Building Skills

When keeping score has a different purpose

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Building Skills

BTM Issue:

This month’s article is in response to a reader’s request to create skill challenges to foster improvement in lane play skills and accuracy. With this in mind, I present a number of games, challenges, and practice methods to help you become a better bowler.

I have focused on single lane or single pair challenges for the sole purpose that most people can’t practice on multiple patterns and multiple pairs.

Brooklyn and out game

Brooklyn and out is a game designed to improve one’s awareness of how to move off the strike line and be able to hit a) Brooklyn; b) the 2-4-7 and c) the 3-6-10. This is useful to provide alternative spare shooting methods for commonly left spare combinations.

The goal of this game is to hit the pocket then make a specific move and hit Brooklyn.

Brooklyn and out game

Learning: What is the relationship between the pocket and the Brooklyn pocket? What is the relationship between the pocket and the 3-6? Both of these moves off the strike line provide information on spare conversion alternatives. Specifically, this will provide insight into making the 3-6-9-10 or the 1-2-4-10 off the strike line.

Scoring: Give yourself a strike for every successful “POCKET” hit in that frame. Take the actual score when you miss it. If you happen to carry a lucky strike, change the score to six + spare.

7-10-X

The goal of 7-10-X is to develop skill in precision spare shooting on the corner pins as well as moving from throwing straight to executing an accurate strike shot.

7-10-X

Scoring: This is a low ball challenge. Missing into the gutter on the first ball is worth a strike while missing into the gutter on the second shot is a spare. On the strike shot, you get one for the 1st shot and zero for the 2nd shot for striking. If you don’t strike, multiply the number of remaining pins by one. This is your first shot. For example, a seven count is ...

Joe Slowinski

About Joe Slowinski

Joe Slowinski, a USBC Gold Coach, is a freelance bowling coach who works with bowlers around the globe. He is currently on assignment with the Philippines. Slowinski is the former Director of Bowling at Lincoln Memorial University, where he served as Program Administrator and Head USBC Collegiate Men’s and NCAA Women’s Coach. The Portland, Maine native has served as the Administrative and Men's Head Coach at Webber International University and served for four years as a Master Teaching Professional at the Kegel Training Center. Slowinski is also the former Director of Coaching and Coach Certification for the National Sports Council of Malaysia. He has coached international teams at the World Championships, Pan American Games, South American Games, and European Championships, helping Belgium win a Gold medal at the 2022 EBF Championship of Champions and coaching Brazil to Gold medals at the 2015 Pam American Games and the 2014 South American Games. He was the 2018 NTCA DII/III Coach of the Year and the 2010 NCBCA Men’s College Coach of the Year.