Bowling Bytes--5/1/10

~ One for the lefties -- "...Three years ago, I interviewed a young bowler who got off to a rough start in his USBC Open Championships debut, but drew on his raw talent and pulled things together in time for a top 10 finish in singles. He was excited, nervous, overwhelmed and really just trying to prove himself. His goal was to earn a spot on one of the elite tournament teams, which he knew would come with time and experience. I've seen him at various events since, talked to him on occasion and seen his game evolve as he tests himself against different types of competition. I saw him walking around the National Bowling Stadium last week. He's usually pretty quiet, but always friendly and polite, and this year was no different. We chatted briefly, and I wished him luck and went on my way. This year, he finally got the invitation he'd been hoping for, and was scheduled to shoe up with an experienced team. If it were me, I would've been painfully nervous about letting my new teammates down, and he very well might have been, but I did not get to see him before his team event. Whether he was nervous or not is irrelevant, however, as nearly shooting 800 and leading your team into the top 10 is the perfect way to prove to yourself and your teammates that you belong..."

~ Three bowlers roll perfect games at USBC Open Championships -- "The second half of the 2010 USBC Open Championships is underway, and the scoring pace has picked up as three bowlers rolled perfect games at the National Bowling Stadium. Ken Konczos of Sagamore Hills, Ohio, rolled the 11th 300 of the year in his final game of singles Thursday night, while Matthew Randall of Allen Park, Mich., tossed the 12th in his last game of doubles Friday afternoon. Rodney Machacek of Lincoln, Neb., followed suit three games later to make it a baker's dozen..."

~ Mansour Al-Awami posts big scores on his way to the title in ABF Tour Egypt leg -- "Mansour Al-Awami (pictured left), Qatar, averaged over 245 en route to win his first career Asian Bowling Federation Tour title in the 2010 Egypt leg Friday at the International Bowling Center in Cairo. In the championship match, Al-Awami defeated Jassem Darwish (right), Kuwait, 237-200, to wrap up the title..."

~ Elite Level Conditioning Tips -- "You bowl all year round, but certain segments of your bowling calendar are busier/more important than others, right? Then you need to match your training with your bowling calendar to make sure you are at your best when it matters most. Periodized training will help you do so..."

~ The Need for a Scientific Approach to Our Sport -- "Ironically, the title of my monthly contribution to the Asian Bowling Digest suggests that bowling is a sport. And, from my 37 years of experience in this addictive enterprise of bowling, including 25 years as a coach, I believe bowling to definitely be a sport. Yet, the truth remains that bowling is understudied from a sport science perspective. We, as a tenpin community, really don’t know much about what is needed to enhance human performance, whether it be an in-depth biomechanical or physiological understanding of bowling..."

~ An early swing can bring early elimination: Without synchronized timing of your arm and leg, it'll be tough to hit the ideal release point (John Jowdy, Bowling This Month, May 2010, pgs. 52-54) -- "A free armswing is one of the greatest assets for a solid fundamental game. Free armswings are the trademarks of bowling stars like Chris Barnes, Parker Bohn, Norm Duke, Pete Weber, and Walter Ray Williams...to name a few..."