Article Contents

  • 1. Preparing the right way
    • 1.1. Two types of practice
    • 1.2. Some professional inspiration
    • 1.3. Remember your spares
  • 2. Dialing in your mental game
  • 3. Get ready for the grind
  • 4. Improving your tactical knowledge
    • 4.1. Knowing the oil patterns
    • 4.2. Bowling balls
    • 4.3. Building an arsenal
  • 5. Know how the college ranking system works
  • 6. Conclusion

Everyone has moments when they wish they could have done something better or they wish they could change something about how they handled a particular situation, and bowling is no exception. This kind of thought process is especially common for bowlers entering a college program for their first year. The transition between high school and college can go many ways, but it can be easier to manage if you are prepared.

The goal of this article is to share some insights and experiences to help bowlers prepare for their first year of college, including on-lane practice considerations, mental and physical training, as well as looking at some of the work you can put into your lane play and tactical knowledge to better prepare yourself for success at the collegiate level.

Preparing the right way

Your ability to execute on the lanes is crucial. Your physical game is the price of admission to whatever college program you are joining. Then based on your performances, you can move up on the food chain of your college bowling team. Most college bowlers already have an established physical game coming out of high school, but if they tighten their game up, it can improve even more. How do we improve? By practicing the right way.

Two types of practice

I like to think that there are two types of practice: blind practice and planned practice. Blind practice is when you show up to the bowling alley, bowl a couple of games, and then leave. Blind practice is easy. However, this is not optimal for improving your game. Yes, you can bowl high scores, and it feels good to strike a lot in practice, but this isn’t really preparing you for anything. Practice, by definition, is not about the score in the moment; it’s about improving your skills to improve your score ...

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Joshua Atkinson

About Joshua Atkinson

Joshua Atkinson is a member of the Belmont Abbey bowling team and is set to graduate in 2025. He is pursuing degrees in Sport Management and Psychology. He is the lead producer for the Belmont Abbey Sports Network, as well as the wrestling team manager. Joshua is also the host of the Pin For Pin Podcast, where he talks about college bowling on a weekly basis.