Tournament and
Competitive Bowling:

Keys to the Mental Game

Russell [Bart] di Bartolo, Ph.D

Educational Psychologist

dibartolo@cox.net

For my friends at www.LearntoBowl.com

January 2009

THE KEYS TO A GOOD MENTAL GAME

l Before the tournament:

§ Think about and prioritize the reasons that you are here:

o To generally have a good time.

o To bowl as well as you can under the tournament conditions.

o To win some money in the event or in other ways in Las Vegas.

o To enjoy the Southern Nevada/Las Vegas area and experience its attractions.

KEY: All of these are important, BUT to bowl your best, your first priority must be to ‘bowl as well as you can under tournament conditions.’ This is called ‘mental set,’ and determines how successfully you will take in and analyze the tournament situation.

THE KEYS TO A GOOD MENTAL GAME, p. 2

l Before the tournament:

§ Do you have [or can you easily get] all of the equipment and accessories that you need and/or feel comfortable with?

o Your bowling ball[s]

o Your shoes, wrist/hand support, braces and accessories

o Your clothing [make sure that you know the tournament requirements, too]

o Your towel, resin bag, good luck charms and other supports

KEY: The competition itself is generally NOT the time to try out new balls, accessories or props. If you believe that you do need new equipment or you need to make any adjustments, consult with your ball driller/pro shop/coach, or other bowlers who have expertise in this area or a specific tournament condition.

THE KEYS TO A GOOD MENTAL GAME, p. 3

l Before [and during] the tournament:

§ Identify your support system

l Most of you are in unfamiliar surroundings during the tournament. At home, you have a support system and resources that you may not even think about, e.g., the atmosphere of your favorite center, your teammates, your spouse, your ball driller, your friends.

l Some of you may have part of your support system here, and that will help you feel more comfortable. And, there are others who are here to help you – with your game, your attitude, your equipment.

KEY: Think about the tournament officials as you would your league or local tournament officers, and approach them with any concerns. Let the center staff assist you as needed. Talk to the ball reps about your equipment or other aspects of your game. Take advantage of all the knowledge and guidance that all of these individuals have to offer. That’s why they’re here.

THE KEYS TO A GOOD MENTAL GAME, p. 4

l As the tournament starts:

§ Do you know the tournament rules, locations of entry tables and other administrative items?

§ Do you know your schedule, starting lane, lane moves, lane courtesy, score recording procedures?

§ Do you know who to call in case of a problem on the lanes?

§ Do you know what to do after your session is completed?

KEY: If you know these things, it will allow you to focus on your

bowling.

THE KEYS TO A GOOD MENTAL GAME, p. 5

l During the tournament:

§ Maintain your focus on your own game. You have come to the event with a certain set of physical skills, a bowling style and equipment that is uniquely yours. Do not try to change it during the event no matter what others are doing.

§ If you’re having trouble with your game, simplify it, go back to your basics, e.g., is your pace correct, are you pushing away, are you releasing the ball as you usually do, are you following through? [This goes back to being comfortable, not only with your equipment, but also yourself].

§ Some suggestions on how to maintain your focus:

ü For five seconds before and after your turn, do not look at or say anything to anybody, fellow bowlers or spectators.

ü Stay in the moment. It takes about 30 seconds to make a shot. At that point, make your best shot - strike or spare. There is no past or future

ü Get a pencil and paper and make notes on your shots and lanes. If you have no notes to make, just doodle until it’s your turn.

§

THE KEYS TO A GOOD MENTAL GAME, p. 6

l During the tournament: continued

§ Some suggestions on how to maintain your focus: [continued]

ü Do not feel that you have to be the support person to the other bowlers. It’s ok to briefly congratulate them on good shots. If you do more than that, you take away your focus. It’s ok NOT to slap hands after every shot.

ü Do not feel that you have to talk to, or entertain, your spectators. They’re here to support you and they understand that you have to concentrate on your game.

ü Your results are based on what YOU do, not the conditions, not the other players, not your equipment – YOU! When you start blaming other things, you lose your focus. Even though they won’t tell you, others don’t want to hear any excuses or about bad breaks. It probably has happened to them, too.

THE KEYS TO A GOOD MENTAL GAME, p. 7

l During the tournament: continued

§ Some suggestions on how to maintain your focus: [continued]

§ If another bowler makes a mistake regarding his turn or does something that may distract you, step back and regroup. If you allow yourself to be distracted or if you let yourself get upset, you will lose your focus. It’s in your power to remain focused. It’s no one else’s fault if you can’t. HOW? See the first suggestion.

ü If there are other noises or events that are occurring during your turn, figure out if it’s a minor annoyance or a great problem. If it’s an annoyance, move into your focus mode and make good shots. If it’s a big problem, ask a tournament official to attend to it.

ü Put your cell phone away.

KEY: Be confident that you have the tools and support to maintain your focus. When you are, you will make better shots, score higher, and above all, know that you have done your best.