special Olympic bowling?

[drlawsoniii]

While I am a USBC certified coach, I have no experience with Special Olympics. I do work with some kids in youth league who have been diagnosed as either ADD/HD or autistic.

My advice would be:
1. Start with what they can do and try to improve it.
2. Keep things positive. This means both praising what they do right and and making sure that your coaching suggestions are phrased so that you're asking them to do something as opposed to telling them not to do something.
3. Keep it simple. No matter how many things you think are wrong with an athlete's technique, limit your self by picking no more than three things that would have the biggest effect. and then work on them one at a time.

This kid should not be trying to help anyone, what he does is not bowling it's recklessly chucking a 10lb ball down the lane as hard as he can. He's going to hurt someone or himself sooner or later.

[1VegasBowler]

This kid should not be trying to help anyone, what he does is not bowling it's recklessly chucking a 10lb ball down the lane as hard as he can. He's going to hurt someone or himself sooner or later.

Isn't this the truth!

He thinks, that, 2 handed bowling needs to be taught to all youths and is quite the trend these days.

His stories about what his average is have been all over the place, especially early on when he said he was going to get his PBA card.

There is absolutely no sense of reality here.

[baker]

Is it safe to say you would have to have some knowledge about bowling to "coach" a special Olympic athlete?

I get where you are going with this, but in all honesty when I was coaching the larger group very few "coaches" had prior bowling experience. It was all about having fun and being supportive of the athletes; the best coaches were engaging and excited to be there.

For the OP, I would treat it like league; don't offer unsolicited advice, and don't try to change anyone's form. Best way you can help them improve is a high five and say "Nice shot!"

[ep1977]

I get where you are going with this, but in all honesty when I was coaching the larger group very few "coaches" had prior bowling experience. It was all about having fun and being supportive of the athletes; the best coaches were engaging and excited to be there.

For the OP, I would treat it like league; don't offer unsolicited advice, and don't try to change anyone's form. Best way you can help them improve is a high five and say "Nice shot!"

So we agree someone that is obsessed with a 2 handed style of bowling that he himself doesn't actually use shouldn't be given the opportunity to force his warped opinions about the game on special athletes.

[1VegasBowler]

So we agree someone that is obsessed with a 2 handed style of bowling that he himself doesn't actually use shouldn't be given the opportunity to force his warped opinions about the game on special athletes.

Not just special athletes my friend. He shouldn't be coaching anybody about bowling.

[AlexNC]

Re: Volunteering as a Coach, they do have standards and requirements that must be met:

"We encourage everyone officiating Special Olympics competitions to become certified in their sport and provide an opportunity for anyone interested, including Special Olympics athletes, to become a certified Special Olympics sport-specific official.

The Special Olympics Officials Training and Certification process consists of three parts.

Officials with a National Governing Body (NGB) officials' certification and/or an International Sport Federations (ISF) officials certification should participate in Part 1, which provides an introduction to Special Olympics, officiating Special Olympics events and any necessary rules and sport equipment modifications, and Part 3, which entails officiating 10 hours or five Special Olympics sport-specific competitions under the observance of an experienced Special Olympics official and/or competition staff member.

Those individuals with neither a NGB nor an ISF officials certification must also complete Part 2 of the process, which focuses on the competition venue, games management and the various officiating positions of the sport.

When participants in the training process have completed all the requirements, they must complete the Special Olympics Sports Training Certification form; have a local Program staff member sign off on the completion requirements; and send the completed form to the Program office"

Additionally, in the U.S. the programs are managed at a local level (usually state) and have differing requirements as well as opportunities.

[AlexNC]

If interested, there is also a bowling specific page here with coaching guidelines and resources...

http://www.specialolympics.org/Secti...s/Bowling.aspx

I think bigger picture - my opinion - is not so much about being qualified to give informed information and feedback specifically about bowling, but being prepared and able to work with such a unique group of athletes and give them the experience they deserve.

[2handedsniper]

should i ask the director to fit the fingers to the bowlers (buy new balls or borrow mine) or will it not help the bowlers. they use house balls

[JaxBowlingGuy]

should i ask the director to fit the fingers to the bowlers (buy new balls or borrow mine) or will it not help the bowlers. they use house balls

Thought you have said before that you didn't use fingers. Won't be any difference from your plastic ball and a house ball. Plus they probably throw heavier than 10lbs

[bowl1820]

should i ask the director to fit the fingers to the bowlers (buy new balls or borrow mine) or will it not help the bowlers. they use house balls

You shouldn't have to ask the director to fit the fingers to the bowlers. Most bowlers come with fingers already attached to their hands.