By Stephen Padilla

USBC Coaching Specialist

Being an elite player means bringing your A Game to the lanes shot after shot, frame after frame and game after game. That's because, at this level, you simply can't afford mistakes. One slip up can be the difference between winning a title or driving home empty handed. If you're going to survive, you'd better sharpen up your focus.

The key to remaining mentally tough on the biggest stage is to treat every shot with exactly the same amount of care and attention to detail. That means, make everything the same, Think Circle thoughts, pre-shot routine, setup and delivery time, everything!

Mastering this process will have a two-fold effect. First, it will help you avoid silly mistakes caused by looking ahead to the next frame or dwelling on the previous one. Second, it should make pressure a non-issue because pressure is a self-created feeling that comes from placing special emphasis on one situation over another. If you truly look at every shot the same way, you can't feel pressure.