Have fun while you build confidence, one class session at a time!

1st Class - Practice (You may need to!)

By Prof. Stats (c) 2020  Author of The Path to Excellence and From Excellence to Success

Practice so you have a consistent physical game! Practice is needed to repeat shots. Confidence comes from repeating GREAT shots, so you should start to see more positive results! Practice and more practice could make perfection!

     Note: Practice may not be free. There may be a fee to practice, and you may be watching your spending. So, for class today, you should include limited practice time even with limited finances and time. This class is somewhat bowling related, but athletes in other sports can learn what I am teaching.

     I realize time may be a factor because of jobs or family, but if you’re reading this, you must want to improve and therefore you will make time for about an hour of work per week. This first ingredient is often overlooked when it comes to your confidence level. Those of you who say, “The lanes are so easy that I don’t need practice”, are fooling yourself. Unless you’re shooting 700 every week, then the lanes aren’t as easy as you think they are. The main reason for practice is to continue to throw great shots during competition. Great shots are those that kick out that 10 pin, trip pins to carry and of course, flush in the pocket to put all ten in the pit. For those that are younger and just took up a sport, practice is needed for muscle memory. Most will say it takes 1000 repetitions for your body to tell your brain that this is the way you need to throw it. If you just took a lesson, you’ll need more practice sessions for those 1000 repetitions to make them feel natural. With 50 swings each session, that’s comes to 20 practice sessions till you will be able to fully rely on a swing change. And of course, that’s only if it’s the new swing and not converting back to the old swing. And the older you are, the more your body is going to reject your new swing as you already performed your old swing many thousands times in the past.

     There are two types of practice, practice sessions and competition practice. Competition practice are those ten minutes, just before the actual match starts. Can you really practice too much? Of course you can and some do practice until they get too tired to repeat good shots. Some practice throwing eight games when six games were enough. The last two games of being tired could be telling your brain, that this is how you want to throw it, which won’t help you to throw great shots. Then during competition, you’re wondering why you’re not throwing the ball well. A few things with that question of too much practice is your age, your physical ability, your skill level and most important is what do you want to accomplish? 

     Since I’m not a certified physical coach, I can only explain what you may be experiencing, but I may not be able to watch and tell you how to correct your problem. This is where a qualified coach can help you personally, comes in. They have gone to school and know what to look for and offer instruction to correct problems. Even if you’re still able to score once in a while and have knowledge of the game, don’t ever think that coaches won’t help. Even the pros see a coach from time to time. My last bowling lesson was maybe the best lesson I’ve ever had. I went to Phoenix to see Andrew Cain. He showed me why my ball wasn’t getting to the pocket like it did several months ago. It was just a simple fix. None of the other five coaches that helped me in the past showed me the footwork I needed to make great shots. I shot close to 700, three of my next four time before the centers closed for the coronavirus in March 2020. In golf, I learned the proper swing path which help me hit the ball straighter and hit more fairways. Another coach taught me the best putting stroke to almost eliminate three putts. For your mental to be functioning at a high level, your physical game and timing needs to functioning so continued quality shots will happen without being forced. So, if those practice sessions aren’t paying dividends, it may be time to seek a coach that will get your game back on the track. Most coaches charge around $50 to $60 an hour but do vary. For the $50 you just spent, you could get actually win what you spent over the next two weeks of league by getting in two brackets a week and winning three of them! For me to spend $50 these three times boosted my confidence level up to the next level. Now that I’m a super senior, I love showing the “kids” that I can still out score them at times! Never be too proud to seek out quality help.

     There are many reasons to practice. Would you believe there are at least 12 reasons and I have done all 12 at one time in my 50 year career. 1. Work on new skills. 2. Work on your timing. 3. Work to increase your comfort level. 4. Increase stamina level for ten game tournaments. 5. Rehab your body after an injury. 6. Try new or different equipment. 7. Practice what a coach just taught. 8. Practice on a sport shot. 9. Loosen your arm swing during off weeks. 10. You’re on vacation and don’t want to lose your touch. 11. Work on your weaknesses. 12. Work on your rhythm.

     These are what you may need to practice on:

      1. New skills include hand positions, cupped wrist, position of the ball at the start, height of the back swing or two handed release for bowlers. In golf, it could be working with wedges with different back swings and different strokes for putting. Tennis could be trying the lob shot and moving to the net for a drop shot.

     2. There may be times your mechanics are slightly off, and you have early or late timing.

     3. Adjustments are required for every sport and not all adjustments will feel natural. If you’re not comfortable making a certain adjustment in practice, how are you going to be comfortable during competition? Even bowling on a typical house shot, adjustments are required with today’s equipment. You’ll need to email me if you want a bowling related article on how to carry 10 pins for right handers and how to pick up the 10 should you leave it. Adjustments will come down to your experience and your style. I have help

ed many teammates throw six baggers due to having them make a small adjustment.

     4. For those that that are throwing more games in a tournament in a single day, you should at least throw six games a week before the event if you’re going to bowl six games in doubles and singles. And you should throw at least four to five games for one day each week, the previous two weeks before. You don’t want to feel tired when you’re competing. For those bowling in ten game tournaments, you should bowl at least eight games a couple of times a few weeks before. If you tired after the eight games three weeks before, then a week before, you should bowl ten games, to get your legs ready for the grind of ten games. You should also be walking a couple of miles at least twice a week, as a steady base makes for a steady head. For those who golf and may have to walk the course, you should be used to walking at least four miles twice a week. A city course I walked was around five miles.

     5. If you’re just recovering from an injury, start slow as your muscles you use haven’t been used in a while. No matter what your age is, over doing practice because you want to get back to the competition, may create a situation for another injury. At first, it’s about getting your body ready for your sport, it’s not about peak performance. Once you wake up the next morning and your muscles aren’t sore, then you can practice with a purpose to achieve competition ready.

     6. In bowling, your equipment can and will determine how well you score. It may seem like a new ball is answer as after all, it is new and has no oil soaked in it. Depending on the age of existing equipment, taking the balls to the pro shop and have the oil baked out of it can bring it almost back to out of the box condition. But you need to find out how your equipment matches up to the lane conditions and to find out the variance between each ball for when changing equipment is necessary during competition. Trying to find out how much more that brand new ball hooks over an oil soaked ball may mislead you after baking your old equipment. I have my balls baked about every two to three months depending on its use or after it loses some of its hook potential.

     7. With taking a lesson about three months ago, the quick fix to my footwork still needed practice before bowling league. I wasn’t worried about how well I was throwing it, just wanted the footwork to feel natural. I had two practice sessions before the coronavirus and now haven’t thrown a ball for over two months. Both leagues ended early and now summer is almost here. I hear only one team on a pair of lanes will make it different. Until the vaccine, this may be the norm. I also tweaked my knee on a walk, so I rehabbing my knee now which is better with six weeks of lockdown. I’ll still to practice at some point and have a tournament coming up. At least the coach gave me a reason to continue to have fun once bowling leagues start back up.

     8. For those of you who bowl a sport shot league, sport shot tournaments, PBA regionals or nationals, practicing on a sport shot will show parts of your game that need more attention. Your focus and concentration is tested to the max. For some, your comfort level will also be put to the test. Sport shots require more accuracy and the ability to open up the lanes. Also the lanes transition different than the typical house shot. One center put the national shot on a pair of lanes and I practiced a couple times on both the team and doubles conditions. I asked someone who was bowling nationals if he was going to practice. His answer was the practice lanes are never like the actual tournament conditions. Well, the team condition was different, but the shot for doubles and singles was identical. I shot 1246 in doubles and singles. I took advantage of the practice by wining quite a bit of money in brackets, doubling my entry fees. I told him he missed the opportunity to find out how to play the lanes. Even if the shot will be different, you’re bowling on a condition that will test your mental game. Opportunities lost could mean less prize fund winnings. At least this year, I took advantage of the practice.

     9. There may times where your league will take a week off for holidays of maybe for a tournament. You’ve been bowling good and don’t want to lose that sweet roll with your morning coffee. Your league could even take a couple of weeks off for New Year’s Day, so get some practice in to remain sharp.

    10. Another reason why you might miss the competition is taking a vacation. Of course, it maybe a place where taking equipment isn’t the ideal situation and the time gone would also be factored in. Of course, they have house balls and you could at least bring your bowling shoes. If you’re not going to bowl, at least walk several days to keep your legs in shape.

     11. How many right handers out there have trouble picking up your 10 pins? One center in Germany when I was stationed there, had a way to set up just the 10 pin for practice. With the reverse block because of the way the lanes were oiled, bowling was a learning experience. Another way to practice at corner pins is to shoot at them on the first ball and then you should have the pocket for throwing at a strike on the second shot. I average around one open per game and of the three opens in a series, one is usually due to a split. There are times when I shoot at spares, but my main objective for practice is to throw strikes. The score will show many missed spares if I’m working on my strike shot.

     12. Finally we get to the last and biggest reason why I practice. Bowling is a game of rhythm and repeating great shots. You can’t practice rhythm and throw at pins for your spare. Years ago before automatic scorers, I would throw six games of just throwing at full racks. My goal was to throw 12 in a row. The more strings of strikes you throw in practice, the better chance you’ll do it in league. Even today, several pairs on both sides of someone shooting a 300, will stop to watch them. If you have done it several times in practice, it will definite be easier when everyone stops to watch you for your chance at a 300 game. I have three 300’s in practice of the 15 total I have shot. When I shot them in practice, kids gathered to watch me and I didn’t want to disappoint the kids. The 300 games in practice were more fun because some would say, I was just showing off. But that is what practice is for, to gain confidence in your ability to duplicate great shots without pressure. If you have done it once, it is by far easier to repeat the feat a second time. Two of my last 300s, I just stepped on the approach and threw three great shots. The other was where I felt a little pressure on the 11th shot as lanes changed slightly and I tripped the 10 out. For you golfers, putting is more about rhythm. Phil Michelson will practice putting six foot from the cup from eight different locations. After he makes eight in a row, he moves to 12 feet from the cup and continues. I have done this many times and gets you into a one putt mind set. 

     Making practice a more mental game activity will make you a more complete athlete. Depending on what you’re working on, you should still have a goal in mind. My goal for bowling is usually a six bagger. One practice session before league to loosen up, I started with a split and then threw my six bagger. Now my goal was to go off the sheet with eleven in a row. That’s what I did to shoot 268. I shot over 700 that night and be over 60 years of age and be able to shoot 700’s, is satisfying. It was also satisfying to win both my brackets leave to go back home with more money after paying the league fee. If I’m not quite loosened up, I’ll leave some spares I may not leave in league. Since my reason to practice is to loosen up, I’ll throw at the spares. I’ll leave the 10 pin every once in a while. Sometimes even with tight muscles, I’ll still pick up that 10 pin. Practice can seem like work at times, so make practice more like a game, to keep it fun. If it’s fun, you’re more likely to continue it. Well I covered a lot on the physical practice for a sport, and maybe more that you thought possible, but I think I got my point across as to why you should practice no matter your skill level and the available time you should take to make your sport even more fun by going after your goals. Practicing your physical game will also help practice your mental game as adjustments are normally needed. I will cover practicing your mental game later in the article. 

     Each segment will have some homework and a test for you to take. This will find out how knowledgeable you are on what I just covered and to keep your brain involved for each factor. I hope that you learned one thing from what I wrote and can use during your next practice session.

HOMEWORK: Practice using differnt areas. This will expand what you might normally do. It could help when you face the MUST HAVE shot near the end of the game!

     The tests you're about to take will give you better understanding of the mental game and how to be better informed about most situations that will come up. Don't copy someone else's answers as you won't think about why I asked them. Don't take an hour to answer questions as you might second guess yourself. First instincts are usually correct!

I'll test you with these couple of questions:

      A:  What is the biggest reason to practice?

       B: Why is practice so important to your confidence? 

        NOTES FOR ALL CLASSES: After questions to test you on the class you just read, you'll see buttons right below the questions. Thje top button will take you to see my answers. Don't worry if you answers vary! It's about learning to improve your overall sports game! You'll probably do better in future classes 😊. The next button will take you to your next class session in case you reviewed parts of the class after seeing my answers. These buttons make reviewing easy for all athletes that want to improve!

       Most of the GREAT info that's included in your journey on my massive HOW TO website should help you see more positive results in the future. These classes reinforce how my first HOW TO book, trains your brain to have a understanding of what a GREAT mental game can do for you! These classes are to give you a better understanding to compete against athletes so you'll be making correct decisions that can build your confidence!

2nd Class - Equipment (Know what to expect!)

By Prof. Stats (c) 2020  Author of The Path to Excellence and From Excellence to Success

Treat your Equipment like a friend! Equipment decisions MUST be made, so you can show them WHO YOU ARE! Your equipment is really an outside factor, but if your equipment or what you wear isn't ready, then you're at a disadvantage before the match starts. Checking any outside factor that's in my first HOW TO book, MUST BE DONE!

      (Some can talk like they know everything, but talk is cheap. Showing you have game

when competing will speak volumes.) Confidence is the believe in your own abilty. But that is when your equipment isn't broken and does what it's supposed to do. If equipment isn't 100% competition ready, how can you depend on it when the game is on the line? If you wear shoes with cleats for grass, would you wear them on artificial turf? Even golf shoes have different spikes, so you should make sure you have what is needed to help you the most. Like I said, confidence is fragile and having equipment problems won't add to your confidence if you need different equipment.

     This is more bowling and golf related than other sports, but in almost every sport, a certain type of shoe is needed. In some sports, shoes may be the only equipment you’ll need. Bowling and golf are the two biggest equipment required sports, you can participate in. Bowling balls, wrist supports and gloves gives you options. Golf clubs and balls are designed for both the pros and the weekend golfer. If your sport uses any equipment including shoes, then you also should prepare, as any equipment can actually be obsolete due to the technology advances in most sports. Where you store your equipment could be another disaster waiting to happen. Inspecting your equipment after use and the day before your match should be one of your routines as well. If you lend your equipment to anyone, there are a few things to consider as well. Or if you borrow someone else’s equipment, you have a few responsibilities. There is also some equipment that has interchangeable parts, which can break or not work at the worst possible time. Who said that all the technical advances are good things? Updating equipment is a must from time to time, but is it time? Depending on your sport, your equipment could make you money using it. In certain sports, your equipment may make you money in the future by way of a contract. So checking and taking care of equipment should be a weekly occurrence. 

     The shoes you compete in can and will break down over time. If you compete outdoors and your shoes got wet from the rain, you’ll need to check them more often. Even shoes that are water resistant may get a little stiff after getting wet. Where you store your shoes between competitions could make a huge difference. Where you live can also play a part, in how often you’ll need to buy a new pair. Golf shoes no longer requires metal spikes, but the plastic spikes can break and the spikes need replacing after several months. Checking your golf spikes should be done after you play a round and clean the soles. It’s easier to remove grass and dirt before it hardens. NOTE: I had a pair of spike less golf shoes, and was in my Saturday club when I went to hit a ball on a hill. I slipped and hit my ball 50 yards instead of the 150 I needed to make the green. It was the last round in those shoes. Even with the slightly wet grass from the morning rain, it was the first time I ever slipped in spike less shoes. Spiked shoes for football, baseball and other field events have different size and type of spikes, with some for wet conditions. Basketball shoes even has variety, with high tops to support your ankles. Bowling shoes have interchangeable heels and soles for the different and varies type of approaches. Bowling shoes may also need a steel brush if they slide more than normal. Also use your “diapers” when you go to the restroom or change to your street shoes to avoid water. Always check your shoes before you throw any shot as you still might have stepped somewhere that changed your sliding foot. I also have an alignment arrow on my sliding shoe. You may not think much about this, but I’m checking where my shoe is even in practice because of ball movement. This also helps to know I have taken off my “diaper”, so I won’t injure myself. 

     Branding can play a part of what manufacturer makes your shoes. Heels have air and gel pockets for comfort while walking or running. Don’t forget about inserts for comfort and for the seniors, arch supports if needed. And of course, branding and other innovations come with a higher price tag. The question is, is it worth the extra money? I bought a pair of top name walking shoes and after just three times wearing them, they were digging into my ankle bone and weren’t comfortable. They were at least on sale, but it was a waste of $120 that should have lasted a year. Anything for sports today seems to come with a higher price tag. One reason for this is the top athletes making 10 million dollars a season. And just this year, the coronavirus has closed some manufacturers because of social distancing which could push prices up. The price for shoes will depend on the type of athlete you are and how often you participate in your sport. Even bowling shoes have interchangeable soles and heals with some shoes having interchangeable dots. I have shoes with dots and I have noticed that I won’t have to change them from wood to synthetic approaches as much, as I did when I had pads for the entire sole. A few of the dots are plastic and help when synthetic approaches are sticky. If you bowl on different approaches or more than a couple of tournaments a season, interchangeable soles and heels are an investment you’ll be happy with. The extra cost will pay off the first time you’ll change the pads due to sticky approaches.

     If you play a team sport, you’ll still be responsible for purchasing your own shoe. I don’t think the equipment manager checks your shoes, but you need to inspect your shoes for cracks and broken spikes. Even new shoes gave out as we’ve seen in college basketball and his run for playing for a national championship team never happened. Now that he wasn’t able to finish the season, this impacted his team, and did his shoes show signs of stress before the game started and wasn’t noticed? You wouldn’t expect new shoes to be defective, but it obviously happened. Crazy things happen in sports, but getting an injury after not checking your shoes, shouldn’t be on the day’s top 10 highlights. Just when you think you pretty much seen everything, you haven’t.

For those of you that don’t need equipment, like in playing basketball or soccer, you could go to the next factor. You still could finish this section, as if you also play other sports even if it’s just for fun, you may learn something if you change sports, or if you want to keep the fun going in certain sports. Keeping your equipment in top shape, helps you achieve more goals and helps you to perform at your best. 

     Since equipment will wear out after many uses, inspection and cleaning should happen between uses. Don’t get the attitude of doing it later, as your busy schedule might keep you from actually doing it. Make the time, as your equipment costs money and the price tags keep going up. Obviously, any equipment will need to be replaced or updated depending on your sport, but inspection and cleaning will make it last longer and less out of the pocket expenses are a good thing. A piece of equipment may be your favorite, until you forgot to check on condition and find out that you can’t use it for whatever reason. Successful athletes prepare for competition and this includes making sure every piece of equipment is clean and ready for your next match or practice session. Don’t ever think, it’s just a practice session. Practice is to help simulate actual conditions and your equipment needs to be in top shape as adjustments usually happen. Of course, conditions may be slightly different during practice, but using equipment that isn’t clean can give you a false sense of security. It may have worked in practice, but now you need to depend on it during competition and it’s a different story because conditions are different. 

     If you’re a bowler, cleaning your bowling balls after each time you use it will save on a lot of headaches. The reaction will depend on how clean the surface of the ball is and having the ball baked to drain the excess oil will help to keep it reacting like new. I’m seeing a few more bowlers clean their equipment after league than I’ve seen in past seasons. With balls costing as much as $200, why wouldn’t you take care of them? The bowlers that forget to take care of their equipment that can help them shoot higher scores, might as well use a house ball when they bowl. An oil soaked ball may seem to only hook a board more than a plastic house ball. I know that baking balls cost money, but the result can be huge. The hook potential between an oil soaked ball and a baked ball that has no oil in its pours, can be close to three boards. The potential for more hook creates a few more opportunities to carry strikes. If you’re not carrying as many strikes, your ball may have lost the power to carry strikes with the oil it has absorbed, since being new or from baking it. Leaving 10 pins for right handers also may indicate that your ball needs cleaning or baking. Baking should happen every two to three months depending on the number of games. Don’t put your ball in the oven or microwave oven to bake it. Because of the chemicals that make up the ball and oil is still somewhat flammable, you could be creating a fire. The “oven” at the pro shop spins the ball around so it doesn’t get any hotspots and the oil drips into a cloth pad. The save a little money, you could drop your ball into hot water in a five gallon bucket with soap, but even this may not get all the oil out. If you use hot water, just make sure your ball is dry before putting it back in your bag. Also resurfacing may be needed between draining the oil and also should be done after baking. Not only does the surface soak up some oil on every shot, but the surface will become smoother and lose some hook potential. Bowling is definitely a more intensive equipment cleaning sport with reactive balls. Taking care of your equipment in bowling should be a routine on a monthly basis. Every month, get your ball resurfaced and every other month, getting the oil baked out. You shouldn’t have to buy a new ball every season unless you compete in a lot of tournaments or bowl in PBA regionals. With a three ball arsenal, changing at least one ball every other season should happen. If you sell a ball for about half price to someone, than go ahead and change out equipment more often. Those new balls out of the box always seems to work the best. Some will swear by it and spend the extra money.

      Since I writing about bowling and crazy things happen from time to time. I’ve told you about storing your equipment. Well bowling balls need more consistent temperatures, or the ball can crack and a $200 ball is now garbage. The same goes for the shoes as they can crack from the cold weather. Only leave them in your car if you absolutely have to. I will always take them to the room when I’m traveling even if it will be just overnight. You don’t want to have to buy equipment for a stupid mistake. I also have my drill sheet with me should I ever need to drill a new ball up for whatever reason. If you fly to the tournament, have all your equipment you’re taking, tournament ready. You should put your shoes in your carryon bag so they can’t get lost by the airlines, as well as your log book, tape, interchangeable soles and other accessories. You should also have extra finger grips and glue in case one flies out of the ball and needs to be replaced. Also check and clean your grips so if they need to be replaced, they can be done before you leave on your trip. I have heard of bowlers who had their ball bag lost by the airline and had to drill up two balls for the tournament. The airlines may lose your luggage and my suggestion is to have your slacks, one bowling shirt and underwear in you carryon as well. Also remember that the airlines now charge for extra bags and have bag size restrictions. You can find out this info on their website. The more prepared you are when traveling, the less stress after getting to the tournament city you’ll have. Make sure you can also put the cost of a new ball on one of your credit cards. If you bowl many tournaments that are two hours away, you could have a check list for everything you need. There have been a couple of trips, where I forgot something, but they didn’t cost much to replace. The only thing about leaving something behind is the time to leave your hotel room to buy it. Time could be an issue depending on your squad time and when you arrived in the city. I hope I covered enough in this paragraph. It’s about being prepared and being aware. I have included a ckecklist for you.

Check list for traveling (1 week)

Some items may not be needed. This checklist is for flying and can be used for car travel.

There may be other personal items you'll need.

Carry on bag:

           ___ 1 Bowling shirt                                            ___ Extra shirt

           ___ Slacks                                                          ___ Underwear

           ___ Laptop/ Ipad w/ charging cord            ___ Bowling shoes & accessories

           ___ Personal items (Toothbrush, etc.)        ___ Meds

           ___ Golf glove and 6 golf balls                     ___ GPS for rental car

           ___ Books/ magazines                                   ___ Snacks for flying

           ___ Sirius XM radio (for car)

Folder in carry on bag:

           ___ Copy of flight schedule                            ___ List of tournaments/ golf courses

           ___ Copy of car rental                                     ___ List of places of interest

           ___ Copy of hotel reservations                      ___ Copy of important phone numbers

           ___ Copy of squad times                                ___ maps (for major streets & highways)

           ___ Daily itinerary                                              ___ Addresses of restaurants

 Wallet:

           ___ $80 cash                                                     ___ Credit card(s)/ debit card

           ___ Health cards                                               ___ Auto emergency card

Luggage:

           ___ 1 bowling shirt                                              ___ Slacks

           ___ Extra pants                                                   ___ 6 shirts

            ___ 7 socks                                                          ___ 7 underwear

            ___ Bag for dirty clothes                                  ___ Hat

            ___ Gym shoes & or dress shoes                   ___ Gym shorts

Phone w/ charging cord

Bowling bag w/ balls

Golf clubs

Water/ food (Car travel)

     Too many moving parts is also something waiting to go wrong. Do I have your attention now? Well actually one interchangeable part may not be as great as you may think. Bowling balls can get interchangeable thumb slugs for when the thumb shrinks or swells from the humidity. Bowling is a “feel” sport. It has to feel good for you to throw great shots. Some pros are always taping their ball or removing tape to get that right feel. There are about four different systems out there and I tried three of them. These systems will not be offered by every pro shop and require extra work to install them. The technician that installs any of these systems needs to understand how to install them correctly. They are great when they work.

     The problem is: A. The first system used a hex key that made the thumb hole smaller. The driller needed to drill the thumb hole at least one size larger in case you thumb swelled. Then while bowling league one summer, the plastic half round attached to the arm that opens and closes the hole came off. I had to change balls and have it fixed before the following week. About three weeks later, it happened again. The technician changed the adjustable insert and I didn’t have any more problems the rest of the summer. Then about four weeks into winter league, it gave out again. I had him take out the system and just drill a thumb hole. I would use tape if my thumb shrunk. B. The second system had slugs that screwed into an insert. You would have at least three sizes for your thumb. I was living in Las Vegas when I saw this system advertised. Well the system has no moving parts so I thought I would give it a try in a new ball I had them drill up. Just before leaving Vegas to come back to Tucson, I threw a shot in a have a ball league and after throwing the ball, the slug was still on my thumb. A bowling pin somehow hit the slug and destroyed the insert that holds the slug in place. I would have thought that the ball would have felt differently, but it didn’t. I was bowling well with this ball so I put a piece of tape between the insert and slug to finish the league. The only good thing about it happening at this time was there was no money on the line when it broke. I had the pro shop change the insert before moving and this was the only problem with this system. C. This last system I tried is because the pro shop after moving didn’t have the system the Vegas pro shop installed. This system had nubs that lock into place after turning the thumb slug. On one ball, the insert was glued 180 degrees different and the ball felt different because of it. The pro shop changed the insert at no cost to me. I had the pro shop make two of the same size thumbs that I usually use so I wouldn’t have to change inserts for those times that I would throw a different ball on each lane. Plastic parts will wear down and may break after constant changing for each lane. This would also apply if I had a spare ball, which I have never needed, but I wanted you to be aware of it. The Senior Masters of 2012 is where the first time this system broke. I made the finals and in my first match, the ball kind of grabbed my thumb and the slug falls out after I released it and it ends up on the lane. I had to have someone retrieve my slug. I couldn’t believe it, the insert broke and I had to throw another ball at the spare until I made a temporary fix. I used tape like in the other system, except this time, it didn’t quite hold the slug in place and I couldn’t get out of the ball. So I threw the other ball which didn’t match the condition and would lose a close match because of these two frames. I put in another piece of tape and dropped it on the floor to make sure it wouldn’t come out again. Losing the first match in a double elimination tournament makes for a long day and a lot more bowling. At least it happened in the finals after guaranteed to make some money back. The very next year in the Senior Masters, would you believe at about the same time, in the first match again, the insert broke in a different ball because of a bowling pin hitting it. When I picked up the ball, I could tell the insert got smashed as the slug was pushed in from being hit. Two years in a row in one of the biggest tournaments for seniors and the same results, not getting to the third round. I took the system out of all my balls and decided that I would just use tape if needed.

     And now for the rest of the story. The very next year being 2014, the Senior Masters tournament was at Camino Seco where I bowled on Wednesday nights. I can put past problems behind me as no interchangeable parts this year. A lot of good things were happing at the right time. Well I’m just going to tell you that I won the Senior Masters after qualifying second for the finals. When you’re throwing the ball great at the start of the season, know what adjustments work better at that center and eliminated the chance of parts breaking, you can focus better on your goal. To read about persistence and overcoming adversity, the article is in the mental section of my website.

Going to the gym is always a good thing. Keeping in shape and burning calories so you can still compete when in your 70’s will help you stay younger longer. Well losing even 15 pounds as I have just done, can have an impact on your sport. I never really thought it would be a factor in bowling. Since I took some weight off, my thumb actually shrunk. Since I use ovals for my thumb, it was really a quick fix. Drill out the old oval and insert the next size smaller. The pro shop might have to make an oval, so you’ll have to contact them, so they will have one ready when you show up to change it out. It took me a while to use ovals, but they have a better feel and I hardly ever need tape. Maybe getting older is a good thing.

      And now for the golfers out there. Cleaning clubs and your grips should be done after every time you use it in your club’s weekly or monthly tournament or when playing 18 for practice. Make sure the grooves are clean as this helps with the spin as it lands on the green. There is a tool to sharpen the edge of the grooves to keep the reaction off the club face the same. Depending on how often you play, sharpening the grooves can be done once a month or every eight rounds. Sharpening wedges and your 9 iron every 3 months should be enough unless you’re a scratch golfer. Also don’t forget to replace your grips every other year. I go to The Golf Stop in Tucson on Broadway near Wilmot. They have done a great job and replaced a shaft for my sand wedge that broke while tossing it to finish the hole as I would using my putter. They can also help you fit your clubs to help you score better. My first book covered club fitting. You’ll also be checking your golf bag as straps will break after repeated use and the loop the strap attaches to can break after time. It happened to me and used eye bolts to fix it. Another thing I’ve seen is that some club members will use balls they found in the desert. The problem with that is that the plastic cover will get dry rotted sitting in the sun for several days or maybe weeks. I remember my dad dropping golf balls he found to see how much they bounce, 50 years ago. The balls that didn’t bounce that high were thrown in the garbage. Since I’m not a scratch golfer, I won’t spend top dollar golf balls, but I will still buy quality golf balls. I will sometimes buy golf balls at Costco because they have 24 Callaway balls for about the same price of Pro v1’s. I will admit that I still have to learn even after winning the club championship, but I don’t feel that the extra expense of the best-selling golf ball will automatically make me a scratch golfer. When my game does improve to that level, I’ll spend the money because the balls are designed to get more spin after they’re hit. But at 65 and a few injuries, I’d have to practice at least 20 hours a week to reach the next level. I’m now on a fixed income so just getting out and play twice a week keeps golf fun and less like work. 

     I have played a little tennis and had a tennis racket 40 years ago. It was more for exercise than playing in tournaments. The pros put different tensions on their rackets and bring at least 10 rackets with them in case the strings break. I never had a string break and I never changed the strings. It lasted the two or so years when I did play, but I also wasn’t that good playing just one a week for a couple of hours and never took lessons to perfect my serve. I won some matches, but it was mainly to have fun on the court, no matter the result.

     I think I covered most of the sports that you need your own equipment to compete, except for darts. But this section is about getting a routine to check and clean your equipment, so you can depend on it during your competitions. Since you’ll be the one using it, it’s up to you. Warning: Damaged and even new equipment can cause injury. Take care of your equipment so you should have one less thing to worry about. Showing up early for your match, will give you a little time to quickly inspect it, so any adjustments or replacements can be made. You don’t want to waste practice time because some adjustments needed to be done. I hope some of the tips I gave in this section, are something that will help you in the future or something you just learned. If you have another tip, I’ll be happy to add it and give you the credit. 

HOMWORK: Write down your routine, so that you will check out your equipment and make any changes that are needed.

Now, answer these two questions:

      A: What are the two main reasons to check your shoes? 

      B: Why is my checklist important to help build your confidence?

       SHUSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Please don't disturb other athletes while class is in session. Students are trying to ace their test!  😊

I'll see you soon for the 3rd class session on my next webpage after reviewing your answers! Grab a coffee and a bite to eat so you can relax for ten minutes before the next class. You'll need to stay awake to have a better mental game! Then it will be time to get back to work, so you can distroy your competition!

3rd Class - Remain positive (Always!)

By Prof. Stats (c) 2020,  Rev 2024  Author of The Path to Excellence and

                         From Excellence to Success

Because with a positive attitude, you'll put less pressure on yourself, have more fun and should start seeing positive results! More positive results build confidence.

     “A positive attitude and persistence are why champions keep coming back.” -Professor Stats (Champions that have a positive attitude will put less pressure on them and a good reason why they continue to win titles.) There's a very good reason why this is in the beginning of the Confidence 101 series of classes. Your attitude WILL determine many matches in the future. The minute you see that your negative attitude keeps you from winning more often, the sooner you may come to compete with a positive one!

     Positive is having the mindset, confident by Webster’s definition. A positive attitude should bring more positive results if you have a good mental game. Just thinking that good things will happen is just the beginning. You’ll have to back up your positive approach, by using your brain to make quality decisions during competition, for less pressure during critical situations to see more positive results. Athletes that experience competition and life in a positive way live longer according to one study that was done. After all, being positive usually means more fun, and having fun reduces stress. 

     There have been several times on TV where an athlete finally gets their chance to win their first tournament. It didn’t matter who their opponents would be because they were having the best time of their life. They were just so happy to make the final show after a solid performance to qualify them to get to action packed finals. Noting bothered them, the fans or the cameras. They couldn’t stop smiling that day. Some results happen for a reason. You know the old saying, that every dog has their day. What day is it? It’s not about hump day or any other day of the week, but how you start the day and use that start to continue into competition. It’s also how you think and know what must happen for a more favorable outcome to your match. Wanting to win is just a small step in the right direction, knowing you can win is a different story.

     While writing this class, I happened to get some help online as to a routine to use every day. Obviously, it’s really about creating an illusion for your brain for more positive results. After winning a second time, your brain will recall the thrill of victories and the pressure for the moment will be extremely reduced. It can be hard to tell yourself to relax and let your solid mental game determine who will win. After losing some close matches, it maybe next to impossible to remain positive. But with determination and persistence, outcomes in the future may be different. You can’t think about the conclusion until after the match is over. Every competition is determined by each play or shot and is the only way prepare for any match. Winning is the result of how prepared you were and the correct adjustments made during the battle. I’ll give you a routine which I never used until a few weeks ago. It should make difference in the way you think about future matches.

    Your attitude can determine how successful you’ll be, not just in sports, but also life. Choices need to be made almost every day and the decisions can affect other activities and other people you interact with. If you compete in sports, I’m sure you want a chance to win. So if you want to win and enjoy your sport, your attitude should match your desire to win, and that means having a positive attitude. You may be surprised at how having a more positive approach to sports and life can transform events in both. It’s not about expecting good things to come your way, it’s about using opportunities that unfold in front of you knowing that good things can happen and then focus to make those good things a reality.

     I will tell you a short story of my positive attitude 40 years ago. I was in the parking lot getting my balls from my van to go bowl a tournament. A friend saw me and asked me how it was going. I told him, “I’m shooting 700 today.” I had lately been bowling pretty good and couldn’t believe I actually said this to him. You know the old story of opening your month and inserting your foot. This should tell you how focused I was at shooting some good scores. He replied back to me, “I hope you do.” I just shot my first 700 ever, about a month ago. My average at the time was in the 180’s. What made me think I could should shoot 140 pins over my average for three games? This is about a dream and making it happen because of having fun and not pressuring myself on what I still have to shoot. The following nine reasons are evidence that having a positive attitude can be a magnet for positive outcomes.

      1. A positive attitude. (Notice, I listed this first!)

      2. My confidence was at a high level since shooting my first 700 a month ago. 

        3. I wanted to accomplish my new goal of shooting two 700’s in a season.

      4. I was bowling doubles with a partner who liked to have a good time while bowling.

      5. My dedication to excellence as I practiced two days before and threw the ball well for five games.

      6. I was going to be challenged, as I was on the same pair of two Hall of Fame bowlers and didn’t want to embarrass myself. I didn’t have many opportunities to bowl with some of the best bowlers in Tucson because it was just the start of adult bowling.

      7. I just received my 700 patch for my first ever and I wanted to win another patch because the first patch was lonely. The reward of an award was what made bowling a great sport.

      8. I dreamed I rolled a 300 game about three nights before the tournament. (My first 300 would come ten years later.) This is actually visualization when you’re sleeping and it can also be done when you’re awake to strengthen your mental game.

      And 9. I was having so much fun throwing more strikes than I usually throw, that I didn’t worry so much about my score. Well needless to say, I did shoot 704 with games of 248, 236 and 220. I then shot 598 for singles. My friend wasn’t surprised as he knew I was getting better and more consistent with scoring. Having fun and staying positive almost eliminates stress and pressure. This was the start of having a solid mental game, throwing some great scores and winning leagues as well as tournaments in my career. If you believe it will happen, you’re 2/3rds of the way there to make it happen. 

      Better awareness, comprehension, analysis and wisdom happens being positive. A positive attitude isn’t a routine where you do it only when competing. It’s something that should happen every day and even take it to work. There may be a few of you who have fabricate it because of what life has dealt you. There are plenty of ways to jump start a potential awesome day and several things to keep that positive attitude going strong all day long. Your mission if you decide to take it, is to see how many of the following 21 ideas that you do every day because you take pride in what you do in life and that transfers to positive outcomes during competition. I have done all 21 at some place in time, but because of events that occur from time to time, I won’t accomplish them every single day. For those of you that want to start a positive routine, my suggestion is start slow with maybe 5 items and add another every month. Take 30 minutes to dedicate yourself to being positive and you should see a big difference, or maybe a huge difference. Your positive attitude will reduce much stress in your life and could be a game changer for your health as well.

1. Get your wonderful day off to a good (or maybe a great) start.

A. Start your day a little earlier. Get up when your alarm goes off, don’t hit the snooze button and drag yourself out of bed and be rushed getting ready. This can carry over into competition as your decision making may also be rushed. You want your day to start off with good habits. Do your daily exercises before breakfast to help keep you physically ready and will help prepare for any match that day. It will also help you to handle most situations the day has waiting for you. Pump up the volume! I listen to Phlash Phelps phunny pharm on Sirius XM 60’s on 6 playing the pheel good music along with Plash 54 where are you phor the city of the day and his many hall oph phames, museums, oddities and places to visit phor side trips across the U.S.A., as he has been to all 50 states. If you’re not in your 60’s, then listen to your favorite group or music that you enjoy. It will make the day go by quicker, so you can enjoy life better.

B. Think about something positive and smile. You should feel happy to be alive and wanting to make today, a great day. If you’re not looking forward for today, you opponent will be and use it to their advantage. A smile does so many good things, like eliminating stress and possibly the flu. It will help you be grateful for the day and looking forward to any situation that occurs.

C. Get your bed made. This little thing will help you get more big things right and give you satisfaction of pride. Once this first task is accomplished, it will be easier to tackle other tasks for the day. At the end of the day no matter what happened during the day, when you’re ready for bed, this will remind you that you at least completed one task for the day and that tomorrow can be better.

D. Brush your teeth. It’s supposed to be healthier to do it as soon as you wake up. You’ll remove plaque buildup, the fluoride will guard you against sugars and acids from breakfast, it help you with fresh breath, scraping tongue for better tasting food, it will boost immunity and promote healthier teeth. Rinse with mouthwash after breakfast.

E. Have a stretching routine. It will loosen your muscles after sleeping and increase blood flow. Just five minutes will connect mind and body for exercise and the day ahead.

F. A three minute meditation. It starts the day improving your focus, reducing stress and improve emotional stability. Sit in comfortable position without distractions. Close eyes and focus on breathing. Inhale for four counts, hold for four, and exhale for eight.

 G. Make sure you have a healthy breakfast.You’ll be less hungry during the day, have more energy and better focus and concentration. Not having breakfast can lead to being overweight and can cause physical problems. This morning routine should help during competition.

2. Don’t worry, be happy!! This attitude will influence things going on around you. Being happy isn’t about a situation that will make you happy. Be happy that you’re able to enjoy situations, no matter the results, because not everyone can. Just the thrill to compete can reduce stress and pressure.

3. Say cheese! Smiling will give athletes an instant attitude amplification and releases the feel good hormones. It should also bring a memory of a happy moment that should reduce the pressure of the match. Note: Smiles can be contagious and can show that you’re not feeling the pressure. Never underestimate a smile when an athlete is having fun!

4. Enjoy all small accomplishments. This is celebrating your short term goals. Your long term goals and other big achievements won’t happen that often. It’s your time for jubilation. Reward yourself so the event will have more significance. Write down these accomplishments in your journal as a reminder of all the good things that happened.

5. Take responsibilities for your actions. After a night of not sleeping well or getting in late due to a party you went to, could set you back for the day as you may run out of gas later. Realize that stuff happens from the decisions you make and you have to deal with it. Remaining positive will help you get through the day better and remind you why routines are important, especially on game days.

6. Optimize your brain. Upload anything positive into your brain. Do some puzzles, watch movies that overcome barriers and read books about motivation or have positive messages. Keeping your brain active with activities will help you in your 60’s. 

7. Tweak your attitude! Life and sports aren’t easy and are learning experiences. Any challenging situation and event should teach you something. Don’t ever ask, “What happened?” Instead use this time to grow from the results and how to become a better athlete for future matches. Sports can be painful as bad breaks happen. You can’t get down on yourself because your opponent got a lucky break to win. A positive attitude can deal with whatever sports has in store for you.

8. Make some lemonade. If life throws a few lemons at you, relax, you can make your drink. A positive athlete decides how they feel, even when they’re behind in the match. A positive athlete also knows that to compete in sports, work will be required and the work will reap the rewards sometime in the future.

9. Thinking to change the results. Positive thoughts are a must or your game is a bust. They create your positive attitude. Thinking on all the good situations in past matches will keep you focused to accomplish your goals while reducing pressure during the match. 

10. Passionate purposed people. Those athletes that truly love their sport will find ways to keep up their enthusiasm going even when things aren’t going as planned. Just being able to compete due to what life has dealt them is a positive. Sports will drain energy from athletes when winning keeps slipping through your fingers. A passionate athlete will know that minor setbacks happen and are just an experience to learn from.

11. Open your eyes and your mind. You must be able to welcome every situation your sport will give you. Every situation is another chance to excel and learn from. The more situations you’re exposed to, will add to your overall experience level and show you parts of your game that need a little more work. Keeping an open mind will let you learn from setbacks and will keep your head in the game.

12. No cheese please! Certain situations will happen and athletes won’t be able to change them. Accept it for what it is, another time to learn. Nobody including your teammates, wants to hear constant whining about anything. They want to be able to focus on the match to help their team win. Having solutions to any problem can change the attitudes of your teammates and create a bond among team members. Think through the situation and present a couple of solutions to move forward.

13. Words of wisdom. Your self-talk can psych you up in all situations and raise your determination. Your self-talk can also help you refocus when distractions occur. It will be your refocusing that will get you back to the zone. It is these positive words that will get your brain to process your thoughts into believing you’ll have more favorable results.

14. Pair up with positive people. One athlete who only cares about themselves or who is constantly negative can bring down a team. Those that know that a positive attitude can overcome adversity, can and will come back to win games that nobody gave them a chance to win. They didn’t give up and kept fighting till the very end of the match. A positive person knows that if it happened once, it can and most likely will happen many more times down the road. Their attitude will bond with you and make competing with them, the most enjoyable moment of the week.

15. Take time for home movies. Between events, look at the goals you set. To accomplish more positive situations, visualize one of your goals and enact it so it feels like you’re actually competing. If you do this several times, during the actual event, you’ll feel like you’ve done before and feel less pressure. The more natural the situation is, the better you’ll be able to perform. Visualize seeing your target and hitting it. Visualize your teammates and crowd after the shot or play. The realism of these “movies” can make reality a possibility.

     A positive attitude will keep you from tilt. Those of you that play poker know what tilt is. It’s when you just lost what you that was the nuts, but the river drowned your boat for that four of a kind. Tilt in bowling is similar if your opponent is carrying everything. High hits, through the nose, Brooklyns and tomahawks. Sometimes sports doesn’t seem to be fair, but if you’re prepared for it, you’ll get through it and over it before the next event. Being positive will keep your head in the game longer and will help you make quality decisions that can determine your claim for the championship.

     I hope that after reading this class, you’ve learned at least one thing that will help you in the future. The best way to improve your game, is to make a small change, so you brain and body are in sync. Then make another small change until you’re a mental monster. As you keep improving, the fun in your sport will also grow. Like I said before, having fun and staying positive should make great things happen for you. 

     The one good thing while growing up, was not being pressured into performing to a particular level by my parents. I was able to just have fun and learned from experience. Having fun and keeping a positive attitude is why I was able to steadily improve my game. The accident to my fingertips was probably the reason I was never pressured into being a top athlete earlier in my life. My mom helped in many ways and told me to never quit. She also congratulated me on my accomplishments and didn’t realize my full potential. My dad was a workaholic who never seem to care about my accomplishments. 

HOMEWORK: Write two paragraphs on how a more positive attitude will help you in 

     competition and how having a positive attitude will help you have more positive

     outcomes.

Now, answer these two questions:

      A: Why is listening to music before competition a great thing?

      B: What does your positive attitude need to happen?