This is the time of year when young athletes decide to learn more about bowling. The reasons for the additional learning desire could be an upcoming move from middle school to high school (we don’t have middle school bowling in Kentucky), a move to a new school, an increase in average, or bowling presents. I have been fortunate enough to work with a number of those athletes in the last months, as well as a couple of others who can be very resistant to learning new skills or a change in technique.
Our youth program has clinics every week before league. The clinics are an hour long and focus almost exclusively on the physical game. I also have periodic clinics for bowlers whose level of commitment to bowling is higher than the normal league bowler. Here are a few of the drills and demonstrations we use to educate players about the game and provide the learning blocks for understanding ball motion.
We, as coaches, do all within our power to keep the focus on skill and knowledge development and limit the importance of the scores. Young bowlers are individuals who mature physically and emotionally at very different rates and keeping the focus on skill and knowledge development minimizes these differences.
Ball motion demonstrations
We have four demonstrations in two different drills we use to form the base of ball motion education. All of the drills require an end lane and a walkway beside the lane. Be sure and get permission to take the athletes down this walkway. I prefer using the high end of a center because it allows righthanded bowlers to be watched. However, lane one can also be used if you have a quality lefthanded athlete available.
The first demonstration requires a ball with a very aggressive coverstock. ...
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