Bowling this month 2013 10 by frank zhao

Vol. 20, #10 $5.00 US October 2013

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October 2013

Volume 20, Issue 10

www.bowlingthismonth.com

Reaching a higher level

You have the power to use your thoughts to control your body. Joe Slowinski explores the powerful tool of biofeedback to control stressful situations and improve SUR多FLHQF\

10 14 32 35

39 43

The non-physical/non-mental game Dug Barker provides a refresher on some of the basics of ball and lane surfaces, drilling and layout, and how to apply that knowledge.

The cycle It's more than the game, it's the game plan. Rob Mautner leads a discussion on the cycle of observing, formulating a plan, executing the shot, your commitment, and your responsibility.

The T word There are many ways to improve your skill level without keeping score. Susie Minshew offers some enjoyable ways to train using games. Detailed instructions provided.

How coaches can best apply feedback Providing feedback on all of your student's shots may be excessive and detrimental to learning and retention. Read what Chris Mesagno has to say about some simple feedback methods that can improve the athlete's overall skill.

Ball weight

QUICK INFO 17 Ball Company Directory 20 At-A-Glance Ball Chart 21-22 Ball Tracking Results

What's the right ball weight for me? What if I have severe arthritis? Jack Schmid answers these and other questions for senior bowlers just coming off a less active season.

24-25 3D Ball Comparisons

Consistently performing layouts Bill Hall offers numerous layouts that work for most players, from high track to full roller.

BALL TALK REVIEWS 900 Global Grip It p23

Storm Byte p29

Ebonite Pivot p26

Storm Reign On p30

Hammer Cold Blood p27

Visionary Warlock XV Pearl p31

Seismic Solaris Platinum Ed. p28

OCTOBER 2013

BOWLING THIS MONTH

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BOWLING THIS MONTH

OCTOBER2013 2013 OCTOBER

CALL TO SIGN-UP TODAY

1 (800) 280-2695 www.kegeltrainingcenter.com Your Game Our Passion

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1951 Longleaf Blvd, Lake Wales, FL 33859 Phone: 863-734-0200 - Fax: 863-734-0204 PAGE 5

slowinski at large

joe slowinski

Can biofeedback be the key? "Biofeedback is a technique you can use to learn to control your body's functions, such as your heart rate. With biofeedback, you're connected to electrical sensors that help you receive information (feedback) about your body (bio). This feedback helps you focus on making subtle changes in your body, such as relaxing certain muscles, to achieve the results you want, such as reducing pain. In essence, biofeedback gives you the power to use your thoughts to control your body, often to help with a health condition or physical performance. Biofeedback is often used as a relaxation technique." â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Mayo Clinic

To continue our understanding of how sport science can help bowlers reach a higher performance level, I share insight into biofeedback as a training tool. For peak performance, a bowler must be able to control physical response to a stressful situation. An individual will be destined for under-performance without a proactive response to an inability to execute

quality shots. Biofeedback offers a mechanism to build awareness of our response to stress and a subsequent proactive intervention.

The seriousness of pre-competition anxiety Hanton et al (2004) studied the influence of pre-competition anxiety from one week to thirty minutes before competition in 82 professional club and national level players in rugby union, soccer, and field hockey, aged 19 to 26. For both groups, intensity of anxiety and frequency of intrusion increased in the same manner over the week. This illustrates that regardless of skill level, individuals face increased intensity of anxiety as the competition nears. Somatic anxiety (physical response) increased over time peaking 30 minutes before the competition while cognitive anxiety (thoughts/worry/fear) varied over the week prior to the competition and peaked 30 minutes before the competition.

Joe Slowinski, a USBC Gold Coach, is currently on assignment in Europe. The Portland Maine native served as the Administrative and Men's Head Coach at Webber International University and served for four years as a Master Teaching Professional at the Kegel Training Center. 6ORZLQVNL LV WKH IRUPHU 'LUHFWRU RI &RDFKLQJ DQG &RDFK &HUWLÂżFDWLRQ IRU WKH 1DWLRQDO 6SRUWV Council of Malaysia. Email: joseph_slowinski@yahoo.com or go to www.bowlingknowledge.info

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slowinski at large Clearly, this reality will not only impact the competition quality but also the quality of last minute preparations over the last week prior to competition. To become the best performer you can requires awareness as well as the development of a practice of proactive intervention.

Unregulated awareness leads to physical issues When we encounter a stressful situation, the sympathetic nervous system, part of the autonomic nervous system, takes over eliciting the fight or flight response. An individual will experience pupil dilation, increased heart rate, and subsequent increases in blood pressure as well as sweating and clammy hands. With the increases in adrenaline associated with the sympathetic nervous system dominating, a player can experience shaking and encounter growing muscular tension. In addition to the physical response to anxiety, your brain waves will change, which also can impact performance negatively. Your brain functions under four different frequencies: delta waves (below 4 Hz), theta waves (4-7 Hz), alpha waves (8-12 Hz), and beta waves (13-30 Hz). Research has shown that an alpha wave state is important for peak performance in sport. Alpha waves are correlated with a state of calm and being relaxed. When your brain is at the alpha stage, your focus, retention, and learning is at the highest levels. Researchers revealed that immediately before action, elite athletes had a burst of alpha waves enabling them to execute at the highest level. On the other hand, beta waves are associated with thinking and action. Once you begin to act, alpha waves are inhibited. On the lower end of the beta frequency, an individual can function at a high level with great concentration and focus. But, under stressful situations, beta waves reach the highest frequencies.

OCTOBER 2013

At these very high frequencies, neurons fire in unorganized ways which lead an individual to be extremely unfocused. Without awareness of this evolving anxiety, an individual will lose the ability to think clearly and concentrate as well as function at their highly trained level. To illustrate, when encountering stress, eye movement increases, the area of targeting widens, and gaze time decreases (Slowinski, 2009). For some, the stress response is such a serious issue that many performance artists take beta blockers. Beta blockers, such as propranolol, significantly reduce the reaction of the sympathetic nervous system. In fact, one survey of the 51 largest symphonies in the United States revealed that 25 percent of concert musicians take beta blockers to reduce the physical response to stress and ensure a performance consistent with intent. The World Tenpin Bowling Association adheres to the World Anti-Doping Agency rules. The WADA prohibited list includes beta blockers for competition only. Other beta blockers include Acebutolol, alprenolol, atenolol, betaxolol, bisoprolol, bunolol, carteolol, carvedilol, celiprolol, esmolol, labetalol, levobunolol, metipranolol, metoprolol, nadolol, oxprenolol, pindolol, propranolol, sotalol, and timolol. There is a better and legal way to mute the influence of the sympathetic nervous system and this is training with biofeedback.

What is biofeedback? Most readers have heard of biofeedback but may not be fully aware of the performance benefits. Biofeedback measures heart rate, respiration, skin conductivity, muscle activity, and brain waves with software and sensors. In addition to measuring temperature with a skin thermometer and a heart rate sensor, biofeedback can take many forms: neurofeedback, measured with an electroencephalography

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slowinski at large (EEG), and muscle tension, measured with an electromyography (EMG). With sensors and data, an individual literally can see, in real-time, how their conscious actions, such a regulating breathing, can alter their physiological response. This data-driven feedback allows them to both be more aware of the psychosomatic response in an anxiety ridden situation as well as be proactive in returning the body to a more automatic state where quality execution can occur. Biofeedback technology ranges from inexpensive home use products to professional products utilized by sport scientists with professional athletes and Olympians.

Sport performance improvement with biofeedback "You do not train the athlete to execute the skill; you train the athlete to prepare to execute the skill." — Timothy Harkness, Sports Psychologist

For four months prior to the Olympics in 2008, the Federal Sports Hospital in Beijing provided more than 1000 sessions of biofeedback to athletes. This involved more than 200 Chinese National and Olympic Teams who were not expecting to medal. The results were remarkable, with 32 of China’s 100 medalists involved in this biofeedback training initiative. The influence of biofeedback on reaching a peak performance level was echoed in sport psychologist Timothy Harkness’ discussion of training athlete Abhinav Bindra which helped Bindra win India's first ever individual Olympic Gold Medal in shooting. Bindra’s training included 150 hours of biofeedback training leading up to the 2008 Olympics. In a study of basketball players, Paul et al (2012) reviewed the influence of a biofeedback intervention. In this study, 30 basketball players (16 males and 14 females) ranging in age from 18 to 28 years were randomly assigned to

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one of three groups. The experimental group received biofeedback training for 20 minutes for ten consecutive days. The placebo group saw motivational basketball video clips for ten minutes a day for ten days while the control group had no intervention. Participants who were training with biofeedback were able to control their heart rate reducing it from a pre-test average of 15 beats per minute to a post-intervention rate of 6 beats per minute on command. This differed significantly from both the control and placebo groups who remained at 15 beats per minute. With the use of biofeedback learned interventions, participants in the experimental group realized post-intervention performance improvements. Specifically, reaction and movement times improved only in the experimental group. Reaction time improved by nearly .1 seconds. To measure performance, a three-minute shooting test was used. The participants were asked to execute as many shots as possible in 90 seconds, from any position on a marked perimeter of a 12 foot radius from the hoop. The individual had to retrieve the ball after each shot. Revealing of the influence of the biofeedback intervention, shooting proficiency doubled after the intervention and then tripled in the follow up test while concentration improved by a factor of 1.5 for the experimental group. The control and placebo groups saw no improvement or decline in concentration but a marginal improvement in shooting skill. Both groups began at equal levels (Paul et al, 2012). SHOOTING PROFIECIENCY GROUP

PRE

POST

FOLLOWUP

Experimental

5.3

10.5

14.7

Placebo

5.20

6.80

6.10

Control

5.50

7.00

6.70

(Paul et al, 2012)

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slowinski at large A simple technique to slow the heart and foster alpha waves As a coach, I promote awareness of the head, shoulders, and heart to become more aware of your body. Clearly, this will not be as effective as starting to train with biofeedback technology. But, it is a start to the awareness/ intervention process. Under a stressful situation, your thoughts will become rapid and potentially confusing. Awareness of your shoulders reveals increased tension of the fight or flight response and the sympathetic nervous system taking over. In addition, awareness of your heart rate will be a sign to slow your heart and relax both your mind and body. t 4UFQ - Begin by closing your eyes (slows the brain waves to an alpha state); t 4UFQ – Take a deep breath. Inhale – hold – exhale (count your heart beats); t 4UFQ – Count to ten using 1001-10021003, etc. (be aware of your heart); t 4UFQ – Take a deep breath (focus on the impact of your body); t 4UFQ – Repeat.

Some inexpensive personal biofeedback options StressEraser - Portable Biofeedback Device ($119 - $179) – uses heart rate regulation; http://stresseraser.com .JOE1MBDF 5IPVHIU4USFBN - Biofeedback Performance System ($99) - uses galvanic skin resistance and includes computer software; http://www.mindplace.com )FBSU.BUI - Inner Peace for Apple iPad or iPhone ($99) – uses heart rate regulation; http://www.heartmathstore.com/item/6400/ inner-balance

OCTOBER 2013

Helpful resources Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (June 2011) Mind Body Skills for Regulating the Autonomic Nervous System. [Online]. Available at: http://tinyurl.com/n9x4rfq

Biofeedback in use t http://tinyurl.com/lm36t4j t http://tinyurl.com/msaloxv t http://tinyurl.com/k9z2wl2 References Galloway, S.M. (2011). The effect of biofeedback on tennis service accuracy. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology 9 (3):251–266 Hanton, S. , Thomas O., & Maynard, I. (2004). Competitive anxiety responses in the week leading up to competition: the role of intensity, direction and frequency dimensions. Psychology of Sport and Exercise 5: 169–181 Harkness, T. Gold for Biofeedback: Abhinav Bindra wins India's first ever individual Olympic Gold Medal. Downloaded August 14, 2013 from http://www.thoughttechnology.com/images/graphics/thewall/Gold%20 for%20Biofeedback.pdf Paul, M. & Garg, K. (2012) The effect of heart rate variability biofeedback on performance psychology of basketball players. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback;37(2):131-44. Paul, M., Garg, K. & Sandhu, J.S. (2012) Role of Biofeedback in Optimizing Psychomotor Performance in Sports. Asian Journal of Sports Medicine 3(1): 29–40. Slowinski, J. (2009). Avoid the Choke: practice techniques to wipe out stress. Bowling This Month. Tindall, B. (2004, October 17). Better Playing Through Chemistry. New York Times

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coaching the youth bowler

dug barker

Basics on ball and lane surface, drilling and layout, and applying knowledge.

competed in a local tournament recently which always draws a strong field with a wide variety of styles and techniques. After I was knocked out, I sat with a young twohanded player with truly BHAG’s (Big Harry Audacious Goals). Our conversation covered a wide range of bowling topics including ball surface, lane surface, drilling/layout of bowling balls, where to gain reliable knowledge, how to process the knowledge gleaned from others, long-term goals, and the effect coaches have on bowlers as bowlers and as people. I also had a bowling discussion with an outstanding local youth bowler and his father about a wide variety of subjects with the main two items being core shape and surface preparation. It started me thinking about all of the little things we, as bowlers and coaches, have learned that we may not realize we know.

Lane surface Recently at a local sport shot tournament conducted on wood I was told, “It did not play the way it was supposed to.” Surface, surface, surface. So often overlooked, so important. Wood has the most friction and is the softest surface. There is often more oil in the heads to protect the surface of wood lanes and, generally, the heads dry up faster on wood than synthetics. Brunswick Pro Lane has the least friction. AMF HPL lane surface is somewhere in the middle. Brunswick Pro Lane has markers down the lane while AMF synthetics have a consistent pattern to the colors of the “boards” and there are no down lane markers. This leads to a KISS (Keep It Simple, Silly) guide for choosing equipment

Dug Barker is a Silver Coach, Youth Director at Ken-Bowl Lanes, and is based in Louisville, KY. A member of the Positive Coaching Alliance, he is a two-time Top 100 Coach. You can contact him at dougb01731@aol.com.

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coaching the youth bowler for lanes. In my opinion, you want to use pearl or hybrid equipment on wood and solid or hybrid on synthetic. Why? Pearl balls tend to save energy/skid more in the heads and this will counter the additional friction found on the wood surface. This allows the ball to save energy for the back of the lane. Solid surface balls are better for synthetics. They have more friction built into the cover which allows the ball to start to slow down and change direction. Hybrid covers share characteristics of both pearl and solid and can be used effectively on most surfaces.

Ball surface There are a myriad of methods to change the surface of the ball. Pro shops use different methods than the consumer and they almost always do a more accurate job of not only repeating a surface preparation but resurfacing the ball as well. If you choose to do your own surface prep, be sure you are proficient. It is an awesome arrow to have in your quiver. Generally speaking, the duller the surface of the ball, the sooner the transfer of energy will happen. The shinier the ball surface, the later the transfer of energy begins. You can dull a pearl ball, but the cover will still encourage it to slide in the oil and save energy for down lane. You can also shine/polish a dull ball, but it will still have a tendency to read earlier. In my experience, you can alter the length a ball goes before reading the lane with surface preparation, but you cannot override the natural tendencies of the cover of the ball.

Symmetrical vs. asymmetrical cores The core of the ball is a factor. Symmetrical cores are balanced in shape. If the core were split in the middle at any point the two sides of the core would be of the same weight and

OCTOBER 2013

shape. Asymmetrical cores are not balanced in shape. If split in half at a given point of the core, the weight and/or shape of the two halves would be different. Symmetrical cores have a smoother motion off the breakpoint. Asymmetrical cores have a sharper motion off the breakpoint. Having a mix of core and surface preparation expands your arsenal. When competing, if you have a good look but can't get the corners out with an asymmetrical core ball, switching to similarly surfaced ball with a symmetrical core will sometimes knock down those pesky corners. If symmetrical is not carrying, switching to an asymmetrical core can help. If you are in a tournament or league that moves lanes after each game, be ready to quickly make the switch between core types.

House shots vs sport shots House patterns have a reputation for being easy. That is not always true. House patterns can play easy for some and are more challenging for others. On a given house pattern, a high speed player who likes to play left-toright may be scoring higher than a low speed player who likes to keep the ball in front of them, aka playing down the boards. On a different house pattern, a stroker who plays down the boards may be more likely to score than a player who wants to stand left and throw right. In short, while there is usually more oil in the middle of the lane, not everyone finds a house shot easy. House patterns give you more room to miss and, when you are properly matched up, the “area” to carry pockets hits can be quite vast. It’s easy to have a free swing when you have that much room. There is also a much smaller need to be an outstanding spare shooter on house shots. Sport patterns rarely start out giving that much room. Carrying on a sport pattern

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coaching the youth bowler requires repeating shots, playing the breakpoint properly, and using the right combination of ball, core, layout, speed, and release to carry consistently. As with this year’s USBC Championships pattern, there are several ways to get to the pocket. However, finding a way to carry has been tricky for many. The singles and doubles pattern must be starting out very difficult because the “low to cash” for Nationals this year was abnormally low. However, as good players can do with sport patterns and, as happens eventually with all patterns, the shot will open up, give more margin for error, and allow the scoring pace to increase, as happened in this year’s USBC singles in comparison to the doubles scores.

Center environment One other factor that is missed often is the altitude and temperature of a center. Both of these environmental variables affect how distribution of the oil on the lane changes as games progress. In the spring and fall, at least in my area of the country, centers have difficulty controlling the temperature inside the building. With the outside temperature changing by as much as 40 degrees day to day, it becomes very challenging for a center to maintain a consistent environment. This is not from lack of effort. Centers are large micro-environments. The temperature of a center is directly affected by the doors being open and closed frequently. (These same environmental factors contribute to the perception that a shot is different from week to week). Temperature greatly affects how the lane changes. The hotter the center is, the faster a shot will transition. The cooler the center, the slower the transition will be.

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The higher the altitude, the thinner the air. Baseballs fly farther at Coors Field in Denver. Golf balls go shorter distances at courses along the beach. While the influence of air pressure on the ball is not discernible to us, that same pressure on the oil may change the speed and type of transition the oil goes through. Centers located in higher altitudes will not just have the appearance of having less oil, there really will be less, as oil will have less mass in higher altitudes than it has in lower altitudes. Centers in lower altitudes will appear to have a greater volume of oil because the air is heavier, even though the volume of oil may be the same as in the high altitude center. The higher the altitude, the quicker the transitions. The lower the altitude, the slower the transitions.

Obey the lane I often hear from bowlers that this house is “dry” and another center is “oily.” There are so many factors that affect this appearance/ perception - and that's before we even enter a discussion of where and how one plays the lane. The best course of action is to do what the lanes tell you to do that day. You want to be able to play whatever shape the lanes call for standing anywhere on the approach. You play what the lanes give you. You can’t play the lanes the way you want to play them. I believe I have given you some more arrows for your quiver and, to quote an amazing coach, “Whoever finds it first, wins.” (Thanks, Susie). I hope I have given everyone new information to consider. Thanks to Chuck Farish, Cortnei Burks, Seby Silverstri, Barb Duffie-Beasley, Alex Whobrey, Josh Puher, and all the wonderful league bowlers and coaches wtih whom I get to discuss our great game.

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rob mautner

cover story

smart moves

Your routine for success: planning, evaluating, execution

n bowling there is much ado about the physical game and about equipment. Modern bowling, however, requires much more from successful players. It is no longer enough to have a great release and great timing, though both are still requirements of a great game. In modern bowling, successful players control not only their physical game and their emotions, they also have to develop a successful game plan based on observation, analysis, and a willingness to revise their plans as often as necessary, commit to the changes, and, above all, take responsibility for the results. If bowling is more to you than just simple recreation, you need to create a routine for success. Beginning from the time you start shadow practice, you need to: observe, formulate a plan, commit to the plan, execute

the plan, take responsibility for the results, analyze the results, and reformulate the plan. This sounds pretty straightforward until we look at the individual elements.

Observation Observation is the tool that is most often overlooked by bowlers. We all observe the result of the shot we just threw unless, of course, we threw it badly and turned and walked away in disgust – not a good idea at all. Uninformed bowlers don’t observe anything until after they throw their next shot. What a wealth of information they miss! Real observation is difficult. All of the other parts of bowling are either active (formulating and executing your plan), or reactive (revising your plan and taking responsibility). Observation is neither active nor reactive. It

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BOWLING THIS MONTH

OCTOBER 2013

smart moves is receptive. Your brain needs to be open to information without any preconceptions. Let’s take a look at some of the opportunities that are there for you to improve your bowling through observation. Observation should actually start before you ever leave for the bowling center, with the weather conditions. Weather conditions can affect lane conditions, particularly humidity. Is there anything about the weather that might dictate taking a ball with you that you normally don’t use? Once you get to the bowling center, observation should start immediately. Are you bowling in a part of the center where the lanes have a particular characteristic that is different from the rest of the house? Once you start shadow practice, observe the other bowlers on your pair. Pick one or two whose game is similar to yours in terms of line and technique. Those bowlers can signal the beginning of oil transition before it’s even your turn to bowl, allowing you to adjust before you leave an ugly split or washout. The same goes for bowlers on other pairs around you. Notice from time to time what kind of leaves remain standing. Transition doesn’t just happen on your pair; it happens on every pair at pretty much the same time, as long as there are the same number of samehanded bowlers bowling. If you notice it and adjust for it before you leave something ugly, you are definitely ahead of the game and the competition. Another thing very few bowlers observe is the condition of the rack before they bowl. When is the last time you saw a league bowler rerack despite the fact that USBC does not limit the number allowed during league competition? I recently reracked prior to throwing the first shot in the tenth frame and my counterpart on the other team asked me if there had been a missing pin. When I told him no, it was a closed rack, he looked at me decidedly oddly.

OCTOBER 2013

Once you have released the ball, you need to observe three things: the reaction of the ball before it reaches the pins, how the ball goes through the pins, and the result of the shot. Without all this information, you cannot reformulate your plan for the next frame. Of particular importance in this mix is watching the ball as it goes through the pins. There are three possibilities for that. A perfect ball reaction will leave the ball going straight back and exiting the pins in the center of the pin deck. This will result in maximum pin action and carry. If the ball goes to the left of center, the ball is entering the pocket as it is still hooking. Let that go without making changes and there is a 4 pin, a 9 pin, or worst case, a 4/9 split in your immediate future. If your ball enters the 1/3 pocket and goes to the right, it is losing power before it gets to the pins and deflecting too much. A slight deflection will leave you a solid 8 pin. A little more leaves a weak 10 and a lot more leaves you the dreaded 8/10 split. The nice thing about observing the ball as it exits the pin deck is that you can practice it every time you watch professional bowling on television or the internet. The telecast of the WBT Championship last December is a perfect example. During the final match between Chris Barnes and Mika Koivuniemi, Barnes began to lose the right lane, leaving 10 pins in the 2nd and 4th frames of the final match. He changed balls. In the 6th frame, the new ball deflected a lot as it went through the pins on the right lane. He struck with a light mixer. In the 8th frame, he got exactly the same result. I said to my wife that he needs to go back to the original ball in the 10th frame. As it turns out, he did go back to the original ball in the 10th and won the game. If he had only gone by result, he would have used the same ball and possibly not won the title. Another advantage of watching the ball exit the pin deck is that it encourages you to post

BOWLING THIS MONTH

PAGE 15

smart moves your shot. As I have often said in these pages, if there is one thing that signals perfect timing, it is the ability to post your shot. Practice posting each shot as you watch your ball exit the pin deck. It will do wonders for your game!

Formulate a plan Beginning with the conclusion of shadow practice, you need to re-formulate a plan for your first shot. Whether you were aware of it or not, you already had a plan in mind before you ever got to the bowling center. This plan was preconceived, predicated on your experiences the last time you bowled. Now, based on your observations of your ball reaction, where the other players on the pair are playing, and your preferences, you need to choose a ball to use, a line to play, and a particular release if you have more than one. Obviously, if you really know and understand your bowling balls, the limited number of shots you threw during shadow practice will give you clear direction as to what ball to start with. That ball may or may not be something you tried during practice. How many times have you thrown a half a dozen strikes during practice, only to leave a big ugly split or washout in the 1st frame? It’s happened to all of us and is usually the result of lining up before we are warmed up. With modern oil conditions, it is also possible for the oil to begin to move during the ten minutes of practice.

Commit to the plan This is important from the first frame of the first game, all the way through the final frame of the last game. It is particularly important when the lanes are changing and you have to make a line change or a ball change. If you know and understand your equipment, you won’t have to guess how to adjust your line when you make a ball change.

PAGE 16

I once told a good friend of mine that if you can’t change balls in the 10th frame and strike out to win your match, you don’t know your equipment well enough. I’ll never forget his excitement when he called me to tell me that he had changed balls in the tenth and struck out to beat his man. Any lack of commitment to your plan can only spell disaster.

Execute the shot Once you have totally committed to your plan, executing the shot is the easy part. If you observe not only the results of your execution, but the reaction of the ball to the lane and how the ball exits the deck, you have most of what you need to reformulate your plan for your next shot except:

Take responsibility for the result Bowlers tend to communicate their ability to take responsibility for the result of their execution by their actions on, and as they exit, the approach. Perhaps the saddest response of all is the bowler who sees his ball enter the pocket only to leave a weak 10, a pocket 7/10, or an 8/10 split, rolls his eyes heavenward, and shrugs his shoulders as if to say, “I don’t understand it. That was a perfect strike ball and I deserve a strike.” This bowler is lost. He doesn’t take any responsibility for the result of his shot, blaming it instead on some unforeseen force in the universe. How do you adjust for random bad luck? You don’t! Also, very obviously not accepting responsibility for their result is the bowler who often whiffs the 10 pin and looks down at the approach as if he stuck. Not! Equally as lost is the bowler who sends a one-fingered salute at the lone 10 pin left standing after his shot. Why are you flipping off the 10 pin? Did it jump out of the way? This bowler is the first cousin to the guy who

BOWLING THIS MONTH

OCTOBER 2013

smart moves kicks the ball return out of anger and frustration. Who are you angry with? The pins? The ball? Or are you angry with yourself for poor execution? Whatever the case, kicking the ball return can cause serious damage to the return, your foot, and it can result in getting you escorted out of the bowling center.

Reformulate your plan Now that you have made your observations, formulated your plan, committed to your plan, executed your shot, observed the result, and accepted responsibility for it, it’s time to reformulate your plan for your next shot. In order to reformulate your plan, it is very important to get your ego out of the equation. A good example of this is the aforementioned final match between Chris Barnes and Mika Koivuniemi. In the past, Barnes has made, in my opinion, some questionable ball choices. I remember one such telecast where viewers were invited to submit questions for the players. Barnes was asked what ball he had chosen to begin the match and why. After his explanation, he proceeded to use the ball and quickly lost any reaction he had seen in practice. He stuck with it. I’m glad to see he learned from the experience, got his ego out of the way, and changed back to his original ball to win the WBT title. Perhaps now Barnes can live up to his well-deserved reputation as the best bowler on the planet. We can all learn from Barnes’ experience. A few months ago in these pages, Susie Minshew gave some great advice I have quoted before. She advised bowlers to adjust to an unexpected ball reaction even if they are not sure that they threw a high quality shot. I have incorporated this strategy myself and have seen some very good results. There is a large place in bowling for confidence, but no room for unrelenting ego. You are not only as good as your last shot; you are as good as your next shot.

OCTOBER 2013

The final phase of the cycle requires reflection on your session's successes and failures so you may begin the process of formulating your plan for your next outing. Ask yourself these questions. t “Was there a ball I brought along that I didn’t need?” t “Was there a ball I needed I left at home?” t “Did I make more successful revisions to my plan than unsuccessful ones?” t “What can I do better next time?” Ask yourself these questions and any others that you can think of to make your next outing your best ever.

B A L L C O M PA N Y D I R E C T O RY 900 Global

San Antonio, TX

900global.com

AMF

San Antonio, TX

amf300.com

ABS

Tokyo, Japan

abs300.com

AZO

Brigham City, UT

azobowling.com

Bowler's Paradise Sacramento, CA

bowlersparadise.com

Brunswick

Muskegon, MI

brunswickbowling.com

Columbia 300

Hopkinsville, KY

columbia300.com

DV8

Muskegon, MI

dv8bowling.com

Ebonite

Hopkinsville, KY

ebonite.com

Elite

Sacramento, CA

elitebowling.com

Hammer

Hopkinsville, KY

hammerbowling.com

Jet Bowling

Salt Lake City, UT

jetbowling.com

Lane #1

Syracuse, NY

lane1bowling.com

LoMar Bowling

Russell, KS

lomarbowling.com

QMR

China

qmrbowling.com

Radical

San Antonio, TX

radicalbowling.com

Roto Grip

Brigham City, UT

rotogrip.com

Seismic Bowling

Northern Ireland

seismicbowling.com

Storm Products

Brigham City, UT

stormbowling.com

Motiv

Spring Lake, MI

motivbowling.com/btm

Track

Hopkinsville, KY

trackbowling.com

Visionary

Saint Louis, MO

visionarybowling.com

BOWLING THIS MONTH

PAGE 17

BALL TALK REVIEWS

BALL TALK NOTES BALL TESTERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S RATINGS

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Stroker

Tweener

Cranker

Axis angle: 40 degrees Axis point: 3.875 over, 0.625 up RPM: 225 MPH (at 10'): 16.4

Axis angle: 65 degrees Axis point: 4.5 over, 0 up/down RPM: 320 MPH (at 10'): 17.8

Axis angle: 75 degrees Axis point: 4.5 over, 1 up RPM: 450 MPH (at 10'): 19.0

A stroker is a more traditionally styled player with adequate speed and a rev rate that gets the job done. This type of player will frequently play further outside on the lane than a higher rev player. Norm Duke and Mika Koivuniemi are examples of strokers.

A tweener is a player whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not quite a stroker and not quite a cranker, often called a power stroker. They have a fairly high rev rate and good speed. Chris Barnes and Bill Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neill are examples of the tweener genre.

A cranker is generally considered to be a player with high speed and a fairly high rev rate. Players like Sean Rash and Tommy Jones would fit this profile.

Pin 33 Â»8"

VAL

70Âº

4" 55Âº

70Âº

55 x 4 x 70 PAGE 18

4 1Â»2 "

75Âº

PAP

PAP CG

X Hole MB

VAL

Pin 65Âº

PAP CG

VAL 50Âº

X Hole MB

70 x 3-3/8 x 50 BOWLING THIS MONTH

65 x 4-1/2 x 75 OCTOBER 2013

Hammer is the proud sponsor of The National Bowling Association. TNBA.

OCTOBER 2013

BOWLING THIS MONTH

PAGE 19

May-October 2013

At-A-Glance

Type

Month Review ed

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PAGE 20

BOWLING THIS MONTH

OCTOBER 2013

BALL TRacking test results 900 global grip it

ebonite pivot

Full Review on Page 23

Full Review on Page 26

3.05

10 52.15

10 8 40.37 31.65

21 7.5

16 5.78

11 3.55

Entry Angle BBC Hook Power TBC Alpha Angle

Stroker

4.7

Tweener

Stroker

5.8

Cranker

Tweener

Entry Angle BBC Hook Power TBC Alpha Angle

OILY-44’

Cranker

OILY-44’

7.73

6.12

4.1

12 78.11

12 10 57.26 31.04

34 10.77

22 7.88

14 4.93

Entry Angle BBC Hook Power TBC Alpha Angle

7.45

6.1

12 10 10 69.57 59.91 35.42 28 9.85

22 7.8

14 5.75

Entry Angle: The angle the ball is traveling just prior to entering the pocket.

Entry Angle BBC Hook Power TBC Alpha Angle

Stroker

MEDIUM-41’ Tweener

MEDIUM-41’

Cranker

Full Review on Page 28

Stroker

Full Review on Page 27

Tweener

seismic solaris platinum edition

Cranker

hammer cold blood

6.15

5.9

10 11 11 60.51 46.29 31.57 24 8.3

19 7.1

15 5.8

DEFINITIONS

Backend BC (BBC): The total number of boards crossed from the breakpoint to the entry board at the pocket. Hook Power: This is not about ball speed but rather is an indicator of how strongly the ball moves horizontally toward the pocket from the breakpoint. A higher number indicates a strong move to the pocket while a lower number indicates a smoother movement. Total BC (TBC): The total number of boards crossed from the time the ball contacts the lane until it enters the pocket. Alpha Angle: Calculated by using the launch angle and the entry angle to compute a total angle change (the movement of the shot).

OCTOBER 2013

BOWLING THIS MONTH

PAGE 21

BALL TRacking test results storm byte

storm reign on

Full Review on Page 29

Full Review on Page 30

Stroker

5.2

5.35

12 77.64

8 10 54.91 38.94

28 10.6

18 6.6

15 6.2

Entry Angle BBC Hook Power TBC Alpha Angle

Stroker

Tweener

8.2

Tweener

Cranker Entry Angle BBC Hook Power TBC Alpha Angle

Cranker

OILY-44’

MEDIUM-41’

6.45

4.7

4.25

12 59.64

9 11 37.65 26.95

26 8.6

14 5.6

13 4.65

visionary warlock XV Prl Full Review on Page 31

Tweener

Stroker

Entry Angle BBC Hook Power TBC Alpha Angle

Cranker

MEDIUM-41’

6.4

5.1

5.4

10 61.56

8 11 51.24 38.61

24 8.7

18 6.6

15 6.1

Entry Angle: The angle the ball is traveling just prior to entering the pocket.

DEFINITIONS

PAGE 22

BOWLING THIS MONTH

OCTOBER 2013

BALL TALK REVIEWS

GRIP IT

RATINGS*

*Scale: 1-10 Ratings, drillings and diagrams listed in the following order: Stroker/Tweener/Cranker

OILY: 7/7.5/8 MEDIUM: 8.5/8.5/8.5 DRY: 5/5/4 SPORT: 7/7/7

GENERAL INFO Coverstock Name: S64 Hybrid Type: Reactive Hybrid Box Finish: 4000 Abralon Color: Purple/Gold Pearl Core Density: Dual Symmetrical For Lane Conditions and Drillings, Please see Ball Notes on Page 18

2.49

RG: The Grip It uses a traditional light bulb shaped core. The medium RG core revs up the

.040

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14.5

Scale: 1-20

Back End: Because the ball starts up earlier, it takes away from the back end reaction. Polishing the cover will add tons of back end to this ball.

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Scale: 1-10

Scale: 1-25

Scale: 1-100

strongest in the midlane.

Because of how much it straightened out at the back end, it kept the total hook down.

Comments: While the Grip It follows the naming pattern of the Rip It in the medium performance line for 900 Global, nothing besides the name is the shared between the two bowling balls. The Grip It uses a different core and cover than the Rip It. The lower RG core revs up quickly, while the sanded s64 Hybrid coverstock ZDQWV WR UHDG WKH PLGODQH KHDY\ :H VRPHZKDW VWUXJJOHG RQ RXU IUHVK WHVW SDWWHUQV ZLWK WKH ER[ ÂżQLVK 7KH FRUH ZDQWHG WR VWDQG XS IDLUO\ TXLFNO\ QRW VDYLQJ HQRXJK Ă&#x20AC;DUH IRU WKH EDFN HQG 7KH VDQGHG FRYHU JDYH XV WUDFWLRQ up front, but bailed on us at the breakpoint and back end. When we tried to square up to the lane, the Grip It hooked into the nose. All three testers laid into the ball with a neaT pad on the ball spinner. The surface change added a big boost to the back end motion, giving all three players a much better reaction. The 4000 Abralon ÂżQLVK ZDV QRW TXLWH HQRXJK WR JHW WKH *ULS ,W WR WKH SRFNHW FRQVLVWHQWO\ 2XU WHVWHUV KDG WR EH VXUH QRW WR PLVV DW the bottom of the release or get the ball going too quickly down the lane. We roughed up all three balls with a 2000 Abralon pad to get them to start rolling up quicker on this heavier pattern. This surface change was right on the money for all three. The extra surface was enough to allow the testers to be more aggressive and have much more success on this pattern. We had a fair amount of success on the sport pattern. The ball wanting to stop at WKH EUHDNSRLQW DQG EDFN HQG PDGH LW YHU\ HDV\ WR FRQWURO RQ WKLV Ă&#x20AC;DWWHU SDWWHUQ :H ZHUH DEOH WR NHHS LW LQ SOD\ WKH HQWLUH VHVVLRQ RQ WKH VSRUW SDWWHUQ ZLWKRXW KDYLQJ WR FKDQJH WKH VXUIDFH :H QHHGHG WR VHH RXU UHĂ&#x20AC;HFWLRQ LQ WKH *ULS ,W E\ SROLVKLQJ LW XS VR KLJK WR JHW HQRXJK OHQJWK RQ RXU VKRUW SDWWHUQ 2QFH ZH JRW WKH VXUIDFH VKLQ\ HQRXJK WKH ORZHU Ă&#x20AC;DUH SRWHQWLDO DOORZHG XV WR KLW WKH SRFNHW SUHWW\ HDVLO\ RQ WKLV SDWWHUQ

SUMMARY Strengths: The Grip It will be best on patterns that offer a heavy volume of oil in the front, with fresh crisp back ends. Bowlers with higher ball speed will like the Grip It. Weakness: 7KLV FRYHU DQG FRUH FRPELQDWLRQ JDYH XV ORWV RI RYHU XQGHU UHDFWLRQ RQ RXU WHVW SDWWHUQV DW WKH ER[ ÂżQLVK 7KHVH ZHUH Âż[HG E\ altering the surface of the Grip It. Overall: The Grip It offers 900 Global fans a solid hybrid alternative to the polished pearl Rip It in their mid-price line. This ball reads quicker and is smoother than the Rip It.

OCTOBER 2013

BOWLING THIS MONTH

PAGE 23

PAGE 24

BOWLING THIS MONTH

OCTOBER 2013

BOWLING THIS MONTH

PAGE 25

BALL TALK REVIEWS

PIVOT

RATINGS*

*Scale: 1-10 Ratings, drillings and diagrams listed in the following order: Stroker/Tweener/Cranker

OILY: 9.5/9.5/9.5 MEDIUM: 9/9/8 DRY: 5/3/2 SPORT: 7/7/7

GENERAL INFO Coverstock Name: RCM Hybrid Type: Reactive Hybrid Box Finish: 500/1500 Abranet Color: Red/Gold/Green Core Density: Dual Asymmetrical Enhanced Mass Bias: .017 For Lane Conditions and Drillings, Please see Ball Notes on Page 18

2.48

RG: 7KH 3LYRW XVHV D QHZ &% FRUH VKDSH 7KLV LV D ORZ 5* FRUH WKDW UHYV XS YHU\ TXLFNO\

.049

Diff/Flare: 7KH &% FRUH SURYLGHV XS WR Â¿YH LQFKHV RI Ã&#x20AC;DUH SRWHQWLDO 7KLV EDOOÂ¶V URXJK

Scale: 1-10

Torque: 7KH FKDQJH RI GLUHFWLRQ DW WKH EUHDNSRLQW LV VWURQJ DV ORQJ DV WKHUH LV RLO LQ WKH KHDGV %RZOHUV ZKR GR QRW KDYH WKH YROXPH XS IURQW ZLOO VHH D VPRRWKHU WUDQVLWLRQ DV WKH EDOO rolls down the lane.

Length: 7KH 3LYRW SURYLGHV PDVVLYH DPRXQWV RI WUDFWLRQ 7KH JULW FRYHU FRPELQDtion can get the Pivot hooking on the slickest of conditions.

16.5

Scale: 1-20

Back End: 7KH EDFN HQG UHDFWLRQ LV VXUSULVLQJO\ VWURQJ IRU D EDOO DW VXFK D URXJK ER[ Â¿QLVK (YHQ DV WKH ODQHV ZHQW WKURXJK WUDQVLWLRQ WKLV EDOO VWLOO SLFNHG XS DQG JDYH XV SOHQW\ of recovery down lane.

Total Hook: 7KH 3LYRW SURYLGHV D ODUJH DPRXQW RI WUDFWLRQ 7KH FRYHU SURYLGHV ORWV RI KRRN ZKLOH UHWDLQLQJ EDFN HQG PRWLRQ

Scale: 1-25

Scale: 1-100

in the front.

FRYHU ZDQWV WR XVH HQHUJ\ LQ WKH PLGGOH RI WKH ODQH VR PDNH VXUH WKHUH LV VRPH RLO LQ WKH IURQW

Comments: 7KH 3LYRW XVHV D QHZ FRYHU DQG FRUH IURP (ERQLWH 7KH &% FRUH KDV D ORZ 5* DV\PPHWULFDO VKDSH ZUDSSHG E\ WKH QHZ 5&0 K\EULG UHDFWLYH FRYHUVWRFN 7KLV FRPELQDWLRQ ZDV GHYDVWDWLQJ RQ RXU KHDY\ RLO WHVW SDWWHUQ 7KH URXJK ER[ Â¿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Â¿QLVK +H QHHGHG WKH DLG RI D $EUDORQ SDG WR JLYH WKH 3LYRW PRUH OHQJWK WKURXJK WKH IURQW :LWK WKH Â¿QLVK KH VWLOO KDG WRQV RI KRRN LQ WKH PLGODQH DQG LW GHOD\HG WKH KRRN IDU HQRXJK GRZQ WKH ODQH IRU KLP WR JHW WR SRFNHW HDVLO\ 7KH ER[ Â¿QLVK DOVR ZDV EHVW IRU RXU VSRUW SDWWHUQ 7KH ER[ Â¿QLVK DQG VWURQJ PRWLRQ RYHUSRZHUHG WKLV FRQGLWLRQ IRU DOO WKUHH RI WKH WHVWHUV 7KH 3LYRW VDZ QR RXW RI ERXQGV DQG DV ORQJ DV ZH FDXJKW HQRXJK RLO LQ WKH IURQW WR SURMHFW LW ULJKW ZH VWUXFN DW ZLOO 7KH GU\ SDWWHUQ ZDV WKH RQO\ RQH WKDW JDYH XV SUREOHPV 7KH ER[ Â¿QLVK DQG WKH PDNH XS RI WKLV EDOO DUH QRW GHVLJQHG IRU WKHVH W\SHV RI FRQGLWLRQV :H UDLVHG WKH FRYHU WR $EUDORQ DQG WKHQ DSSOLHG PDVVLYH DPRXQWV RI 3RZHU +RXVH )DFWRU\ )LQLVK EHIRUH ZH FRXOG HYHQ JHW WKLV RQH WR JR ULJKW RI WKH KHDGSLQ 7KHUH DUH SOHQW\ RI EHWWHU EDOO FKRLFHV IRU WKHVH W\SHV RI SDWWHUQV

SUMMARY Strengths: The ability of the Pivot to destroy any oil that stands in its way is its biggest strength. This ball can hook on almost anything. Weakness: 7KH 3LYRW QHHGV RLO LQ WKH IURQW RI WKH ODQH $V URXJK DV LW LV ZLWK WKH ER[ Â¿QLVK LW ZLOO EXUQ XS TXLFNO\ LI WKHUH LV QRW HQRXJK RLO Overall 7KLV FRUH DQG FRYHU FRPELQDWLRQ SURYLGH PDVVLYH DPRXQWV RI WUDFWLRQ DQG FRQWLQXRXVQHVV 7KH 3LYRWÂ¶V QHZ FRUH KHOSV WKLV EDOO UHWDLQ HQHUJ\ GHVSLWH LWV URXJK YHQHHU

PAGE 26

BOWLING THIS MONTH

OCTOBER 2013

BALL TALK REVIEWS

COLD BLOOD

RATINGS*

*Scale: 1-10 Ratings, drillings and diagrams listed in the following order: Stroker/Tweener/Cranker

OILY: 8/8/8 MEDIUM: 9.5/9.5/9.5 DRY: 7/6/5 SPORT: 7/7/7

GENERAL INFO Coverstock Name: Next Big Thing Pearl Type: Reactive Pearl Box Finish: 500/500/1000 Abralon w/ Powerhouse Clean 'n Sheen Color: Black/Blue Core Density: Dual Asymmetrical Enhanced Mass Bias: .009 For Lane Conditions and Drillings, Please see Ball Notes on Page 18

2.48

RG: 7KH &ROG %ORRG UHYV XS TXLFNO\ RII WKH ERZOHUÂ¶V KDQG 7KLV LV WKH VDPH FRUH GHVLJQ XVHG

.056

Diff/Flare: 7KLV FRUH ZDV QRW DOWHUHG IURP WKH )LUVW %ORRG FRUH 7KH VKDSH SURYLGHG XV ZLWK

Torque: 7KH &ROG %ORRGÂ¶V SHDUO FRYHU DOORZV LW WR VWRUH D JRRG DPRXQW RI HQHUJ\ IRU WKH EUHDNSRLQW 7KH GLIIHUHQFH LQ ER[ Â¿QLVK VHSDUDWHV WKH UHDFWLRQ VKDSH IURP WKH )LUVW %ORRG

Scale: 1-25

Length: 7KH ER[ Â¿QLVK ORZHUV WKH OHQJWK UDWLQJ IURP WKH )LUVW %ORRG GHVSLWH WKH FKDQJH WR D SHDUOL]HG FRYHUVWRFN 7KH URXJKHU XQGHUO\LQJ VDQGHG JULW DOORZV WKH &ROG %ORRG WR SLFN XS WKH ODQH TXLFNHU WKDQ WKH )LUVW %ORRG

Back End: %HFDXVH WKH &ROG %ORRG VWDUWV KRRNLQJ HDUOLHU LW VOLJKWO\ WDNHV DZD\ IURP WKH

Scale: 1-20

PRWLRQ DW WKH EDFN HQG FRPSDUHG WR WKH )LUVW %ORRG 7KH EDOO VWLOO SURYLGHV SOHQW\ RI EDFN HQG RQ PHGLXP SDWWHUQV KRZHYHU

Total Hook: 7KH &ROG %ORRG KDV PRUH WRWDO KRRN WKDQ WKH )LUVW %ORRG 7KH SHDUOL]HG FRYHUVWRFN FRPELQHG ZLWK WKH $EUDORQ ZLWK 3RZHU +RXVH &OHDQ Q 6KHHQ SROLVK SURYLGHV D ELJ DQG FRQVWDQW KRRNLQJ PRWLRQ

Scale: 1-10

Scale: 1-100

LQ WKH )LUVW %ORRG

RYHU Â¿YH DQG D KDOI LQFKHV RI Ã&#x20AC;DUH SRWHQWLDO

Comments: 7KH &ROG %ORRG LV WKH VHFRQG UHOHDVH IURP +DPPHU LQ WKLV OLQH ,W GLIIHUV IURP WKH )LUVW %ORRG LQ WKH FRYHUVWRFN DQG ER[ Â¿QLVK :KLOH WKH )LUVW %ORRG ZDV D K\EULG FRYHUVWRFN WKDW FDPH DW ZLWK D 3RZHU +RXVH &OHDQ Q 6KHHQ Â¿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Â¿QLVK WR FKHZ LQWR WKH SDWWHUQ RU JHW LW IDUWKHU ULJKW DQG ZDWFK LW VWRUH SOHQW\ RI PRWLRQ IRU WKH EDFN HQG &UDQNHU KDG WKH VDPH UHDFWLRQ RQ WKH KHDY\ WHVW SDWWHUQ KH MXVW KDG WR EH IDUWKHU ULJKW ZLWK KLV IHHW RQ WKLV SDWWHUQ WKDQ KH ZDV RQ WKH PHGLXP 7ZHHQHU DQG 6WURNHU QHHGHG PRUH KHOS RQ WKLV SDWWHUQ 7KH\ ORZHUHG WKH FRPSRXQGHG Â¿QLVK ZLWK D $EUDORQ SDG WR FUHDWH PRUH KRRN LQ WKH RLO 7KH Â¿QLVK DOVR JRW WKH &ROG %ORRG VWDUWHG HDUOLHU RQ WKH ODQH DOORZLQJ LW PRUH WLPH WR UHFRYHU WR WKH SRFNHW (YHQ DW WKH URXJKHU Â¿QLVK WKH &ROG %ORRG ZDV DEOH WR UHWDLQ HQHUJ\ DW WKH EDFN HQG 7KH ER[ Â¿QLVK ZDV EHVW IRU XV RQ RXU VSRUW SDWWHUQ 7KLV Â¿QLVK JDYH XV WKH ULJKW DPRXQW RI OHQJWK DQG KRRN WR VWULNH D ORW RQ WKLV SDWWHUQ :KHQ ZH ORZHUHG WKH Â¿QLVK ZH VDZ WKH EDOO VWDUW KRRNLQJ WRR HDUO\ IRU RXU OLNLQJ :H DGGHG 3RZHU +RXVH )DFWRU\ )LQLVK SROLVK WR WKH FRYHU WR WU\ DQG JR VWUDLJKWHU RQ WKLV SDWWHUQ +RZHYHU LW VWDUWHG ZDQWLQJ WR GLYH OHIW ZKHQ LW JRW RXW RI WKH SDWWHUQ :H DGGHG 3RZHU +RXVH )DFWRU\ )LQLVK WR WKH FRYHU WR WU\ DQG PDNH WKLV EDOO ZRUN RQ WKH VKRUW SDWWHUQ EXW LW MXVW SURYLGHV WRR PXFK KRRN

SUMMARY Strengths: 7KH FRYHUVWRFN DQG SUHSDUDWLRQ RI WKH &ROG %ORRG SURYLGH D WHUULÂ¿F PRWLRQ DV WKH EDOO JRHV GRZQ WKH ODQH 7KH EDOO SLFNV XS VWURQJO\ LQ WKH PLGODQH ZKLOH PDLQWDLQLQJ D ELJ PRYH DW WKH EDFN HQG Weakness: 3DWWHUQV WKDW KDYH PDVVLYH DPRXQWV RI YROXPH RU OHQJWK ZLOO QHHG VXUIDFH DGMXVWPHQWV 5HDOO\ VKRUW SDWWHUQV ZLOO DOVR FDXVH WKH &ROG %ORRG WR VWUXJJOH Overall 7KH &ROG %ORRG LV D JUHDW FRPSOLPHQW WR WKH )LUVW %ORRG 7KH FKDQJHV WR WKH FRYHUVWRFN DQG WKH ER[ Â¿QLVK SURYLGH WZR GLIIHUHQW UHDFWLRQ VKDSHV WR DWWDFN PHGLXP WR PHGLXP KHDY\ FRQGLWLRQV

OCTOBER 2013

BOWLING THIS MONTH

PAGE 27

BALL TALK REVIEWS

RATINGS*

SOLARIS PLATINUM EDITION

*Scale: 1-10 Ratings, drillings and diagrams listed in the following order: Stroker/Tweener/Cranker

OILY: 6/7/7 MEDIUM: 9.5/9/9.5 DRY: 8/7/6 SPORT: 6/6/7

GENERAL INFO Coverstock Name: AVC Pearl Reactive Coverstock Type: Reactive Pearl Box Finish: 2000 Grit Polished Color: Liquorice Pearl and Platinum Core Density: Dual Symmetrical For Lane Conditions and Drillings, Please see Ball Notes on Page 18

2.48

RG: 7KH ZHLJKW EORFN LQVLGH WKH 6RODULV 3ODWLQXP (GLWLRQ LV D UHSOLFD RI WKH 7UDLO %OD]HU

.048

Diff/Flare: 7KLV EDOO FDQ SURGXFH QHDUO\ ÂżYH LQFKHV RI Ă&#x20AC;DUH 7KH ODUJH DPRXQW RI Ă&#x20AC;DUH potential keeps this pearl from giving users too much skid in the front and too much hook off the dry.

6.5

Torque: 7KLV EDOO XVHV LWV HQHUJ\ SUHWW\ HTXDOO\ WKURXJK WKH ODQH 7KLV DOORZV WKH 6RODULV Platinum Edition to offer a strong, but predictable move at the breakpoint.

Scale: 1-25

Length: The Solaris Platinum Edition comes out of the box at a 2000 grit polished surface. This is enough shine to get the ball down lane easily on most THS.

Back End: 7KH 7UDLOEOD]HU FRUH ZDQWV WR UHY XS HDUO\ DQG DV D UHVXOW LW VPRRWKHV RXW WKH

Scale: 1-20

backend reaction. This ball still has plenty of plenty of recovery with a strong arc-shaped reaction..

Total Hook: The Platinum Edition will hook less than most of the current Seismic line up.

Scale: 1-10

Scale: 1-100

FRUH IRXQG LQVLGH WKH ÂżUVW 6HLVPLF EDOO WKH 6RODULV 7KH ORZ 5* FRUH ZDQWV WR UHY XS TXLFNO\

The symmetrical core and pearl cover place it under the Venator, Dominion, and slightly less WKDQ WKH 5DJLQJ %XOO /RQJ +RUQ

Comments: 7KH 6RODULV 3ODWLQXP (GLWLRQ EULQJV EDFN WKH ORZ 5* 7UDLO %OD]HU FRUH DV ZHOO DV WKH $9& 5HDFWLYH SHDUO FRYHUVWRFN 7KLV FRYHU DW WKH ER[ ÂżQLVK JHWV WKURXJK WKH ÂżUVW SDUW RI WKH ODQH ZLWK YHU\ PLQLPDO effort, allowing the core to unleash its power at the pins. Our reaction was best on our medium test pattern. This pattern allowed all three testers to have plenty of area at the breakpoint. The polished cover never had a chance to pick up the lane too early even as we got late into the testing session. The testers were able stand left and easily project this ball to the breakpoint. Stroker was able to go straighter with his angles through the front and OHW WKH SHDUO FRYHU WXUQ RYHU ODWHU GRZQ WKH ODQH &UDQNHU ZDV DEOH WR FUHDWH KROG LQ WKH PLGGOH RI WKH ODQH ZKLOH still having plenty of hook to the track area. Tweener was stuck between the two, and while his reaction was VWLOO QRWKLQJ WR EH DVKDPHG RI LW MXVW ZDV QRW TXLWH DV JRRG DV RXU RWKHU WZR WHVWHUV 7KH GU\ WHVW SDWWHUQ JDYH XV the next best reaction. Stroker had the best reaction on this pattern. He only moved a few boards left of where he was on the medium and was right in the pocket. Tweener increased his ball speed and that was all it took to JHW LQWR WKH SRFNHW &UDQNHU VWUXJJOHG WKH PRVW DV KH XVXDOO\ GRHV RQ WKLV SDWWHUQ +H GLG QRW PDNH DQ\ VXUIDFH adjustments, but rather he had to make sure to roll the Solaris off his hand and not hit up on it. When he did, WKLV EDOO ZDV TXLFN WR OHW KLP NQRZ DW WKH EUHDNSRLQW E\ MXPSLQJ OHIW LQWR WKH IDFH 2XU VOLFN WHVW SDWWHUQ JDYH XV VRPH SUREOHPV DW WKH ER[ ÂżQLVK ,W ZDV WRR KLJKO\ SROLVKHG WR JLYH XV WKH WUDFWLRQ ZH QHHGHG WR ÂżQG D FRQVLVWHQW EUHDNSRLQW :H UHPRYHG WKH SROLVKHG ZLWK D $EUDORQ SDG RQ DOO WKUHH WHVW EDOOV 7KH URXJKHU VXUIDFH JRW the ball hooking sooner, giving us a much better reaction. Our sport pattern gave us some over/under at the box ÂżQLVK 3DWWHUQV WKDW DUH VKRUWHU RU KDYH OHVV YROXPH ZLOO JLYH EHWWHU UHDFWLRQV

SUMMARY Strengths: The Solaris still gets down the lane while the core wants to rev up. This gives bowlers a strong reaction at the breakpoint, without VDFULÂżFLQJ FRQWURO Weakness: /RQJ KHDY\ RLO SDWWHUQV FDQ FDXVH SUREOHPV IRU WKH 6RODULV 3ODWLQXP (GLWLRQ DW WKH ER[ ÂżQLVK %HVLGHV WKH UHDOO\ VOLFN VWXII PRVW ERZOHUV ZLOO ÂżQG D XVH IRU WKH 6RODULV 3ODWLQXP (GLWLRQ RQ DOPRVW DQ\WKLQJ HOVH Overall: The cover and core combination of the Solaris Platinum Edition make it a great tool on a wide variety of medium volume conditions. The color scheme of the ball allows the bowler to read the reaction easily.

PAGE 28

BOWLING THIS MONTH

OCTOBER 2013

BALL TALK REVIEWS

BYTE

RATINGS*

*Scale: 1-10 Ratings, drillings and diagrams listed in the following order: Stroker/Tweener/Cranker

OILY: 8/8/9 MEDIUM: 9.5/9.5/9.5 DRY: 6/5/3 SPORT: 6/6/7

GENERAL INFO Coverstock Name: ERG Pearl Reactive Type: Reactive Pearl Box Finish: 1500 grit polish Color: Silver/Blue/Purple Core Density: Dual Asymmetrical Enhanced Mass Bias: .020 For Lane Conditions and Drillings, Please see Ball Notes on Page 18

2.52

RG: The Byte uses a new version of the G2 core shape called G2+ that was used in the Sync.

.043

Diff/Flare: 7KH * FRUH RIIHUV OHVV Ã&#x20AC;DUH SRWHQWLDO WKDQ WKH 6\QF 7KH %\WH VWLOO SURYLGHV

7.5

Torque: The Byte has a serious bite at the breakpoint. This ball can turn on a dime and really goes sideways when it sees friction.

Length: 7KH SROLVKHG ER[ Â¿QLVK DOORZV WKH %\WH WR FOHDU WKH IURQW ZLWK QR SUREOHP $FWXDOO\ we had no problem on any of our patterns getting the ball through the front. .

Scale: 1-20

Back End: The back end of the Byte is massive. We could get this ball back from almost anywhere on our medium pattern.

Total Hook: The total hook for the Byte is pretty high considering its polished pearlized

Scale: 1-10

Scale: 1-25

Scale: 1-100

7KLV PRGLÂ¿HG VKDSH KDV D KLJK 5* WKDW SXVKHV LW GRZQ WKH ODQH HDVLO\

RYHU IRXU LQFKHV RI WRWDO WUDFN Ã&#x20AC;DUH

ER[ Â¿QLVK 7KH PDMRULW\ RI WKH KRRN IURP WKH %\WH WDNHV SODFH IURP WKH EUHDNSRLQW WR SLQV

Comments: 7KH %\WH LV WKH ODWHVW DGGLWLRQ WR 6WRUPÂ¶V 0DVWHU SHUIRUPDQFH OLQH 7KLV EDOO XVHV WKH (5* pearlized coverstock that was used on the Lucid and surrounds a new core shape called G2+. This core is similar LQ VKDSH WR WKH * FRUH LQ WKH 6\QF EXW KDV D KLJKHU 5* DQG ORZHU GLIIHUHQWLDO 7KDW JLYHV LW WKH DELOLW\ WR KDYH a giant move at the back end. The immense back end reaction gave us the best look on our medium test pattern. $OO WKUHH WHVWHUV ZHUH DEOH WR UHDOO\ RSHQ XS WKH ODQH RQ WKLV SDWWHUQ 7KLV EDOO KDG DOO NLQGV RI UHFRYHU\ ZKHQ ZH JRW LW WR WKH IULFWLRQ %RZOHUV ZKR DUH ORRNLQJ IRU D ELJ VNLG Ã&#x20AC;LS PRWLRQ IURP D KLJK SHUIRUPDQFH EDOO ZLOO ZDQW to have the Byte in their bag for medium type conditions. Cranker was able to use the Byte on the heavy test SDWWHUQ DW WKH ER[ Â¿QLVK 7KLV EDOO SXVKHG IDUWKHU GRZQ WKH ODQH WKDQ VRPH ERZOHUV ZRXOG OLNH WR VHH EXW LW KDG SOHQW\ RI EDFN HQG WR JHW LW WR WKH SRFNHW 6WURNHU DQG 7ZHHQHU QHHGHG D OLWWOH PRUH KHOS RQ WKLV SDWWHUQ VR ZH XVHG 6WRUPÂ¶V 5HDFWD 6FXII RQ WKH EDOO VSLQQHU DQG DSSOLHG LW WR WKH %\WH 7KH H[WUD VXUIDFH JRW WKH %\WH VWDUWHG TXLFNHU FDWFKLQJ WKHVH WZR WHVWHUV XS ZLWK &UDQNHU RQ WKLV SDWWHUQ 7KH ELJ VNLG VQDS UHDFWLRQ JDYH XV SUREOHPV on our sport pattern. The Byte wanted to react way too hard when it saw the hook at the end of this pattern. We XVHG D $EUDORQ WR UHPRYH WKH SROLVK RQ DOO WKUHH WHVW EDOOV 7KLV Â¿QLVK DOORZHG WKH %\WH WR VWDUW KRRNLQJ HDUOLHU VPRRWKLQJ GRZQ WKH UHDFWLRQ ZKHQ LW H[LWHG WKH SDWWHUQ :H JHQHUDOO\ GR QRW KDYH PXFK VXFFHVV ZLWK shiny pearlized balls on this pattern. The Byte offered too much hook for our short test pattern. The cover and core are too strong for anyone but people with tons of ball speed or no revolutions.

SUMMARY Strengths: There is no question that the biggest talent of the Byte is the gigantic back end motion. Even bowlers who are rev challenged will see a strong a change of direction when the Byte sees hook. Weakness: Heavy patterns that create carrydown quickly will cause the Byte to struggle. Short patterns will provide too much friction for such a strong coverstock. Overall 7KH %\WH ZLOO EH WKH EDOO WR KDYH LQ \RXU EDJ LI \RX ZDQW WR VHH D ELJ VNLG Ã&#x20AC;LS PRWLRQ RQ PHGLXP WR PHGLXP KHDY\ SDWWHUQV

OCTOBER 2013

BOWLING THIS MONTH

PAGE 29

BALL TALK REVIEWS

REIGN ON

RATINGS*

*Scale: 1-10 Ratings, drillings and diagrams listed in the following order: Stroker/Tweener/Cranker

OILY: 9/9/9 MEDIUM: 8/8/8 DRY: 6/5/4 SPORT: 7/7/8

GENERAL INFO Coverstock Name: R2S Hybrid Reactive Type: Reactive Hybrid Box Finish: 4000 grit pad Color: White Silver/Deep Purple Core Density: Dual Symmetrical For Lane Conditions and Drillings, Please see Ball Notes on Page 18

2.57

RG: The CAM core returns unaltered. This high RG core saves its roll for late in the midlane.

.048

Diff/Flare: 7KH &$0 FRUH SURYLGHV DURXQG Â¿YH LQFKHV RI WUDFN Ã&#x20AC;DUH 6WURNHU DQG 7ZHHQHU had just over four inches while Cranker had over four and a half.

Torque: 7KH 5HLJQ 2Q LV PRUH DQJXODU WKDQ WKH 5HLJQ RI 3RZHU 7KH $EUDORQ FRYHU can easily be adjusted to increase the response to friction.

6FDOH

12 6FDOH

Length: 7KH $EUDORQ Â¿QLVK ZDV HQRXJK JULW WR JHW WKLV EDOO VWULNLQJ IRU XV RQ WKH KHDY\ WHVW SDWWHUQ /LNH ZLWK WKH WRUTXH FRYHUVWRFN DOWHUDWLRQV DUH HDVLO\ WDNHQ E\ WKH 5 6 hybrid cover.

16 6FDOH

Back End: The Reign On dwarfs the Reign of Power in the back end department. The hybrid coverstock stores energy much easier than the PTF solid veneer.

Total Hook: The added energy the Reign On can retain actually allows it to have more

6FDOH

recovery and more total motion than the earlier rolling Reign of Power. Bowlers who need PRUH KRRN FDQ ORZHU WKH $EUDORQ Â¿QLVK WR LQFUHDVH WKH KRRN

Comments: 7KH 5HLJQ 2Q LV WKH QHZHVW EDOO LQ 6WRUPÂ¶V 7KXQGHU OLQH IRU WKH IDOO VHDVRQ 7KLV EDOO XVHV WKH SRSXODU &$0 FRUH DQG D VDQGHG YHUVLRQ RI 6WRUPÂ¶V 5 6 +\EULG 5HDFWLYH FRYHUVWRFN 7KLV EDOO FRPHV RXW RI WKH ER[ ZLWK $EUDORQ PXFK KLJKHU WKDQ WKH $EUDORQ RXW RI ER[ Â¿QLVK RI WKH 5HLJQ RI 3RZHU 7KH UHVXOW LV D EDOO WKDW KDV PXFK PRUH DQJOH DW WKH EDFN HQG 7KH $EUDORQ Â¿QLVK ZDV VWLOO URXJK HQRXJK WR JLYH XV plenty of hook on our heavy test pattern without burning up its energy like the Reign of Power. The ball allowed all three testers to go a little straighter through the front and have added motion at the back to get to the pocket. &UDQNHU ZDV DEOH WR JR DZD\ IURP WKH KHDGSLQ DQG KDYH UHFRYHU\ DW WKH EDFN 7ZHHQHU DQG 6WURNHU KDG WR PDNH VXUH WR JR PRUH GLUHFWO\ WR WKH SRFNHW WR DYRLG EHLQJ WRR OLJKW :H ORZHUHG WKH JULW IRU WKHVH WHVWHUV WR $EUDORQ ZKLFK DOORZHG WKHP PRUH PLVV URRP RQ WKLV VOLFNHU SDWWHUQ (YHQ DW WKH URXJKHU Â¿QLVK WKLV EDOO KDG PXFK PRUH FRQWLQXDWLRQ WKDQ WKH 5HLJQ RI 3RZHU 0RYLQJ WR WKH PHGLXP WHVW SDWWHUQ WKH ER[ Â¿QLVK ZDV EHVW IRU DOO WKH WHVWHUV 7KH EDOO RIIHUHG WKH ULJKW DPRXQW RI WUDFWLRQ ZLWKRXW RYHU KRRNLQJ ZKHQ LW VDZ GU\ ERDUGV 7KH 5HLJQ 2Q RIIHUHG D VPRRWK DUF VKDSHG PRWLRQ IRU XV RQ WKLV SDWWHUQ 7KH WHVWHUV ZHUH DEOH WR SOD\ PRUH WRZDUG the center of the lane and keep the ball in the oil. On shots that were leaked a little right, the surface picked up WKH ODQH TXLFNO\ HQRXJK WR EOHHG RII HQRXJK HQHUJ\ WR VWD\ LQ WKH SRFNHW DQG DYRLG VSOLWV 7KH ER[ Â¿QLVK ZDV also best on the sport pattern. It gave us the same motion and shape we saw on the medium pattern. We only had VXFFHVV RQ WKH VKRUW SDWWHUQ E\ UDLVLQJ WKH FRYHUVWRFN WR D $EUDORQ Â¿QLVK EHIRUH DSSO\LQJ 6WRUPÂ¶V 6WHS Â¿QLVKLQJ FRPSRXQG 7KLV VXUIDFH JDYH XV DGGHG OHQJWK ZLWKRXW RYHU UHDFWLQJ WR WKH GU\ ERDUGV RQ WKLV ORZHU volume, shorter pattern.

SUMMARY Strengths: The Reign On takes the traction of the Reign of Power and adds a stronger change of direction and more back end motion. The high RG core keeps this ball from starting up too early. Weakness: Only short dry conditions will keep the Reign On out of play. If you really wanted to, you could use an exotic layout and make the surface a mirror to help on this pattern. Overall: The Reign On provides hook and back end motion on medium heavy to heavy conditions. It is no surprise how good this ball is, considering it utilizes one of the most successful coverstocks in history.

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BOWLING THIS MONTH

OCTOBER 2013

BALL TALK REVIEWS

WARLOCK XV PEARL

RATINGS*

*Scale: 1-10 Ratings, drillings and diagrams listed in the following order: Stroker/Tweener/Cranker

OILY: 6/7/8 MEDIUM: 9/9/9.5 DRY: 7/6/5 SPORT: 6/7/7

GENERAL INFO Coverstock Name: Warlock Pearl Reactive Type: Reactive Pearl Box Finish: Polished Color: Red/Cream Core Density: Dual Symmetrical For Lane Conditions and Drillings, Please see Ball Notes on Page 18

2.57

RG: 7KH KLJK 5* FRUH RI WKH :DUORFN ;9 3HDUO KHOSV ERZOHUV ORRS WR WKH EUHDNSRLQW XVLQJ

.038

Diff/Flare: 7KLV :DUORFN KDV WKH VDPH DPRXQW RI Ă&#x20AC;DUH SRWHQWLDO DV WKH VROLG FRYHU :DUORFN ;9 7KH FKDQJH WR D SHDUO FRYHUVWRFN DOORZV LW WR VDYH LWV Ă&#x20AC;DUH IRU WKH EDFN RI WKH ODQH

Torque: The coverstock puts the Warlock XV Pearl just shy of a skid/snap reaction. Bowlers can expect a strong, powerful move off the friction.

Scale: 1-25

Length: 7KH SROLVKHG ÂżQLVK DOORZV WKLV EDOO WR VNDWH WKURXJK WKH KHDGV HDVLO\ :H QHYHU KDG a problem with the Warlock XV Pearl checking up early.

16.5

Back End: This ball can cover plenty of boards at the back. We did not have endless recov-

Total Hook: The Warlock XV Pearl will give users less total motion than the Warlock XV.

Scale: 1-10

Scale: 1-20

Scale: 1-100

no energy in the front of the lane. The core shape is the same as the Warlock XV.

ery down lane, but we had plenty of area.

We found it to offer the same total amount of hook as the Classic, but a much different motion.

Comments: The Warlock XV Pearl takes the weight block used in the Warlock XV and surrounds it with a pearlized polished cover. This cover and core matched up best for us on our medium test pattern. The Warlock XV Pearl gave all our testers about the same amount of success on this pattern. The pearl cover did not see the front of the lane, allowing it to use all its energy for the back end. Stroker was obviously playing the straightest, with Tweener farther left and Cranker left of him. All three testers were able to get the ball to the same breakpoint down the lane and take full advantage of the strong back end reaction. The dry test pattern gave us the next best reaction. Stroker was able to knock down a lot more pins on this pattern than our other testers. Stroker made a small move left with his feet and target on this pattern and was lined up right in the pocket. Tweener needed to add ball speed to his delivery to keep the Warlock XV Pearl on the desired ball track. Cranker made the most adjustments to get the Warlock XV Pearl to the pocket on this pattern. He had to loft the ball to delay the hook and be very sure not to hit up at the release as well. He also moved farther right to avoid having the ball too far left on this short pattern. We took a 2000 Abralon pad to all three test balls after a few shots on our heavy test SDWWHUQ $W WKH ER[ ÂżQLVK LW ZDV WRR HDV\ WR VNDWH WKH :DUORFN ;9 3HDUO SDVW WKH EUHDNSRLQW :LWK WKH SROLVK removed, the ball picked up the lane earlier and added more hook. We still had to be sure not to get too aggressive ZLWK EDOO VSHHG RQ WKLV ORQJHU SDWWHUQ 7KH VSRUW SDWWHUQ JDYH 6WURNHU D IHZ SUREOHPV DW WKH ER[ ÂżQLVK 7KH EDOO wanted to skid too far down the lane before it wanted to hook and it had a very vicious reaction when it exited the pattern. Tweener and Cranker did not have the over-skid because of their higher rev rates. Stroker removed the polish with a 4000 Abralon pad to get the ball to pick up earlier and smooth out the breakpoint. With this adjustment, Stroker was able to keep up with the other two testers on this pattern.

SUMMARY Strengths: The big move the Warlock XV Pearl makes at the breakpoint is the biggest strength for all bowlers. We also like how this ball hits WKH SLQV ,W KDV D GLIIHUHQW ZD\ RI JRLQJ WKURXJK WKH SLQV EHFDXVH LW ODFNV ÂżOOHU PDWHULHO LQ WKH FRUH Weakness: +HDYLHU YROXPHV RI RLO FDQ FDXVH SUREOHPV IRU WKH :DUORFN ;9 3HDUO DW WKH ER[ ÂżQLVK 7KH KLJKHU 5* FRUH DQG SROLVKHG ÂżQLVK will need some help on heavier patterns. Overall: The Warlock XV Pearl provides a step down from the Warlock XV. It is the ball to change into when the Warlock XV starts to hook too early or too much. It will also be the ball to use on medium to lighter conditions.

OCTOBER 2013

BOWLING THIS MONTH

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susie minshew

nuts & bolts

How to make training more productive and fun, Part 1

o athlete progresses in their chosen sport without training to improve skill levels. You can't train if you're keeping score and if you're keeping score, winning matters. If winning matters, you're not training. There are many ways to practice which will allow you to evaluate your performance without keeping regular score. Some of these games will work if you are training alone and all can be adapted to work for your team.

Baby Split Game This game requires that you shoot the 2/7 or the 3/10 with a full rack. When you do, you'll tend to leave some very creative designer spare combinations. After you've thrown that first shot you’ll have four possibilities. Take five shots at each of them. Possibility # 1 - For the first five frames, shoot the 2/7 and then convert whatever you leave. Keep track of how many times you actually convert what you left. This is excellent practice for cluster spare conversions or unusual combinations of pins. For the next five frames, shoot the 3/10 with a full rack and convert whatever mess you leave. Possibility # 2 - Shoot the 2/7 with a full rack and pick off only one more pin from that big wad you've left standing. On the next five shots, shoot the 3/10 off the full rack and again try to pick off only one more pin.

Possibility # 3 – For this five shots, shoot the 2/7. On your second shot of the frame, do whatever you need to do to leave the headpin as the only pin standing after you've taken your two shots. Repeat with the 3/10. Possibility # 4 – Shoot the 3/10 off a full rack and then figure the most difficult thing you can try to pick up. For example, when you shoot the 3/10 with a full rack, you might leave the 1/2/4/9. Picking off just the 4/9 might not be too easy. Picking off the 2/4/9 would be hard. Getting the 9 only would be interesting but getting the 1/9 would be a real crowdpleaser. You get the idea. Challenge yourself. Since it’s more important that you train frequently than that you conduct a 2½ hour marathon session, five frames of each of these is plenty. To expand the fun, do the first two possibilities one day and the second two on another day.

The Impact Point Game Thanks to BTM Founder Bob Summerville for telling me about this game of pure accuracy. You have to decide before you roll your spare shot exactly where it's going to impact what pin. For instance, let's say you left a 10 pin. You've got to decide where your ball will impact that pin. If you say that you'll hit the 10 in the nose and you hit the left side of it, it's an open frame.

Susie Minshew is a USBC Gold Coach, Master Silver Instructor, a regional PWBA champion, and past president of IBPSIA. She has authored two new books, Whoever Finds It First, Wins and Bowling Whisperer. Visit her online at www.strikeability.com.

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BOWLING THIS MONTH

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nuts & bolts Say you leave the 4/7. Is your ball going to hit both pins right in the face? Are you going to try to send the 4 over to the 10 pin side? Are you going to hit the extreme right side of the 4 and send it into the 7 or, even more exciting, around the 7 pin? If you do what you say you're going to do, it counts as a conversion. If not, it's an open frame. Do this for all your spare shots for a game. It's even more challenging when you're practicing with a buddy. Saying your intentions out loud to someone else can be a great motivator.

The Dots and Arrows Game The goal in this game is to hit the pocket from every dot and every arrow and every dot. I actually did not make a typo there. You will attempt to hit the pocket from every dot on the approach, then every arrow, then every dot on the lane. Actually, when you first begin to practice this, it's probably more realistic to try to hit the pocket from the first five arrows, from the first six approach dots, and from the first seven lane dots. After you've honed your skills a bit, use them all. You'll learn a lot about body alignment (angling your shoulders, hips, and feet with the target path), speed control, and hand positions. If it's slick in the middle, how will you get your ball to finish when you're in deep? If it's dry at the first arrow, how will you generate enough speed and what ball should you choose to hold the ball out until it gets near the pocket? It's a great exercise for expanding your skills.

Pin Points This is a truly challenging game I learned from former Team USA player, John Eiss. It can be played alone or with a friend or a whole wad of folks. It’s a very unique way to shoot 300! There are ten frames in a game. There are different goals, different point values, and a different number of shots allowed for each frame. The “goal” is the number of pins you need to knock down with the shots allowed for that frame. If you don't knock down the

OCTOBER 2013

correct number, it counts as zero for that frame. If that happens, don't rerack. Shoot what is left or pick something off. Do something to challenge yourself. The game works like this. FRAME GOAL

SHOTS SCORE ALLOWED

Strike

One

Two pins

Two

Three pins

Two

Four pins

Two

Five pins

Two

Six pins

Two

Seven pins

Two

Eight pins

Two

Nine pins

Two

One pin

One

The total for a perfect game is 300 and a really good score is 150. Have fun!

Low Ball This game has been around a long time. Its purpose is to get as few pins as possible with each delivery. It's a wonderful way to improve accuracy and learn more about how to make spares as well. You must get at least one pin with every shot or it counts as ten. There are ten frames with two deliveries per frame. Obviously, on one shot you try to pick off the 7 and with your other, the 10. If you do it, that would be a score of two. A perfect score is 20. A good score is between 50 and 60. Let's say your first shot was toward the 10. You'll often find that if you hit the 6/10, the 6 will hit the 9 and the 9 will begin a chain reaction taking the 4/7/8, and you're left with the 1/2/3/5. (Remember this shot when you play the "Pin Points" game and need a six count). Your job now is to get as few of these pins as possible and you must get at least one. So, now you have to plan. What an idea! If you throw a pocket shot, you'll probably get the 1/2/3 and leave the 5 but then again you might get the 5 as well. Getting three or four

BOWLING THIS MONTH

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nuts & bolts is certainly not what you want to do. If you try to clip the left side of the 2, you could get the 5 as well for a count of two to be added to the six you've already scored. If you try to pick the 3 off, you might miss the 3 altogether which would count as ten to be added to the six. So take your best shot. Figure out what roll you need to hit what pin. You also have to know where the ball will be deflected and where the pin it hits will be deflected to determine your optimum shot. This type of planning will greatly aid you in your ability to judge ball reaction at the pin deck and to understand pin impact points and how deflection helps you. So, your most challenging shot will be to pick the 3 pin off. The easy way out is to hit the left side of the 2 pin.

Seven Up This is a game for a team practice session or just more than one person practicing together. It's also more challenging if you're using more than one pair. Let's say you're first and you throw a shot on lane 9, for instance. If you strike, the second bowler must also strike on that lane or it's one point against them. If the second bowler strikes, it's two points to the third bowler and so on for each participant. If, by some miracle, you don't strike, make your spare and then the second bowler is up. Continue through the rotation until everyone has thrown a strike attempt on lane 9. When it's your turn again, move to lane 10. Shoot all your spares. Sweeping spares sets a bad precedent and you can always use the practice. If there were four players, for example, and all four of you struck on lane 9, it's four points to you as you step up on lane 10. If you don't strike, you've got four points against you. If you do strike (much more likely), it's five points to the poor soul who follows you in the rotation. Keep moving to the right for as many lanes as you're using and then back to lane 9 you go. Bowlers are eliminated from the competition when they get seven against them until only one person is left â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the winner.

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Strike Frenzy This is another great game for a team practice session or for several people practicing together. You need at least four lanes to make it more competitive. Let's say there are six of you and you have three pair, lanes 1-6. You should decide before you begin if you're going to give one lane or zero lane courtesy. Giving zero will certainly enhance your concentration skills! I'm going to name these people to make this easier to understand. Bill throws shots on lane 1 until he strikes, earning the right to move to lane 2. There will, of course, be lots of teasing and catcalling of poor Bill who drew the short straw and has to go first! When he FINALLY strikes on lane 1 and moves to lane 2, Ami steps up on lane 1 and begins trying to strike. Now, let's say Ami strikes on lane 1 on her first shot. She moves to lane 2 and begins to alternate shots with Bill. Now Leon begins his turn on lane 1. If Ami should strike on 2 before poor Bill does, she'll move ahead of him to lane 3. Leon will get three attempts on Lane 1. If he has not struck after three attempts, Geoffrey enters the fray. Leon and Geoffrey alternate shots on 1 until Geoffrey either has three attempts or strikes. When he strikes, he moves on to lane 2. If he doesn't, make room for Pam, who's been frothing at the bit to get started. You get the picture. You have to strike to move on. The only time that three attempt rule applies is on the beginning lane. In my policy of doing all the dumb stuff so you don't have to, I learned the three shot rule the hard way. Without one, a poor guy took 22 shots before he struck on the first lane. The three shot rule won't stop someone from taking 22 shots but will allow everyone to play! The object, of course, is to be the first player to strike on all lanes. First one to strike on lane 6 wins. Variations of this game are to complete the circuit twice, complete it forward and backward, or to complete the circuit with the fewest number of attempts. I'll have more fun and challenging training games next time.

BOWLING THIS MONTH

OCTOBER 2013

chris mesagno

ten pin down under coaching concepts series

Athletes’ skills improve overall with some simple methods

n previous issues of Coaching Concepts, I have advocated that the quality, rather than the quantity, of feedback is most important when instructing bowlers. Last time I provided a method where coaches can get athletes involved in the decision making process by using self-selected feedback. In this issue, I continue this discussion on reducing feedback focusing on techniques (i.e., summary or average feedback method) that coaches can use to determine when feedback should be given, without the bowler’s input, in order to be more effective in their coaching method and improve the learning and retention of their instruction. The bottom line is that providing feedback on all shots may not be the most effective method of feedback and coaches should find more ways of coaching effectively without providing excessive feedback.

Summary feedback Summary feedback is a way to tell athletes how they performed on several practice attempts without the repetition of providing feedback after every single shot. Giving the feedback after a certain number of shots, rather than after every shot, allows for the same quality of information with less frequency. In the 2012 Coaches Concepts articles in BTM, where I interviewed expert bowling coaches about their feedback use, some already used the summary feedback technique. For example, when discussing how often he provides feedback to bowlers, Steve Fuhrman suggested “I don’t provide feedback on every shot. I like to have students take three shots and then discuss.… So, by waiting for three shots, there’s opportunity for enough variety to use as basis for conversation and additional feedback.” Steve uses the previous three shots

Dr. Chris Mesagno is a lecturer in Exercise and Sport Psychology at the University of Ballarat in Australia. He received his Ph.D. from Victoria University, specializing in Sport Psychology and Motor Learning. A competitive bowler of 25 years, he was a member and assistant coach of the University of Florida bowling team from 1998-2001 and is a Tenpin Bowling Australia /HYHO &HUWL¿HG &RDFK

OCTOBER 2013

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ten pin down under as a basis for discussion around the good and bad parts of the shot attempt. He provides feedback and allows discussion to develop so that lines of communication continue to develop, which helps build rapport. There have been a few studies that have provided favorable results for summary feedback, but I focus first on an article by Schmidt, Young, Swinnen, and Shapiro (1989). As always, I will explain the experiment and results in bowling terminology rather than the actual experimental task used. Schmidt and his colleagues asked bowlers (not really, but let’s go with it) to perform the pushaway, where the accuracy of learning the pushaway was measured. During the skill acquisition phase of the study, where 60 practice shots were completed, bowlers were involved in one of four groups: Summary 1, Summary 5, Summary 10, and Summary 15. The Summary 1 group was given feedback after each shot attempt, depending on the mistake that was provided in the attempt. For the Summary 5, 10, and 15 groups, bowlers were provided summary feedback after a total of 5, 10, and 15 shots only, which included a list of problems that arose from the previous 5, 10, or 15 shots, respectively. After the 60 shots of skill acquisition, the bowlers were asked to complete ten shots in a retention test two days later to determine which group learned and retained the information the best. Results indicated that the group that received feedback after every shot performed better than all other groups who received summary feedback. However, they performed worse in the retention test than the other groups, irrespective of the amount of shots between the feedback given. This study was one of the first to identify that summary feedback is more beneficial than providing feedback after each shot. There are at least two main lessons coaches can learn from these results. The positive results from providing more frequent feedback

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during a training session (or lesson) can be deceiving. That is, athletes may be more accurate during a training session with frequent feedback than athletes who are not provided much feedback. Secondly, the positive performance effects do not last when the bowler is tested when feedback is not being constantly provided (i.e., retention test). That is, analyzing the results in full, the deceptive positive result in practice is often washed away in a competitive situation, i.e., when the coach is not able to provide feedback on every shot due to the competitive environment. Because limited to no feedback is provided during competition, the bowler may become dependent on the feedback, which leads to negative performance and skill execution. Summary feedback, on the other hand, allows the athlete to “digest” the information, make decisions for himself, and determine a method of better execution through his own methods.

Do these differences persist over time? Summary feedback is helpful for performance, learning and retention of sport skills, but only when measured in a retention test a couple of days after the bowler has learned the skill. One question that is not answered yet is whether these differences between summary feedback groups and more frequent feedback groups last longer than two weeks. One study (Lavery, 1962) investigated whether the performance benefits for the summary group were also beneficial at different time periods of up to 93 days. Participants completed a skill acquisition period followed by a retention test six times (at Days 7, 8, 9, 10, 37, and 93) to determine if the feedback lead to more learning and retention over a long period of time. Lavery found that the summary group was least effective, but most accurate during all

BOWLING THIS MONTH

OCTOBER 2013

ten pin down under the retention tests, no matter how long after the skill acquisition period. Furthermore, the group that received the most feedback performed best in the skill acquisition period, but seems to lose accuracy during the six retention tests. Over an extended period of time, the group provided with the least feedback was most effective over time, which confirms that the group most effective for practice and performance was least effective for learning and retention.

Factors to consider when employing summary feedback There are at least two factors to consider when adopting the summary feedback method and deciding on how many shots to have the bowler take before providing feedback. The first factor is whether the skill is complex or simple. The general rule of thumb is that the simpler the task, the more shots can be performed before summary feedback is used, while less shots should be taken before feedback is given for more complex tasks. Considering bowling is a relatively complex sport skill with large and small muscle groups being used simultaneously with locomotion, it would seem logical that less shots should be performed before feedback is provided. So less shots before feedback is given (in the case of the bowling approach) may be more. Another factor to consider when employing this summary feedback is the skill level of the bowler. Coaches should provide less experienced bowlers with feedback after a short number of shots, whereas more skilled bowlers can probably handle waiting a longer number of shots before being given feedback. When considering these suggestions, it should be noted that no optimal amount of shots has been determined before summary feedback should be provided. These suggestions are merely guidelines to consider.

OCTOBER 2013

Facebook and sport research Chris Mesagno and his Honors student Kim Encel are looking for bowlers to participate in a study investigating the relationship between Facebook use and psychological characteristics of bowlers and athletes. The only criteria is that you must have a Facebook account and be a regular bowler. The survey-based study takes less than 15 minutes to complete. Dr. Chris is hoping to get as many bowlers as possible to increase the exposure of bowling to the sport science community. To participate, go to this link or type in this web address http://tinyurl.com/lnlro84 on any web browser and complete the questionnaire. The responses are completely anonymous. No one can identify who you are on the basis of your responses.

Average feedback Another feedback type that can be used to reduce the frequency of feedback is average feedback. Average feedback is a variant of summary feedback whereby feedback consists of averaged information on a number of trials. Generally, average feedback is different to summary feedback in two main respects. Average feedback is primarily numerical rather than informative in nature. That is, a bowler practicing the pushaway over five shots may be provided the following feedback, “on average your pushaway was about two inches too high during those five shots,” whereas summary feedback might be “quicker and more extension is needed on each pushaway.” Secondly, average feedback provides general tendencies in performance rather than more specific details of what has happened.

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ten pin down under General information about how far away an athlete is from correct execution allows them to readjust skill execution for themselves to help develop their ability to correct errors when needed. It should be noted that I have purposely not provided research for the use of average feedback because researchers have found that summary and average feedback styles have similar positive learning and retention effects for skill execution. The results of the summary feedback method translate into similar results for the average feedback method, with average feedback methods being more helpful in retention tests and skill learning than more frequent feedback.

How can I use these feedback types? I am a firm believer that the bowler and coach need to work together to implement the most appropriate amount of feedback. I believe this will be individual-specific and that there is no “one size fits all.” If the bowler believes too much information is being provided during their lessons, then reducing the frequency of feedback through average or summary feedback may be warranted. It is ultimately the bowler who will benefit from the open communication and providing their own input into the coaching process, but an open coach/athlete dialogue

PAGE 38

may be needed to determine the success or use of these techniques. For coaches, a general mix of summary and average feedback during a lesson may be a useful approach. There have been times when I have provided feedback first via a summary feedback approach and then changed my focus to an average feedback approach because the bowler was being overwhelmed by information-rich, qualitative feedback. This change improved consistency, freed up some “headspace,” and decreased frustration.

Conclusions In essence, the summary and average feedback methods reduce the frequency of feedback and provide the necessary information for better learning and retention. If used effectively, this technique can improve the learning and retention of skill execution by allowing the bowler to take more responsibility in the error detection system. References Schmidt, R.A., Young, D.E., Swinnen, S. & Shapiro, D.C. (1989). Summary knowledge of results for skill acquisition: Support for the guidance hypothesis. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 15(2), 352-359.

BOWLING THIS MONTH

OCTOBER 2013

jack schmid

senior spotlight

How ball weight impacts your game

y now the new league season is well underway. After Bowl Expo ended in June, ball manufacturers came out with their new equipment for the 2013-2014 season. Many of these new balls were reviewed in the August and September issues of BTM. There have been a lot of questions posed to me recently about these balls and specifically about ball weights. These questions came from the parents of junior bowlers up through many of our seniors. t How do you determine which ball weight is right for a bowler who is just beginning or just returning after a long lay off? t What would be the right weight ball for me if I have severe arthritis? t Would going down in ball weight hurt my game?

t I'm just getting back to bowling after retiring and I still have my 40-year old 16 pound ball. It still fits, but really feels heavy. Should I change? t I am just returning from back surgery. Should I change weights? Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s start with some ball weight basics. Bowling balls are manufactured in weights from 6 pounds to 16 pounds. Most centers have house balls available in all of those weights. House balls are drilled for the masses so it would truly be a miracle if a house ball fit you perfectly. When using house balls, many bowlers ask me if the weight of the house ball they are using is the weight ball they should buy. I ask if they are comfortable with the weight, if they

Jack Schmid is a Silver Coach, a Ritger Level II Coach, an Honor Graduate of the Institute of Professional Bowling Instruction, and has been named a BJI Top 100 Coach eight times. He can be reached at jack_schmid@hotmail.com.

OCTOBER 2013

BOWLING THIS MONTH

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senior spotlight can control the ball, if it is bothering them at all physically, and if they can maintain their balance at the finish. If there are no negative answers I recommend, as many coaches do, they consider purchasing a ball one pound heavier than the house ball they are using. When a ball is fitted to your hand by the professional ball driller in the pro shop, you will not have to squeeze the ball to hold on to it during the swing, so you should be able to handle the extra pound. The weight of the ball is a very individual thing and there is no “one size fits all” answer. Recently, I had two lessons which could not have been more diverse. One senior lady rolled an 8 pound ball about 8 miles per hour and wondered why she could not get strikes. The very next lesson was with a 60 year old man rolling a 16 pound ball at 18 miles per hour also complaining about not striking. Ah, the joys of coaching! Things like that really keep you on your toes. We’ll get back to them later.

Conversely, you hear some say that nothing hits harder than a 16 pound ball. In a recent PBA tournament, both Chris Barnes and Norm Duke were using 16 pound equipment. Norm was asked by announcer Randy Pederson why he had chosen 16 pound equipment and Norm stated that the weight would work best on that condition to drive out the 5 pin to carry pocket hits. However, when you take into account the current cores, drilling methods, surfaces, and bowler's abilities to increase revolutions and adjust axis tilt and rotation, the heaviest ball weights may not necessarily be required. Here is a quote from Tom Kouros’ famous book Par Bowling: The Challenge: “One should sacrifice some weight whenever accuracy suffers from the effort needed to bowl with a maximum weight ball.” Whenever I train someone, accuracy always comes first followed by action. Many bowlers complain that they can’t hit their mark. Some of that may be ball weight - either too light or too heavy.

:KDW ZHLJKW IRU ZKDW ERZOHU" 'HÁHFWLRQ The 33¾ pounds of pins (assuming each pin weighs at least the legal minimum of 3 pounds 6 ounces) are waiting to be struck by some weighted round object. The heavier the ball, the more impact it will have on the pins. The heavier the ball, the more resistant the ball will be to the force the pins exert upon it. We are always attempting to use the dynamics of the ball to knock down the most pins. To do this effectively requires that the ball deflection off the pins be kept to a minimum. Less weight hitting the pins means the ball will deflect more. But that is not always the case. In some cases, the way the mass is distributed within that ball (how the driller took into account the core of the ball) can have an effect on its hitting power. That is why it seems some 15 pound balls, and even some 14 pound balls, seem to hit harder than 16 pound balls.

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There used to be an old saying that bowlers should use a ball that is 10 percent of their body weight. For anyone over 160 pounds, that method did not work since there are no bowling balls produced over 16 pounds. I personally don’t pay any heed to that old saying. I find that there are still senior men rolling 16 pound equipment but most are not happy with the results. It's time to manage the macho image and score better with lighter equipment. The high tech balls available today and the extensive possibilities of drilling can really benefit seniors. For all bowlers, the more specifics you know about how you roll your equipment the better your driller can prepare the ball for you. That knowledge includes your Positive Axis Point (PAP), axis tilt, axis rotation, and ball speed among other things. It is very important that you share that information as well as where

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senior spotlight and when you bowl so the driller can recommend the best ball for your circumstances. Just by looking at the ball review section of this issue, you can see what the inside of a ball looks like. As the ball weight is reduced, the density of core may change, as could the size and shape of the core. Pro shop operators are on top of this and can guide you in the right direction when reducing ball weight. Remember that Force = Mass x Acceleration. If you can roll a lighter ball with more speed you may still be able to knock down pins with efficiency. Although many of our senior bowlers used to roll 16 pound equipment “back in the day,” those days are gone for the majority. The PBA50 Tour came through The Villages this year with 160 of the greatest senior bowlers in the world. The weight of choice was 15 pounds with very few rolling 16 pounds and others rolling less than 15 pounds.

Returning from injury If one has undergone a physical impairment which may have included a major operation, coming back to this great sport may take some time and a lot of dedication. The most famous return from injury with which I am familiar is that of Rick Steelsmith. Steelsmith was a four time All-American at Wichita State and, as an amateur, won the Masters. He had the smoothest of approaches and a classic armswing which appeared effortless. However, he suffered a horrendous right shoulder injury which all but ended his bowling career. It took him years to come back. He started by rolling 6 and 8 pound equipment. It was great to see his name on the roster for several PBA tournaments in 2012 and 2013. His is a good example for all of us to follow when we are returning from some type of injury. First and foremost, follow the guidance of your doctor. Then, don’t be in a rush since the

OCTOBER 2013

There is the youth bowler who is growing and gaining strength every day and the senior bowler who is losing muscle mass every year and not necessarily able to roll the weight ball to which they have been accustomed. Even though this is the Senior Spotlight, let’s take a short look at what the proper ball weight could be for youth bowlers. In general, for ages 6-14, use the ball weight for the age of the youth bowler (10 pounds for 10 year olds, etc.) That has worked well for youth programs with which I have been connected. Of course, there are always exceptions based on the physical size and capabilities of each child. One of my outstanding young female bowlers at age eleven rolled a 14 pound ball to register her first 300 game. PeeWees below age 6 would have to use the lowest weight ball which is 6 pounds.

lanes are not going anywhere and all of your bowling family is behind you 100 percent. Start with lightweight equipment and work up to a ball weight you can handle that won't impede a free swing and will still allow you to keep your balance throughout the approach and especially at the finish.

Summary Here is a short story of the two bowlers from the first part of this article. The lady rolling the 8 pound ball who had difficulty striking was always rolling the ball down the middle and the deflection was really negatively impacting her results. I asked her to move right with her feet and modify the release so she could roll at the 1/3 pocket at an angle from between the

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senior spotlight first and second arrows. She struck a few times and was happy with the changes. The man rolling the 16 pound ball at 18 mph required a change in his release to get better rotation on the ball. He did that and his ball speed was lowered automatically to between 16 and 17 mph and he started striking. That demonstrates to me that neither ball weight nor ball speed is everything. This is a game of angles, primarily how your pocket is hit and how your ball drives out the 5 pin. I recommend using a ball weight which allows you to perform without excessive stress while being able to repeat shots and drive out the 5 pin. If you are increasing your ball weight and rolling in longer tournaments make sure you develop the stamina required to perform well over more games with more weight. Many of us have seen bowlers drop from 16 pounds

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to a lighter ball weight and increase their average. This can be a result of the reduced weight having less negative impact on the armswing and total approach and the finishing balance. Changing ball weight, either up or down, may help your game but the key is to maintain good timing, armswing, and release while remaining pain free. I feel that the three keys to good bowling are still timing, armswing, and release (thank you to the late John Jowdy). Your safety is always primary. Use a ball you can control without muscle and which causes you the least amount of stress. If you are going to roll in several leagues and weekend tournaments, you may want to consider reducing your ball weight. Work with your pro shop professional to select a ball with a core and surface which matches your game with when and where you bowl. Good luck!

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bill hall

from the pulpit

Consistently performing layouts From high track to full roller players

he league and tournament seasons are now in full swing and most likely many of you are getting ready to drill a new piece of equipment for either your league or your upcoming tournament competitions. I would like to give some advice on layouts I find to be the most consistent based on the way you â&#x20AC;&#x153;trackâ&#x20AC;? the bowling ball. Just in case you may not be completely sure of what a track is, I will also explain that in this article. Even though some of you will be looking for the technical explanation for the reasons I like these particular layouts, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not what this article will be about. This information is based on my experience of what works for most players. A ball track is determined by the location of the first oil ring in relation to the finger and thumbholes. The first ring produced is usually the one closest to the thumbhole. Ball Track As an example, I have drawn a dotted line on this track in the photo labeled Ball Track. This track is considered high because it is about 1 to 1 1/2 inches from the finger and thumbhole. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where we will start in the category of ball layouts.

High track layouts For a high track player, one of my favorite layouts is as shown in the photo labeled High Track Layout. This is for a ball that does not have the mass bias marked on it or that has a High Track Layout symmetrical core. t Place the pin above and between the middle and ring finger as indicated by the yellow dot. t Kick the Center of Gravity (CG) approximately two inches right of the grip's centerline as shown by the blue dot. t Drill a balance hole one inch below the axis point. If a player is to use an asymmetrical core that has the mass bias marked, the layout is basically the same. The only thing that changes is that the mass bias and the CG are stacked on top of each other. These two layouts provide a very predictable reaction and are excellent for having a strong motion on the back end of the lane.

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OCTOBER 2013

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from the pulpit Low track layouts A track farther away from the thumbhole and fingers is called a low track. The first oil line of a low track is between two and three inches away from the finger and thumbhole. One thing I have noticed with this type of track is that when the heads burn up and the midlane is still going through its transition, this type of track tends to get a little bit of an over/under reaction. Here are a couple of layouts I have been very successful with for this type of track. With a symmetrical core, the layout is shown in the photo labeled Low Track Layout. t Place the pin below the ring finger as indicated Low Track Layout by the yellow dot (approximately one inch). t Do not kick the CG out. Instead stack it underneath the pin as indicated by the blue dot and the red arrow connecting the both of them. If the player would like to use an asymmetrical core, the layout is basically the same but the mass bias is kicked out two to three inches.

LowER track layouts If a track gets even lower and farther away from the finger and thumbhole - say three to four inches - the tendency will be to have trouble moving to the inside of the lane and getting the ball motion to continue enough to create a good carry percentage. The layouts that will be explained have increased the carry percentage for players with this type of track. However, there is one side note that goes with this - these layouts have worked best with pearlized ball surfaces.

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With a symmetrical core, the layout I have been successful with is shown in the photo labeled LowER Track Layout. t Place the pin above the middle LowER Track finger as indicated Layout by the yellow dot. t Put the CG to the LEFT of the centerline as indicated by the blue dot but not so far that you will need to use a balance hole to bring the ball back to legal on side weight. When you are going to use an asymmetrical core, the layout is much the same but the placement of the mass bias is different. It will be kicked out to the right of the thumb- Asymmetrical Low hole as indicated by Track Layout the black dot in the photo labeled Asymmetrical Low Track Layout. It is at least three inches and no more than four inches from the thumbhole as indicated by the red arrow connecting the CG and the mass bias.

Very low track layouts With a track that is four or more inches from the holes, the biggest problem is when the lanes are at their slickest. The track is not big enough to put enough of the surface of the ball in contact with the surface of the lane. This makes the ball skid more (which is why it's commonly called a â&#x20AC;&#x153;spinnerâ&#x20AC;?). Here are a couple of layouts that have worked very well. On a side note, you must make sure the track is at least four inches or more away from the finger and thumbhole. If

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from the pulpit it is not, these layouts will pull the track up onto the thumbhole. With a symmetrical core, the layout that has been successful is shown in the photo labeled Very Low Track Layout. t Place the pin, indicated by the Very Low Track yellow dot, below Layout the thumbhole at least two inches. Make sure to not drill the thumbhole into the pin. t Put the CG to the LEFT of the centerline as indicated by the blue dot but not so far that you will need to use a balance hole to bring the ball back to being legal on side weight. With an asymmetrical core, the layout is very much the same with the pin and CG placement. The mass bias is placed near the ring finger as indicated by the black dot shown Asymmetrical Very in the photo labeled Low Track Layout Asymmetrical Very Low Track Layout.

Full roller layouts

Bonus full roller layouts

Now we move onto the much maligned track, the full roller. There are a lot of people who feel the full roller has no place in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s game. I highly disagree with that sentiment and opinion. A player who throws a full roller can create things on the lanes and have an incredible carry percentage when they have a natural full roller motion in their release. So, what is a full roller? A full roller tracks between the thumb and finger holes. The name of this track explains what it is, a full

OCTOBER 2013

roll. That means the track covers the full 27 inch circumference of the bowling ball, creating the most contact between the surface of the lane and the surface of the ball. The most common layout used for the full roller in a symmetrical core is shown in the photo labeled Full Roller Layout. t The pin is Full Roller Layout placed left of the thumbhole about two inches as indicated by the yellow dot. t The CG is left of the grip's centerline as indicated by the blue dot but not so far that you would need a balance hole to bring the ball back to legal static weight balances. The common layout for the full roller with an asymmetrical core is basically the same. The mass bias (indicated by the black dot) is placed up near the ring finger as you can see Asymmetrical Full Roller Layout in the photo labeled Asymmetrical Full Roller Layout.

There are more options than just these two for a full roller. When you move the pin below the thumbhole by at least two inches in a symmetrical core as shown in the photo labeled Full Roller

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Full Roller Option Layout

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from the pulpit Option Layout and place the CG in the same location as the first layout, this type of track experiences a nice "pop" at the back of the lane. For shorter patterns, another option for the full roller with a symmetrical core is to place the pin up near the ring finger and to the right as indicated by the yellow dot in the photo labeled Full Roller Weaker Layout.

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Should the player want to use an asymmetrical core, keep the pin placement the same as for the symmetrical core. Place the mass bias left of the thumbhole. You can see this indicated by the black dot in the photo labeled Asymmetrical Full Roller Weaker Layout. Full Roller Weaker Layout

Asymmetrical Full Roller Weaker Layout

It’s a wrap I hope you find this information helpful and that it gives you some layout options you may not have used or considered before. If you are unsure of whether you would want to purchase a new ball just to “test out” a ball layout, take a bowling ball you are not currently very fond of and have your pro shop technician plug it up for a test run. Welcome back to the full swing of bowling and I hope all of you have an improved year!

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