Missed last weeks, so ill write about it this week. a couple weekends ago, i flew down to Las Vegas to bowl in the JBT invite weekend. I was going on the idea that i would make top ten and qualify for the invitational the next day.
So, i started slow, going around even for the first three games. I was able to pull out a huge (for me) 258 game in game 4 to pull into the cut and even put myself in a favorable position going into match play. I never really lost my look, but had a hard time matching up to the pattern. We were faced with a fairly wet dry scenario. Pocket was no problem, but consistently getting the right ball with the right angle was very tough. Ended up missing top ten by about 10 pins. I wouldve been there, but i split in the second game of match play to lose the game and miss out on those 30 bonus.
its a hard pill to swallow because it was my last mojave conference jbt ever, as a youth that is. And that was one of the last times ill be down there for bowling. Its hard to think that ive been going to vegas for the last 8 years and almost 3 times every summer and know that that will all end this summer. I am trying to make the most out of it. Team challenge is right around the corner, so thats five nights in vegas to hoopla it up.
In other news, tonight is week four of the Hiline challenge singles league. I am currently averaging right around 230 and bowl for the quarter champ tonight. We are bowling on a tricky, but very hittable modified pattern. The biggest problem i have with this pattern is its wide open for me to start, but as it starts to transition and i start going in, i run into wet dry conditions. Ive had fast starts every week. I tihnk my first two game average is 250 in the league, including a 298 game.
Ive drilled up an Outlaw, Radical Slant, and an old Impulse Zone, so maybe one of these balls will work for the transition.... thats how it works right?
Until next time....
-Cameron
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Monday Roundup
Well, a little late but here it is.
This past weekend was the JBT stop down in Beaverton, OR at Sunset Lanes. I think Sunset had Pro anvilane, synthetic approaches, AMF Pins, Brunswick A-2, vector scoring and a Kegel machine.
On saturday, the pattern was route 66. Now, this pattern and i have a rough relationship. I bowled very well, going +205 or so for the 5 qualifying, missing top seed by seven pins. I had some errors, but got every pin i could. Missing top seed was a big deal because the top seed got to choose all the heads up elimination matches. So naturally, he chose me and Tristan, who was right behind me in third, to bowl each other to start. Tristan beat me last time we faced on this pattern. Well, he ran me over, shooting 530 to my 420. That score doesnt show how i bowled. I had two 7-10 in three frames in the third game to seal my fate. If those carried, i would have thrown a 7 bagger at least and wouldve put mountains of pressure on Tristan. Oh well, thats bowling.
On sunday, we contrasted with a 35ft short pattern. I played around with different balls in practice. Naturally, my first choice would have been urethane, but for some reason couldnt get mine to read the friction that well. If i moved out to the gutter with it, it would hook instantly and split. When i inched towards the middle, the ball would labor and hit light. This was shown in my first four frames of game one (split, strike, roll 2, 2-8) and with that i switched to other reactives. I eventually settled on my Aura for a strong hook-stop motion so i could stay right and be firm.
This look stayed with me the first 4 games, then knowing i was firmly out in the top five, i switched to my versa max to find a more consistent ball reaction. Threw this all the way through stepladder. I was able to move in and hook it a bit more, moving my break to right around 4-5.
My two stepladder matches were, in my opinion, the most important aspect of the weekend. Ive found myself to be kind of down about my ability to bowl and win. So, my first match i was able to coast to a win. But the second one, my opponent would not stop striking. I think just a week ago, i would have probably been in the mindset where i cant win, but i pushed myself to keep making good shots. He got a few breaks, so that didnt help me mentally (lol). But basically, it came down to the first shot in the tenth, where i need a strike and some decent count. There was no way i wasnt striking. I felt so in that "zone" that so many people talk about. I wanted to throw that shot. I knew i was going to strike. That feeling i have been missing. I was so in the "zone", i didnt even notice i threw the back 9 strikes to win by about 15.
That mentality is something that i will be working towards this summer. I know i have it in me, there were flashes of it this weekend. Even though i lost to tyler boe, i feel like i won knowing what that feeling is like and know that i still have it in me.
The other important thing that happened to me this weekend is i believe i got tired. physically. I pride myself on having high endurance, especially in bowling, but i really think that i started to lose energy, causing me to have a let down after my big win and then throw a 180 (after a 250 mind you). So time to get myself back in the gym, or at least conditioning myself (hoops, anyone?)
That was a lot longer than i thought it would be. Hopefully i can get something else up this week, if anyone is still reading.
Thanks
-Cameron
This past weekend was the JBT stop down in Beaverton, OR at Sunset Lanes. I think Sunset had Pro anvilane, synthetic approaches, AMF Pins, Brunswick A-2, vector scoring and a Kegel machine.
On saturday, the pattern was route 66. Now, this pattern and i have a rough relationship. I bowled very well, going +205 or so for the 5 qualifying, missing top seed by seven pins. I had some errors, but got every pin i could. Missing top seed was a big deal because the top seed got to choose all the heads up elimination matches. So naturally, he chose me and Tristan, who was right behind me in third, to bowl each other to start. Tristan beat me last time we faced on this pattern. Well, he ran me over, shooting 530 to my 420. That score doesnt show how i bowled. I had two 7-10 in three frames in the third game to seal my fate. If those carried, i would have thrown a 7 bagger at least and wouldve put mountains of pressure on Tristan. Oh well, thats bowling.
On sunday, we contrasted with a 35ft short pattern. I played around with different balls in practice. Naturally, my first choice would have been urethane, but for some reason couldnt get mine to read the friction that well. If i moved out to the gutter with it, it would hook instantly and split. When i inched towards the middle, the ball would labor and hit light. This was shown in my first four frames of game one (split, strike, roll 2, 2-8) and with that i switched to other reactives. I eventually settled on my Aura for a strong hook-stop motion so i could stay right and be firm.
This look stayed with me the first 4 games, then knowing i was firmly out in the top five, i switched to my versa max to find a more consistent ball reaction. Threw this all the way through stepladder. I was able to move in and hook it a bit more, moving my break to right around 4-5.
My two stepladder matches were, in my opinion, the most important aspect of the weekend. Ive found myself to be kind of down about my ability to bowl and win. So, my first match i was able to coast to a win. But the second one, my opponent would not stop striking. I think just a week ago, i would have probably been in the mindset where i cant win, but i pushed myself to keep making good shots. He got a few breaks, so that didnt help me mentally (lol). But basically, it came down to the first shot in the tenth, where i need a strike and some decent count. There was no way i wasnt striking. I felt so in that "zone" that so many people talk about. I wanted to throw that shot. I knew i was going to strike. That feeling i have been missing. I was so in the "zone", i didnt even notice i threw the back 9 strikes to win by about 15.
That mentality is something that i will be working towards this summer. I know i have it in me, there were flashes of it this weekend. Even though i lost to tyler boe, i feel like i won knowing what that feeling is like and know that i still have it in me.
The other important thing that happened to me this weekend is i believe i got tired. physically. I pride myself on having high endurance, especially in bowling, but i really think that i started to lose energy, causing me to have a let down after my big win and then throw a 180 (after a 250 mind you). So time to get myself back in the gym, or at least conditioning myself (hoops, anyone?)
That was a lot longer than i thought it would be. Hopefully i can get something else up this week, if anyone is still reading.
Thanks
-Cameron
Monday, May 6, 2013
Ressurected from the Dead
This blog is always in the back of my mind. I know we have 4 actual "followers" and plenty of people who will always read when we advertise it. So im considering, as an experiment this summer, to have a weekly piece on Mondays. This will allow me to recap the tournament weekend and hopefully create a weekly habit in contributing to this blog. Along with the weekly Monday postings, other things will be posted whenever i write them up.
Hopefully this will take off again. I have another personal side project i am trying to get off the ground as well, not totally related to bowling. So, as far as that goes, hopefully we can get this thing going again.
Next up will be next Monday after JBT weekend down in the Portland area.
-Cameron
Hopefully this will take off again. I have another personal side project i am trying to get off the ground as well, not totally related to bowling. So, as far as that goes, hopefully we can get this thing going again.
Next up will be next Monday after JBT weekend down in the Portland area.
-Cameron
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