Rather long post...this is my comment on the blog Brian Voss wrote about #2hands bowling.
If you had the attention of a large number of people? How would you handle it? What would you say and more importantly how would you say it?
Knowing my place within the bowling industry as an accomplished bowler and knowing what I represent as a person, I take questions like these very seriously. It's something I think about daily. It's important that I choose my words carefully, make sure that what I say is accurate by using facts and logic rather then just having an opinion born out of emotion like so many others. I like to have fun and for the most part I stay out of some of the petty discussions that really hurt our sport.
That being said, I just couldn't stay on the sidelines with everything that's been said in the last couple days. There are some who want to trample the sport I love and the way in which I compete. I think this sport has much to offer today and so, here a some thoughts.....
Seems like the discussions center around technology and two handed bowling for the most part.
I do not want to go too far in talking about technology in bowling other then to say, I trust the experts of today. The manufacturers, the USBC, the PBA all have smart people who are working in these areas, far smarter than I, and I have to trust in their direction. I do not have time at this point to obtain and research the factual data I want about technology in bowling and the positives it has on bowling or the skills/talents it takes to use/adjust with equipment to be a better player. I plan to look into it more however.
Bowling should be incredibly thankful to the manufacturers of equipment. During a period where bowling hasn’t been able to find outside industry sponsor money, the manufactures (all of them) have given collectively, millions of dollars to support the sport at all levels. If the manufacturers do not make money how then can they inject funds back into bowling? More importantly, if they aren’t the ones injecting money back into bowling, who will? Would a roll back in technology at this point result in more equipment sold and therefore more dollars infused into the sport? I do not know the answer to that but I question those who think they do with some of the things being said. My message would be to be careful not to bite the hand that feeds you!
However, I will happily entertain the subject about 2 handed bowling of which I do know a thing or two about.
A comment was made that I take exception with:
“The ascent of two handed bowling in my opinion is like a slow cancer to an already diseased sport. It has created massive polarity from the traditionalists to them.”
This is an incredibly bold statement to make, one I completely disagree with. The suggestion that by simply bowling a different way to what is deemed ‘proper’ is cancerous to bowling is no more than an opinion. There is no factual data proving that an increase in popularity of bowling would occur if one particular style is chosen as the only style and another, the two handed delivery was eliminated.
In fact, in talking with some experts that operate youth bowling in the U.S, the two handed revolution is growing the sport inside and around youth bowling for many reasons. The first is obvious, studies have shown that small children (less then 80 lbs or 36kgs) can't handle the minimum weight of the ball and so they start bowling with two hands at a younger age then they could with one handed bowling. That's a good thing. This segment and having them grow an attraction for the sport is where we see growth of the style more evident, right? So clearly if the style is a cancer in a disease ridden industry, we must see youth bowling suffering?
Let’s take a look at some factual data about the future generations of bowling. There are a lot of positives going on in our sport!
USBC Junior gold (6500+ members), USBC high school (100,000+ kids, 54000+ at the varsity level alone) and USBC collegiate (200+ schools) are at all time highs. With the introduction of the younger divisions at Junior gold the event has more then doubled in size over the past four years. I don't know how many kids bowling in this event today are using two hands (I’ll be attending this years event though, so I’ll see for myself) but I hear from attendees, both youth bowlers and parents alike, it's growing and gaining steam because the kids have more fun doing it and they are more competitive. They are developing their bowling skills faster due to the weight of the ball issue I talked about earlier. They can start earlier, knock more pins down earlier, begin a love for the sport earlier and see that love grow faster. These are all great things for the sport, I'm proud to say.
(Side note, the USBC should be applauded for their involvement in the growth of youth bowling in the USA. These numbers prove they are doing many things right to protect and grow the future of our sport!)
The most interesting trend, if these factual numbers were not interesting enough is that there is no polarity because of the style in the youth ranks or within the two handed bowling community. We two handers do not ‘hate’ one handers, we two handers do not claim that we are doing it right and everyone else is doing it wrong. So the only people who are making it an issue are the traditionalists who choose to disagree with the delivery for no reason other than because it’s not how they were taught the game.
I decided to ask this question to see what a couple of the best youth bowlers in the world had to say regarding the style and whether or not the future stars of the game see bowling 2 handed as a cancerous infection like this HOF.
“The kids don’t care nearly as much as the adults do. It’s the older generation complaining, the youth don’t complain at all.”
18 year old Kameron Doyle, arguably the best 18 year old bowler in the world doesn’t agree with Mr. Voss, nor do any of his friends.
“No one I know or hang out with think it’s cheating. I don’t know how people think it is – all bowlers have the same 60ft to the pins.”
“I am not against two handed bowling at all – for a sport to grow, the sport needs to evolve. Your success brings excitement to the kids watching and they want to bowl like you. You bring more bowlers in, not push them out.”
This said by a one handed, thumb using bowler who is the future of our sport.
Another super star of the future is Matt Farber. A 21 year old, team USA member who echoes a similar view held by Kameron. Matt is also is a one handed, thumb using bowler.
“Personally I have a very different outlook to two handed bowling because we’re more used to it, you don’t see older players use it. We see you and we see a lot of young bowlers doing it. We see it as normal. We have grown up competing against 2 handers. The older guys have competed against traditional styles their whole careers and now something new is beating them, it makes them bitter I think.”
I asked Matt if his circle of friends has ever, or if he had ever heard other kids talk about banning the style because it was cheating or unfair.
“NO, It’s never been discussed at all. If you’re going to limit a style then you are going to open a huge can of worms. What’s next, are we going to limit rev rates and back swing heights too?”
The difference I see between an older more traditional thinker to the views of the younger generation is simple.
One generation is accepting of change, the other finds it cancerous.
Another comment that was made.....
"First of all, there must be rules in place that dictate how this is game is played. EVERYONE must use one hand, and with this hand, the thumb must be used"
Traditionalist are incredibly hypocritical if ever their argument is that they bowl the ‘right way’. What makes their technique right and the techniques before and after them wrong?
Did a bowling God come down thousands of years ago invent the game that I am unaware of and proclaim that the intended way of bowling shall be exactly the way some see it?
I mean if you want to get technical, couldn't the generation before this hall of famer argue that the game was intended to be played with one finger and the thumb? That's how the generation before him bowled... so why isn't that the right way?
Let’s not ignore that if his mandate were to become law we would alienate those with disabilities. People like Josh McKinney who at the age of two had his arms and legs amputated. Check this video out to watch this legend bowl. (
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2YZBVuMAqU)
Will you tell Josh he is now excluded from a sport he loves?
I'm sorry Mr. Voss, I have the upmost respect for your accomplishments in the game but what you are communicating is simply wrong.
Originally Posted by Jason Belmonte part 1
Rather long post...this is my comment on the blog Brian Voss wrote about #2hands bowling.
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