Can you control your nerves on league night?

[Hammer]

Maybe it's because I have been bowling for 31 years but I don't have any problems with my nerves on league night. I just have the same routine when it is my turn to bowl. To keep the nerves under control I never look at my score until I am done bowling. Being the anchor guy always I never want any of my teammates to tell me what I have to get. The reason is I am always trying to strike on my first ball. When I get on the approach I know where I want to place my slide foot and I know the feeling I want to have when holding my ball and how tight of a grip I want. Usually when I hold my ball my palm is facing upwards. Then when I make my release I want my thumb to come out quickly and feel the weight of the ball land on my fingers. When that happens I make an aggressive release. I don't just let the ball fall off my hand. So my routine is always the same starting out with always wiping off my ball.

So as far as the nerves go I don't really have a problem with them. If my teammates are doing bad I still don't sweat it. I just go up there and do the same thing all of the time. The only time I get a little nervous is when I leave a pocket 7 pin. You would think that being left handed I wouldn't mind getting these. The only thing is sometimes I leave quite a few of those. There are nights when I can pick them up and other nights were out of 6 in a league night I will only pick up 2. When I miss the ball usually goes into the gutter right before it gets to the pin or it will do a little hook right before the pin and miss by a hair. So out of all the leaves I hate the 7 pin leave. I would rather leave the bucket. So my nerves on league night don't really bother me. How about you folks? Are you controlled or are you wired for sound on league night?

[boatman37]

I usually bowl better under pressure. If it's a close game I usually finish the 10th strong. I have always been this way. Maybe because I was always the top 1 or 2 bowlers on our team and top 5 in our league. Not the case now since my return but I always had that confidence that I was the man. I always had a bit of cockiness about it too. Not to others but more to psyche myself up. My saying used to be 'it's hammer time' (from the old MC Hammer days). I started saying it again but it doesn't quite have the same effect it did then...lol).

I did notice that if I have a positive themed song in my head on my approach it helps too. Or just a hard rockin' song I like. Like AC/DC or Scorpions or something. Seems to help my game for some reason.

[J Anderson]

With 42 years in the same league I don’t get nervous on a league night. Of course the fact that both leagues that I bowl in are more social than serious helps. I can get a bit edgey before a tournament but everything settles down once we start bowling.

[Phonetek]

I love bowling under pressure, the more the better. I've always been the anchor guy. I do look at scores and I enjoy knowing when it comes down to me and how much I need to get. Victory is sweet and I've always loved coming through for my team. I don't let my nerves become frayed. Even when there is money on the line. The last ball in the 10th is the same as the first ball in the 1st, just more fun. I live for those big clutch moments, bring them on! It sucks to blow them but it's awesome when you don't.

[Hammer]

I love bowling under pressure, the more the better. I've always been the anchor guy. I do look at scores and I enjoy knowing when it comes down to me and how much I need to get. Victory is sweet and I've always loved coming through for my team. I don't let my nerves become frayed. Even when there is money on the line. The last ball in the 10th is the same as the first ball in the 1st, just more fun. I live for those big clutch moments, bring them on! It sucks to blow them but it's awesome when you don't.

I have been anchor always also and I like it. I had a guy on a team we were bowling say loud enough when I went up in the 10th frame he said the only way they are going to beat us is if Stan bowls three strikes in the 10th. I knew what he was trying to do which is put pressure on me so I blow it. Well it only made my focus sharper. My first ball I threw a strike, second ball the same, and the third ball I just had a perfect release and my ball just hammered the pins for a strike. When I got that third strike I heard him say I don't believe it. It bothers me when someone does that. I never do anything like that. If our team loses all three games and the series I congratulate the team we bowled. Whatever happens to us on league night I just accept it and move on. We all are going to have those bad league nights and it just is what happens. On some nights I feel like I have a personal channel on the alley where however I throw the ball I am getting good carry and strikes. I do love those nights.

[Phonetek]

I have been anchor always also and I like it. I had a guy on a team we were bowling say loud enough when I went up in the 10th frame he said the only way they are going to beat us is if Stan bowls three strikes in the 10th. I knew what he was trying to do which is put pressure on me so I blow it. Well it only made my focus sharper. My first ball I threw a strike, second ball the same, and the third ball I just had a perfect release and my ball just hammered the pins for a strike. When I got that third strike I heard him say I don't believe it. It bothers me when someone does that. I never do anything like that. If our team loses all three games and the series I congratulate the team we bowled. Whatever happens to us on league night I just accept it and move on. We all are going to have those bad league nights and it just is what happens. On some nights I feel like I have a personal channel on the alley where however I throw the ball I am getting good carry and strikes. I do love those nights.

Meh, I don't let people rattle me especially the opposition. Usually they only do that not only in hopes to screw you up but the real reason is because they are worried LOL Once you realize that then you have the upper hand. The Jedi mind trick don't work on me. That's when I go up there, throw the ball and walk away not looking at the pins and say "That's 1!" Then all I have to do is hope that it actually WAS a strike or look like an a$$. Either way I wouldn't care, I've made an a$$ out of myself more times than I can count and will do it just as many more LOL At least it's fun.

If you pull it off then they will think twice before trying it again. They will just cringe quietly if the situation happens again.

[boatman37]

In the past when the pressure was on and I knew I threw a good ball I would turn to my teammates and give the fist pump thingy and prayed I actually got the strike...lol. I never do those jesters to the other team. That is disrepectful but in all my years of bowling I don't remember anyone from the other team making comments like that, at least loud enough for us to hear them. Wouldn't bother me. I was anchor for the last few years I bowled before I quit but now I'm probably the most unreliable shot on the team with my inconsistency. Our anchor is my friends son (199 average). I guess he finished last year with a 215 average. My friend has a 204 average. I am 3rd in the lineup and the friend is 4th so they get more of the pressure than I do.

I watch the scoreboard but not really my scores. I watch to see how close it is. Last week in game 1 we were down about 40 going into the 10th and ended up winning by 1. That game I pressured myself to strike out in the 10th. Got the 1st one then left the 2 pin but covered it. I thought that had cost us the game so I was mad at myself but the next 2 guys bailed me out.

Last week after warm ups one of their guys came over to our team and said hey whoever has 2 balls up there needs to move one. We all looked at each other and all said our spare balls were down below. He said well I will just start moving them all down below then. Our captain said you move my ball there will be problems. Turns out it was their team that had multiple balls up there.

[TCJ]

I don't have problems with nerves, unless it is a pinched nerve. That's another topic.

[vdubtx]

No nerves on league night. Maybe if up in the 10th frame and have the front 9. Otherwise, nope.

Tournaments is a bit different, I do get nerves the first few frames, but that usually goes away quickly once I get into a groove.

[mattmc82]

No nerves on league night. Maybe if up in the 10th frame and have the front 9. Otherwise, nope.

Tournaments is a bit different, I do get nerves the first few frames, but that usually goes away quickly once I get into a groove.

Opposite for me since my expectations are lower. Also mt dew doesn’t help