General Reason Why Bowlers (some) Deserve the Decline...

[Aslan]

There's a lot of psychology at play and it's why you have to be extra careful and extra cautious when kids are involved.

For parents, having the behavior of your kids questioned is not only a judgement of them; it's a judgement on the parents. So parents are very easily put on the defensive. Thats why you have to go out of the way to do it in private (not in front of the kids) and almost in a very submissive way...something like,

"Hey, I hate to interupt the family time, but I have a really quick favor to ask..." or, "Man, I hate to ask this but I'm a little worried if I don't I might end up causing a collision..." or just starting off with something like "It'd be a real big favor to me if..." or "Totally no big deal, but I was just wondering if..." And then an explanation of WHY you are asking. Maybe just a quick, "This is my only time to practice this week and I get really distracted if someone runs up next to me..." or "I'm worried if I'm in my backswing and a kid comes running over, I might not be able to stop the ball from hitting them..."...stuff like that.

If you come at them in the usual way I've seen it done, like "Hey! Can you stay on your own damn lane please!" or "C'mon!! Really?! Your kids keep running up while I'm trying to bowl over here!!" These, whether you're in the right or not, will likely lead to a confrontation where nobody wins.

And usually it's the bowling alley not doing a good job of controlling things. DON'T put open bowlers on the lane next to a league. If you know a league bowler is practicing, maybe don't put him right next to a birthday party. Try ot put the more serious bowlers next to each other and those there just having fun next to each other...maybe keep the kids together and adults seperate as much as possible. Better to take a little extra time doing lane assignments and have 2 groups of relatively happy customers than have a league bowler and a father of a family duking it out on lane 27 while the kids are in tears. Neither of those customers are likely going to return.

[MICHAEL]

Iceman actually hires unruly kids form a local orphanage! I pay them well to make noise, walk up the foul line at the same time I do, sometimes asking me questions while making my delivery, FLEX their plastic bottles.... ect ect... Its a great drill!!



I do this based on the advice of that great platinum bowling coach Wilber Strikings! He was a 14 degree ninja, that incorporated martial arts into his bowling. His book is wordy, Aslan,,, you would like it!!! Its full of ways to handle and put down unruly kids, or adults, without any damage to the lanes, or approaches!

Focus