Timed Purposefulness

Evaluating shot phase consistency

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Timed Purposefulness

BTM Issue:

With the college season on break for Lincoln Memorial University, I have taken advantage of the downtime to develop a deeper evaluation protocol to determine the level of consistency a bowler has in both practice and competition. For me, this involves breaking the shot sequence into micro-phases in order to measure each component more closely.

Imagine the value of measuring the actual time and determining how consistent each specific phases of a shot is, from the actual time a bowler utilizes to set up for each shot, to the time used to complete the targeting process before moving. These two shot phases collectively will determine a purposeful measure (i.e. purposeful setup process and purposeful targeting). In addition, if we determine the actual time to complete the approach and throw each shot, we will have a measure of how consistent a bowler’s physical game is throughout the physical elements of an approach. Collectively, these are the micro-phases of a shot. Shot time provides a measure of quality and consistency as well.

The more data we have for each bowler, the more opportunity we have to reveal correlations to shotmaking quality as well as consistency measures to determine performance profiles. Considering the performance impact of one or two shots in a tournament—more on this later—revealing the truth of each bowler affords an opportunity to radically assess and improve in all the areas we actually control as a bowler.

In this article, I define measurable shot phases, each of which can be timed, as well as discuss how we can analyze them to determine correlations between time used in each phase to good and bad shots. Finally, I offer guidance ...

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.