CONCENTRATION
“Concentration is your good friend”. Indeed, the more one can manages with concentration, the more one experiences what a “powerful friend” it can be. The use of concentration goes far in enabling a bowler to perform in the correct manner.
Many of us are frequently being deceived when bowling. Often we believe that we are performing in a specific manner when in reality we are not. For example, many bowlers had targeted the second arrow in reality that they had been rolling the ball closer to the third arrow. Good concentration would have prevented this deception and, in turn, produced better results.
Concentration in bowling is best understood and dealt with by dividing it into two categories:
- Concentration while performing; and
- Concentration between performances.
The first category is the ability to actually doing what one intends to do. It is also concerned with being immediately aware of not having done what you intended to do.
Good concentration provides awareness. GOOD CONCENTRATION DOES NOT ALWAYS IMPLY GOOD PERFORMANCE. There is no such thing as a perfect bowler. We all make mistakes. However, good concentration eliminates many mistakes and provides us with an immediate awareness to any mistakes we commit. In turn, this recognition provides us with the ability to correct our mistakes quickly and avoiding us from continually habiting negative execution.
The second category involves of good preparation and strategic knowledge. Are your hands moist or dry? Is your thumbhole loose or tight? Is the left lane hooking more than the right lane? Questions should be asked and answered between shots. Good concentration enables you to do this. It also enables you to “mind set” a strike. It is as important to concentrate while you are waiting to bowl. A good rule to remember is to start concentrating even before you start rolling your first ball and don’t stop your concentration until you’ve rolled your last one.
Strong concentration is a valuable attribute but don’t let it “spill over” into tension and anxiety. Stressing your concentration at the expense of relaxation is negative concentration. International famous coaches agreed that relaxation was a top priority for an athlete’s optimum performance. Therefore, a good rule to follow when bowling competitively is “Enjoy excitement, and disfavor anxiety!”
