Slump

[Sinisterx8]

I was just wondering what people might think....
I find myself in the middle of probably the biggest form slump ive ever been in. I feel as though i am bowling well and i have had people watch me and i am told that i am not doing any thing different or abnormal. It has gotten to the point where last year and the start of this year i was consitantly averaging on 200.. but now i struggle to bowl 170 consistantly. Does this mean that i have reached my peak and now im on the down slide????. I try to stay positive with everything i do, but it also seems that i lack that little bit of luck that we tend to get when we are bowling well. Its just really distressing when everything you do seems to fail


Cheers

 

[Tiger]

I know the "S" word all too well there Sinister8x.
I went through a terrible slump from early 1998 through to mid 2001.

There were many things that caused my slump, lack of interest, giving up tournaments, refusal to try different things, lack of knowledge.
I also copped a two year probation a couple of months before my slump started for "Bringing the Game of Tenpins into Disrepute"
The way I was rail-roaded by the Committee at the time made me savage and I started to lose interest after awhile in the game.

I know how you feel when you say you feel quite distressed about your slump. I made a pact a couple of years before that, that if my average dropped below 180 for a season I would immediately retire.
In 2000 my average dropped to a dreadful 179 for a league season so I pulled the pin in disgust.
I came back late the following season and didn't average much better.
I then made a pact at the start of 2001 that I was going to play the game MY WAY
If I copped suspensions, so be it, but I was still struggling.
I copped another suspension mid 2001 at a time when I was considering retiring again.
This was probably the best thing that happened to me.
I was fresh as a daisy, but a little rusty when I came back.
The game that ironically got me out of my slump was a 142-game :roll:
I rolled a 5-bagger at the end of that game to shoot 142 and made every shot absolutely perfect.
I figured that If I could roll shots like that instead of worry what scores I shot it may lead me out of my "barren spell"
I have not looked back since that day and have averaged between 204 and 213 since in a number of different leagues.
Also got that much sought after 300-game which I resigned myself to never getting.
I have also been competitive in tournaments but haven't broken the 9 year drought as yet - but I will :? I hope

My point is always look for the POSITIVE things you are doing.
Don't be afraid to experiment a little and if you feel mentally burned out a break is a good thing.
Just keep making good shots and the worm will eventually turn your way :wink: