League...

[ghetto24]

why do people take league, especially a handicap league, sooooo serious? :confused:

[75lockwood]

why do people take league, especially a handicap league, sooooo serious? :confused:

personally, i do take bowling seriously; i always want to bowl well, and when i don't i am disappointed in myself. that being said, some people tend to take things a little to seriously, one example i can think of is sand bagging, people who need to "fix" their average in order to win, the big thing with handicap leagues is if you improve as the year goes on you will do well. people who purposely bowl below what they are capable of just to win should shake their heads, working at it and improving will result in the same win, with the added bonus of becoming a better bowler and possibly moving on to a scratch league.

what warrants you you saying this, if you provide the specific situation then i'm sure we can make more sense out of it for you.

[scottymoney]

For some people it is in their "makeup" to be competitive. For me I am always competitive and turn everything into competition. My wife yells at me and asks why everything has to be competitive. But this is also coming from the woman who loves to beat me at anything we do!

Our league this year tried to make changes in the format. We tried bowling each team to a pair, so Team A bowls on lanes 1 and 2 and Team B bowls on 3 and 4. It was still a league and competition but at our league meeting a month ago everyone agreed the competitive feeling was gone. Most said it felt like open bowling but keeping score. We are now working on changing the format again to 2 doubles matches. So 2 on 2 and 2 on 2 with a different point system for next year. There are a few other choices but I think that is the one that will win.

There are a few reasons why we made these changes but mainly because of time restraints and bowlign at a different alley and trying to get our league in before another league.

Back to the question at hand, when you are dealing with adults who work all day and use bowling as an outlet for entertainment you are bound to get some competition involved. In most cases the answer is, enjoy the competition or find a less serious/competitive league.

[Hick215]

Personally for me everything I do becomes a competition. I always have to be the best that i can be and try to be better than everyone else.

[WolfGirl1980]

For me I always Compete against myself trying to do better each time I bowl in league as well in practice eventhough I probably shouldn't in practice but can't help it I am always trying to do the best I can do beat my best score which is 216 and I don't want that 216 to be a fluke a one hit wonder like my other one was couple of years ago cause couple of years ago I got a 209 so I am always shooting for my highest score and that 200 game and to get them alot and I am always competing against the other teams trying to help my team win eventhough my team isn't that good in my fall and winter league my mom on it and she does ok but she not the greatest bowler and this old lady and her daughter there not that good but there nice people and like to bowl and I wanna help them and give them advice that I learned from here but I don't wanna overstep my bounds either so I am in a pickle.

Anyway I always compete usually its with myself .

-Sara

[zman1974]

I bowl in a sanctioned league, but only one other of my teammates takes it seriously; meaning, we want to win and actually try to get better each week. The other two use house balls, and barely break 100. It's a big joke to one of them, but since he is my brother-in-law (and my boss), and the company pays for the league and beer I can't say too much. And when I say, "take it seriously" that doesn't include screaming cuss words or throwing your ball at the bench (both of which happen in my league on a regular basis). That's just poor sportsmanship and being a sore loser.

[BigErn32]

Bowling is a sport. There will always be that competitive edge. I always want to do well, but dont get pissy if I dont. Bowling is one of those sports that you can play till your... well as old as you make it. A lot of people don't have anything else in their life to be competitive about. Bowling might be their one thing they can be competitive with. I think its healthy to be competitive and push yourself to always want to do better. It is you vs. the lanes. Push yourself to do your best and the satisfaction of shooting a great game is an amazing feeling.

[ghetto24]

don't get me wrong, I like to bowl well. its the teams that are filled with guys that aren't good but think they are. the ones that cuss and punch things when the ball hits the pocket but doesn't carry. or the guys that, when bowling bad, will find any excuse against the other team. I have been bowling for the better part of 25 years. I just cant fathom why these clowns act like that. I get it that everyone wants to bowl well and it is/can be competitive, but come on!!! the guys that talk smack and avg maybe 180, on a house shot, non the less. or better yet, the clowns that avg 200+ on a house shot, talk smack about "how good they are" but NEVER bowl anything other than league. im sorry, but you cant brag about a league avg when its a house shot. its kind of like bragging that you wore swimming trunks to a pool.

lol. maybe im just waaay of in my thinking?

[billf]

I am the most competitive person I have ever met and take bowling very serious. That being said, I take it seriously from the time I get set on the approach until the ball leaves my hand. The rest is for fun. I started bowling for fun and continue to bowl for fun. I laugh and joke around the entire time I'm not on the lane. Even some times on the lane I still joke around. How well we do will not make or break anybody's life.

[Zothen]

I'm a competative bowler and I always want to finish in 1st place! Lately my teammates don't feel same way and have told me they are in it for the fun and I need to relax. It's frustrating to see such half *** effort on my teammates part.

Zothen

[bowl1820]

And when I say, "take it seriously" that doesn't include screaming cuss words or throwing your ball at the bench (both of which happen in my league on a regular basis). That's just poor sportsmanship and being a sore loser.

This says it all here.

Having bad sportsmanship is not taking the game seriously, it's being a bad sportsman.

There's a difference in being a "serious Player/Team" that follows the rules, uses strategy, uses good sportsmanship and trying to play at a optimum level. That's a serious bowler and it doesn't mean you can't have fun while your at it.

[GeoLes]

I wondered the same thing last year when I was struggling to break 150. My personal goal was to bowl more consistently and I paid little to no attention to team wins/losses or head to head wins/losses for that matter. Handicap league was a way for me to bowl without feelling ablsoultely blown away. It helped me to relax and bowl my best with confidence. I could also be proud of my milestones..

As I begin to develop stronger, more consistent game, and adjustment tools, I am becoming more competitve; but not in the way you think. I look at my team anchor and hope to be able to "hang with him". I don't care about comptetiive scoring. It only serves to distract me from my best performance. Maybe next year.

I have read several posts from people who are frustrated or bored by handicap league play. I think there a bit of a mis-fit, here. My wife is an example of a league mis-fit. Last year was her first year and she joined a casual womans' league. She struggled through and everyone else was rolling strikes consistenlty. She felt under pressure to perform, but unable to delivery. She quit the league and now is gun shy about joining any league at all. (I have been trying to get us to join a "bad bowlers' league" for fun and practice.)

If you are a scratch bowler frustrated with handicap play , you may be in the wrong venue. I say, you are responsible for your own happiness. Go out and find the league that meets your personal needs.


Be free!!!!!

[billf]

I bowl in a men's handicap league, scratch league and social mixed league during the season. Summer time I bowl in a PBA/Sport shot league, a social league and a beginners league. I've been able to get a lot of people to move up and try other leagues while always stressing to have fun. Let's face it, less than 1% of bowlers are good enough to turn pro so don't worry about it, have fun and be the best YOU can be.

[WolfGirl1980]

don't get me wrong, I like to bowl well. its the teams that are filled with guys that aren't good but think they are. the ones that cuss and punch things when the ball hits the pocket but doesn't carry. or the guys that, when bowling bad, will find any excuse against the other team. I have been bowling for the better part of 25 years. I just cant fathom why these clowns act like that. I get it that everyone wants to bowl well and it is/can be competitive, but come on!!! the guys that talk smack and avg maybe 180, on a house shot, non the less. or better yet, the clowns that avg 200+ on a house shot, talk smack about "how good they are" but NEVER bowl anything other than league. im sorry, but you cant brag about a league avg when its a house shot. its kind of like bragging that you wore swimming trunks to a pool.

lol. maybe im just waaay of in my thinking?

Believe it or not I know a guy like this and he was or maybe still is on my fall/winter league team and he does exactly what you said he hits the ball return everytime he doesn't get a strike by one pin and he brags everytime he gets a strike even he has good form and everything he could be a good bowler but what stopping him is his head he don't have the mental game plus its like you all said its being a bad sportsmen.

-Sara

[TCJ]

There are bowlers who get mad and kick/throw things when bowling is not going well for them. In general, I find these to be bowlers who are pretty good and are in extra pots, like stay clean, high game, high series, etc. Missing something costs them money and it makes them mad. I can tell because there are times when I've seen the same doing open bowling and nothing will phase them because nothing is on the line. Put them in a tournament and they'll be raising a riot if they lose a match.

I don't think they are being competitive. If they were, they wouldn't be so bothered if they catch a bad break or their opponent bowls a good game (yes, people get mad when someone else bowls well!). Someone who loves competition will have no problem when another person legitimately defeats them by just throwing a better game. For the complainers, it's all about ego and money for them.