Blog Post #5: Overcoming an Obstacle

Striking Out

I looked down at the calluses on my right thumb, the black brace’s indent in my skin, and at my scratched up patriotic bowling ball sitting in the ball return. Trying to hold back the tears dangerously close to falling, I grabbed my ball and began furiously scrubbing the layers of oil slicked on top. For 2 hours straight, nothing but missed spares and missed pockets plagued my score. What did I have to do in order to strike again? What was I doing wrong? 

I played out the last frame, which of course ended in an open, and packed up my bowling equipment feeling utterly defeated. When I arrived at home, I began replaying my set up, my four steps to the line, and the feeling of releasing the ball onto the lane in my head. Was my release to early? Was my approach crooked? Asking myself all these questions, I finally realized that the only way I was ever going to find the answer was by watching myself. The next weekend, my dad drove me out to Fort Shafter Bowling Alley for a revenge match. I wrapped my brace around my right wrist, pulled out my ball, and began drying my hand on the weak fan in the ball rack. With ball in hand and feet set, I exhaled slowly and began my approach. With my left foot just an inch away from the start of the lane, I released my ball and watched it roll down the lane and swerve towards the 4 and 7 pin. It was the same pattern as the weekend before. Eager to understand my error, I ran towards my dad and watched myself on video. Not only was my timing completely messy but my right hand was terribly turned out on the release. With some trial and error and many videos later, my ball finally turned into the 1-3 pocket. However, a few videos and one proper strike was not enough. More research and a lot more practice was needed to perfect my game. 

Over the next few weeks I watched videos of professional bowlers approaching the line and releasing their balls at the line. I listened to tutorials on correcting timing for the approach to the line and even compared the thud my ball made upon release to the silent release of the professional players. After weeks of researching and practicing techniques at the alley, I found myself climbing over the slump. Picking up spares, hitting my marks, and landing my ball in the 1-3 pocket became more frequent. If not for my slump I wouldn’t have discovered a vast amount of bowling knowledge and my resilience as a player.