The decline of bowling in Vic..

[renta]

There are many reasons that would contribute to this but one of the factors maybe this reason.But here one!!!
The junior ranks seem to be getting less & less from new bowlers to those that go on to continue to bowl in the senior ranks.
My two boys bowl on saturday mornings at dandy.There are no coaches at all
apart from what we do to help our kids.Mac has a boy bowling in the same league & he helps him .....
Now watching the kids in the centre many dont have the basics to bowl that should have been taught from the day dot.
One kid who does not even have an approach strolls to the foul line swings the ball & delivers ...Now this kid has a finger tip ball & would be lucky to avg 105......These kids dont know how to shoot for spares & its across the house.

Now many kids dont get see any improvement in their game & like most kids want to bail...So the end result is fewer bowlers moving on.

I do know we have some great coaches but time & the amount of kids they already have is a factor.....
I just wonder if the rest of the vic centres have the same problems ?

 

[Tenpin Bowling Show]

Just a couple of thoughts....

Andrew Frawley & the ABPA produced a great bowling DVD several years ago that teaches the basics of the sport.
Werribee have it playing in their foyer on a TV as you walk in - a fantastic idea.

Have one member of your centre staff train as a level 1, and put them into a uniform with 'coach' on their back.
Especially during school holidays or rainy weekends (when you are more likely to see new people through the doors), have them down on the lanes offering a little help and have in their pocket some league application forms.

Many centres say that during the holidays they are far too busy to afford to have a staff member recruiting or training, but it wont be long before the centre will be empty otherwise with eveyone back at school and/or rain over.

It is difficult to get young people in through the doors because of so many distractions (Football, Soccer etc), but I do know that we have to somehow get more youth involved in bowling for it to grow. Youth also attracts parents and friends to watch.

Also have a large poster of our great bowler(s) up on the centre wall for our youth to aspire to? An 'Idol' picture of Jason Belmonte or Ann-Maree Putney.
Gives them someone to look up to, and a goal to one day be as good as......
Walk into a golf shop and you will see a famous picture of Greg Norman etc.
He might be advertising a golf club but it still has the same effect.
Gives the game substance.

 

[jason_doust]

Good ideas Tony.

Here's another factor. Time. Everyone's got limited time these days. I'd love to coach more, but can't because of time factors. I'm sure I'm not alone in this.

The fact that everyone expects coaching to be free is another factor. There would be professional coaches out there if people were willing to pay, but people aren't or can't and so it comes back to coaches working for nothing or next to nothing. This means they have to work to eat and therefore (you guessed it) don't have the time.

Centres investing in coaching also need people who've got the knowledge and the drive. If you send counter staff off to a Level 1 course and they're not that interested or worse, don't bowl, the results will probably show it.

 

[renta]

There in is a problem. Would amf or any other centre prepared to pay for the level 1 course.

Then you have to get them to be there when the kids are bowling....
My boys & Macs boy are right for help & this can be a problem as I have been ask to help but I like to concerntrate on my kids...Selfish some might say but 2 is enough to look after & if Mac aint there I help his boy as he does for my boys.

Hmmmm

Jason & mod thanks for the advice so far.

Dont get me wrong we do have some good bowlers in the juniors but they need more if our sport is to survive as they are the future.

 

[gwhiting]

I know that Victenpins are working on developing the future bowlers of Victoria. There has been and will be training sessions for young bowlers interested in trying out for President Shield.

These sessions are in Melbourne as well as country areas.

The challenge is how is this advertised so people are aware of it.

We have two great junior coaches in Louise Eddy and Wayne Parlby. These two coaches have had much success with the President Shield teams.

We also have the past three Australian Junior Masters Girl Champions coming from Victoria.

There was a great junior tournment on last weekend at Werribee which had 40plus bowlers.

There are bowlers out there it's just that we need to let them know what coaches, tournaments etc are available.

 

[Captain Fudge]

There in is a problem. Would amf or any other centre prepared to pay for the level 1 course.............

Why should a bowling proprietor not be prepared to sponsor one of his staff to obtain a coaching qualification?

This is one of the things that really needs to be pushed in my view. The bowling industry has many stake holders including those that run bowling centres as their busniess and from the sport aspect .....TBA.

Maybe if social bowlers are supported in their first visit to a centre and shown the basics....what might happen?....they may actually enjoy the experience and what do you think might happen then?....they are a fair chance of a re-visit.

Who benfits?...firstly the proprietor with repeat business and then ulitmately TBA if that bowler signs up for a league....which of course should be sanctioned.

We need to be thinking out of the square a little and one way is to have prorprietors having qualified coaches on their staff.

 

[renta]

Why should a bowling proprietor not be prepared to sponsor one of his staff to obtain a coaching qualification?
QUOTE]

But John you know as well as I do staff at bowling centres can turn over quickly.....

Louise & Wayne really have a enough on their plates ..As stated are with the older & more advanced juniors......I want the new kids to have the basics taught ...........

 

[fishbog]

when i started at amf boronia they always had someone walking up and down the lanes trying to recruit bowlers do they still do that? it kinda seems bowling is becoming an old mans sport maybe more recruiting in shopping centers and handing out flyers at primary schools will work, like i would be worried at the strength of the grils president shield side in 3 years after the amount of success we seen the past 4 or 5 years

 

[philby]

Hi Renta

Going back a few years now when Carly was bowling in juniors i had people approach me all the time asking if i could coach there kids. I wasn't a coach just a parent. Because Carly was not a bad bowler it made others think it was because of me. So what did i do. Went out and did the course. Did it make me a coach no it didnt but it did give me enough information that when the need arose i could give the kids a bit of advise. Whether it was good or not i dont know but it seemed to give them a bit of an advantage. Its amazing how much a kid will pick up if you just show a little interest. It is amazing how quickly things can change around. It wasn't but 3 years ago we had 40 girls bowl in the Werribee youth torny. As they grow older they move on with there lives to be replaced with the next generation of champions. Were just in the middle of that transition.

Phil

 

[gwhiting]

Hi Renta,

I know that Wayne coaches beginners, intermediate and advanced bowlers.

He doesn't have them at the same sessions.

I am sure that if you approached him he could advise you.

 

[renta]

Hi Renta,
I know that Wayne coaches beginners, intermediate and advanced bowlers.
He doesn't have them at the same sessions.
I am sure that if you approached him he could advise you.

Hey G man I do know wayne & know that he does do across the board but the problem is he is flat out as are most of the coaches that are going around ...I dont know the answer to this & I really cant see it changing to soon... I just put this as one cause as the title of this thread says The decline of bowling in Vic.....

I would like to hear from other centres of their junior programs if their are any apart from Tiffany lane guys. They seen to have alot of kids on the western side of town....

 

[nev25]

IMO there is to much emphasis on the top ranked bowlers and the juniors
If there was more tournaments and coaching for the middle range of bowlers there would be more interest.
If you where to ask a social bowler at any center why they don't bowl in a league I guarantee they will say they are not good enough.
Well make them good enough
Give them coaching
There lies the problem not enough coaches
I (and a few others I know of) have been waiting 2 years to do a coaching course.
I believe if there where more coaches that where willing to take the time to show the fundamentals there would be more getting involved
It seems no one is interest in running coaching courses.

 

[Nighteyes300]

It seems no one is interest in running coaching courses.

Is it because no one wants to run the course or because the person that runs/teaches at the course is nose to the grindstone 24/7 with other bowling commitments?

 

[fishbog]

oh there are enough coaches it seems every man and his dog have level one coaching nowadays or they say they do but dont really have it

 

[Sydpies]

Actually there are not enough coaches at the moment. In fact each centre should have about 5-10 coaches working with kids & adults every day and each centre MUST have a level 2 coach in place. TBA & the State associations should be with every centre thru out Australia to set this in place. It wont be easy but mots centres would welcome VOLUNTEER coaches to help with their Junior and new League bowlers. However most coaches do it for nothing and that always leads to limited time and recources. the active coaches we have on the coaches list can not cover all the centres in Victoria. Therefore the powers to be should be implementing a basic recruiting program for coaches in ALL centres thru-out Victoria. Then maybe we would see some real movement in the right direction.

 

[cruzin]

Hi Mick


Why not bring your kids to Mentone? Fantastic centre for juniors and beginners.
Steve Arundell (level2 coach) is available to coach juniors, Eric Thompson runs a Juniors League on Sunday mornings...the kids are coached and have heaps of fun while they bowl.
Most of the counter staff have done a coaching course and are always happy to show kids the basics.

 

[renta]

Charlie that might be the case but I am not concerned with my kids ....Its the new ones & the ones that are self taught that have no IDEA....

 

[jockey]

Tournaments:

I suggest its time for some radical reworking of our whole ranked tournament scene. My suggestion is this:

The majors: Men: AO, SPC Women: VIC 150, SPC (Maybe K & K etc.)

Then Six events evenly spaced through the year around Easter and September with the following format suggestions:

Type 1: Re-entry 4 Games Qualifying format $60.00 entry fee
Five Divisions Men; Ladies; Seniors (Women 8 pins Handicap); Youth (Boys, Girls);
Step Ladder final for Top 5 in each
SL1: 5 v 4 v 3 SL2: WSL1 v 2 SL3: WSL2 v 1 (no rechallenge)
After Top 5 prize payout in each division is one prize for every 5 entries after the top 5 of double Entry Fee.

Type 2:

Type 1: Re-entry 5 Games Qualifying format $75.00 entry fee
Three Divisions Open (Women 8 pins Handicap); Seniors (Women 8 pins Handicap); Youth (Girls 8 pins handicap);
Step Ladder final for Top 5 in each
SL1: 5 v 4 v 3 SL2: WSL1 v 2 SL3: WSL2 v 1 (no rechallenge)
After Top 5 prize payout in each division is one prize for every 5 entries After the top 5 of double Entry Fee.

Advantages of these formats:

All bowlers would have a chance to make their respective finals or at least cash.

Large number of competitors provides a better means to attract interest from businesses that may benefit such as hotels, restaurants etc.

 

[nev25]

Actually there are not enough coaches at the moment. In fact each centre should have about 5-10 coaches working with kids & adults every day and each centre MUST have a level 2 coach in place. TBA & the State associations should be with every centre thru out Australia to set this in place. It wont be easy but mots centres would welcome VOLUNTEER coaches to help with their Junior and new League bowlers. However most coaches do it for nothing and that always leads to limited time and recources. the active coaches we have on the coaches list can not cover all the centres in Victoria. Therefore the powers to be should be implementing a basic recruiting program for coaches in ALL centres thru-out Victoria. Then maybe we would see some real movement in the right direction.

I agree
Where I bowl to my knowledge there is only two qualified coaches.
One is extremely busy with the juniors.
The other has a lot on his plate being our TBA rep and on the board of management and on the Vic tenpins board



IMO there should be more handicap events

 

[renta]

I am glad to report that the message has got to the right people.....
A coach has been appointent for Dandy junior leagues ...I dont kmow who it is we will have to see.....Thanks all for your opinions....