The Open is just around the corner, being played in Surrey BC, so I thought I would give recognition to those who will be playing for National titles.
Singles Competitors
BC
Singles: Victoria Dacosta, Tony Essar
Mens Team: Mike Warren, Nick Allen, Nick Uttley, Aaron Pennington, Darcy Fiedler, Marco Tsang, Coach Dave Andres
Ladies Team: Kelsy Hogh, Kim Thompson, Kayla Clark, LeighAnne Paull, Mary Ann Sanders, Rhonda Meise, Coach Ed Stepski
Mixed Team: Charmaine Loff, Debbie Neff, Leslea Ferris, Matthew Griffin, Larry Richet, Alex Beltran, Coach Gord Snow
Alberta
Singles: Bonnie McDonald, Ian Dobbie
Mens Team: Adam Weber, TJ Carriere, Mark Miller, Danny Gomboc, Eric Christensen, Stevan Loertscher, Coach Brian Rossetti
Ladies Team: Beverley Magnus, Jennifer Ladan, Melynda Bruneau, Annette Bruneau, Sheena Owens, Stacey Sanderson, Coach Brenda McCannel
Mixed Team: Alyssa Madsen, Brittney Johnson Olson, Linda Raymond, Rich Weber, Tom Stevenson, Derek Home, Coach Debbie Boswell
Saskatchewan
Singles: Jackie Spark, Wayne Wolfe
Mens Team: Matthew Fisher, John Rayner, Kerry Sullivan, Dennis Zacher, Steve Robertson, Gary Baba, Coach George Gresty
Ladies Team: Lindsay Berge, Janice Schaan, Julie Bayne, Danielle Leffler, Jamie Dawson, Alysa Spark, Coach Lloyd Wiens
Mixed Team: Simone Leon, Coralee Frank, Aimee Fleming, Jeff Hiibner, Don Clearihue, James Ogilivie, Coach Gord Craig
Northwest Territories
Singles: Kim Bailey, Glen Wallington
Mixed Team: Lillian Crook, Debbie Gillard, Shereen Naidu, John Budgell, Steve O'Brien, Rick O'Brien, Coach Steve O'Hara
Manitoba
Singles: Karen Amrstrong, Steve Jennings
Mens Team: Randy Morrisette, Cordell Galbecka, Matt Turanski, Trevor Cook, Darren Maxwell, Justin Keen, Coach, Andy McBride
Ladies Team: Holly Chaikowski, Sandi Anderson, Lorie Chaikowski, Linda Orne, Barb Kolawchuk, Coach Jim Anderson
Mixed Team: Christy Mitchaluk, Tracy Fleishman, Cathy McPhee-Langlois, Garry Hamm, Ethan Buckman, Shawn Langlois, Coach Grant Szpak
Northern Ontario
Singles: Yvette MacLellan, Kevin Freeland
Mens Team: Greg DeGrazia, Kyle Goose, Matt McLean, John DeGrazia, Aaron Zewiec, Gene Prpic, Coach Bob Taylor
Ladies Team: Lynn Gosselin, Renee Laframboise, Sarah Umakoshi, Tara Robson, Paula McNamara, Cindy Lalonde, Coach Bill Mitchell
Mixed Team: Lynn Dominelli, Lynn Imbeau, Monique L'Heureux, JR Belisle, Rick Tasse, Moe Beaudoin, Coach Lise Anderson
Ontario
Singles: Erica Bortolin, Jeff Mawhinney
Mens Team: Wade Thompson, Jim Head, Ian Gawel, Michael Doherty, Danny Pike, Doug Brock, Coach Kevin Jepson
Ladies Team: Karole McDonnell, Kristi Lampman, Christine Mair, Kayla-Marie Anderson, Casey Ramey, Kyla Smith, Coach Andrew Lampman
Mixed Team: Shasta Smith, Megan Flannigan, Cheryl Campbell, Brian Pye, Sean Westhaver, Will Daniel, Coach Jim Muir
Quebec
Singles: Helene Godmaire, Guillaume Charbonneau
Mens Team: Mike Squires, Bruno Cecyre, Shawn Haley, Patrick Carroll, Eric Villeneuve, Maxime Lafreniere, Coach Gaetan Beauchamp
Ladies Team: Nathalie Parent, Julie Comeau, Karina Martineau, Vanessa Gauvreau, Marie-Josee Cecyre, Julie Lachance, Coach Daniel Lamarche
Mixed Team: Caroline Villeneuve, Natalie Trudel, Isabelle Sogne, Sylvain Bercier, Rene Duguay, Charles Chartrand, Coach Lynn Allard
Newfoundland/Labrador
Singles: Michelle O'Reilly, Lee Escott
Mens Team: Terry Blake, Tony Legge, Robert Crewe, Troy Pardy, Dave Gosse, Jonathan Brennan, Coach Elaine Schulstad
Ladies Team: Genevieve Gillard, Jessica Boundridge, Sharla Nurse, Erin Power, Keri Garland, Catherine Neville, Coach Fred Hawco
Mixed Team: Melissa Manor, Trina Greene, Doreen O'Reilly, Justin Sullivan, Andrew Codner, Robert Williams, Coach Barry Meadus
Nova Scotia
Singles: Chris Hernderson
Mens Team: Bobby Kyte, Trevor Stevenson, Brett Bartlett, Adam Griffin, Al Atwood, Varian Layne, Coach Gail Chambers
Ladies Team: Joanne Blades, Donna Burchell, Debbie Purdy, Melinda Cronin, Sandra Manning-Logan, Coach Janice Sopko-Ellingson
Prince Edward Island
Singles: Randy Diamond
Mens Team: Steve Kneebone, John Walsh, Albert Shepard, Serge Arsenault, Ian Stewart, Jeremy Sudsbury, Coach Gerard Arbing
Ladies Team: Nina Costain, Joanie MacLeod, Stephanie Creed, Valerie Kneebone, Patricia MacKinnon, Coach Rickey Burns
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
Newbie To Bowling - Tom Paterson
Lately we've concentrated on more of the elite side of things with 5pin bowling. This week, we're back to basics for the beginner bowler, which I feel is perfect timing for the bowler that has a bowling centre nearby that is open in the summer to practice in.
Newbie To Bowling - by Tom Paterson
So you’ve just started bowling and wonder just how you can improve your game. The goal of all improvement is to gain consistency and thus a good starting point is to understand that the MOST IMPORTANT part of ‘how to’ throw a ball is FOLLOW THROUGH. If there is one thing you work to do – regardless of proficiency, it is to develop a consistent productive follow through. This means that all that stuff about 3 steps and back up ball that coaches may stress is really less important than FOLLOW THROUGH. The trick is…that few know just what makes a PRODUCTIVE FOLLOW THROUGH. To know and learn more about the FOLLOW THROUGH and how to develop it, please check out the article FOLLOW THROUGH found on this web site.
Let me back up a bit. IF FOLLOW THROUGH IS IMPORTANT why do instructors/coaches push for the adoption of the 3 Step Approach and Back Up Ball Delivery? The 3 Step Approach and Delivery provide a simple method of consistently getting from your stance to release point. The key word here is CONSISTENT. If you are consistent with your approach and delivery than…changing to the Three Step may not be all it is cracked up to be. In other words if it’s not broken don’t fix it. So just what are the composite parts that make up for the consistent approach and delivery?
1. Starting and ending your approach at the same spot (if you end your approach 3 boards or more left or right of the board you started from then my question is…are you consistent doing this? IF so…consider not changing because it is consistent.
2. Pace of Approach and Delivery is the pace consistently the same if so…it just might be fine.
3. AND…the third and final part of your approach and delivery and weighing in on whether you have a consistent approach and delivery can be identified by one very simple and practical task. HOLD YOUR FOLLOW THROUGH. If you cannot hold your FOLLOW THROUGH than this is an indicator of an inconsistent or…too fast approach and delivery. Your goal should always be to hold your follow through until the ball hits the pins. IF you cannot HOLD YOUR FOLLOW THROUGH than….working on your approach and delivery and possibly adapting the 3 Step Approach and Delivery may be a good place to start. IF this is where you are at with your game than please consider finding a qualified instructor to assist. Your Bowling Proprietor and/or the MASTER BOWLER’S ASSOCIATION of your province may be able to direct you to the appropriate individual.
A couple of other goodies to offer. IF…you are a young Y.B.C. Bowler and have difficulty holding onto the ball consider purchasing some of the lighter (albeit illegal for 5 Pin) – Candle Pin balls. These are about 2 inches less in diameter and also weigh appreciably less than the legal 5 pin ball. So…if the ball is illegal when do I use it – during your practices. If a purchase of the Candle Pin ball is not possible than go out to Toy’s R Us and purchase a small air filled play ball approximately or a bit smaller than…the 5 Pin ball.
Once your ball problem is sorted out then you can also consider using the air filled ball for practice at home. When I was young I made countless approaches and deliveries down the hallway of our house, rolling the air filled ball down the hallway.
By practicing the 3 Step method prior to actually being able to hold a legally sized ball you will be that much further ahead when your strength and growth allows for you to hold onto the ball.
Let me back up a bit. IF FOLLOW THROUGH IS IMPORTANT why do instructors/coaches push for the adoption of the 3 Step Approach and Back Up Ball Delivery? The 3 Step Approach and Delivery provide a simple method of consistently getting from your stance to release point. The key word here is CONSISTENT. If you are consistent with your approach and delivery than…changing to the Three Step may not be all it is cracked up to be. In other words if it’s not broken don’t fix it. So just what are the composite parts that make up for the consistent approach and delivery?
1. Starting and ending your approach at the same spot (if you end your approach 3 boards or more left or right of the board you started from then my question is…are you consistent doing this? IF so…consider not changing because it is consistent.
2. Pace of Approach and Delivery is the pace consistently the same if so…it just might be fine.
3. AND…the third and final part of your approach and delivery and weighing in on whether you have a consistent approach and delivery can be identified by one very simple and practical task. HOLD YOUR FOLLOW THROUGH. If you cannot hold your FOLLOW THROUGH than this is an indicator of an inconsistent or…too fast approach and delivery. Your goal should always be to hold your follow through until the ball hits the pins. IF you cannot HOLD YOUR FOLLOW THROUGH than….working on your approach and delivery and possibly adapting the 3 Step Approach and Delivery may be a good place to start. IF this is where you are at with your game than please consider finding a qualified instructor to assist. Your Bowling Proprietor and/or the MASTER BOWLER’S ASSOCIATION of your province may be able to direct you to the appropriate individual.
A couple of other goodies to offer. IF…you are a young Y.B.C. Bowler and have difficulty holding onto the ball consider purchasing some of the lighter (albeit illegal for 5 Pin) – Candle Pin balls. These are about 2 inches less in diameter and also weigh appreciably less than the legal 5 pin ball. So…if the ball is illegal when do I use it – during your practices. If a purchase of the Candle Pin ball is not possible than go out to Toy’s R Us and purchase a small air filled play ball approximately or a bit smaller than…the 5 Pin ball.
Once your ball problem is sorted out then you can also consider using the air filled ball for practice at home. When I was young I made countless approaches and deliveries down the hallway of our house, rolling the air filled ball down the hallway.
By practicing the 3 Step method prior to actually being able to hold a legally sized ball you will be that much further ahead when your strength and growth allows for you to hold onto the ball.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Something New Something Constructive?
Recently I wrote about trying to make this site more helpful to bowlers. I added an easy to find link to the site email address and have made leaving comments easier to make on the blogs that we put up to hear what everyone is saying about things that we discuss. This week, I'd like to try to take a step further in that regard. Usually, Steve barker would be putting up a "23 Questions" feature in this slot, but we wanted to try something a little bit different this time around.
Ask any bowler out there their opinion on things such as the state of the game, recent happenings or feats and accomplishments, or what they enjoy about the game and chances are opinions will be varied. Well, we would like to "open up the floor" so to speak for a little discussion on these sort of things. We want to hear how you feel about the game you love, but let's keep it in a constructive tone. Having bowlers dicuss on various topics allow for everyone to get involved as well as allows us to do some homework and get answers, get details or just write about these sort of things in our blogs. Let's hear what you have to say......and leave a comment below on this blog.
Jeff Young
Ask any bowler out there their opinion on things such as the state of the game, recent happenings or feats and accomplishments, or what they enjoy about the game and chances are opinions will be varied. Well, we would like to "open up the floor" so to speak for a little discussion on these sort of things. We want to hear how you feel about the game you love, but let's keep it in a constructive tone. Having bowlers dicuss on various topics allow for everyone to get involved as well as allows us to do some homework and get answers, get details or just write about these sort of things in our blogs. Let's hear what you have to say......and leave a comment below on this blog.
Jeff Young
Monday, May 2, 2011
A Rookie's Retrospect - Josh LeClair
You might remember a story when this site was first starting out, about Josh LeClair, a bowler who had tried several times to qualify for the Ontario Open without much luck. This season saw LeClair finally get over the hump and make the mixed team, and a chance to compete for a provincial title. If you haven't read the story, it can be read HERE. After trying to anticipate how he might feel once the day came, and told us all how he thought he would feel, we find this story as a follow up to Josh's memorable rookie year.
Well my first time bowling at the open has come and gone and it confirmed at least one thing: I sure as heck would rather be competing against these bowlers I see every year than watching or coaching (with all due respect to Katie Jacques my first time coach who did a fantastic job in less than ideal situations at times; sorry coach!).
I can now reflect on all those things that people have told me they have gone through at the open; the first ball jitters, the tension in a tight match and the dynamics of the bench situation. Through my years as a spectator I knew about the noise levels, but it was a little different as a bowler, although it didn’t bother me at all.
Thursday morning I was pretty excited as I had my upbeat music on my mp3 player going feeling a lot of energy just at the hotel. This continued when I arrived at Sherwood as I watched my fellow Westerner Erica Bortolin put on a show qualifying first in Ladies Singles. I was virtually on cloud nine bouncing around the bowling alley in anticipation of the start. For anyone not aware, it’s taken me twelve attempts to qualify for the open, so this was a long day coming for me. As singles wrapped up and I made my way to my lane, the great Connie Ward saw me waiting and asked if it was really my first time (to which many people asked this question throughout the weekend). I confirmed that it was indeed true, and that I wasn’t nervous....at least not at that moment.
Warm up started and I felt pretty good. I like to throw a lot of warm up to get comfortable with a line that works, but I didn’t get as much as I wanted, with twelve bowlers on a set warming up, so I wasn’t quite as comfortable as I would have liked to be. Once announcements got going and they started the scoring machines and the line-ups popped up on the screen, I couldn’t stop myself from having the biggest smile on my face seeing my name in that leadoff spot. I’ve wanted to see that for so long.
Getting to the task at hand, now it was time for the dreaded first shot. I think if it wasn’t built up by everyone to me I wouldn’t have been nervous at all....but I was a little shaky....and I ended up picking. Hitting the middle was good and now I could try and settle in. I was a little nervous for the first five frames or so, but I felt so good up there I relaxed and finished big, throwing the last four strikes for 298. Not too shabby for a seasoned rookie! I took my match point over Dallas Bentien, a darn good bowler and even better man (kudos to Dallas for his military service). Unfortunately for my team, we lost 6-2.
For the next three games I continued to feel really good, scoring just ok but nothing special, as the team as a whole struggled to get going. We went into the break losing four straight, with only 6 points to show for ourselves. After the break we got on the board with our first two wins to close out day one with a disappointing 18 points, although it was looking like it was going to be worse. I averaged 230 for the day, with a couple of rough games at the end (ironically when I started to struggle, the team came alive).
I didn’t feel as good throwing the ball Friday as I did Thursday, but scored better (this game is funny like that!). To make a long story short, the team finished strong, as we garnered the 4th most points from the 5th game on, but it was just too much to recover from after our slow start. I was proud to be a part of this team, with fellow rookie Jason Forsyth (himself no spring chicken either as his 20’s have passed him by), Central Ontario import Matt Walker who had a hell of a second day averaging 258 for 7 games, and ladies Tammy O’Neil, who was full of energy after being away from the Open for several years, Patty Dierckens with some great experience from last year’s ladies team and the baby of the team Stephanie Oldridge, almost 10 years younger than the next youngest on the team! Kudos once again to our coach Katie Jacques, herself a rookie in that role.
I faced some excellent bowlers in matches, such as Brian Pye from the winning Tri-County team, Jeff England, Meghan Blewitt, Gord Cluff, Jay Berryman, Larry Murphy, Bucky Faulkner and fellow rookie Tyler Wendel out of Niagara region, who was a mirror image of me, bowling 130 frames, winning 8 match points and having a total pinfall of 3,160, exactly one pin more than myself. He takes bragging rights with a 304 to my 259 in our match. Great showing Tyler.
I had three goals heading into the tournament: win the tournament and go to Nationals, average 250 and win the rookie award. Although I didn’t accomplish any of those goals, I am still proud of how I did. By no means did I let my team down or embarrass myself competing at the highest level. Turns out I could have averaged 250 (I finished at 243), and I still would have come up short for the rookie award, as Brian Sillett averaged an incredible 262 (winning nine match points), leading his Tri-County men’s team to a 2nd place finish. Great bowling Brian.
I’d like to thank all the people who wished me well and also asked how I did (as well as everyone who wondered how the heck a guy like me can be a rookie when I’ve always been in Hamilton Easter weekend!). It was a humbling and rewarding experience. I’m looking forward to using the confidence I’ve obtained this year to accomplish even more next year.
A Rookie's Retrospect
Well my first time bowling at the open has come and gone and it confirmed at least one thing: I sure as heck would rather be competing against these bowlers I see every year than watching or coaching (with all due respect to Katie Jacques my first time coach who did a fantastic job in less than ideal situations at times; sorry coach!).
I can now reflect on all those things that people have told me they have gone through at the open; the first ball jitters, the tension in a tight match and the dynamics of the bench situation. Through my years as a spectator I knew about the noise levels, but it was a little different as a bowler, although it didn’t bother me at all.
Thursday morning I was pretty excited as I had my upbeat music on my mp3 player going feeling a lot of energy just at the hotel. This continued when I arrived at Sherwood as I watched my fellow Westerner Erica Bortolin put on a show qualifying first in Ladies Singles. I was virtually on cloud nine bouncing around the bowling alley in anticipation of the start. For anyone not aware, it’s taken me twelve attempts to qualify for the open, so this was a long day coming for me. As singles wrapped up and I made my way to my lane, the great Connie Ward saw me waiting and asked if it was really my first time (to which many people asked this question throughout the weekend). I confirmed that it was indeed true, and that I wasn’t nervous....at least not at that moment.
Warm up started and I felt pretty good. I like to throw a lot of warm up to get comfortable with a line that works, but I didn’t get as much as I wanted, with twelve bowlers on a set warming up, so I wasn’t quite as comfortable as I would have liked to be. Once announcements got going and they started the scoring machines and the line-ups popped up on the screen, I couldn’t stop myself from having the biggest smile on my face seeing my name in that leadoff spot. I’ve wanted to see that for so long.
Getting to the task at hand, now it was time for the dreaded first shot. I think if it wasn’t built up by everyone to me I wouldn’t have been nervous at all....but I was a little shaky....and I ended up picking. Hitting the middle was good and now I could try and settle in. I was a little nervous for the first five frames or so, but I felt so good up there I relaxed and finished big, throwing the last four strikes for 298. Not too shabby for a seasoned rookie! I took my match point over Dallas Bentien, a darn good bowler and even better man (kudos to Dallas for his military service). Unfortunately for my team, we lost 6-2.
For the next three games I continued to feel really good, scoring just ok but nothing special, as the team as a whole struggled to get going. We went into the break losing four straight, with only 6 points to show for ourselves. After the break we got on the board with our first two wins to close out day one with a disappointing 18 points, although it was looking like it was going to be worse. I averaged 230 for the day, with a couple of rough games at the end (ironically when I started to struggle, the team came alive).
I didn’t feel as good throwing the ball Friday as I did Thursday, but scored better (this game is funny like that!). To make a long story short, the team finished strong, as we garnered the 4th most points from the 5th game on, but it was just too much to recover from after our slow start. I was proud to be a part of this team, with fellow rookie Jason Forsyth (himself no spring chicken either as his 20’s have passed him by), Central Ontario import Matt Walker who had a hell of a second day averaging 258 for 7 games, and ladies Tammy O’Neil, who was full of energy after being away from the Open for several years, Patty Dierckens with some great experience from last year’s ladies team and the baby of the team Stephanie Oldridge, almost 10 years younger than the next youngest on the team! Kudos once again to our coach Katie Jacques, herself a rookie in that role.
I faced some excellent bowlers in matches, such as Brian Pye from the winning Tri-County team, Jeff England, Meghan Blewitt, Gord Cluff, Jay Berryman, Larry Murphy, Bucky Faulkner and fellow rookie Tyler Wendel out of Niagara region, who was a mirror image of me, bowling 130 frames, winning 8 match points and having a total pinfall of 3,160, exactly one pin more than myself. He takes bragging rights with a 304 to my 259 in our match. Great showing Tyler.
I had three goals heading into the tournament: win the tournament and go to Nationals, average 250 and win the rookie award. Although I didn’t accomplish any of those goals, I am still proud of how I did. By no means did I let my team down or embarrass myself competing at the highest level. Turns out I could have averaged 250 (I finished at 243), and I still would have come up short for the rookie award, as Brian Sillett averaged an incredible 262 (winning nine match points), leading his Tri-County men’s team to a 2nd place finish. Great bowling Brian.
I’d like to thank all the people who wished me well and also asked how I did (as well as everyone who wondered how the heck a guy like me can be a rookie when I’ve always been in Hamilton Easter weekend!). It was a humbling and rewarding experience. I’m looking forward to using the confidence I’ve obtained this year to accomplish even more next year.
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