HOW TO REPROGRAM YOUR MENTAL GAME!

Teams need goals too! 

By Alan Brizee  (c)2020  Author of The Path to Excellence and From Excellence to Success

     Well I think I gave some of you, more than you wanted going after any “DREAM”. Once you know your destination, there are several ways to get there. My “DREAM” happened because of having a positive attitude, tried my best all the time, wrote my dreams down, wrote my objectives in my log book to help focus on what I wanted to accomplish to give my “DREAM”s a chance to happen, enjoyed competing no matter the outcome because I learned from almost every experience, got help with both my physical and mental games (the double whammy for competition), having teammates who enjoyed competing as much as winning and always having as much fun as possible. Doing 360’s and running shots out not only help to keep stress and pressure away, it helps me involved and helps psyches me up. Should I say it again? If you’re not having fun, it may be time to quit. Well too late, I just wanted everyone to know that sports is supposed to be fun and what’s more fun than seeing your “DREAM” come true. 

     And now, I’ll give you, the rest of the story. As promised, I’ll let you in on the bigger picture, sports where you’ll be a team member. There are no one rule that apply to all sports. Golf is about having the lowest score. Racing and track events is seeing who can complete laps in the fastest time. Bowling, golf, archery and you could throw in darts, has no defense, at least not now. Bowling, golf and tennis, just to name three, are considered individual sports, even though there are doubles and team events. Some field events require the longest distance. Some positions in sports aren’t custom to scoring points, such as a defensive player in football, the goalie in both soccer and hockey and the player holding the broom in curling. Not everyone on a team will have a chance to score. Some players will see limited playing time and therefore less scoring opportunities. Every baseball stadium is different including the first and third base lines. Some sports is about strategy, while others is about matching up to your opponent. Basketball, baseball and tennis are the three biggest sports where players are on both offense and defense. Most team sports have a head coach who determines playing time. And tiddlywinks isn’t a sport, it’s a game. So as far as team goals, there really is only season goals. Most coaches determine where their team should be halfway through the season. Team chemistry plays a huge part in how the team responds to any situation and what the team goal may be. Not always is the team goal going to be to win the championship.

     Not always is the best team going to win the championship. The team members and how they contribute to the overall concept of the team will determine how successful the team will be. Individual accomplishments can be diluted because the team is trying to make the playoffs. All players should be focused on the big picture if you compete as a team. In bowling, I’ve seen a lot of teams lose by a few pins when a bowler throws a 300 game. The other team members are more focused on his 300 and somehow forget the game is close and can’t close the door. Depending on your sport, they may pause the game for someone who just reached a goal so the fans can show their appreciation and the player handed the game ball. Any individual career goal could be somewhat passed over if your team lost the championship. More distractions because of the fans, will happen during team situations and you need to prepare for them. When you’re on a new team, you’ll need to understand how you’ll benefit the team and what is expected from you. The team goal may be simple, to make the playoffs or win a specific number of games. You may even sit on the bench more than you ever thought. Going from high school to college will be an adjustment and most will have a handle on the new situation. Adapt and conquer makes athletes stronger and is what makes most sports fun to watch.

Planning to succeed by choosing which goals you’re going after, will help raise your level of confidence after accomplishing several goals. It’s your “DREAM”, now go out there and shoot for it!!

See you in the ZONE!

Who said team chemistry isn't important? Several individuals need to make sacrifices so the whole team benifits by everyone working together.

There is no I in team. 

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

     NOTE: This article was written for a scratch league, but can also apply to handicapped leagues. If you bowl in a league, you’re probably will be on a team as very few singles leagues exist. And if bowling on a team, I would think you’d want to have as much fun over the entire season which includes winning as many game possible. Good news for those of you just starting out. You’ll see why I have continued to bowl for 50 years and the reason to keep coming back each season. It’s all about having fun and enjoying the competition. It’s these two things that have happened over the 50 years and one reason why I have accomplished many great memories and experiences that helped me win championships. Don’t let the stumbles of a few bad occurrences make you want to quit. My mom told me to never quit and I came close a few times. I’ve thanked her for her insight.

     Having some the best bowlers in the league without teamwork, doesn't guarantee making the Roll-Offs. I know that some of you could care less about your team. You’re only worried about brackets and eliminators, because of the extra money you can make. I also know that there are a few bowlers who think they're helping the team by just showing up. Some of you are only happy when you're winning matches in the brackets and the team is winning. But when your team is losing, you’re not around encouraging them to do better. You check out the bracket board or bs’ing with others when there still is a chance to make the Roll-Offs. Some are quick to blame their teammates for losing the game just because of an open in the 9th or 10th frame. We don’t bowl two frame games. Games are ten frames and what happens even in the 2nd frame can dictate who wins. No matter what you may think, or think you know, I’m here to tell most of you again, it takes a team to win and it takes a team to lose. I’m not asking my teammates to be cheerleaders, but I would like to see all my teammates put effort into winning as a team or make an effort to motivate team members to shoot better the next game. Just a small amount of inspiration and motivation can go a long way towards the team’s goal of making the Roll-Offs.

     No matter what your individual goals are, isn’t it better when your team is winning and members are having more fun? If your team isn’t have fun and winning, whose fault is, it if you’re gloomy? Everyone knows that losing sucks, but it is a part of sports that MUST happen. Sports should NEVER be just about winning. Those of you who show up for the competition, have a far better chance of winning than those who show up because they want to win. Those that accept a loss and learn from it, can compete without the added pressure of having to win. If you’re on a team that doesn’t act like a team, my suggestion is to find another team. Life is too short to be frustrated by teammates who only think it’s about them. Most of my 50 years of bowling, I have been on teams that enjoyed the competition and claimed the championship, because of the fun we had as a team. I also noticed that most teams that display having fun, are bowling for the championship. Only three teams out of my 50 years, have I managed to struggle through the season, hoping the team chemistry would change and make bowling with them about having fun. If you show up and you’re not going to have fun, why the hell are you even showing up? The great thing about sports is that, for those three hours you’re away from home, you can forget about personal and work problems, unwind and have fun competing as a team. I’ll now get off my soapbox. :)

     What is a team? It is supposed to be a group working to achieve a collective goal. I have seen teams that never reached their potential due to certain factors. Some of the factors include teammates fighting among themselves, dwelling on missed opportunities, bowlers not accepting their role while some individuals worrying more about their individual performances than how their team is doing. Some teams with just decent bowlers have become the team to beat and won Championships because of their teamwork. And I can say that I was on a team that most thought, we didn’t stand a chance to win. "Teammates must believe in each other. And they must motivate their members to achieve great accomplishments." One bowler cannot make a team but one bowler can make a team better. It is what each member adds to the team that determines how the team will perform during critical situations. The more mentally prepared each member is, the better the team will perform overall. A team that is not as talented can beat a better team if they're prepared for the challenge and keep a positive attitude. Discuss with your team when either lane changes, so everyone will be prepared to make any adjustments that may need to be made. Even the high average on the team can learn something from the lowest average on the team and help the team win.

     TEAM should mean Together Everyone Achieves More. In the Traveling Masters league, it should stand for Traveling Energized and Motivated. It should not be four individuals bowling on a team, but rather a team bowling as a single unit. How the single unit performs will determine how others respect the team. One thing that a lot of teams forget about is having fun. When you're having fun, winning is easier because you take the pressure out of the equation. Pressure situations make the conscious mind get in the way when making good shots. For a team to be competitive, they must bond together, to where each member share equally when winning or losing. "The team player knows that it doesn't matter who gets the credit as long as the job gets done. If the job gets done, the credit will come." When a member is having a bad game, it is up to the remainder of the team to pick up the shortfall, if they want to win. The attitude of each individual determines the direction in which your team goes. A bad attitude by just one member can destroy a team. All teams and individuals will have periods of bad breaks or slumps. Those teams that retain a more positive outlook, will get through these times faster and learn from them. Motivation and inspiration during the entire season can help your team win the championship.

     Teams that bond together, should set a common goal, maintain a positive team identity, keep a good working relationship, respect and trust each other, share their positive energy, have unity, communicate among each other and above all, show team pride. "The best team doesn't always win.  The team that can work together will have more chances to win.” Goals should be both short term and long term, with objectives being obtainable and within your skill level. Obtaining these goals will keep the team in a positive state. Motivation is a tool that most bowlers lose sight of. Those that inspire their team, may see their team turn the corner and achieve greatness. A good working relationship means that each bowler, is always working on improving their game to improve their team as well. You should show respect for your teammates, by not getting down on them and trusting them to make good shots, when the game is on the line. Encouraging each other will create a positive atmosphere and unify the team. Communication will keep everybody on the same page and help focus on the task on hand. Team pride is showing enthusiasm and motivation to keep the fun times going and will help the team bounce back quicker after a loss.

     Promoting positive interaction will add confidence to each member. You must decide as a group that you want to excel. Talk with your teammates to find out how to play the conditions. Compliment and encourage each other for trying. Share your strengths so they can improve their game. All bowlers will be off their game one night, so ask a teammate what you could do better. Listening to your teammates for tips and suggestions could take your game to the next level. "To accept good advice from others increases one's own ability." Even a bowler with a lower average could offer valuable information. You must NEVER put down a teammate no matter what the circumstance is. Give constructive analysis of what happened, so they can learn from it and less likely to be repeated. Getting along with each other will create a winning atmosphere and supporting them when making steps in the right direction. Teammates must accept individual differences as not everyone will bowl at the same level and some may have had little experience at the scratch level. Include everyone, as it is the team that determines its fate. Show others you care by recalling positive experiences to forget any negatives. Never reflect on negatives. Don't forget to have fun on your way. And last but certainly not least, only you can take responsibility for yourself, to do whatever you can to improve your game and help the team as much as you can. This could be a practice season before each match or taking lessons to get your game to the next level. If each bowler steps up to the next level, it will be harder for a team to get the better of you.

     A winning bowling team, NEVER QUITS and usually has the better mental game. Members will also encourage each other by thinking positive. They are willing to rise to the occasion because they enjoy performing as a team. They will set short term and long-term goals. They will be in control of their emotions, which will help them focus on how to achieve their goals. They will win as a team and lose as a team. They overcome negatives and turn them into positives. They learn from their mistakes so that they try not to repeat them. They know how to use their strengths to their advantage to overcome any weakness. They are usually faster to adapt to the changing and challenging lane conditions. They know that bad breaks are part of the game and are able to wait them out until good breaks come their way. The team is skillful at getting through difficult situations. They are more prepared for challenges no matter how easy the opposing team looks, as they know that any team can beat any team on a given day. Members never apologizes for poor performance as they know that you can't be at your best all the time and hope the team can make up the difference. Winning teams RAP. Review the past, Analyze the present and Plan the future.

     A championship bowling team has a common goal, commitment, complementary roles, communication, constructive conflict, cohesion and a credible captain. The team will have a singular common goal like winning your division, but should have weekly goals like winning 26 points tonight. The bowlers should understand that their individual goals must fit within the framework of the team's goals. Without commitment from all members, your chances of the championship are next to nothing. If you're not working on your game to help improve the team, someone else is. Complementary roles include sharing your knowledge so your team can benefit from it, helping a teammate get lined in or keep them focused on the team's goal. Communication could be that the lanes are breaking down and an adjustment might be needed. Let your team know when you will miss as early as possible and remind them again. I hate it when a bowler misses and didn't tell his team. Teams with conflict among members keep it under control during competition. Respecting each other will help in the cohesion of the team. The captain should make lineup changes for the better of the team. Sometimes, changing the lineup is exactly the best option to motivate the team. 

     Variables for team unity include stability, role acceptance (Lineup), team size, interaction, outcome, involvement and the type of bowlers."The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club won't be worth a dime." -Babe Ruth. Stability means showing up almost every night. If every member misses 3 to 4 weeks, that could be a third of the season, not having the regular team bowling together. The sooner the members have accepted their role or actually the position in the line-up, the faster the team can bond together. I know that certain bowlers don't like the leadoff spot. Having five rotate on a four member team or a bowler that will miss a lot of weeks due to work, could affect unity due to chances of conflict. Interaction comes about discussing getting lined in, changing lane conditions, giving helpful tips or when changing the line-up is in order. Even when the team wins or loses, the way each member perceives it can affect team unity. A team that starts losing can start blaming each other for why they loss. Involvement is important if the team is to become better. Involvement is what members will do, to help the team reach their goals. It could be getting a new ball, putting in a little more practice, taking lessons from a certified coach and working to improve your mental game. If you're not working on improving your game to help the team, why are you a part of the team? "I am proud of all my trophies, but truthfully when I was playing, I never thought of the records. I just tried to do all I possibly could to help the team win." -Roy Campanella. "Ask not what your teammates can do for you. Ask what you can do for your teammates." -Magic Johnson. The type of bowlers can dictate how well the team competes. If All 4 bowlers throw down the boards, this can be a huge advantage helping each other getting lined in. They can also open up an area on the lane so they can play off each other to score higher. Outside influences can distract a bowler from having a good night. Try to put them out of your mind and should not be discussed with teammates until after competition is over as it could distract them.

     The line-up for the Traveling Masters, since match play is used, is very important to the chemistry of the team. Obviously the most important position, out of the four, is the anchor spot. The anchor bowler may not be your best bowler, but should be able to handle the pressure of those close games the best. The anchor should also be a decent spare shooter, as you don't want to give away games due to missing spares in the final 2 frames. The leadoff bowlers should be a good spare shooter and one that can throw a double in the 10th when needed. The bowler bowling 2nd will most likely be the low average on the team. The 3rd bowler will be important during close games as they can add pressure to he opponents with a double in the 10thframe. The question is should a team change line-ups to possibly win more points? The team has to weigh the pros and the cons. I will never back down from a challenge because I love the challenge. I didn't become as good as I am by backing down from tough matches. Just because I bowl against their weakest player, there is no guarantee that I will win all 6 points. If a set line-up is consistently winning, why change it. You are giving away points by having your lowest average bowler up against their highest average could get you more points but only if the other 3 bowlers on the team go out there and win those points. 

     No matter what level you are, invest some time and maybe money to help your team reach their potential to go after goals. Practice more, take some lessons or become more mentally prepared. Check out my other articles, the mental library and some very good mental game web sites on the links page. 

See you in the ZONE!

NOTE: I have an article on team chemistry that involved my team and happy to share the story so hopefully your team won't go through this.  It's the next article. (Check it out, TEAM CHEMISTRY ARTICLE)

There are things that happen for a reason. Some things can't be avoided because of who's making decisions. This is about a captain who didn't inform his team about his decision for the following season and what two members on the team did.

My team’s tale of two trains

By Alan Brizee   © May 2024  Author of The Path to Excellence and From Excellence to Success

      This is a shortened article about our last season and the current season, 2023-24, with both being one-of-a-kind. It’s also about team chemistry, motivation, and team support and that these three factors may also affect your mental game. It is after all, your mental game that will determine how successful you or your team will be for the season. A TEAM NEEDS ALL THREE FACTORS to be competitive and have a better chance at being the league champion. How can back-to-back seasons be totally opposite each other? No one said life was fair and it would be easy. I’ll sum up each season and save the drama for the end. This article is about evaluating the importance of team members and what they add to your team.

      I heard about a 32 team 5-man handicap league that needed bowlers for the 2022-23 season. I was just bowling one league, a mixed league with 14 teams, so why not get in a more competitive league? I showed up early and was able to be on a team that had bowlers from my other league. We still needed one bowler which the house found for us. He just moved to town and after the meeting, we practiced as a team. He threw the ball about as good as anyone. With two bowlers below 185, so we would have some handicap. We had our new bowler and me above 200 with the team captain at about 190. I liked the team roster and told the team we would be competitive during the season.

      So, three weeks after being above .500, we didn’t win a game over the next five weeks. WOW! Reality hits hard, but I’m not quitting! I was bowling leadoff, and the new guy was anchor. We won them all on position round for the first quarter. Since he was still trying to figure out what equipment would work better, we changed positions where I was now anchor. As the season progressed, we held our own. The new guy (who I’ll call bowler A) finally drilled a ball that matched the house shot. Remember that not all house shots are equal and the shot does change every now and then. Now we’re down to the final quarter and guess what? Bowler A wanted his anchor spot back and after watching him throw a four to five bagger most every week, and I didn’t mind going back to leadoff. Team chemistry is very important as it also carries over to motivation and supporting your team.

      WE FINALLY FUSED AS A TEAM in the 4thquarter! Our worst week was going 4-4 while sweeping 8 points four times. A complete 180 degrees from the opening quarter! My first season in the last 6 seasons where the whole team wanted to show others that they would have to bowl good to beat us, because in this quarter, we didn’t beat ourselves. (This is the mindset the team needs to compete in a league that has some very good teams.) We won 8 points the week before position round. We had a four point lead, but wait, we were going to be short two bowlers as bowler A and the team captain would miss on this important night. After knowing who we would bowl, I told the team that I still liked our chances against this team even with two of our team missing. With giving the opponents 20 pins for two blind scores, we needed to hang tough and convert our spares. We won the first game by 38 pins as the three of us who bowled were 25 pins above our averages. Now we needed either a tie or one more win for extra money by securing a Roll-Off spot. After I opened with 205, I stepped up next game to help the team win the 2nd game by 40 pins as I rolled a 233. The other two were near their averages and our team now gets to bowl three more games by obtaining one of the six Roll-Off spots. The position round could have been different had we bowled another team, because the other two teams had significantly higher averages and giving away 20 pins per game, would make a more uphill battle. Our team showed who we were really were, an average team with an above average potential, that can compete with most teams because of our ability to finish games not beating ourselves and having a little help from our handicap. Everyone was motivated and played cheerleader when it mattered the most.

        It’s rare when all five members of your team have bonded together as a finely tuned machine. That’s what I said, all five helping to the best of their ability. The higher averages shooting games in the 230’s and stringing strikes to spark momentum for the team. The lower averages helping with picking up their spares and throwing some needed doubles when the team needs them in close games. When all five are on the same page, it really will be a great moment in time. Great moments won’t happen each and every week. Your team will be lucky if it happens two out of four weeks. Bowling in 5-man leagues will have several ups and downs, along with advantages and of course disadvantages. With good team chemistry, there should be a lot more ups than downs. One or two members of the five can determine the team’s chances of making the Roll-Offs and winning the league championship. There will be times where the lanes can be strange due to the weather, and that’s when adjusting is at a premium for your team to win those weeks. Individual personalities with five members will play a part of team success. Not everyone on the team will be a cheerleader, a motivator, a coach, a psychologist, and be a referee when needed. All team members should be at least cheerleaders so good fortunes will continue when the team needs it most.

      With our above average potential and momentum from winning the 4th quarter, we should finish in the top three for the Roll-Offs. All teams in the Roll-Offs had to change pairs after every game, which is, more of a help for a team like ours, with the 2ndhighest handicap of the six. After shooting just above our average the first two games, we were actually the team on top for the championship by several pins. As they say, it’s not over until it’s over. One game to walk away with the $900 prize for league champion, is something I almost wouldn’t think that it could have happened to our team, but our team was covering our spares to keep other teams from getting to close. We were able to stay away from splits again and grabbed the championship from the other five teams. I, as well as the rest of the team, didn’t expect this much good fortune, our first season together. I personally had the most fun because of how the team responded to adversity we faced and were able to rise to all the occasions in that final quarter, when it mattered the most. Seasons like this are few and far between and the main reason why most bowlers enjoy competing. Ever bowler on the team had fun, keeping the team connected and were always ready to compete. What will next season bring and will it be even more fun, as we’ll be defending our championship?

      Would you have expected an under average team from the start, have a “once in a lifetime” magical season, their first season together? Everyone on our team helped out to the best they could to close this extraordinarily wonderful unforgettable season. This first season with a new team had a comeback season like I NEVER SEEN BEFORE!With me being a “super-senior” and bowling over 60 seasons, I have seen most everything until joining this team in my new league. Everything happened in our favor because of never giving up, picking up more single pin spares as the season continued, keeping our heads in the game, and motivating each other. It’s very rare when EVERYTHING COMES TOGETHER AT THE SAME TIME! It is a dream come true experience for us and one I will never forget!! When I told the team back in the 3rd week, that I liked the team, I knew we had the potential to compete, but didn’t expect to have this great of a season. I, and three teammates, “saved” their best quarter averages for that final quarter. We, has a team, were over 30 pins better than any other quarter. I would rank this season, my second best out of the 40 seasons as an adult. It was more of a down and THEN UP AND MORE UP SEASON. This magical season with a 22-point win streak the final quarter, actually started before the organizational meeting, as I showed up early and was able to change to this team. The last quarter, Bowler A averaged 223 and I wasn’t far behind with a 213, showing what can happen when motivation by others on the team, determination to win the championship and having fun come together. More strikes and less opens just makes bowling more fun. 

      When a team is being challenged and are having fun doing it, winning will become easier and isn’t that all you can expect from your new team? Remember that bowling in 5-man leagues will have several ups and downs, along with advantages and of course disadvantages. With good team chemistry, there should be a lot more ups than downs. One or two members of the five can determine the team’s chances of winning games, making the Roll-Offs and winning the league championship. There will be times where the lanes can be strange due to the weather, and that’s when adjusting is at a premium for your team to win those weeks. Individual personalities with five members will play a part of team success. Not everyone on the team will be a cheerleader, a motivator, a coach, a psychologist, and be a referee when needed. All team members should be at least cheerleaders so good fortunes will continue when the team needs it most.

      And the second train left the station and now, the rest of this story, our second season. We just amazed ourselves by winning the league championship last season, so what could top last season’s championship? Maybe another championship? Making the Roll-Offs two straight seasons? Oh, Oh. The team was blindsided by Bowler A’s news that he couldn’t start on week one. This was due to a family problem as his wife lost her job and told him he couldn’t pay for his bowling at the start of this season. I understand that family MUST come first when money will be needed for necessities instead of pleasure because bowling is a luxury. Life can suck at times but by trying to have fun regardless of the situation, should help you make it feel a little better. We now needed a bowler and the center had “Bowler B” join us for the current season. I have nothing against Bowler B because he is a pretty good bowler, but he isn’t Bowler A who motivates me like few have ever done in my 40 seasons. I realize not all good bowlers will what I call “team bowlers”. “Team bowlers” are cheerleaders, motivators, coaches, and analyze situations and offer solutions to any problem the team currently has. Almost no one in the last 20 seasons with me bowling anchor, offered suggestions until bowler A last season. One reason is, because there have been only a few times when I didn’t shoot at least one 190 game that week. Usually, the anchor bowler is high average on the team and others on the team are not at the same skill level, so they don’t have the same experience or knowledge to offer advice. There have been a few times where I learned something interacting with lower average bowlers and your teammates need to always discuss the transitions happening on the lanes, so the team benefits from this knowledge. It doesn’t mean you’ll have to adjust immediately, it means being more aware to make the proper adjustment at the right time.

      This past season (’23 – ’24), we started out slow with just four points in the first three weeks. The following three weeks were all six-point weeks, and we won all eight in the position round to be below .500 for the quarter. As it would turn out, three bowlers on the team would have the very same average for their second quarter as they did that first quarter. Bowler B was on his game for our second quarter and helped keep us in contention for winning the quarter. We needed six points to gain an entry into the Roll-Offs Three bowlers were all at least 20 below their averages that first game of position round and we lost by 53 pins. OK, we now needed to win the next two games and totals. We won the next two games and lost totals by just 15 sticks. This was a night we basically beat ourselves by missing eleven single pin spares. Had we missed only 9, instead of 11, we would already be in the Roll-Offs. We cut down our single pin misses last season and for this past season, could miss the Roll-Offs. I can tell you that the team is missing something from last season. Inspiration and motivation are on top of that list. With one different bowler this season, you might think that it wouldn’t impact the team too much. One bowler of five can’t win games by himself, he needs the rest of the team to pull their weight. But can one bowler can MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE by stringing strikes, motivating and inspiring the team by offering suggestions to help the team? I wouldn’t be writing this article if bowler A didn’t have a huge impact on me. With 2 below a 185 average on our team this season, inspiration is a huge thing for them. When even one of them struggle shooting 30 under their average, our new team this season, doesn’t quite have the ability like last season, to string strikes to spark the momentum and come from behind to win. We got off to a strong start that 2nd quarter, by sweeping twice before getting swept the 3rd week. We lost a close game, and not shooting 1100 that night. The rest of the quarter we would shoot at least 1100 once every week. Would this 2nd quarter slip, keep us from the Roll-Offs? At least we are still competing for one of the two wildcard spots into the Roll-Offs. We didn’t get swept at all the 3rd quarter, but we were competitive and were four points out of first place sitting in the 4thspot. We were tied with 3rd and needed to win them all for a chance at winning the quarter. As it turned out, the second-place team, 2 points back swept and won the quarter making sure the match between the 3rd and 4th place teams wouldn’t come into play. It may seem like we have been more competitive this season, because of these last two quarters. It almost seems like the rest of the team expected good things to happen, instead of making them happen. And now with a few weeks left in the regular season, the team chemistry we had last season wasn’t to be found. We were 8 points ahead for the final Roll-Off spot starting the final quarter and with two weeks left, on the outside looking in. I’ve seen teammates in this final quarter showing frustration, which they never did before.

      When you’re competing and there is a prize fund involved, all team members should be involved in making the team better, a team you personally can be proud of, a team you help motivate, a team you cheer for and a team that opponents will have trouble bowling against. When all members know what direction their team is headed, it’s easier to win those close games and series. It will also make it easier to relax, and continue hitting the pocket to leave easier spares if you don’t strike. Having fun while competing makes those great moments magical and hard to forget. All you can ask from your team is to show opponents that your team won’t back down and always in the hunt to make the Roll-Offs. With five on the team, life can sometime distract a team from accomplishing several goals. But the team, needs to move on and only focus on what they can control. A team with five individualists, can have trouble when the time to step up is now. A team with five team players, will usually perform better by being a well-oiled machine. To me, it’s always about being able to compete with other teams and accepting all challenges in front of them. 

      When bowler A and I were trying to find out who would be bowling this upcoming season, it took a note for the captain to tell us bowler B because he was paying for the season. What? Bowler A showed me last season the type of bowler he was and that I wanted to continue to bowl with him in the future. His bowling and offering a few suggestions gave me more motivation and the real reason why I bowled great that final quarter last season. He showed how much he cared about our team by having our team record and his average on his phone. We are on the same page and like me, WOULD RATHER WIN THAN LOSE. When the whole team takes a loss in stride and moves on like last season, shows that everyone one the team is on the same page and can go after bigger goals. Bowler A helped by averaging 6.5 strikes and 1.5 opens per game last season. Several weeks last season, he helped with his observations and inspired the team. Even though I dismissed some tips he gave me, I appreciated the fact he’s trying to help the team out any way he can. Subbing this season for 10 weeks, he is averaging 6.4 strikes and 0.9 opens per game and no practice sessions between subbing. WOW, bowling great throwing about six games each month. As I wrote about the ability to string strikes to spark the momentum, last season three of every four weeks in our second half, Bowler A threw a 5 bagger in 12 of 16 weeks. This season in comparison, 6 of his 10 weeks subbing, he threw a 6 bagger. And now add in that he lowered his opens each week to under 3 this season, and doing it without practicing, is someone who I want to bowl with. I’m sure most of you would want him on your team! He feels he could even bowl a little better by bowling every week, which is one reason he kept texting the team to sub if needed. I didn’t fault him for wanting to help, but two other members got on case as they were the ones paying, not him. This is the first time someone spoke up against him and seemed to deteriorate what little bond our current team had. He would be happy missing one week out of six as proposed for next season, because of trying to do the right thing for our team. His passion, determination, and motivation are things the team SHOULD NOT BE WITHOUT. One week this season, he showed up and I was having carry problems, I then went on to throw a 7 bagger. It’s hard to explain how a bowler can motivate you, without even throwing a ball. I know that my focus is not what it used to be when I was younger, and wearing glasses doesn’t help, but I stay in the zone longer when he’s around or bowling. A great teammate not only wants you to improve, but will motivate you to where you do improve!

As our team needed a change due to Bowler A not being able to bowl the opening week, he and I thought that he would be rejoining the team the upcoming season. I know that bowlers don’t just join a team for one season, but the captain could have done it differently by thinking through the situation. But now in hindsight, the four other bowlers could have paid 25% of his fees, until he could return, where he would have paid for the remainder of the season, but no one knew how long it would be. The captain didn’t even propose this to the team, and some don’t like paying for others to bowl, except when needing a sub. The team just isn’t having the fun we enjoyed last season. Partly because Bowler A injected inspiration into the team and helped motivate us when sometimes we needed it the most. No team spirit or cheering to inspire the team when we were still going after the final Roll-Off spot. The incentive for extra money SHOULD STILL BE THERE, but to me seemed like the team tried to make it happen, instead of being focused to make it happen. Last season, three on the team practiced together several times at a different center and this season it happened once. Could someone on our current team tell me again, why bowler A isn’t rejoining our team as a regular next season?

      Since the captain told us bowler A would not be a regular, bowler A still wanted to bowl in the league. My suggestion was that bowler A and I start our own team. Because of social media, we filled the team in just three days and even had a 6th man to sub. Our team will not have a lot of handicap as all five are low 200’s except for bowler A with a 217 average. Anyone of the five could start stringing strikes at any time to put momentum on our side.

       In conclusion, a captain needs to inform the team of decisions that affect the whole team. His decision to keep bowler B for the following season and not have a six-man rotation I felt was a mistake. Team chemistry is maybe the most important aspect of teams with four or five on the team. I’m uploading this article to show others that captain’s decisions need to be brought to all the members of the team and discussed so hopefully the conclusion will satisfy all members. You don’t have to stay on a team, at least in bowling, if you feel like the team is no longer working together and having fun!

       Chemistry isn’t a factor in my first book but could have been. Since my books are more for individuals than teams, I overlooked it. This article shows chemistry was HUGE that first season compared to the second season. It also shows that being on a team, you need to be informed of any changes, so you feel that you belong on the team. Good Luck in your future seasons.

See you in the ZONE!