Question for the coaches here

[J Anderson]

Since you put it that way, does that mean if the kids are screwing around and not listening I make them take a lap around the bowling alley? LOL Just kidding but saying it would probably be funny and kids respond to humor better than being boring. Yeah I agree on the trust. I think it's definitely a challenge to earn it given the atmosphere, it's not like being on a field. I never thought of using methods I implemented in those other sports for bowling.

To earn their trust have you ever bowled in front of them to show them what you can do? I know open bowling it's not difficult to draw a crowd intentional or not, perhaps a little showboating could be a way to grab their attention? Demonstration along with just instruction? Do you guys ever actually throw a ball yourself to help show them what you're talking about? I never had to do that in Soccer which is good because I suck at it.

Oh yeah, in baseball you couldn't swing a cat by the tail without smacking a loud mouth know it all parent. It was terrible and took the fun out of it. During games I'd just let the umps kick them out and let them watch the game from their car. During practice was when you had to deal with them more. That's why I only coached it two seasons. Soccer wasn't bad, I only had a couple loud mouths and once they got a talking to they stopped. I can't see bowling being near as bad. I suppose if parents get too involved in it, I could always put them on a lane on the farthest away to bowl dollar games to get them out of my face LOL

It was rewarding watching the kids dominate. Coming up with fun drills does help as well as good rewards and incentives for wins. Adults vs. kids in both sports always went over well too, that got everyone excited. That could be a thing in bowling too.

Because the program is structured so the kids are divided up into teams of three, and none of the coaches are assigned to particular teams, the parents don't really get on our cases. Of course every kid on a team gets to bowl. If one of them wakes up with a bad cold Saturday morning, they can come in during the week and post bowl. If the family goes away for the weekend, the kid can pre-bowl. As I said before , there are some parents, not always the dad and sometimes one of the grandparents, who feel they have to tell the the child every thing that they did wrong on every frame.

We usually schedule two "try and beat your coach" days each year. Some of the younger kids don't quite get it, and can't figure out why there are big people bowling with them. Some of us will put up money to go into the scholarship accounts of any kid who beats us. We have even invited some of the parents to bowl on those days to make sure every one gets to bowl with an adult. If I'm feeling good on one of those days I will ask the kids I'm bowling against which hand I should use.

During the league games we tend to stick to the settee area and make suggestions. If some one is really struggling or just really new, we might take them behind the settees between frames to work on their steps or swing. We are much more likely to get on the approach during clinic time and demonstrate one of the drills we want them to practice. If there aren't that many kids practicing some of us will get on the lane and practice with them. And of course at least one of us will bowl a few practice games after clinic and will find himself bowling with three or four of the kids.

[Phonetek]

Because the program is structured so the kids are divided up into teams of three, and none of the coaches are assigned to particular teams, the parents don't really get on our cases. Of course every kid on a team gets to bowl. If one of them wakes up with a bad cold Saturday morning, they can come in during the week and post bowl. If the family goes away for the weekend, the kid can pre-bowl. As I said before , there are some parents, not always the dad and sometimes one of the grandparents, who feel they have to tell the the child every thing that they did wrong on every frame.

We usually schedule two "try and beat your coach" days each year. Some of the younger kids don't quite get it, and can't figure out why there are big people bowling with them. Some of us will put up money to go into the scholarship accounts of any kid who beats us. We have even invited some of the parents to bowl on those days to make sure every one gets to bowl with an adult. If I'm feeling good on one of those days I will ask the kids I'm bowling against which hand I should use.

During the league games we tend to stick to the settee area and make suggestions. If some one is really struggling or just really new, we might take them behind the settees between frames to work on their steps or swing. We are much more likely to get on the approach during clinic time and demonstrate one of the drills we want them to practice. If there aren't that many kids practicing some of us will get on the lane and practice with them. And of course at least one of us will bowl a few practice games after clinic and will find himself bowling with three or four of the kids.

That's all good stuff and great information. I appreciate you and the others sharing. Because of this post I've learned a lot and it's been making me brain storm. I'm making some notes and seeing what ideas I can come up with myself. I'm usually pretty creative. I dunno about me switching hands to bowl against them, not even 8yr olds LOL I would literally hurt myself, been there done that.

[RobLV1]

I did the Level I training back in the day before it was available as an online course. It was a two day seminar with some lecture time and some on lane training. Part of the on lane training was that we all had to teach others to bowl with the wrong hand to simulate teaching a beginning bowler. It just so happened that I got to teach Mark Baker who was also taking the training that weekend. Fun stuff!

[Phonetek]

I did the Level I training back in the day before it was available as an online course. It was a two day seminar with some lecture time and some on lane training. Part of the on lane training was that we all had to teach others to bowl with the wrong hand to simulate teaching a beginning bowler. It just so happened that I got to teach Mark Baker who was also taking the training that weekend. Fun stuff!

The Bronze is a two day seminar now I think if I read the site correctly. None of them are in Illinois unfortunately at least not this year. My wheels aren't reliable enough for a road trip as of now so it's gonna have to wait. I think I'd lie and say I was left handed just so I wouldn't have to bowl left handed then LOL I wish I was a able to actually bowl lefty but every time I attempted it was an epic fail.