HOW TO REPROGRAM YOUR MENTAL GAME!

Adjust for better scores!  

By Alan Brizee © 2000, rev. 2020,  Author of The Path to Excellence and 

               From Excellence to Success

     NOTE: This article is for right-handed bowlers while left handers will have to reverse adjustments. Even the two handers will have to move maybe twice as much as stated due to the extra revolutions you put on your ball. All these adjustments are not set in stone, and each bowler will have to understand that your style will determine how much you need to adjust. That is why practice is valuable for everyone that wants to be a “good bowler”J. This article was intended to help anyone that wanted to improve their bowling by showing that adjusting will be required these days and understanding what adjustments they may need to practice on. The hard part is knowing what may work when you may feel like you’re lost. One adjustment today may be different next week. With oil, humidity and where others are playing, is why you need to know what kind of adjustments fit your game the best. A big reminder is that the dots and arrows are on the lane for a reason. You should get comfortable targeting at both dots and arrows if bowling even at just one center. You may need to target differently when you bowl the city and state tournament. Looks like it’s time to practiceJ. I can’t believe this article is almost 20 years old. I have added a little for better understanding and hope it helps you.

      Decisions, decisions, decisions. Are you going to make the best choice? You may not get a second chance at victory. Experience from actual competition and practicing will determine if you made the intelligent estimation. Just because your adjustment worked last time at one center, don’t assume it will be the answer whatever lanes you’re on. You should know what happens when you assume anything. There are a lot of variables, and they can change as fast as the very next frame. You’ll never predict what may happen after your last frame. There are others playing slightly different areas on the lanes and the oil is changing and picked up by reactive equipment. It will sometimes come down how well did you roll it? A slight lapse of focus isn’t to put blame on the conditions. But now another decision, since you know it was you and came in high, is it adjust on a bad shot? Damned if you do and damned if you don’t. It comes down to making an intelligent estimation based on how hard you ball snapped when it got through the oil. You’ll have to make the call on what you do. Confer with your teammates or others watching as what the lanes are doing. They may help you make the right decision.

       Adjusting is an art. It has been said, "Good bowlers adjust". Adjusting for bowling is about 20% of the mental game. This 20% can add huge numbers to your score. It is a difficult thing to master and one of the most important factors for top amateurs and pro bowlers. There has not been many articles on adjusting, which is one reason I'm writing this one. There are bowlers that need some help in adjusting on the scratch level and I hope this article will help you improve your game. Bowlers in the Traveling Masters bowling on different conditions each week, should have an idea what adjustments are and how to make them work for them. Why do bowlers have to adjust? You MUST have the knowledge to adjust to be able to average 200. The more knowledge you have, the faster you can make adjustments and as a result, shoot consistently higher scores. Bowling in a traveling league or in tournaments, this knowledge could bring you record scores. Tournaments where you will cross lanes, makes knowing adjustments, an asset. With crossing pairs, you might be adjusting after a shot on each lane. Knowing your own game and the knowledge needed to adjust could result in making the next cut or in getting a check. Due to today's equipment which can act like a sponge and absorb oil, 3 adjustments during a 3 game session is not that uncommon. Adjusting will be required for throwing strings of strikes while bowling in leagues or tournaments. It will also be needed on converting spares, splits and washouts. The knowledge to adjust is the biggest key for consistent scoring and obviously more important on your strike shot. But there is no excuse for missing a spare a 2nd time because you did not adjust. Knowing how and when to adjust could easily add 10 or more pins to your game. You also must determine when an adjustment is needed. Missing the pocket on a couple of shots, may indicate an adjustment is needed. Only you can determine what adjustments work best for you. If after making adjustments and nothing is going well for you, remember not to quit. Once you give up, you won't learn. I've learned a few things very late in a match that has helped me later in my career because I didn't quit. I hope these tips will help you understand the different types and if or when adjustments might need to be made. Even if only a few of these tips work for you, they will get you thinking about what you need to learn or what you may have to work on to master making adjustments. Use them as suggestions. Slight modifications may be needed for you.

      Knowing the 5 factors that will help you when adjustments are needed are the key for all bowlers. There are times that these factors could be the problem, and you need to concern yourself about correcting them before more adjustments can be made. These factors are concentration, confidence, execution, attitude and timing. These factors determine the type of adjustments you will make. What type and the amount you will adjust, will depend on your individual style of bowling. The five basic types of adjustments are feet, target, equipment, hand position and speed. The last two are usually only used after a lot of practice. JUST BECAUSE OTHERS ARE MAKING ADJUSTMENTS, DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU HAVE TO. You might be the last bowler on the pair to make an adjustment. Your teammates might tell you the lanes are breaking down; you should use this information as an indication that the lanes might change for you. As you know, some high hits carry as well as light hits. Talking with teammates about what the lanes are doing will help in making adjustments. I have used this information to make adjustments before I really got into trouble. You must know that making adjustments also come down to following: 1. the type of the ball you are using; 2. the break point of the ball; 3. How the ball is drilled; 4. what area of the lane you are using; 5. the angle to the pocket your ball takes; 6. the lane conditions; 7. how well you are throwing the ball; 8. and of course your mental game. Not all adjustments you make will work. It might require making a second adjustment because the first adjustment was not enough, too much, your physical game is off like timing or need to think through the situation better. The more boards you cross (where your ball lands on the heads to where your ball turns over and starts hooking), the bigger adjustments and the quicker you'll be making them. Knowing the characteristics of the lanes will help in adjusting. You also have to realize that one lane could break down while the other lane has oil carried down. You have to attack each lane differently even if they were just oiled. Another thing effecting conditions is where others on your pair are playing. If they're all playing around the ten board where you are, adjustments might need to be made quicker. Also, the number of lines come into play. A second shift could see the track area drier and maybe a little wider or could even start breaking down in the first game. Now In most cases even bowling just three games, equipment changes are needed. Adjustments on tougher conditions may require keeping the ball in play (hitting around the pocket to leave easier spares when you don’t strike) and try to keep not leave splits. 

"Adjusting is about executing and maintaining positive." Executing shots requires concentration. Concentration is essential in hitting your mark consistently. Concentrating on your mark until the ball is out of your hand, is one key to becoming a good bowler. This helps in knowing you hit your target and will help focus on your ball reaction. Throwing strikes over and over require a good ball reaction. You must know how your ball reacts and when the reaction starts changing so you will make the proper adjustment. Concentration and watching your ball’s reaction must be done for making solid adjustments. If your ball hooked a little sooner with a hit high or that your ball delayed the hook due to oil carry down will help in decided what you must do on the next shot. Keeping your attitude in a positive state will keep you more relaxed, focused and ready for most situations. A relaxed shot is not being forced. The perfect shot is a free pendulum swing that will use all five factors to determine if any adjustment is necessary. Mentally being in control will help you make the right decisions in critical situations and even adjust while on a string of strikes to continue to strike.

      The type of adjustment and the amount you adjust depends on your individual style of bowling. Throwing that big hook might look nice and carry a few more strikes, but you will be making bigger adjustments and making them more often. The big hook is also known for leaving a few more splits. You must know your game and watch other bowlers on your pair to be able to tell that an adjustment is due or coming. There have been many times that I felt the lanes broke down just to find out that it was me who threw a bad shot. You will have to determine on those times when you don't know if it was you or the lanes that made the ball come in high in the pocket. Staying where you are and throwing a good shot could result in another high shot if the lanes broke down. If you came in light and adjust, you can’t hit the track area too soon or you could leave a split because it hooked too much. So as far as adjustments, the bigger adjustments should be only high hits. The reason is it would be better to be a little light in the pocket instead of leaving a wide-open split because you didn’t move enough. With carry down, which could last six frames or more, and moving to the right too much can cause the ball to hit too high and maybe leave a split if you let up just a little bit. You really should never move more than a board right with either your feet or target on light hits to avoid disaster. Still hitting light can be targeting closer to the foul line by about foot, so that your ball will get in an earlier roll and hook slightly sooner to hit the pocket solid to strike.

      Making an adjustment could mean coming in light or even missing the head pin if it was you and not the lanes. I have made adjustments after a slightly high hit for a 6 bagger to throw another 6 strikes after a board adjustment with my feet to shoot a 'Varapapa 300' game. If you are a straight shooter like I am, you might be the last bowler on that pair to make any adjustments. Even today, you might not need to make more than one adjustment the whole night. If I move only 1/2 board with my feet for a night and carrying, I’ll usually shoot above 700. The power players or crankers will make the most dramatic or biggest adjustments due to covering more boards. If the lanes are breaking down, moving 5-10 boards a night is not out of the norm for them. Throwing down the boards means making fewer adjustments and usually mean consistent scores. Adjusting with your feet, target or feet and target are usually the first adjustment most bowlers make. Bowlers will usually move using both feet and target. This doesn't mean you'll have to. I have made adjustments with just my feet due to single pins and with just my target usually due to the 10 pin. (Remember that these adjustments are on house conditions. During a tournament, I will probably move both feet and target.) Knowing how to play at least two to three different lines to the pocket will make you more comfortable when dramatic lane adjustments become necessary. You could be throwing in the right area, but because you're not playing the right angle needed to hit the pocket, you're not carrying strikes. This is one reason why a bowler playing around the 2nd arrow shoots 740 while others also shooting the 2nd arrow shoot around 600 for the night. It has been noted that centers might have differences in the number of dots on the approach and the distance from the dots to the foul line is different at some centers. Also remember that the new equipment has weight bocks which determine the breaking point and that a certain ball could be another reason why one bowler is burning up the maples playing a particular line. You'll need to find the line that will give you the best results.

      Watching other bowlers with similar styles is helpful and helped me cash in the 2009 Southern Nevada Masters tournament which had the Earl Anthony pattern. I was playing around 10 board and two bowlers on the pair I was about to bowl on shot 250 and 260. I moved in a little and shot 259 to get a check for an entry I won during a summer league at South Point Casino. This shows that watching others could put cash in your pocketJ.

Adjusting is really fine-tuning your shot to the pocket. How you adjust with your feet and target will come down to your own game and equipment. I might move 1 and 1. This means one board with feet and a board with your target. Many years ago, a 2 and 1 was common for most bowlers, 2 boards with feet and a board with your target. Yoho suggests a 3 and 1, 3 boards left and 1 board left with target. It will be determined by ball reaction, the number of bowlers on the pair, where area on the lane they are playing, the speed of your ball and the type of bowler you are.

      “Timing, control, confidence and concentration makes a good bowler." I know that a few bowlers may move up or back on the approach. This could mess up your timing. What I will do if I'm close but not carrying strikes, move your target on the lanes up or back. If looking at the arrows and want the ball to break a little sooner, look a little closer like halfway between the arrows and the dots. If you want the ball later, looking two feet past the arrows could be what you want. I have even pin bowled at times is the lanes were on the very dry side. Pin bowl means looking at a pin 60 feet from the foul line as your target. I also will look at the reflection on the lane if needed. On all spare shots, I pin bowl. This helps me follow-through, which keeps the speed up and keeps the ball from breaking as much. Knowing the center you are bowling at is a big help in knowing how much adjustment might be needed. There have been times that it took over six frames to get lined in again. I have made adjustments just to find that a 1 and 1 was enough. I have also made a 1 and 1 to find out that a 3 and 1 was needed. Adjustments at times are an educated guess.

      Today’s equipment can be a wonderful thing. It can boost your confidence when it's working. It also can make a two-board area seem like four boards at times. It can turn a bad shot into a strike and help you relax and concentrate because of your confidence in it. Keep a positive attitude when you must change from your favorite to your secondary ball. A change in equipment may be needed to continue throwing strikes, if the lanes have broken down faster than the adjustments you’re making. If the breaking point of the ball is not the reaction you need, then a ball change is needed. On house conditions, since I play up the boards, I find the left side of the track area (right side of oil line) with a ball with good reaction in the back ends. I also don’t want a ball that snaps too much, as it could create an over under reaction. The reason for this is that once I'm lined in, my adjustments will be minor ones. I may not shoot a lot of 750's or better, but I won't shoot many sets under 600. The more consistent you are today, the better bowler you'll be due to it. It helps with scores of 230, 210 the second game when oil is moved around and a 220 or 230 the final game of league. How many of you would take this night two of every three sessions? One out of about five nights would include a game above 250. It would be rare that I have high average in the league, but I’m in at least the top five for most of the season. I may have only one game below 185 for the month for both leagues because of my knowledge to make the right adjustments. All you have to do is ask any of my teammates from my entire career, how important it is to know how dependable I am when the game is close in the 8th frame. I was practicing after a lesson I had in Phoenix on lanes that were just oiled. Tom, the mechanic saw me and told me to put my ball down. He took me down the walkway next to the lane I had just bowled two games. We looked at the area halfway between the dots and arrows, where the ball tracking in the oil before hooking back to the pocket. Would you believe that just three boards shown signs of oil movement? For someone in their 60’s, that’s being fairly accurate. 20 years ago, it might have been just two boards. What I’m telling you is, with today’s equipment, you don’t need a big hook or a lot of revs to carry more strikes if you’re satisfied with strictly bowling leagues. Consistency and adjustments, even today, can be the difference in winning matches. Consistency comes from repetition and focus while adjustments come from repeating good shots, experience and knowledge.

      Here’s food for thought. How many of you take more than three balls to the center just to bowl on a house condition? I’ve seen some bowlers bring a four-ball bag and a three-ball roller. I realize some use a spare ball, so that would give them six balls to throw for carrying strikes. Choices, choices and more choices. Some of these bowlers, I out average by ten pins per game. With so many choices and their carry wasn’t there that week, most seem to think that a ball change is the best adjustment. Well, isn’t it? It can be at times. Even the house shot will change slightly, but does anyone need five more options should their first choice appear to not be working? Too many options can lead to over thinking the situation and can create bad decisions when trying to find the right reaction for that night. There has been a few nights where I changed balls just to find out that the ball I started with was in fact the right decision all along. My timing was off a little and later after being more relaxed, loosened up and rolling the ball better, I was able to string strikes together. How many weeks of shooting below your average will it take you to realize, that having more equipment and being able to make quality decisions when adjusting, because you have more choices? Another thought, of course you want to throw more strikes, but who doesn’t? In your quest to throw more strikes and finding that ball that hooks in your backswingJ, it’s a great plan when it works. But does it really work each game? OK, the 2nd game is close and you haven’t made any adjustments or maybe you made just one. You’re probably thinking you got this. But in the meanwhile, the lanes are transitioning and breaking down slightly. Very few bowlers make adjustments before they’re needed. You just threw the ball and it wasn’t a great shot. Your speed was a little slower and guess what, a wide-open split for an open frame. My team wins the game taking advantage of the open because filling frames with spares are sometimes enough to win. The big powerful hook looks impressive until the lanes break down and splits happen. It takes three strikes in a row to make up for just one open if you average around 200. Consistency is still better for the league level. Even Norm Duke winning back-to-back to claim titles number 39 and 40 against two handers shows why he is one of the top ten bowlers of all time.

      I now take just three balls with me into any center and don’t have a spare ball. Only after I feel that one of two balls won't work will I go to my bag and try a third. I used to take in four without a spare ball with me and many times, only used one all night shooting good scores. During tournaments, then taking more than three of four makes sense. The less you'll have to worry about during league, the better off you'll be. The new reactive equipment makes throwing strikes easier, but it can also overreact more when the lanes start changing. You should have a ball that goes straight without a lot of snap for those drier conditions. Having a urethane ball could be an adjustment from reactive equipment. Also, plastic ball on spares can help, but the way some shoot at spares, it doesn’t help them as much as it should. Remember that changing equipment on spares can be risky at times due to your feel in each ball. You could hang up in the ball or lose the ball because your spare ball had a different feeling. Before changing equipment, you should try at least another angle to the pocket. Another thought is if two balls can hit the pocket and carry strikes, and you’re up against a rev dominate team, using the one with less snap in the backend might be the one to use as you won't be making as many adjustments. The less adjustments I make usually equates to higher scores.

      The more difficult adjustments are hand position and speed. Top bowlers usually use these after years of practice. Hand position to adjust will become important, if you want to get to the next level you're trying to reach. Changing hand positions will not come overnight. It will take some time to master. Speed is the most difficult adjustment to make because timing or rhythm comes into it. With all the technology in the balls coming out every month, changing balls makes more sense than changing your speed. Speed adjustments could also be going from a 4 to 5 step approach or a 5 to 4 step. You should only change your approach if you are comfortable with both approaches. You should first master moving with your feet and target. Even with an equipment change, you'll need to move your feet and target to get lined in. You’ll also need to know the differences in reaction when changing balls to feel confident that your first shot with a different ball should hit the pocket. Being able to change balls and throwing a six bagger comes from experience and confidence.

      I have covered adjusting in some detail, but it is you who will be making them. I can only tell you what has worked for me and a few others. Knowing adjustments have to be made is just the beginning. You must know your equipment, be able to play different areas on the lane and have a sound mental game to compete at top amateur levels. This knowledge will help the lower average bowler in raising their average and should make bowling more fun. Knowing what ball will react sooner, while another may break a later will help in deciding what ball you start with. On a house condition, you should start with the same ball every week and then make your adjustments. Don't let others influence you unless they are truly trying to help your game. Just because someone says the lanes are drier this week, you MUST find out for yourself. Having a good mentally sound bowling game is why the good bowlers are always leading the league in average. They have the knowledge and the right equipment to keep on top. If all else fails, remember that this game is supposed to be fun. Before I get too frustrated, you'll see me run shots out that may not be that close. It is because I'm having fun in the present and forgetting some of my past bad shots. Sometimes I was trying a little too hard and pressing myself and just running the shot lets out my frustration and loosens me up. We are human and will make mistakes. It is what YOU DO AFTER YOU MADE A MISTAKE, which determines what you are made of. Put any mistake behind you and focus on what needs to happen on your next shot. That’s all you can control. It’s about one shot your roll, about 30 times for the night. 

      Adjusting now is about the transition and break point. It is with these adjustments that can help when the lanes really change from game to game. I was reading where some were saying that reactive equipment depletes oil and plastic carries it down the lanes. For the most part, that is true. It may not be that situation every time you bowl. You will be able to experience for yourself what is happening on the lanes while competing, and then adjust to what the lanes are doing. If there is some carry down maybe late the first game or during the second game, you’ll probably experience break down before the night is over. Even after a few years of experience and being fairly accurate, you’ll gain confidence in your adjusting ability and start seeing better and more consistent scores each week.

That is why a logbook of what ball you threw and the adjustments you made are needed. It will help you in future weeks and for tournaments. Practicing at the 10 pin should happen for some of you as well. I have had to shoot spares differently lately after my lesson because I’m staying under the ball better and it hooks a little sooner. So don’t think adjusting is just to throw more strikes. It’s also to convert more spares which actually creates higher scores.

      "I made the right adjustment." "I shot 700 tonight because of my adjusting." Go ahead and be a one-bowler cheering squad. Making the right adjustments should make you proud. It is for your dreams, your desire to improve, for the love of the game and to prove something for yourself that you'll want to be able to make better and quicker adjustments in the future. I hope that you become a better bowler after reading this article. Good luck. 

      For those that do not know me, I have averaged 208 each season after getting out of the Army in '92. I was averaging 220 in 2014 due to being a straight shooter and a very good shot that has been consistent through-out the season. To average above 220, you must know your game well, be very knowledgeable about adjusting, having confidence and not making a lot of major mistakes. It is also due to confidence with my equipment and having fun. Throwing up the boards has been extremely helpful due to an accident before I started bowling. Being a straight shooter, adjustments at times have been a half board with my feet or with a slight change in my target. It is also due to knowing what adjustments work for me after over 30 years of bowling. Knowing when the lanes might break down or whether the oil is being carried down, due to excessive oil in the middle of the lane has been helpful. Also never quitting and not being afraid to make an adjustment you're not comfortable with will show what you are made of. I know that I didn't go into much detail on any subject. Chapters and books have been written about them, I just wanted you to be aware of the possibilities. Also you could do what I did years ago, and that is to keep a log for the centers you bowl in. A log will provide a starting point for the next time you're there. It can also indicate when lanes start to change. It will be a big help when changing equipment. Good luck with your bowling and all I can hope for, is that one of these tips has helped improve your game.

      If you have any comments, questions or need more information on where you get more information on adjusting for bowling, message me.

     ---------------  If you liked this and are a bowler, read on: ------------------

     Well, I have good news for you! You may need more info after you finished reading this article. Not many will inject good news into your day. I did warn you that I'm trying to help others, didn't I? It will cost you the price of one of my HOW TO books.

       Adjust is a Must, goes into actual adjusting to carry the 10 pin for strikes. Of course, you’ll probably leave at least one 10 pin if you're right-handed like me, so I included some tips on being more consistent to converting them. At 65 years young, I average 6.5 strikes per game to go with just 1.0 opens per game for a 215 average in two leagues at different centers. I am considered a stroker as I don’t cross a lot of boards. My averages this season are the highest in the last five seasons. It was partly due to writing my first HOW TO book, The Path to Excellence, 31 Days to the Zone. Since I retired, I decided that some of the articles I wrote when I was league secretary, would be a huge help for my teammates and others who really wanted to improve their game. Writing got me to rethink about my own game and help me focus better. One advantage I have over most other bowlers is accuracy and a solid mental game. With some of my minor injuries, I thought it would a good thing to share some of my experience to help others achieve some of their goals. After finishing my first HOW TO book that will show how to get to the Zone, I wrote my second book, From Excellence to Success, to show how the Zone equates to SUCCESS and being able to maintain SUCCESS. 

As always, See you in the ZONE!

Accepting Challenges 

By Alan Brizee © 1999, rev. 2020. Author of The Path to Excellence and 

               From Excellence to Success

      Note: The original article was written for the Traveling Masters bowlers before bowling had sport patterns and was on the league’s extensive website. The Traveling Masters league bowled at 9 P.M. at five different centers after the early 6:30 P.M. league. The five centers didn’t re-oil because with 24 teams, there wasn’t enough time. A few centers for a season or two, just oiled the “heads” to calm the complaints of dry conditions. But that also made for a later start time and of course, complaints from bowlers who had to work before 8 P.M. In 1999, urethane balls have been around for at least 10 years and reactive resin balls just started selling a few years ago. These new balls were made to hook and carry more strikes. Bowlers were learning that adjusting to the faster changing lane conditions had to happen for higher scores. The one thing about bowling is that this sport, has gone through more changes than any other sport. League schedules to determine playoff teams, pot bowling, lane surfaces, ball returns, the dots on the approach and the distance to the foul line, scoring systems, wrist supports and gloves, tape to prevent injury, different releases for more revs, no thumb release for even more revs, now they bowl with two hands for more insane revs, the type of oil and even STP, lane conditions, oil patterns, ball surfaces, ball types, now it’s the core with engineered weight blocks to make the ball hook 20 boards after the carry down of oil and right now a stoppage as the coronavirus has temporarily closed all centers due to social distancing. All these changes have created challenges for athletes who bowl either in leagues or against the professionals. Someone like me who is at least 50 years old and continued to bowl since being a kid, will have experienced most of these changes. Obviously, not all these changes I feel have been good for bowling, but I have accepted them and some have helped my game. The one change I probably won’t see is, a lane surface that requires no oil. 

      Bowling at the five centers with slightly different conditions is what made the Traveling Masters one of Tucson's best and toughest league. It showed what bowlers were made of, as the conditions some week seem easy while other weeks might seem like there is no shot at all. I heard some bowlers complain about the conditions at certain centers. Those of you that expected a super easy shot, should not be bowling in a traveling league. If you put more into your game as to how to score at those centers that you're having trouble with instead of complaining, it will make you a better bowler and your scores should improve over time. Some of you are defeated before you leave your house for that center. Developing a positive attitude and enthusiasm for all centers is a must to compete against some of the best bowlers in the best-sponsored league in Tucson.

Five major factors that determine outcomes are; fundamentals, lane conditions, equipment, versatility and most important, the mental game. I will discuss the 5 factors in more detail in another article later. The more factors you master, the better prepared you are of any challenge that lies ahead.

      "Sports will reveal your character. It’s about problem solving and thinking through the situation to get the job done.”

      (Bowling can inspire you to dig deep when conditions are tougher and you're down a little. It shows strength coming back from a losing situation. Don't set yourself up for a loss before you begin. It's your character that keeps you going those times when your intensity is lacking. Until you give it your best shot, you don't know what you're capable of.)

      When you're having trouble scoring, watch where others that are scoring with your style (Cranker, stroker, etc.) are playing the lanes. Most times a tougher condition comes down to spare shooting. Keep the ball in play. This means play the lanes conservatively leaving easier spares and not leaving difficult spares or splits. This may not lead to super scores, but can lead to winning matches which is what our league is about. Spares are the backbone for winning bracket matches and making the cuts in the eliminator. A missed spare could also be the difference in making money in many tournaments, such as nationals. Those of you with an aggressive approach (strike or nothing), will often come up short because when the strikes don’t happen, you’ll likely leave more splits or be too frustrated to pick up your spares.

      "Don't ever give up. You must find a way to play the lanes." -Paul Colwell, member of four Hall of fames. (By not giving up, you may learn something that will be beneficial next time. Having a positive attitude will help when scoring is below normal and can help your approach be more consistent. A consistent approach helps in making adjustments that work and helps you have more confidence. Sometimes to play the lanes, you must think outside the box.)

      The more you learn and experience for yourself, the better you'll become. Always give it your best shot. Remember that if you're not giving it your best effort, someone else could be and they might be bowling against you in the match. You must also realize that as the years add up, you may have to adapt your game for past injuries and should be stretching before bowling to reduce injuries. Also you will at one point, start using a lighter ball so you work smarter, not harder. A 14 pound ball can carry almost as good as a 15 pound ball. I suggest once you start throwing a lighter ball, don’t go back unless it was for an injury as this could affect your timing and ability to throw quality shots. At 65 years young, I’m averaging 215 and 214 in my two leagues and have thrown three set above 750. Since I started to write my first book, my bowling actually improved, as I started to re-focus on the fundamentals of my mental game. And while writing my book, I got back to the gym to lose a little weight and get my legs in better shape. Another tip is to see a chiropractor to keep your spine in alignment to have less pinched nerves and the ability to have a free relaxed arm swing. I also went to Phoenix for a lesson and it was a quick fix for my pendulum swing. If you’re just off your game a little, seek qualified help as it for me was like buying confidence. It was a big help in repeating great shots again.

      “The last shot of the day could tell you how to play that condition the next time there.” Never think that just because you’ll lose the game or match, that the final shot or shots is wasted motion. There have been a few times where I adjusted after thinking about the situation, and finished the day going off the sheet, which helped me some weeks later to win the match. The last few shots could help your comfort level with adjustments that you normally don’t make and might have to make in the future. Remember that all challenges are about learning to deal with different situations to increase your overall comfort level. With a higher comfort level, it should give you more confidence, increased concentration, better decision making for adjusting, a more relaxed free arm swing and less self-induced pressure. And these are what most professionals possess that are out on tour. Once you accept any and all challenges, you also need to understand that every opportunity is a building block where you can learn something.

      There’s always two ways of thinking in every situation. No, it’s not positive and negative thinking. It’s knowing you’ll probably win and hoping you’ll win. Who said sports would be fair? Who said it can’t be done? Remember that the best athletes will get beat and spectators are at a disbelief when it happens. A dominate athlete appears to have all the answers when competing even when there are behind in a match. If you or your team is ahead in a match, no matter how close it is, there really is only one thing to do, step on their throats and don’t let them breathe. My book, The Path to Excellence, 31 Days to the Zone, tells you how to virtually eliminate pressure. Keep your opponent thinking about a losing situation and second guessing themselves. Once you or your team is in the lead, you can’t let up at any time, no matter who your opponent is. Your game plan should not have changed because you’re not there to practice. It’s easier to go about business when winning because your opponent must respond by playing catch-up. One simple missed single pin in the 8th frame may open the door for them. Thinking from behind isn’t what you want to happen. What if thinking creeps into your mind. You’re now distracted because of a few bad breaks or maybe a mental lapse. You’re not fully committed to the shot with all the thinking going on. Commit to excellence and the shot in front of you. Just five seconds of concentration per shot is all that is required. A small amount of time for huge results. Coming from behind to win is a challenge and can happen quite a few times. You just don’t want it to happen all the time as the percentages are against you some of the time. Competing for over 50 years and being a league champion about 20% of the time, I know when my team will probably win. I have been on teams where at the start of the season, it was hoping to win, and by the ending of the season, it was knowing that we could and should win. I have won a couple of major championships individually in bowling and golf. My thinking went from the possibility of winning to knowing I would win late in the championships because of my ability to remain positive, have a high confidence level and focus only on the shot I was about to make.

      During the season, challenges can come from even a house shot changing slightly due to the weather. You now face an over-under condition. Usually using a ball with less back end reaction will help, but you still have to find the right angle. Some bowlers are playing the right area on the lane, but not using the right angle to the pocket. Most of today's balls are condition balls, meaning the ball’s reaction matches the break point and the percentage to strike goes up. If the condition doesn't match your ball, you might as well leave it in your bag. You also have to be truthful as to how well you threw the ball. If you're off your game, having the right equipment may not matter. There are times when you maybe trying too hard to makes things happen or you’re forcing the ball to get it to work. These five house conditions will make you mentally tougher and will help not just in this league, but in other leagues as well as tournaments. Bowling tournaments and even some leagues, the tougher conditions are challenges that you must be willing to conquer in order to master the game and be one of the best bowlers around. It is all up to you if you want to improve and how much you want to.

      The challenges I have faced in bowling may seem small to those that have competed regularly on the professional tour. But what I have accomplished with a slight handicap that happened before I even started to bowl, is what sports is all about. The satisfaction of achieving goals, rewarded with hardware that shows hard work does pay and respected by others because I’m willing to compete against some of the best. Some of the best times in my life were the pot games where I was at first paying dues only to collect cash later in my career. Now that I’m retired, there are no pot games. Leagues now have brackets and eliminators and a chance to step up to the challenge and show some of the “kids” that I still have gas in the tank and able to take them out if they open the door. The challenges I went through was never about winning. And of course it’s always fun to win and spend the money. But the main reason why I have bowled for 50 years, is because I love to compete and challenge myself, showing others that I’m not an easy target. I was asked, why am I still bowling pot games when the lefties have the advantage? My answer was that I’m making them bowl their best to beat me as I averaged over 240 for six games and was the top right hander that day. I did win the second game with a 279, so it was like free practice bowling against future Hall of famers. It also was this day that showed me I was ready for most challenges at the local level because of who I was bowling against.

      So now it is up to you to accept challenges and with a better mental game, you and your team will be in a better position to have more positive results and hopefully make more playoffs in your league.

      "You must leave no doubt on your opponent who is better that match. Keep your head in the game from the beginning so you’ll make quality decisions for the situation. Showing that you can respond to any challenge will tell others that you’re a winner” Facing the many challenges as your career progresses, will help you handle them better each time they come. It's a great feeling to face a challenge and come through a winner. The challenge should be the driving force to improve. Starting is not nearly as important as finishing. Most winners finish strong, it's in their blood. There are those times we need a second chance to prove who we are, so they know what we are made of. All those practice sessions and learning experiences have finally paid off. Seeing the results we want was worth the wait.

      I wrote this article before my Senior Masters title and golf club Championship. I wrote this a couple of weeks after my first 300 game of 15 in bowling. I can only hope that you will be inspired to do great things. It all starts with determination to accomplish goals, practice to repeat great shots, having confidence to continue throwing great shots and focus only on the one thing possible, the shot you’re about to make. Time will not always be on your side. But if you dedicate extra time each week and love bowling, even you won’t know how much you can accomplish in your lifetime.

      NOTE: This is one of a few articles that was on the Traveling Masters and Cactus Bowl Men’s league website. A slight revision was made for the Men’s league due to only bowling in one center. Now that my book is published, I felt it was the time to update it, 20 years later.

Good luck! 

As always, See you in the zone!!

Failures are learning for SUCCESS.

By Alan Brizee © 2001, rev. 2020 Author of The Path to Excellence and 

               From Excellence to Success

     Failures are really just speed bumps for SUCCESS. Analyzing the failures keeps you from repeating them. It is what you do after a failure that shows who you are. You can’t be afraid to fail. Every great athlete in a Hall of Fame has failed at some point in their career. They have just been more successful than others, because of their accomplishments and what they have experienced. It’s up to you to get back up after each fall. If sports were easy, everyone would win. But sports is not just physical as some thought early in their career. Your mental game plays the biggest part for success in any sport.  Sports is about victories and failures. You have to accept them both to raise your level of play. No matter what occurs during any situation, you must keep your head in the game for those chances to win. It’s rare when their handed to you. Sports is about learning from different situations and using that experience to achieve your goals.

      You have to forget past failures. They’re in the past and you decide what to do next. Some failures may make you look foolish. Remember that’s what sports do when competing in front others. Not all mistakes will turn into failures. You may throw a bad shot and get rewarded with a strike. This is another learning experience. Having a positive attitude will reduce some failures. Waiting for success, can sometime seem like your beating your head against the wall. Success rarely comes the first time around. Intensify during competition, no matter how or who the opponent is. Focus on every shot, this means those 7 seconds before you release the ball. Learn from your mistakes, so you will not repeat them. Put the blame on yourself if it was you, not on the lanes. Understand what happened. Why and how did it happen? Respond to the breakdowns and less than positive results on the lanes, by make good decisions for appropriate adjustments. It’s the sum of many experiences that turn into positive results that will build your confidence. Confidence over periods of time leads to having more successes. And your consistent successes, will help you to relax, throw more quality shots and be able to be in the zone not only more times, but stay there longer. This will help you virtually eliminate all pressure on yourself. After all, a relaxed free motion arm swing that isn’t forced will help you shoot higher scores. But all this starts with your per-shot routine for the shot you’re about to make. Your pre-shot routine is vital for your focus on the shot.

     A positive attitude, focus, paying attention to what is happening in the match and the ability to get to the zone can almost eliminate failures. And now for the ugly truth, what do call a failure? The answer will be different depending on the level you compete at. Is second place really a failure? Is cashing, but missing the finals a failure? Is getting back 80% of your weekly fees in league and missing the Roll-Offs by one point a failure? Is a 799 set or a 299 game, a failure? Some of these questions could be that there was no failure. All these questions actually lead to more questions. How many times have you won? How many times out of the last five tournaments have you cash in? Did you team make the Roll-Offs the last two years? Have you ever shot 800 or a 300 in completion? A failure isn’t usually a one day event. One bad day doesn’t equate being a failure in any sport. It only happens over time. Failures are very similar to slumps. Slumps are no good results over a period of four to six weeks. Failures are negative occurrences that lead to a missed opportunity. If you apply what I suggest to minimize failure, you should never be in a slump and have more positive results in the future. 

     For more positive results, preparation must be taken. This means both your physical and mental games. Preparation may not be all that fun, but success is. And I’m going to say it, even though you may have heard it 100 times before, it may now sink in on this101st time. “If you fail to prepare, prepare to fail.” Practice and what you practice will determine how good you can become. Before the automatic scorers, I’d spend at least an hour just throwing at strikes. I’d press the reset to get a full rack for the next shot. You probably never heard of practicing your confidence. If your longest string is a four bagger in practice, how do you expect to carry all twelve for your first 300 in league or a tournament, when almost everyone in the center is watching during competition? The hardest part is doing it once. It can even be harder the second time. That’s because you have done it once and now know you’re capable of repeating it. But you fail to prepare by rushing the shot hitting light, or slightly lose focus and your ball takes off for a high hit. WELL sports fans, we call them as we see them, and all know that what happened, you chocked. You were so wrapped up in the score you could have shot, that you failed your mission to accomplish the task of your second 300 by shooting a 297 game. To me, this isn’t failure. I’d never consider the first eleven strikes in any game a failure, even if two were Brooklyn strikes. Taken advantage good breaks happen is what all good bowlers will do. What I’m try to show you is that, you can’t always beat yourself up over what I would call a short-coming. Any failure you think happened, isn’t fatal and you should live to compete again.

      Keep your mental game in high gear. Don’t let any failures crumble your confidence. Keeping your head in the game is what champions do. Even champions do not win all the time. They became champions because they kept trying after failures and learned from them and used it as motivation to not let it happen the next time.

     No matter what has happened the past month, you should accept all challenges, as this is the only way you’ll get better. The outcomes of these challenges, shouldn’t determine your future. On those challenges that didn’t turn out the way we would have liked, remember what did go right as all competitors need to do a post-game analysis. Have you ever heard, there is a champion inside everyone? This tells me that champions are born. This also tells me that working hard to improve your game, you could follow in the footsteps of other champions. Think and act like a champion even during failures so that when that time comes, you’ll respond like a champion and maybe finally be a champion. It is after all is said and done, that your actions will determine your destination and you’ll have to accept what the outcome is. One last thought, I feel that any failure is partly due to lack of focus. You can now face the future, hopefully with a new perspective after reading these couple of pages, eliminate future failures and truly enjoy the sport. And then when you fall in love with bowling, and having the most fun just by competing, you’ll realize that practice will bring possibly more positive results than you’d thought.

     And now I bring you back to earth as some of are wondering why I wrote this. Some of you know that I’m a positive attitude person, so writing this, which is negative thinking was hard. But what I seen from a few teammates and bowlers on other teams makes me wonder why they show up every week to bowl. Some hate losing worst that I do. I felt it was time to show sports ugly side and explain why you put it out of your mind and focus on the next match, one frame at a time. I’ve learned that it won’t help to get mad about what already happened. If you get mad, you stop learning and you may learn nothing from the loss. A loss that you thought you won and you start thinking, what if? Well that what if, is just you need to sleep for work the next day. You’re still let it eat at you as you lay down and can’t sleep. Now you go to work tired from lack of sleep because of losing that maybe shouldn’t have happened. You’re now letting losing and failure interfere with work. Work is the reason why you’re able to enjoy this great game. So if you get fired because of lack of sleep, and have to quit the league, was it worth get so wrapped up in it? My answer is no. Forget about it and during the next day, while it’s still fresh in your mind, figure out what could have been done differently for a win. Why it didn’t happen as well as what went right. Was it the team missing three or four single pins? Was it the team had two opens in the 10th frame? Was it that three bowlers missed the pocket and you lost by three pins? Was it due to transition that the team might know happen? OR if you’re honest with yourself, was it that the other team had three more doubles than your team in the 10th, to win by eight pins? Did the team have a good 10th frame and you just simply lost, but want to point your finger, because it makes you feel better? Were all your teammates over their average and you just never bowled good enough for the win? All these situations, I’ve been involved in. Discuss with your teammates how it could have gone better, so they’re learn what mistakes need to be eliminated in the future. You’re not yelling at me are you J? Better not be. I have feelings too. No matter how calm you remain and don’t yell, one or two team members may think you’re directing your dissatisfaction about losing at the. Some time it’s the way you said it, which upsets people.

     So who wants to be crowned champion? To get to the top and be champions, failures and negative situations will happen and I can only hope that you learn from them. You don’t want it to be a weekly thing. So YOU CAN'T let it get to you, turn a negative into a positive by remembering what went right, so the positives will not be a one in a lifetime event. A team’s success is driven by all the members on the team, regardless of their average or their abilities, to achieve great things working together. 

     Good luck on your trip to success!! 

As always, See you in the ZONE!