As a coach, there is nothing more special than the moment you see your bowlers ascend to the top of the podium to receive a gold medal for their nation in a major championship. To see them, with the flag... [Read More]
Unknown Pattern Protocol
Practice plans for the USBC Open Championships and Junior Gold Championships
With the USBC Open Championships currently running and Junior Gold just a few months away, I encourage bowlers to begin the process of practicing a structured unknown pattern play process. By using an evaluation process designed to identify an unknown... [Read More]
The W3 Protocol
Improving your lane play by answering when, what, and why
Remember when a lane play decision didn’t work for you, and you were left shaking your head? Insert a sarcastic chuckle here. As bowlers, we all possess a plethora of experiences that range from great to awful. Many of those... [Read More]
Improving a Key Part of Your Swing
A three-dimensional approach to analyzing the release to follow through movement
As a coach, I have worked diligently to identify cause-and-effect sequences, especially within the context of analyzing energy production and efficiencies in the physical game. This article continues this pursuit by focusing on a more thorough evaluation of the release... [Read More]
Arm Alignment in the Two-Handed Swing
The importance of the lead elbow
In the July 2007 issue of Bowling This Month, I first wrote about two-handed bowling in my article, How to Coach or Bowl With the Two-Handed Thumbless Delivery: An Emergent Powerful Style. In that article, I wrote, “If you haven’t... [Read More]
Increasing Your Training Commitment – Part 2
11 mental game competencies for bowlers to master
In this second installment of my series on training commitment, I focus on sports psychology by framing the discussion around the 11 competencies of a newly-developed mental game model called the Gold Medal Profile for Sport Psychology (GMP-SP). As a... [Read More]
Increasing Your Training Commitment – Part 1
Strategies for improving lane play and release versatility
In my last article, I presented a self-evaluation exercise to help bowlers review their overall commitment level and gain insight into how well their goals align with their training actions. Specifically, I provided an avenue to review one’s commitment to four... [Read More]
A Bowler’s Self-Evaluation Checklist
The first step to achieving your goals
As the end of 2021 fast approaches and the hope of 2022 looms on the horizon, it is a great opportunity to evaluate your current strengths and weaknesses, review your habits, and develop goals for 2022. It is not uncommon... [Read More]
Analyzing the PBA’s Top 10 Players
Physical similarities and differences among bowlers at the top of the 2021 points list
At the top levels of elite sports, athletes’ physical movements efficiently produce kinetic energy, leading to maximum energy transfer. Put simply, top athletes use their bodies to produce and transfer energy to move, throw, or strike an object or person... [Read More]
Ripple Effects
Activities to improve individual and team performance
As we enter the start of the bowling season, college athletes will be returning to campus with great optimism for their team’s potential success in the 2021-22 season. The hope and optimism of this time of year make it one... [Read More]