Maybe this is wrong, but it's funny.  There's this kid that's 19 or 20 that's in his first year of adult leagues.  This kid is loud, he apparently hasn't hit puberty yet, he bowls wearing headphones, he beats on his chest when he throws a strike, he stomps when he "gets screwed," so yeah, one of the biggest tools ever.  He's actually throwing the ball a lot better now, so he started off with a couple decent games last night, had 480 going in.  This kid's high sanctioned set is 682, so he's already thinking about it and walking around bragging and telling the team in the league that has a guy with multiple PBA titles and another guy that won a singles eagle at Nationals that they need to dump their leadoff bowler and pick him up next year (the tool's team happened to be bowling this team).  Well the shot is burning up and he's getting tight and slow with it, so he had 3 or 4 problem frames early, then he had 4 in a row, sparing in the 9th.  So he has 172 in the 8th working on a spare, meaning he can get 3 in the 10th for 222 and 702.  We're standing there watching him jump all over the place and throwing his hands in the air like he's the best bowler on the planet up until this point, but waiting on his team to bowl the 10th (he's the anchor bowler, obviously), he's getting worked up.  Headphones come off, he's pacing, even walked outside for some air a couple times.  I told the other team "Hey, if anybody hadn't noticed, he needs to strike out for his first ever 700, I think somebody should let him know."  So the leadoff bowler (who the kid said those guys should dump to pick him up) said, "I'll do it!"  Walks right down and reminds him, and of course the kid knew, but that wasn't the point. 

So we get to the 10th, this kid gets up to bowl, visibly shaking.  We all already agreed to hoot and holler and cheer like he's shooting 900 (kid doesn't know he's a tool, and doesn't know people are teasing and patronizing him).  He threw a decent ball, and got the first strike, to which we all got raucous.  He walks back on the approach nodding his head like it's a done deal.  Knowing the next one was the important one, we were all taking bets on how many pins he'd actually get (I bet on 6).  He got up and yanked the ever living crap out of it for a 3-6-7-10, about fell on the approach stomping and crying.  Finished with 691 amid our cackling and snickering. 

So yes, this is totally mean and heartless, and the kid isn't a bad kid, but I don't know what it is about seeing cocky people have inevitable meltdowns, especially kids like him that could really use it to help get their heads straight.  He'll be a solid bowler one of these days, but he's got a lot of growing up to do.  And we don't just tease him either, he stays around after to practice, and several of us have offered him pointers and helped him out, like I said, he's gotten a lot better over the course of the season, and honestly takes the coaching really well.  But man, his attitude needs a lot of help lol. 

Haha! I had a teammate in high school that had an attitude like that, but none of the talent the kid you mention potentially has....total tool that oddly enough has a striking resemblance to Bevis from Bevis and Butthead. lol Needless to say he isn't bowling anymore, well leagues anyway.

Since when is shooting 700 a big deal and something to get nervous about? He needs to calm the attitude down big time if his high series is only 682. Got a guy in our league that flips off the pins, kick his leg or stomp on the foul line every time he doesn't strike. But good thing is he is making a effort to control his emotions as this bowler has potential if he can get out of his own head.

700 means a lot to people when they haven't been bowling long, if you read his post it is the kids first year. I know personally (and maybe it is because i'm young so it wasn't an eternity ago) that my first 700 meant a lot to me.

What seems normal behavior for one person may seem odd to the next.  Although I chuckle at others' antics at times, I try to realize that regardless how strange it may seem, they are trying to fit in.  Maybe they want to be noticed.

The older we get, we have tons of experience to draw on and try to keep an "even keel" instead of the highs and lows that so many people go through just in a night of bowling. 

A few nights ago I had my best ever sanctioned series (821) but unless you were on my pair, or right next to us, you would have not known anything was going on until the set was complete.  My team mates were staying quiet, and I was as calm as could be. Why?  Because optimal scoring, in my opinion, requires a high degree of relaxation.

I could easily relax because the whole night I had to use my spare ball for a total of 4 shots. Everything just flowed well.  As I started following the shot inward everything still carried, which gave me confidence that I had something special going on, even if for just one night.

Why do I share this?  Not to brag about my bowling, but hopefully to help someone younger or less experienced and give them insight that takes years to gain otherwise.  I love the game and try to help others love it, too.

So, my advice to those who will listen, is to 1) smooth out the extreme highs and extreme lows of the league night.  2) Watch reaction carefully so you can make moves before they are too late, and 3) enjoy the moment.  The last shot is gone.  Learn from it.  The next shot is ahead of you. Prepare for it.  Life is now. Live it one moment and day at at time.

"Youth" can be a roller coaster by itself.  So even if someone acts a bit strange, there might be another who thinks we are the strange ones... 

What seems normal behavior for one person may seem odd to the next.  Although I chuckle at others' antics at times, I try to realize that regardless how strange it may seem, they are trying to fit in.  Maybe they want to be noticed.

The older we get, we have tons of experience to draw on and try to keep an "even keel" instead of the highs and lows that so many people go through just in a night of bowling. 

A few nights ago I had my best ever sanctioned series (821) but unless you were on my pair, or right next to us, you would have not known anything was going on until the set was complete.  My team mates were staying quiet, and I was as calm as could be. Why?  Because optimal scoring, in my opinion, requires a high degree of relaxation.

I could easily relax because the whole night I had to use my spare ball for a total of 4 shots. Everything just flowed well.  As I started following the shot inward everything still carried, which gave me confidence that I had something special going on, even if for just one night.

Why do I share this?  Not to brag about my bowling, but hopefully to help someone younger or less experienced and give them insight that takes years to gain otherwise.  I love the game and try to help others love it, too.

So, my advice to those who will listen, is to 1) smooth out the extreme highs and extreme lows of the league night.  2) Watch reaction carefully so you can make moves before they are too late, and 3) enjoy the moment.  The last shot is gone.  Learn from it.  The next shot is ahead of you. Prepare for it.  Life is now. Live it one moment and day at at time.

"Youth" can be a roller coaster by itself.  So even if someone acts a bit strange, there might be another who thinks we are the strange ones...

And it takes someone a little older to know you're not trying to shove a score in their face in an example to try to help them.  Nice set, and you're right.  If you get up thinking about the score, you're automatically not going to be thinking about the shot.  That's why people "choke" on the big shots.  I use my scores in analogies a lot to try to prove points, and sometimes people understand, sometimes they think I'm using it as an opportunity to figjam.  One of my favorites that goes along with this is a 799 I had once.  10th of the last game of the night, all I needed was strike, then 9 on the next ball, and believe me, I had it all figured out.  I got the first strike, and then I figured after striking all night that 9 was a guarantee, so I completely lost my focus.  Got up, sent one too wide into the burn, checked early for a 6-10.  Instead of just getting up and throwing the spare and coming back to see what I got, I had to walk back to the monitor and check and figure it out.  Saw that a spare would give me 800 even.  So then it was in my head, took a little time, got up and picked the 10 off the 6 for 799.  I would call that the perfect example of how NOT to do it, but that was 4 or 5 years ago.  Age does temper you a little, but I think those kinds of experiences get it done faster or prove the point more vividly.  Now, choking or not, you just won't always make a good shot when you need it, human error factors in there somewhere, but I would say if you've thrown the ball good enough all night and then throw a bad shot on the one you need, I'd still give nerves or lack of focus a little bit of credit for that.  Good post though, understand exactly what you mean. 

Since when is shooting 700 a big deal and something to get nervous about? He needs to calm the attitude down big time if his high series is only 682. Got a guy in our league that flips off the pins, kick his leg or stomp on the foul line every time he doesn't strike. But good thing is he is making a effort to control his emotions as this bowler has potential if he can get out of his own head.

I've seen 700 only 8 times, average 202ish, and have a high of 761.  700 is not a BIG DEAL, but it still is kind of a big deal to me.  I don't get nervous for it anymore, but know that on a 700 night, i managed to put it together for most of the night.


One thing that could be said to the kid is to treat each shot like the first one of a brand new game.  Can't change what's been done, and you if you can get off to a good start, you can have a good day.

They dont always grow up. There are many who remain very immature and obnoxious as a adults.

Reminds me of a summer league I bowled in 10 or more years ago.  It was in a house I hadn't bowled a league in, although I'd bowled a couple of tournaments there.  So we're up against this team with a kid who's a real house hack.  He's all cocky and talking shit.  I go out and shoot 900-something or 1000-something (4 game series), just stomp the kid's ass.  For the rest of the season he acted like we were best buddies.  It was hilarious.