League night distractions can mess up your game.....

[Hammer]

How many times have you been on league night bowling and there are too many distractions that take away from your game. Things like it's Mike's turn
so where is he? Oh, he's at the bar getting a drink. Trish is supposed to bowl. Where in the heck is she? She's talking to Mary three lanes down. Go get her and tell her it is her turn. Trish comes back finally but starts talking to Ann about whatever. Trish, it is your turn. Oh, sorry and goes for her ball. Okay it's Rick's turn now where did he go? He's at the snack bar getting a hotdog. Dang! We always have to wait for somebody. There you sit thinking to yourself come on folks, you are ruining my timing. You had two strikes in a row and now you miss the pocket and leave the bucket. You throw your second shot in the frame and get all but one pin in the bucket for an open frame. Now you get off the approach but the person shooting next is gone now. You see him at the bar at the other end of the bowling alley getting a beer. You think to yourself this is rediculous. The next two frames you shoot
open frames. With all of these distractions your team ends up losing the game to the other team. You say to yourself DANG! Sometimes this is what will go on league night. It can be trying.

[billf]

Sounds strangely similar to the scenario a certain banned member PMed me about his league issues.
Join a more serious league and leave the social league. It's obviously a social league or the other teams would have complained to the league officers. Men's only leagues and women's only leagues tend to be more serious. They have fun but stick around and bowl in a timely manner, at least around here.

[e-tank]

I dont often see this but when it happens its just like you described. I kind of get annoyed when my friends get too drunk when we bowl friday night and we have to wait 5 min for each person to go

[ArtVandelay]

Yeah.... I dunno. It doesn't bother me. Maybe it's because my team is FULL of those guys you described at the bar... hahahahahaha.

Actually, we are big fans of the "beer frame." I'm sure everyone knows about the beer frame, but for those who don't: Don't let yourself be the only person who doesn't throw a strike in a frame!!! hahahahahaha.

[noeymc]

my team member cant stay focused she's really pissing me off by not showing up with out telling me ( never start a league with a girlfriend and breakup on some dumb stuff they wont show up) =D

and no i just focus on my game and dont worry about it when its my turn i bowl but i am normally zoned out and need told to go bowl and i am sitting right there... lol

[Zothen]

Yup! I had that happen over the summer and I had to convince my brother to not quit and on top of that I ended up with elbow problems cause my arm got stiff from having to wait so long in between frames. In the end we worked our problems out and ended up in 2nd place.

Zothen

[Cochese]

I know how you feel. I like to bowl fast and hate waiting around between shots. I have actually started to force myself to practice taking two frames, then waiting.

My other favorite is when you are on the approach and the PA comes on about some stupid announcement.

[scottymoney]

Glad I don't see much of this in my league. The time between shots is already enough for me to start forgetting what I need to do different from frame to frame.

Our league works in a different format to quicken the games as it is, since we are first shift. We actually bowl 1 team to a pair. so lanes 1&2 will bowl lanes 3&4. It has mixed reviews but a lot of people agreed to it so that we can keep things moving along.

I would get food on league nights, but since the snack bar is so slow I tend to just get a drink and say no to food.

[GeoLes]

I didn't realize I was such a problem last year. I was still trying to figure stuff out while on the approach. Last week the team member from the team on the adjacent lane expressed relief not to bowl against us because I created such delays. I told him It was my first year, pardon my ignorance, and that I was much beter now. He continued to express relief, so I grabbed my bowling towel and handed it to him. "here's something if you to use if you want to keep cryin' about it"

Having been the problem once, I have now understand slow bowlers needing time to mentally figure out what to do. Just wait patiently. I have less tolerance for rude bowlers who revel to the point of distraction.

On one occasion, the front desk was a distraction. There was a new woman working and she very loudly and abruplty announced the start of the adjacent leagues practice frames. It came accross like a crack of thunder.

"ROLLING THUNDER LEAGUE, YOU MAY NOW BEGIN YOUR PRACTICE".

[Rdmonster]

I never get to worked up about the pace at our league....sometimes we are the last ones finished...sometimes we are the first. I am there to have fun and I always do.

One thing that is a problem for me.....I get so amped up to be there and kick *** that it takes at least half of the first game to get calmed down enough to where I can concentrate. Game one is always the worst for me....last week I was 112 (36 pins below my average and way worse than normal for a game one) our best guy who averages 170's shot a 116!!! Then I busted out with a high 150's then a mid 170's. Weirdest thing...I am less jacked up on the first tee of our golf league..other than that i only get distracted by worrying that I am going to distract someone else on or near the approach.

[e-tank]

I never get to worked up about the pace at our league....sometimes we are the last ones finished...sometimes we are the first. I am there to have fun and I always do.

One thing that is a problem for me.....I get so amped up to be there and kick *** that it takes at least half of the first game to get calmed down enough to where I can concentrate. Game one is always the worst for me....last week I was 112 (36 pins below my average and way worse than normal for a game one) our best guy who averages 170's shot a 116!!! Then I busted out with a high 150's then a mid 170's. Weirdest thing...I am less jacked up on the first tee of our golf league..other than that i only get distracted by worrying that I am going to distract someone else on or near the approach.

im actually the opposite of that. My first 2 games are usually pretty good then idk what happens with the last one sometimes

[sprocket]

I bowled league at a place two years ago and it was so overstimulating that I only bowled there the one season. It's at an Indian casino and they have TVs above every pair playing loud music videos. They also have big screens above the pins with sports on, but the lighting makes it hard to see. You can barely hear yourself talk. I hear that now they turned most of that crap off, but it's too late, they lost me and a bunch of others.

Drinking will always bother me because I don't drink at all and I don't like it when people drink and act stupid. I have learned to tune that out though, because it is an unavoidable reality of league bowling, unless I want to bowl on a church league. I'm not even sure if that would help. Do they drink on church leagues or not? The guys on my league are pretty well behaved anyway.

[J Anderson]

Do they drink on church leagues or not?

Probably depends on the denomination. My understanding is that the Bible doesn't forbid drinking. After all, Jesus' first miracle was turning water into wine. The sin is drinking to excess.

[billf]

Sprocket, I don't drink anymore. Maybe 4 times since 1989. I see these people liquored up and acting stupid and thank God I gave it up.
Church league....my guess is it wouldn't be Sundays at 10 am? lol

[Hammer]

I have been on a lutheran church league for 26 years and yes they have folks that do drink during bowling but I have never seen any of them causing trouble.

[noeymc]

i drink but i dont get sloppy i drink once every 2 weeks so i dont think its to big of a deal

[ArtVandelay]

We call it "talent juice." hahahaha. Ya know what? Our whole league drinks, but come to think about it I can only remember one time ever when I felt a team got out of hand with the booze. That was years ago in an old league, and some voices were raised, some words were said, and there was some light restraining before everyone went their separate ways. I have never felt anyone caused a dangerous situation aside from that.

I think the people who can't keep things in perspective are the ones who bother me more. At some point, we have to call it for what it is: a social league that has a prize fund, but nothing anyone would have to claim on their taxes! hahaha. I think it someone takes the league and themselves TOO seriously it's less fun. Some people have trouble giving up the dream of going pro... We like to make fun of those people on my team. hahahaha.

[e-tank]

i get a nice buzz going just to calm the nerves and allow me to focus on my bowling and also lets me just laugh it off if things dont go my way instead of dwelling on it

[ArtVandelay]

I think that's the way it SHOULD be, e-tank. A certain level of responsibility is required. If you can't control yourself and you become a danger to yourself or others, then there's certainly a problem. I dunno... I consider myself lucky because I've never had a drinking problem. I drink once or twice a week (normally just on bowling night), and I understand self control. When I get drunk I laugh a lot, and when that's over I find a place to go to sleep. hahahaha. I'm pretty simple.

BUT, I do know those who have struggled with alcohol and I understand it can be a problem. I just hope they never endanger themselves or others. I do believe alcohol can be good for an occasion provided proper moderation is observed and people conduct themselves appropriately. Unfortunately that's not always the case.

[billf]

That was my proble. I love tequila. Hold the lime and salt just give me a double and keep them coming. If only I would have passed out. One day, when my daughter was about 3 months old, I decided that wasn't the role model I needed to be for her. I went from drinking bottles of tequila a night to not touching a drop for over 17 years. Then one night bowling, my birthday, people were buying me shots. Before I knew it, I was plastered. That's when I knew the only way for me to control it was to not have any. One shot and all I want is another. My wife laughed when I filled a red Solo cup and called it a shot. And that's how I drank it, one big gulp and an empty cup. Now she also understands why I don't start. Save a lot of money by skipping the alcohol too.

[e-tank]

yea i hear you there. Sometimes its just really hard to stop. Ive only gotten legit drunk once bowling and since now ive been getting really into bowling, when i bowl i bowl to try and get better. Ive learned of soooo many tips from this forum and other places so i pretty much have something i wanna work on every time i hit the lanes.

[MisterSinister]

That's how it is in a recreational league. We had a girl so drunk, she dropped the ball on her backswing. We had to sit around for 20 minutes waiting for her to stop laughing so she could finish her frame. Next season e will be moving to a mens league. We practice on Mondays, when there is a mens league on the other side of the ally. There is none of that garbage going on in that league. They don't mess around, they are there to bowl and that's it. I want to be part of that.

[75lockwood]

I personally love the league settings and all distractions it brings, this year my focus has truly been put to the test, both in the league i run where i'm trying to keep everyone on track while focusing on my own game as well as the youth league where i was paired up with the a young boy who loves bowling but requires constant attention to keep on track (coach felt i was the best choice)

I will admit, at first concentrating was really tough, but i feel that i am a better bowler because of it!

[ArtVandelay]

That was my proble. I love tequila. Hold the lime and salt just give me a double and keep them coming. If only I would have passed out. One day, when my daughter was about 3 months old, I decided that wasn't the role model I needed to be for her. I went from drinking bottles of tequila a night to not touching a drop for over 17 years. Then one night bowling, my birthday, people were buying me shots. Before I knew it, I was plastered. That's when I knew the only way for me to control it was to not have any. One shot and all I want is another. My wife laughed when I filled a red Solo cup and called it a shot. And that's how I drank it, one big gulp and an empty cup. Now she also understands why I don't start. Save a lot of money by skipping the alcohol too.

You should consider yourself lucky that you can realize that. Normally denial goes hand in hand with drinking problems. And I'm not saying you HAVE or HAD a drinking problem. Some people get drunk, and are never a harm to anyone or themselves. I know someone who just throws his keys to someone sober once he is too drunk to walk. It's almost like a game he plays: "I gotta find the sober guy to drive me home!" hahahaha. I appreciate that. But there are some people who get drunk and stubborn. You can't tell them anything and if they disagree with you there's a power struggle. That is scary.

I like to think I'm a reasonable person, and that I handle myself well, but ya never know for sure. One thing I do believe in, though, is to always be supportive of someone who is trying to improve themselves however they believe is necessary. Good for you, I'm glad to hear your success story!


That's how it is in a recreational league. We had a girl so drunk, she dropped the ball on her backswing. We had to sit around for 20 minutes waiting for her to stop laughing so she could finish her frame. Next season e will be moving to a mens league. We practice on Mondays, when there is a mens league on the other side of the ally. There is none of that garbage going on in that league. They don't mess around, they are there to bowl and that's it. I want to be part of that.

To each his own. I don't take bowling seriously enough for such a serious league. If that level of drunkenness is achieved, I DO believe that's a problem. I pray you exaggerated the 20 minutes part! hahahaha. For me, I DO want to be a better bowler, and I DO want to bowl well, but I think a certain level of relaxation is necessary. It's kind of like the guy who tackles someone in flag football... At some point we just have to call it for what it is: a game that's meant to be fun and enjoyed.

I don't think I can go on either side of the spectrum with very good results. If it is too serious I think it would drive me nuts, and if it's too much goofing around (to the detriment of the safety of others, especially) then I don't think I'd enjoy that very much either... I guess I'm too picky! hahahaha.