Coach, I’ve Got a Question! – July 2024

In this recurring feature, I answer questions from Bowling This Month readers. If you have questions, please leave them in the comment section below so I can address them in a future installment of Coach, I’ve Got a Question!

This might be a bit too specific, but I often struggle in the match play portion of a tournament after winning a big match or one that’s very close. I find it hard to keep performing at that level in the next match. Is there something I can do to improve?

While this particular example is specific to you, I’m sure many bowlers have experienced something similar. Whether it is a match play bracket or a stepladder, tournament bowlers can know this feeling all too well. Even non-tournament bowlers will experience this same kind of letdown in league bowling after winning a close point or bowling a big game.

In each of these cases, there is an emotional high that can be followed by a dip in energy and focus. Let’s dig into it.

Step one: managing emotions under stress

Let me be clear from the start. In this example, I’m using the word “stress” in a good way. Regularly viewed as something to be avoided, there is a difference between chronic stress and the kind of stress we inflict on ourselves during exercise. Good stress activates the body’s systems, and most of the time we benefit from periods of stress and recovery.

This sort of good stress is what we want to achieve while competing, and it often leads to our best performances. The heart rate climbs, the body temperature rises, and our focus narrows. At the right level of intensity, we perform our very best. When we go past this point, performance can suffer. Our performance also suffers when we fall too low (which ...