane. The Fleetwood lanes were/are also 42” wide, characterized by 2 additional boards, inside third arrow on each side, with the headpin arrow offset one board to the left. (Cobourg actually has both 42 and 41-inch lanes).
As years passed, more houses converted to string machines, and in the late 80’s plastic pins were introduced. Beyond the economic benefit of plastic pins there was a distinct change in the nature and manner with which the game was played. The density of plastic pins was more generally helpful to a harder thrown ball in the string environment. In the Double Diamond world, the increased gyration of free-standing pins can still make the faster ball a liability, but we were also introduced to personal bowling equipment at this time which is another factor to consider.
Jeff mentioned the point about the full-sized ball in his posting. A full-sized ball strikes the pin at mid-point on the band, which promotes lateral movement in both string and freefall worlds. Some other variables are angle of attack to the pin, band resilience, pin base condition, ball hardness, weight, ball roll, and retained energy due to friction from the lane.
I am no physics expert, but as some are aware I have been engaged in a bit of bowling ball ’fun’ since 1998 when I met Lionel Beauparlant, who had worked for General Tire in Welland, the maker of the Brunswick, Double Diamond, and PBS installation balls. He turned and refinished balls for houses, and that was a memorable number of visits that we made to him. I have gone on to give some classes in recent years on bowling balls at the O5 Bowling School, and a number of competitive players too.While we do not have the ball dynamics of the 10-pin game, which with walled lanes has caused total havoc (233 USBC sanctioned 300 games in Buffalo last year alone), we do have some different options in our game.
Different types of balls aren’t crutches, just tools to do the job. Sort of like tires – all season radials, snows for the winter. Some are harder, so they will skid more in the front part of the lane (that most people will perceive but won’t see) and then roll. Some are softer, so they see friction on the lane and roll earlier, and acrylics which are quite porous, sensitive to side roll put on the ball, and can actually flare and roll-out at the pins. The heavier ball deflects less (I tried 3 lb 12 oz duckpin balls on Double Diamond freefall machines and lacquer once, 4 beautiful sets of Aces) and in the old days 3-8 was the maximum weight in the CBA rule book (wood pins, and pin boys). Once you get down to 3-6 the risk of not carrying can ensue, with the ball jumping off pins and potentially jumping past the corner - a function of resistance. The lighter balls were less an issue in the wood pin days, though at slow speed they’d jump too if the bands resisted.
It is just important to understand the shape that a bowler wants to see the ball take on the lane surface be it straight or breaking, and by reacting to and not penalizing oneself by using something that doesn’t carry due to the scoring environment at hand. An example would be having a desired ‘A’ game with a couple of boards of movement, then struggle to score by throwing hard-shelled balls on very fast lanes (or the reverse). This is why it was often a benefit to see full-sized house balls in a fast Double Diamond house in the pre-1990 days to keep the pins down and in play (but then again I shot 270 at O’Connor one year with the small balls but I had to spin them, so in that case it was sort of like watching Bullwinkle - watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat).
Our Duckpin cousins in the U.S. tend to have their ball preferences too. Comets, which are a hard shelled ball that hit the pins very hard, and Ebonite Prolines and Arrow balls which are soft and tend to create more lateral pin motion. In Petites Quilles, they use combinations of ball hardness and weight, coupled with backspin rotation on fully oiled lanes, and softer gray bands also used on certain pins to reduce deflection. The backspin is used to reduce the ball deflection, and they want the ball to stop rotating backwards right at the pins to enhance this.
I know that I have expanded on Jeff’s thoughts like a waistline at Mary Brown’s, but kudos to Jeff for launching this blog.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Unique Styles by Jim Head
The following article is the first on this site from Jim Head of Cooksville, Ontario. Anyone who knows Jim or has seen him bowl knows that he has a unique approach. His unique stlye has led him to a very successful bowling career over the years. (check his bio to the right of this site) So, who better to write an article on the various styles in bowling than Jim Head.
Recently, I’ve had two separate people on two separate occasions make the exact same comment to me. The comment was, “Wow, there certainly are a lot of different styles on the lanes, no one seems to throw the ball the same.” The two occasions were the Youth Challenge, and the qualifying round of the Open; of the two people, one was a non-bowling parent, the other was a fellow competitor. These recent comments were not the first I’ve heard this over the course of my life in bowling. As anyone who knows me can tell, I also have a rather unique way of travelling from my starting position to the foul line, and this may be a reason why I frequently hear similar comments.
The simple fact of the matter is, there is no “correct” way to bowl. I’ve been fortunate enough to have bowled from coast to coast and quite a few places in between, and that simple fact holds true. The way an individual bowler bowls is completely unique to that particular bowler.
The various regions of Canada and their predominate conditions, may be a factor in determining how a bowler bowls, but that does not preclude variety. Take Alberta for example, for the most part the lanes are fast and predominately string pins. However, these conditions have produced bowlers such as Bruce Morter, Gene Ziebarth, and Dianne Violini, among others. Bruce has a long approach, while Geno’s approach is fairly short. In addition, ball speed varies greatly between these three. Dianne throws the slowest, Bruce the fastest, and Geno somewhere in-between. However, despite the variety within they’re styles, no one can dispute the success these bowlers have achieved. To narrow the scope, travel to the city of Winnipeg. Both Rob Shanas and Karen Armstrong hail from the Manitoba capital and play on the same conditions, yet both bowl very differently. However, the most diversity I’ve seen on the lanes, primarily due to my own location is in Ontario. For those of us who can remember watching 5 Pin on TSN and CBC, no one could possibly confuse Doug Stuart and Greg Peteraitis from seeing them on the lanes. Doug’s tiny approach and incredibly high back swing, and Greg bowling off the right foot while bowling right handed (commonly referred to as a bocce style) are both effective deliveries for those two bowlers.
Bowlers styles are in fact their own signature on the lanes. When I attended the KG Tournament in Saskatoon and even here at our own Bowling School, I’ve often witnessed a bowler imitate a certain style while the rest of us tried to identify the bowler being imitated. From Kim Chadwick’s over the head push away to start her approach, to Tom Patterson’s staggered descent into a crouch, or to John Mattioli’s shuffle to the left until he gets into position to start, styles vary greatly. This is not to say that unorthodox movements or rituals should not be added to an approach simply to make a bowler stand out, there should be an actual purpose to every part of a bowlers approach.
There is one basic thing that all these bowlers mentioned above and all top bowlers have in common. Whatever they do, and however they manage to deliver the ball, they are consistent. Repetition and consistency in any approach is the key to success.
I would encourage young bowlers to watch the top players in their area and, if possible get out to some of the major tournaments that still exist. Watch what other people do and maybe you can pick up something that can help your game. However, this is not an invitation to try to copy someone else’s style in its entirety. As a bowler, you have to do what is comfortable for you and bowl in a way that is consistent, regardless of the pin or pins at which you are throwing.
As stated throughout this piece, bowlers are individuals. Coaches out there, of which I am one, have to be aware of this and respect this fact. Usually when an involved parent sees me bowl for the first time and realizes that I will be coaching their child there is a standard plea, “You’re not going to teach my child to bowl like that are you??” The answer is simple, no. When coaching the YBC or at the O5 Bowling School, I teach the basics and try to adapt them to the individual bowlers existing style. I may point out something in a young bowler’s style that could cause them problems, however, if they feel that they can be consistent in executing their own delivery, I won’t change it. In the end, it is up to each bowler to do what feels natural for them. As coaches, we should fervently try to avoid producing “cookie cutter” bowlers fashioned after any particular style. Many coaching courses advocate teaching a three step approach, and some even go as far as stressing that a back up should be taught. Teach the basics and allow your bowlers to experiment and find what is right for them. Of course this applies to bowlers old enough and sufficiently developed to have their own style.
I remember making my first Open team and the coach, who I didn’t really know and who had not seen me bowl much, called a practice. While I was on the lanes, the coach remarked to another bowler on the team, that he had to stop me from bowling the way I do. Thankfully the bowler he was talking to was from my home centre and told the coach, that what he was seeing was the way I always throw the ball. In another instance, I was practicing at a centre where I had not previously bowled, when a coach there blatantly told me that I would never get anywhere in the game bowling like that. I smiled politely and continued to practice without giving him my bowling résumé. Situations like these are not that uncommon, I remember hearing someone saying something similar regarding Karalyn Skanes of Newfoundland. Karalyn throws the ball with both hands, however, I’ve personally seen her compete with success at Nationals at least twice.
Whether it’s from a physical restriction or a timing routine or from an emulation of another bowler, bowling styles will be as unique as the individual bowler. Think about it the next time you’re at a centre and you can look across the lanes see a myriad of varied styles. We’re all doing the same thing, bowling, but in our own, sometimes odd looking, way.
Recently, I’ve had two separate people on two separate occasions make the exact same comment to me. The comment was, “Wow, there certainly are a lot of different styles on the lanes, no one seems to throw the ball the same.” The two occasions were the Youth Challenge, and the qualifying round of the Open; of the two people, one was a non-bowling parent, the other was a fellow competitor. These recent comments were not the first I’ve heard this over the course of my life in bowling. As anyone who knows me can tell, I also have a rather unique way of travelling from my starting position to the foul line, and this may be a reason why I frequently hear similar comments.
The simple fact of the matter is, there is no “correct” way to bowl. I’ve been fortunate enough to have bowled from coast to coast and quite a few places in between, and that simple fact holds true. The way an individual bowler bowls is completely unique to that particular bowler.
The various regions of Canada and their predominate conditions, may be a factor in determining how a bowler bowls, but that does not preclude variety. Take Alberta for example, for the most part the lanes are fast and predominately string pins. However, these conditions have produced bowlers such as Bruce Morter, Gene Ziebarth, and Dianne Violini, among others. Bruce has a long approach, while Geno’s approach is fairly short. In addition, ball speed varies greatly between these three. Dianne throws the slowest, Bruce the fastest, and Geno somewhere in-between. However, despite the variety within they’re styles, no one can dispute the success these bowlers have achieved. To narrow the scope, travel to the city of Winnipeg. Both Rob Shanas and Karen Armstrong hail from the Manitoba capital and play on the same conditions, yet both bowl very differently. However, the most diversity I’ve seen on the lanes, primarily due to my own location is in Ontario. For those of us who can remember watching 5 Pin on TSN and CBC, no one could possibly confuse Doug Stuart and Greg Peteraitis from seeing them on the lanes. Doug’s tiny approach and incredibly high back swing, and Greg bowling off the right foot while bowling right handed (commonly referred to as a bocce style) are both effective deliveries for those two bowlers.
Bowlers styles are in fact their own signature on the lanes. When I attended the KG Tournament in Saskatoon and even here at our own Bowling School, I’ve often witnessed a bowler imitate a certain style while the rest of us tried to identify the bowler being imitated. From Kim Chadwick’s over the head push away to start her approach, to Tom Patterson’s staggered descent into a crouch, or to John Mattioli’s shuffle to the left until he gets into position to start, styles vary greatly. This is not to say that unorthodox movements or rituals should not be added to an approach simply to make a bowler stand out, there should be an actual purpose to every part of a bowlers approach.
There is one basic thing that all these bowlers mentioned above and all top bowlers have in common. Whatever they do, and however they manage to deliver the ball, they are consistent. Repetition and consistency in any approach is the key to success.
I would encourage young bowlers to watch the top players in their area and, if possible get out to some of the major tournaments that still exist. Watch what other people do and maybe you can pick up something that can help your game. However, this is not an invitation to try to copy someone else’s style in its entirety. As a bowler, you have to do what is comfortable for you and bowl in a way that is consistent, regardless of the pin or pins at which you are throwing.
As stated throughout this piece, bowlers are individuals. Coaches out there, of which I am one, have to be aware of this and respect this fact. Usually when an involved parent sees me bowl for the first time and realizes that I will be coaching their child there is a standard plea, “You’re not going to teach my child to bowl like that are you??” The answer is simple, no. When coaching the YBC or at the O5 Bowling School, I teach the basics and try to adapt them to the individual bowlers existing style. I may point out something in a young bowler’s style that could cause them problems, however, if they feel that they can be consistent in executing their own delivery, I won’t change it. In the end, it is up to each bowler to do what feels natural for them. As coaches, we should fervently try to avoid producing “cookie cutter” bowlers fashioned after any particular style. Many coaching courses advocate teaching a three step approach, and some even go as far as stressing that a back up should be taught. Teach the basics and allow your bowlers to experiment and find what is right for them. Of course this applies to bowlers old enough and sufficiently developed to have their own style.
I remember making my first Open team and the coach, who I didn’t really know and who had not seen me bowl much, called a practice. While I was on the lanes, the coach remarked to another bowler on the team, that he had to stop me from bowling the way I do. Thankfully the bowler he was talking to was from my home centre and told the coach, that what he was seeing was the way I always throw the ball. In another instance, I was practicing at a centre where I had not previously bowled, when a coach there blatantly told me that I would never get anywhere in the game bowling like that. I smiled politely and continued to practice without giving him my bowling résumé. Situations like these are not that uncommon, I remember hearing someone saying something similar regarding Karalyn Skanes of Newfoundland. Karalyn throws the ball with both hands, however, I’ve personally seen her compete with success at Nationals at least twice.
Whether it’s from a physical restriction or a timing routine or from an emulation of another bowler, bowling styles will be as unique as the individual bowler. Think about it the next time you’re at a centre and you can look across the lanes see a myriad of varied styles. We’re all doing the same thing, bowling, but in our own, sometimes odd looking, way.
Monday, January 3, 2011
THE MOST IMPORTANT MENTAL SKILL – THE PATERSON FILE
This is the second installment from Tom Paterson of Saskatchewan. The mental game is always a key element on success in sports, and bowling is no different. Here is Paterson's article on "The Most Important Mental Skill" Check his bowler bio on the top right of this page.
When people make a list of all the mental skills they could be developing they tend to leave one off their list. The skill left off the list is really the one staring us straight in the face – yet we don’t see it. OR…maybe we simply see all this other stuff and get lost in the jumble of thoughts. So what is that one skill. Let’s make a list of what is not top dog on the list.
• Relaxation skills – because without it we could not focus clearly on our task.
• Focus – yup we need it, and yup you need to be able to control your impulses and relax before you can truly focus in a most productive manner.
• Imagery – so that we can direct our mental blueprint to where it is most beneficial.
• Stress Management – simply learning to handle distractions
• Self Discipline – making that commitment and sticking to it
• Recovery – learning to recover from a poor game, a series of head pins, etc.
All of the above we could work on and yes it would make you a better player. But…unless there is a grander picture the above won’t net much gain. What is the one skill everything you do should be moving towards developing? It’s the C word – CONFIDENCE.
To get to a stronger consistent mind set of confidence one must begin with AWARENESS. If confidence is the most important mental skill to develop than one very key element is
Awareness. Awareness is about simply being aware in three main areas:
Physical
The physical part of awareness is really how it feels to execute correctly and when your game is a bit off being able to detect and correct by feel. Feel can be a subtle thing such as the extension you give each follow thru. Or it can be something basic such as knowing the feel associated with holding your follow thru. There is also the physical or feel component that results from when you are emotionally charged. – because this emotion has a ripple effect upon the quality and feel of execution.
Emotional
When playing well your emotional level sits at a certain point. It is essentially the degree of excitedness you feel when playing at your best. AND as importantly recognizing how to get yourself there when you are blasé , and when you are simply overly excited, possibly (overly excited, frustrated, or angry). Maintaining a perspective based on logic and focused on what you can control is important in getting your emotions back under control.
Intellectual
This is the problem solving side of you. Being ready and able to problem solve through the various challenges that come to you. And…doing so in a calm, rational, productive way. Once you solve the problem or at the very least have something you are going to try and do, the next job is to simply do it. In other words throw as if you cannot fail Here is where a sage piece of advice is ‘don’t get in the way of yourself’ is important.
A second part of the intellectual side is our ability to create our own perceptions. The vast majority of mental hurdles stem from a perceptual frame. How we choose to look at something plays greatly into our favour or disfavour. The key here is to bring everything to what you control. For example: I you may not presently feel that you can average 200, in fact thinking of this may create anxiety, and doubt in your mind. Maybe you are simply just not good enough. (despise the term ‘good enough’). Instead o f thinking of all the things out of your control begin to plot a map for how you are going to get to your goal. Maybe it includes improving your follow through, being more patient, taking your time on the lane so that you do not rush. A great resource to help you with framing includes a book written by Dr. Gio Valiante titled ‘Fearless Golf’ Read it and I am betting you become a more consistent athlete in whatever you choose.
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