Coaching - When to stop and start

[owlish]

I've got a question about having a coach. My coach is really helping me a lot. I'm barely wet in the sport and I was wondering when I should stop listening to his advice and start developing my own style. I've got a few things to get down before I really feel I can start letting go.

Here is where I am. I've got a four-step approach which he trained me in with moving the ball first out from my body, as if a person were there to "catch the ball". I keep my wrist perpendicular with the lane as if I'm shaking hands. He told me my part is figuring out my style is at the foul line, where my right foot lands (IE how far to the left of my body) as I am a right handed bowler.

Also I have league starting on this Thursday and was wondering if I should practice or save my strength for the night. Should I also treat my league as a practice? I would dislike to put my partner at the mercy of my lack of form that should be perfected. Shouldn't fun be the first rule? I find myself getting flustered a little easily when things aren't going my way in a game or being tense as well and not relaxed.

TIA

Owl

[J Anderson]

As a former teacher, I must say that you should never "stop listening" to your coach. You and your coach will eventually come to a point where you will both agree that you don't need as much coaching or to meet as often as you are right now. Or you may come to the point where you have an issue that he can't help you with and you will have to find another coach. As my uncle used to say,"just when you think you know every thing about this business, you run into something new."
As for style, you are developing your own right now. The coach is teaching you the fundamentals of the sport. Your brain is then applying them to the way your body works.
You are right, fun should be the first rule of league bowling. Personally, I bowl better if I've done a fair amount of physical activity during the day. You may or may not need to rest up. You should be trying to do the things that you've been practicing. Just take a deep breath and relax. You'll do fine. At least the first night you're bound to make your average.

[DanielMareina]

I agree partially with J Anderson. A person is developing their game at all times. I too am a coach, and I find that once the fundamentals are taught, coaching should slow down for a short while. I usually have people get a lesson once a week with me, and once they have a firm grasp on the fundamentals, I lower that to once every two weeks for awhile. This is to allow you to find questions or problems and try and evaluate them yourself. Analyzing your own game will help you know when you are messing up, and learn how to formulate a solution. Then when you meet with your coach again, tell them what happened and how you solved it to see if it was right. Once you feel like you not only know how to do the fundamentals, but can feel when you make a mistake, then I would go back to the coach to learn more about arm and wrist adjustments, lane conditions and how to play them, and ball choices. I have been bowling for 19 years, coaching for almost 3, and am my own pro shop guy, and I still have a friend of mine watch me bowl and give me pointers once a month or so. Coaching is always important, and other people can see things you can't always feel!

Daniel Mareina
Storm Staff Member
Bowling Center Manager/Pro Shop Operator/Bowling Coach

[Motiv Girl]

Here's my take.If you're really serious about getting the most out of yourself,and
your game,and the lessons you are taking,it's important to be patience.
Many times a bowler says they want to take lessons,but they want you to work
with the game that they already have.Which means,they don't want to be
taught the same techniques that the other bowlers are being taught.

These bowlers have a fear of change.If you ask me to make you a better bowler,but
don't let me change parts of your game.then how am I supposed to help you improve.
You may want to know that good coaches will tailor their teaching to each student.If I
give the same game plan to five different bowlers.I will see five different variations the
next time I met with each bowler again.

The goal is the same,but the information that I give each bowler will have to be different
in order to get each one of them going in the same direction.The fundamentals apply to
every bowler,but the direction each takes in learning these fundamentals depends on how
each person reacts to the lessons.You must have a willingness to change and go for it.

One of the biggest mistakes a bowler can make when it comes to lessons, is they think
that after one lesson,that they will only have to practice X number of games,and they will
perform the new movements properly.Chances are that can only expect 10% improvement.
Thinking that you will be able to do the movements correctly after only one lesson
is a big mistake.When working toward change in your game,you are going to have bad
moments during the changes.So be patient.After a week or two of bad bowling during
these changes sometimes put a quick end to the excitement that you feel when
first starting the lessons.You have to except change or you can't even think of becoming better.


During these lessons you will be developing your own style,the coach is only guiding you
in the fundamentals , proper form and techniques .

Practice and bowl league if you have the time,this should be a fun time.

Don't use the league as practice time.That is what practice is for.Work on only form
during league but have a good time.The lessons and practice are for working on the major
components in your game.

[owlish]

First, a big thanks for the replies. I had hit a wall in development but it came tumbling down today, in a big way. My personal fault is I like to over think or analyze any situation. And when it comes to bowling I was putting too much play into my head and not relaxing and just feeling it, though it's hard to "feel it" when you don't know what to look for. Kinda like riding a bicycle for the very first time. But today was a landmark day in my practice. I didn't do just that, practice. I basically told myself, "today I AM going to keep score and just throw the ball" and by the fourth game I nailed it. Every bit of info came together that I was taught by my coach, I just relaxed, when the magic moment burst on that third frame (fourth game).

I was literally concentrating on each single step or lesson my coach gave me before I relaxed and just threw the ball. It all gelled together for me. It was (and still is) exhilarating. I am not one to give up easy and I'm double glad I didn't.

From here forth I will be able to listen better to my coach or at least apply the things he suggests. Video coming up...

Video Link to YouTube

Last few shots are after it hit me.