In the game of bowling, I have talked about many, many things. The right and wrong way of doing everything to buying a bowling ball until the release and pin carry of your bowling game. There are so many things out there to think about that it can really get confusing. I guess in every sport, you have to cover all areas of the game and make sure that no stone has been left unturned. The last thing that we do not want is a lot of surprises when it comes down to the competition. I think the key word here is we do not want to feel ashamed of our performance and know that we have done everything to avoid any unforced errors on our part. But just what makes a good athlete, whatever the sport may be?

I think that being good a something that you want to be good at is the key. It is just like trying to convince someone to stop smoking. Until that person makes up their mind that they really want to quit smoking, you can forget it. There is no way that you can succeed unless you want to, I mean really, really want to. Then you have to put in the time that is required to sharpen your skills.

Yes, there is a lot of give in every sport, but you can get so much in return. As coaches, we have to instill the desire to want to be good, but then again, you have to have some talent there to work with. Any person can work at what is important to them and they can try to make themselves good at what they practice, but you have to have that inner desire to fight for what you want.

There are many people that I have coached over the years, and the people that have truly wanted to improve their game and make themselves knowledgeable of the game and practice the right things. There are few that have that true desire when it comes to succeeding at the game. Others thinks they have it, but are not willing to fight long and hard enough to achieve their goals that they have set for themselves.

What it really comes down to is how bad you want to be a better bowler. The elements are there, you just have to put them together, if you really want to. So many bowlers get frustrated and give up, thinking that they will never get the hang of the game, and you know what, if you give up, you are beat. You just do not have what it takes to be successful.

The next thing you know, they see someone roll a really good game or series and here they go again. Sometimes it can be an endless battle, but we must never give up. You must always try to do the best that you can do and when you think you have done your best, go a little farther and try just a little bit harder. There is more there that you think, you just have to have the will to find that hidden talent and become the bowler that you want to be.

Nobody likes a quitter and you will not like yourself if you give up. I do not think that if you really try to do your best in your bowling game, that no one can condemn you. It is so important that you have really, really tried.

The key to competition is not how you played the game or if you won or if you lost, but the key is that you went out there and tried your best. You were there and you did your very best. If my book you are a winner and you should think that of yourself each and every time you bowl.

Going forward, try to have a better mental outlook on your bowling game. You may not have the highest average, or the highest game. Your team may not be in first place, but so what. You’re out there giving it your best and that is what is important.

Isn’t it tough after all these years of bowling when you reach the point where you stop worrying about getting any better and start worrying about not getting any worse?

See you on the lanes!