A Nice Story About Me

Every once in a while, I like to relive what it is like for me to bowl a perfect game.  What I want to do is share that experience with you!

Here’s how it started off for me -

During my warm up’s, I felt like my release was coming too early.  My ball was biting a lot earlier than I would like causing me to just barely brush the head pin from the left side.  (being a right-handed bowler, my ball was missing the pocket between the one and three pin and actually hitting the one and two pin).  This meant that I wasn’t getting the push I needed to strike through the pins.

I couldn’t hit the pocket at all!  When this happens during practice, you usually think you’re going to have a bad night at the lanes!

When practice was over, it was my turn to bowl.  What I did was eased up on my wrist movement to prevent the ball from hooking too much.  It worked well on the first frame – strike!  The second frame however looked more like a straight ball.  Somehow though I got a strike.  Two in a row!  Now I’m thinking that it was all downhill from here!

My third frame however felt great. I moved an arrow over to the left and put a bit more gusto on the ball.  It slid left to right and grabbed at the right time – plowed through the pocket.  It was the best throw of the night for me and now I’m thinking that I figured it out!

The fourth, fifth and sixth frames were identical.  My ball speed and rotation was perfect.  I was on a roll (no pun intended)!  Six in row – no too shabby for someone who thought they were going to have a bad night.  Not to mention that in my local league that I was in gets a free beer if you roll six in row!

So now I’m feeling pretty confident.  I am working on seven in a row.  It’s at this point that your blood pressure starts to climb just a bit because you start thinking about it…the perfect game. As exciting as that is, it can really distract you from your game.  You start trying too hard and that is what leads to mistakes.  On my seventh frame, I released the ball and I knew it – My release was early and awkward.  The ball had very little rotation on it.   It was heading straight for the head pin…

The ball went Brooklyn on me (this is a phrase that means the ball is actually striking the opposite side of the set – basically the wrong side of the head pin).  There was enough power behind the ball that I still managed to nail a strike.  The bowling gods were smiling upon me!

Now it’s at this point that other people in the alley start taking notice.  The team you’re playing against is no longer upset that I’m kicking their backsides because they want to see perfection.  Eight in row – four more to go.

After throwing what I thought was the best ball of the night on the ninth frame, it appeared the ten pin wasn’t going down.  You know what I’m talking about – it wobbles and spins, but doesn’t want to fall.  About three seconds after I hit the set, the helicopter came in and tapped it just enough to fall.  Perfection is now within in reach!

It’s at this point that everyone is starting to gather.  Your blood pressure is through the roof, but you’re trying to keep your focus.

“I can do this”, I thought.

After sitting patiently for my turn, I was up.  Everyone was watching – the lanes were silent.  It was eerie.

Now for the ever daunting tenth frame.

I go up, set myself.  I take a deep breath and just say to myself -

“RELAX, YOU GOT THIS!”

I start my approach, perfect release, perfect rotation, down with the set – strike!  The place erupts, but I’m not done – two more to go.  Same as the first roll in the tenth.  Everything was perfect.  My release, my vision, and follow through.  Nailed it.

I don’t really remember the last throw.  It was a blur.  I do remember though after my follow through, falling to the ground.  I did it – I bowled a perfect game.

The feeling is incredible.  Everyone you know AND don’t know come up to with high fives, hugs, etc.  It was an amazing feeling!  I can’t believe that “I” bowled perfection…

I wanted to share this with you (sorry for the long post) because it reminds us never to give up.  When you are passionate about something, you can do whatever you want.  It’s all about practicing the right way and dedicating yourself to being better.  I don’t want you to think that I’m bragging here.  I want you to be inspired to do better.

This was my first perfect game.  I have since bowled three more.  Every time the feeling is different.  My next goal is to bowl a 900 series!

I guess my point is that anything can be done.  If I can bowl a perfect game, so can you.  Don’t ever give up.  Have fun and learn whenever you can!

Happy Bowling!!