Hi All, For those one or two who dont know me I am Paul Terry, welcome to all those bowlers who are interested in the oil pattern laid down at Canberra and then try to incorporate that as being our "standard" pattern we have had to endure with over the last 4 years or so, firstly I have purposely kept quiet till now as everyone on the seniors tour (thats the one where we seem to have reserves and all of our tournys get filled up), know my thoughts and I have been an advocate for the seniors and a challenging but not extremely difficult pattern where not only enjoyment and comradary is a focus but utilising the techniques we have to make adjustments relative to our different abilities and capabilites some have confused that in the past with "easy" but not so and am glad that strop, me ol' mate understands what I have meant all this time.
Funding for the sport of tenpin in Australia has more to do with volume of participation, than someone laying down a condition, for others to try to bowl, the seniors are doing their bit by increasing their ranks of participation, so we must be doing something right, so the rest of you learn from us instead of bagging us and increase your ranks.
For those who are questioning the ranking system on say "easy" lanes, the ranking system is designed to award poiints to those based on their standings, and that is on the SAME condition so whoever wins has bowled the best on THAT particular condition, where everyone in that tournament has had the same opportunity, so deservingly so they win the points, and so on down the line.
As a member of the seniors committee, and the committte is made up of reps from each state with a reasonable understanding of what is required, we are working, at present, on a seniors policy for oil patterns pertaining to our needs and the capabilities of the bowling centres, in time that will become evident and announced at the appropriate juncture and not by me or influenced by anyone NOT involved in our great organisation.
I also compete in probably 99% of these tournys ( two I have missed through ill health) and I would welcome anyone to come down to these torunaments and actually immerse yourselves in what goes on and discuss with me, as I would always sit and discuss things bowling with any of you, so that a better understanding of what the needs of senior bowling is all about. Those who are not invloved or dont want to bowl on the tour, I, as most seniors, wish you keep your opinions out of the politics of our bowling, as negative, adhoc and uninformed comments only detracts from what our seniors has built over the last few years or so.
On the point of National representation, making tournaments "harder" for seniors so they can represent Australia better, is a total falicy, we are getting more medals simply due to the competition we are giving each other in these tournaments, unlike the other Asian countries, we are not supported with camps, or subsidisation from Government bodies, we do all this off our own back, we are self funded guys, we do it for the love of the sport and the love of our fellow competitior, and until the mentality of make it hard, win at all costs, the rest are losers, goes from your minds you will never understand us.
Challenges and priorites become different as you progress through life, bowling is the same, non seniors are making comments based on THEIR beliefs, some are happy waking up and jogging 10 kms, Im just happy waking up!!
I now look forward to those of you who commented and are seniors but not competing, to now compete with us and see how well you fare on our "easy" conditions..good luck with that.
I also agree that a pattern of 6 or 7 to 1 is a challenge( and not the Kegel stated ratio but the real maths one) any less and it becomes too hard for the senior bowler, any more and we have lots of fun... so what if we have lots of fun isnt that what life's about??
