Ball Motion Gap Analysis

May is a transitional time for most bowlers in the world. League and international club seasons are coming to a close with national champions being crowned for the season, AMF World Cup representatives are chosen, and clubs are promoted or relegated in their domestic leagues. At the same time, manufacturers are preparing their new releases to coincide with Bowl Expo in June.

This transitional time provides an opportune time for self-reflection, evaluation, and planning to improve one’s future lane play abilities. Specifically, in an ongoing manner, a bowler and/or coach should review a bowler’s current game with a focus on identifying assets and liabilities related to pattern play and shape creation correlated with equipment and release characteristics. This creates a multi-level awareness of lane play influences, assets, and liabilities.

In this issue of Slowinski At Large, I present a multi-step deep analysis process designed to aid bowlers of all levels to more thoroughly identify lane play assets and liabilities. A deep analysis involves reviewing the strengths and weaknesses associated with a bowler’s release characteristics, current arsenal sequence and shape predispositions, and a review of the general needs for excellent pattern play, from fresh through all phases of transition for all major pattern types. This multi-tier process easily reveals gaps in one’s ability to be successful in all lane play scenarios.

The goal of this article is to facilitate an on-going formal reflection and evaluation process to ensure bowlers and coaches can fill arsenal gaps better, based on an analysis of a player’s release characteristics and current arsenal, in an effort to determine assets and liabilities associated with achieving required ball motion shapes to match-up on patterns and environments as best as possible. Whether you have a deep comprehension of layouts and ball motion or not, this three-tiered process can accommodate all bowlers and coaches, from beginner to elite. If you utilize this formal process, you will improve your ability to fill gaps for players.

A three step multi-level analysis

To determine your current gaps, based on the playing environment, your release, and your current arsenal, I am recommending a multi-tier analysis. Specifically, this consists of a three ...