Who on here has had a coach for bowling?

[Sabotage]

Growing up ive never had a coach or anyone tell me how to bowl. I have had teammates give me a pointer here and there but never has anyone sat down with me, analyzed my bowling and break it down for me.

i want to hear some stories about coaches you guys have had, good and bad stories

[TKelly]

I've been getting lessons 1-2 times a month from one of the coaches here the last 6-7 months. I had been away from bowling about 20 years and been back into bowling about a year now. I started just doing it my self but the technology has changed so much that after struggling for a while I asked one of them for some help. He was been a great help. Basically he watched me throw a game or two them pretty much changed my whole approach. I was doing about 6 steps getting way to fast and just hammering the ball down the lane to fast like 23 mph.. now I do a 4 step approach starting about 1/2 way up the hood at the ball return and throw about 17.5 -18 mph and hold the ball close to my chest instead of extended out. Then we worked on release ...Now I'm learning to get more rotation on the ball. I'm not a high rev thrower but would like to get more rev's for more pin action. Plus learning more about lane play... So I'd say I've learned alot form my coach and will continue to go to him.. I also am looking at going to get a day booked with Jeff Carter. I live about 2 hrs from him and would like to get an intense day in with a solid Pro. Also close to me is Tom Carter and Steve Jaros so those also are possibilities. Would like to go to Kegel but I don't live near Florida so that one probably isn't possible, right now anyway.

So yeah I'd go if you have the opportunity.. you can always learn something to improve your game. We have 3 here that I know of, there are 2 that are Bronze Level and 1 that is Sliver Level.

[idlehourlegend]

Growing up ive never had a coach or anyone tell me how to bowl. I have had teammates give me a pointer here and there but never has anyone sat down with me, analyzed my bowling and break it down for me.

i want to hear some stories about coaches you guys have had, good and bad stories

My dad was somewhat my coach, but I learned 99.9% of everything on my own like game wise(Bubba taught me about the ball dynamics stuff etc.) because I didnt listen to my dad most of the time, learned a lot of stuff by just going out and doing it and putting the time in on the lanes, and I feel that got me a lot better. I personally dont get along with coaches, never did because Im not one to be told how to do something, I do things my own way. I have listened and learned from older/expierience bowlers that learned what they learned by going out on the lanes and learning it from expierience, not by reading the information from a book. This would be why I feel how I feel about USBC coaching, atleast coaches under Silver, but going by the bronze level coaches in this area, they learned absolutely nothing from those classes, believe me I read the bronze certification books, and 90% of the people on this site know more than whats in those books, the bronze certification is the kindergarten/elementary school of bowling, shows you the basics and how to teach it, thats about it. So if I were you and you were wanting a coach, I would get Silver or better, or better yet learn from an older good bowler in your house.

JMO's, dont want to rustle any feathers around here with this, just saying my observations from this area and what I read in the books, Im sure all of the coaches arent like that.

[PASSIONATEBOWLER]

I have had two coaching lessons. One was with a group: Basically, the coach checked to ensure equipment was fitting propertly, and introduced us to the 3-6-9 spare shooting system. I thought it was an effective class. My second class was a private lesson (roughly 45 minutes), and basically she went over my approach, and ball speed.

Today, my husband is proving to be the best coach for me. He's a better bowler than I, he has plenty of patience, and he speaks my language.

If I didn't have my husband coaching me, I would definitely seek the services of another certified coach.

Good luck!

[BubbaRay]

Idle, thanks for mention on the ball dynamics. Thank you

Now I have been involved with bowling since age 6. While growing up my Dad installed bowling lane and built many bowling allyey's around the country. He tought me the basics from when I can remember but 97% I learned myself. I have had help from 2 people in my career. One was my Uncle and the other is a former touring Pro and PBA Champion. When I get in a slump I turn to my frined the former PBA Champ for advice.. I myself love coaching. I have coached the juniors and I am not a certified coach. I teach from experience and what I have learned. Sometimes experience is the best teacher. Trial and error can be the best thing sometimes. Like idle stated , there are alot of members here that I would trust more than a Bronze certified coach without any PBA and major tournament experiences. So what I am saying is , do not be affraid to learn from someone who isn't a coach. Idle / Bluerrpilot /TenPinSniper / Slap / and many more I can mention here can be your coach off the lanes also. There is alot of experience on this message board and do not hesitate to take advice form the people here.

[No Mercy07]

Never had a coach....

[excalibur]

I have been working with one for two weeks now tommorrow will be my third lesson. He has helped a lot so far getting rid of bad habits is very hard (20 years worth). I am a lot smoother now and it is a lot easier on my body with the adjustments I have made because of this Coach.

[TenPinSniper]

This is the number one about using a coach, if you don't trust them... then don't waste your money.

You have to have faith in what they're telling you and their knowledge of the game.

Like Bubba put it I'd rather have a uncertified coach who is a student of the game then a coach that only knows the manual from which they where taught. The USBC Coaching Program is a great start, but there are many experiences that can teach you alot. There is alot of good reading on the internet. You always don't agree with all of it, but it does not mean its garbage either.

Keep and open mind, is the second thing after trusting the coach.

My coach is not USBC Certified to my knowledge and I've got the a Level 1 from the USBC. (Got it paid for by the bowling alley where a volunteer coach youth.)

I've worked with a Team USA this past year as well, while not everything work he did give me some great pointers and ideals and I'd work with him again. The one he notice was my starting position was to left and I was trying to throw to the left, as well as coming around the ball to much or too early.

So coaching is a great thing, if you want to be coached.

[agroves]

My grandfather taught me to bowl. He was never "certified" or "trained". He was just a bowler back when a 200 avg meant you had a clue. He continued to instruct me until I graduated HS and joined the AF.
--SIDE BAR: Sadly the game passed him by. He is 73 now and struggles with understanding you can have too much surface on a ball, drillings, etc.

From 99 to 05, I had nobody to help me. I learned alot by making videos and molding my swing into what I thought it should be. During that time, I did send off a couple of videos to tenpinspro at BR to make some suggestions.

In mid 05, I moved to Spokane. I hooked up with a "coach", again not certified by USBC, who has drastically changed my game and helped me be more consistent across a variety of conditions. He is a "student of the game" and has been bowling for 50-60 years. He shot a 799 in 1969 with a rubber ball. In the last 3 1/2 years, he has taught me alot about the game in general. We work together in his proshop now and play golf in the summer as well.

[fitzy]

i had a coach when i was bowling in the junior league.i kept the same coach all the way through my junior career.my dad was a coach in the junior league but i spent most of my time with my usual coach.the only other coach i had was when i was bowling for the GB team.but to be honest i've probably learnt more from people on this board than i have anywhere.i usually discuss things with my dad now.

i have a lesson with a coach on saturday (usbc silver) we're doing the bowlers MAP,digitrack and some coaching to try and slow me down and free up my swing.

[Crawley_Bowler_Chrissie]

Here in the UK, we can (if we want to) pay to have sessions on improving our game in many ways. Personally I never have done, I may do in the future if I get the time.

In the mean time I've had many coaches over the 12 years of bowling I've had. I started with a nice woman who taught me the basics and her father, then stepped it up for me. When I had to move YBC's due to the club losing money i found it hard because many of the coaches I had were great but couldn't be there every week.

However, since bowling at Hollywood Bowl in Crawley, I have gained more coaches on the way. One of them is called Derek, he's been the biggest influence on my bowling. He is the one who has told me I'm great and believed in me. As a result of his coaching and words of wisdom, I have bowled for Sussex 4 times and he has been our girls team manager and I take pride knowing that I made it because of him.

Even now I don't just have him, I get many tips from my uncle, and two other coaches, who all have helped me. At first I didn't like taking in so much information in, but now I've learnt that it does help me and I am able to take in everything they suggest.

I will just quickly mention one bad experience. Back when I was about 13, a guy in our Wednesday night league pulled me away for a quick chat about how I bowled. At that point in my life I was seeing myself as improving, as you do. But this guy wasn't even a certified or licensed BTBA coach. After thinking it through he did have a point, but the way he put it across really hurt my feelings. He said (and I quote) "If you left a single pin to take as a spare, I could go to the cafe, order a coffee and you still wouldn't have bowled for the spare even if i was still waiting for the coffee.":( The only reason I can remember being so slow was because I am very generous with lane etiquette and lets others go before me. But still, it did make realize even if he was harsh.

But anyway I have never been happier with the help I have had and the experience I have gained, I wouldn't be as confident as I am now, if I didn't have a coach. :)