A whole new batch of kids to coach

[Phonetek]

Today the second half of the kids league started. I fully expected the same kids from the first half to come back. Most of them did but some moved on to their high school teams. I had a dozen new faces all 5-8 years old. I personally think I'm better suited for older kids and adults vs. the little ones that have at least a basic understanding and some sort of form already in place.

This new group actually went much much better than expected. I started helping my previous league kids then moved down to the newbies. They got through their first game before I came down. None of them knew anything about how to bowl. The majority of them walked to the foul line and stopped, swung it back and chucked it out on the lane. I turned the pinsetter on for the lane next to them and demonstrated the basic 4-step approach. I took them one at a time to my lane and walked through it with each of them. I let them each throw it twice on my lane.

Once all of them did it I just walked away and watched from a distance leaving them be. To my shock, and I mean ALL of them... did exactly what I said exactly how I said to do it. I can't even get my own son to do that! The ironic part is, the 1st game not a single one shot over 40. The second game all but only one shot 100+ and with NO bumpers! The only double digit game was a 93 which was up from a 14 his first game. One of them hit a 127 which I expected to be a series score not a single game.

All of the kids were super excited. One of them came up to me and said "You're a magical coach, you showed us how to do one thing and now we're all awesome bowlers" LOL Sadly, none of them stuck around for a third game, their parents all thought they bowled only 2 games and had other plans. I told them they can practice the approach at home and they said they'd do it. For the first time coaching kids other than my own, was a rewarding experience. I rarely look forward to coaching the kids but I'm curious to see how they do next time. I'm hoping this wasn't just a pleasant fluke.

[bdpeters]

that is very cool. I did not know you were also coaching the kids. I will look forward to hearing how it goes for the youngsters.

thank you for posting this.

[J Anderson]

I would expect some slippage. A few will remember what was taught. Most will probably only have retained part. Be prepared to remind them, demonstrate again, and walk them through it.

Sounds like you did a great job with them. Be pleasantly surprised if most of them have retained what they were taught, and don’t take it personally if they haven’t.

[Phonetek]

that is very cool. I did not know you were also coaching the kids. I will look forward to hearing how it goes for the youngsters.

thank you for posting this.

I didn't know I was coaching kids either at first. They sorta gradually suckered me into doing it. It was one of those...."Hey, so and so can't come in on Wed, we need your help with the kids league". They know I never say no. Next thing I knew I'm the only one doing it. It really wasn't my idea. Like I said, I never felt cut out to coach other peoples kids. The most difficult thing IMO is coaching kids that others have already coached. You don't want to step on anyone's toes and you don't know what they were previously taught and what they weren't. Last thing I want to do is make them move backward.

I would expect some slippage. A few will remember what was taught. Most will probably only have retained part. Be prepared to remind them, demonstrate again, and walk them through it.

Sounds like you did a great job with them. Be pleasantly surprised if most of them have retained what they were taught, and don’t take it personally if they haven’t.

Oh I wouldn't take it personally. The first half, the kids ignored 98% of what you told them to do. They do what you say one frame then revert right back. LOL It's expected. I do have two "special needs" kids. They are a real challenge as they have difficulty understanding and get very frustrated at the drop of a hat. They require a lot of praise and you have to know when to let them be. They all naturally improve over time though. Sometimes putting them with the older kids helps because then they try to mimic what they do.

Next week I may bring my equipment and bowl an actual game next to them, perhaps even with my son. Watching us may prove helpful without any explanation during it.

[boatman37]

Definitely gratifying. Me and a friend ran the kids league around 2001-2002. Ended up coaching and teaching and see a few of them in the leagues we bowl in now and saw some that went on to high school bowling and were very good.

[Phonetek]

With the little guys, just teaching the very basics is all most of them want including the parents. It's the older kids that want the fine tuning. Our league for the kids isn't a competitive league by any stretch, it's all about learning, being a part of a team and having fun doing it. We record no team standings or anything other than average.

Now my son's Saturday league is super competitive. Many kids are 200+ average and there have been several 300's. Their coaches walk around and spend a minute or two with some kids and move on. They have some little guys on the end they work with the whole time.

[Phonetek]

An update....Yesterday was week two with my new recruits. I have to say the vast majority of them were still doing what I told them. A couple are having issues with letting the ball swing naturally and end up fumbling about at the foul line. They have the push away down pat, it's just a matter of either not stopping the ball mid swing or not trying to force it. All and all they are doing extremely well. Demonstration seems to help them. After watching me a few times it seems to help them see how it all comes together.

I'd say the most difficult thing about it is to most, learning the 4 step is a reduction of how many steps they previously took. They were doing 6-8 or more. One girl feels that she has to lunge each step making them all huge. With her it was just a matter of getting her closer to the foul line and having her take "natural" steps. Practice practice practice is all it will take. I think they will all do well with it after a few more weeks.