OPINION —
IT’S THE START of the new bowling season, and if your league hasn’t started, here are a few tips you should consider before you throw that first ball.
If you didn’t bowl during the summer, you should get out and practice. However, take your time and don’t exert yourself on your early shots. Your muscles need to adapt to the new activity. You don’t want to pull any muscle or have any type of early injury that could prevent you from a full year of bowling.
You should also consider cleaning out your bowling case. Get rid of all the items you collected from the previous bowling season (standing sheets, banquet notices, and i.e.). Wash your bowling towel or get a new one.
Check you equipment, and begin with your shoes. Clean the bottoms and consider new laces. If your shoes are worn, you might want to think about purchasing a new pair. If you have improved your average significantly and are contemplating a more competitive league, you might want to consider a pair that permits you to change the sliding soles and heels depending upon the condition of the approaches.
Restock all your accessories (tape, ball cleaner, i.e.). Today’s high tech equipment has a tendency to absorb oil. If you don’t use a ball cleaner, purchase some. It comes in either spray bottles or wipes. A ball cleaner is an important accessory for ball maintenance.
Changes in your physical situation from the previous year should be taken into consideration and some of those might lead to having your ball re-drilled. Remember that as we get older, we tend to lose flexibility.
If you are or you’re approaching the senior citizen age group, it’s a good idea to have your pro-shop owner evaluate your grip (most experts recommend every other year). You might need to shorten your span or change your pitch to compensate for any physical differences that may have occurred.
Youth bowlers also should be aware of changes, but in the opposite. They experience growth spurts and increased strength. This usually leads to an increase in your span and a potential of going to heavier equipment.
Age may also play a part in strength. Just like flexibility, most of us lose strength as we get older. If you find yourself struggling with a ball that seems too heavy, don’t hesitate to drop your ball weight. Tests have shown that with today’s high tech equipment hitting power loss is almost minimal.
You may have had surgery that may have affected your strength (rotator cuff, hip replacement, knee replacement). If that has occurred, a couple of practice sessions is a must. You might discover a loss of strength and might have to go to a lighter ball.
It’s also a good idea to check your thumb and finger grips. No matter what brand or type, they all wear out. There are usually three indicators that tells you it’s time to change grips — a loss of lift and power, a loose feeling in the thumb or finger holes, and lack of grip (fingers) when releasing the ball.
The last area we will discuss is resurfacing your ball. We are well aware that the bowling ball’s surface is one of the major factors in how the ball reacts with the lane. That’s why it is important to clean your equipment after each session.
However, that is not enough. Dirt, lane conditioner, and oil get into the pores of modern equipment and will affect a ball’s performance. Normal wear and tear on the ball also compounds the problem.
All bowling balls will pick up nicks and scratches. This type of harm is to be expected and is usually not a main cause for concern. However, any damage to the track area should be dealt with.
We all know the track area is the worn part surrounding your ball that is a result of routine contact between the lane surface and the ball. As we continue to use our equipment, typical wear in the track area will progress to the point where your ball may be ineffective. When this occurs, it may be time to get your ball resurfaced.
There are two methods that can be used — hand-sanding the ball in a high-speed spinner or one of the high tech ball resurfacing machines. Both methods are usually done by a pro-shop owner. Obviously, the latter method is preferred as it eliminates over-sanding which leads to a flat spot on the ball.
These are merely suggestions. However, to each and everyone one of you, here’s hoping you have a great bowling season.
Gabe D’Angelo is a local bowler and member of the Professional Bowlers Writers Association who writes this weekly column for The Herald
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Gabe D'Angelo is a bowling columnist for The Herald. Contributed
BOWLING: Work your way into the new season slowly
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5 area teams qualify for D-10 baseball playoffs
Five area baseball teams have qualified for the District 10 playoffs — Grove City, Kennedy Catholic, Sharpsville, West Middlesex and Wilmington.
In the Class A semifinals, Kennedy Catholic faces Cochranton at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Northwestern High School. Rocky Grove faces Eisenhower in the other semifinal game. -
Hickory, WM boys to collide at D-10 AA Track & Field Championships
For the 2nd time this week, a District 10 track & field team title could be decided by a pair of Mercer County contingents.
Just as Hickory and Grove City girls contested the Class AAA crown Wednesday night, so, too, are the Hickory and West Middlesex boys anticipating vying for Saturday’s AA title. -
Roundup: Reynolds baseball tops GC; Sharpsville, Wilmington softball teams win
ä Reynolds 4, Grove City 1 — At Transfer, Neal Engstrom fired a complete-game 3-hitter with 8 strikeouts and 3 walks in lifting the Raiders (9-8) past the Eagles (14-6).
Ryan Grace was tagged with the loss for Grove City. He struck out 6 batters, issued no walks and gave up 7 hits in going the distance. -
GC girls 3-peat at District 10 Class AAA Track & Field Championships
HARBORCREEK— Some athletes seeded 1st in four events would feel pressure. For Grove City High senior Daniel Jaskowak, it’s an opportunity for name recognition.
“I kind’ve like it. It’s cool, because people know who you are,” related Jaskowak, who won 3 events during Wednesday’s District 10 Class AAA Track & Field Championships. -
Hickory, GC girls collide at D-10 Class AAA Track & Field Championships
If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. Cliché though that is, it will be borne out today at the annual District 10 Class AAA Track & Field Championships.
Hickory High girls — the defending PIAA Class AA titlists — will test the best from the biggest. And the Lady Hornets hope to give as good as they get from the 6-county competition. -
Local tune up for districts at Mercer County Invite
There’s a difference between a warm-up and a warning.
If Saturday’s annual track & field invitational is any indication, Mercer County’s contingent issued a warning for the remainder of District 10: This could be a big year in area annals. -
Roundup: Grace, GC beat Sharon, 4-0, in 5 innings
With an impending storm blowing in above Johnny Pepe Field time was limited, so Ryan Grace greedily gobbled up putouts.
Grove City High’s Grace gave up only 3 base hits, and the visiting Eagles eased to an abbreviated 4-0, 5-inning win over Sharon Friday afternoon. -
HIGH SCHOOL SPRING SPORTS ROUNDUP: County track meet set Saturday at Hickory
The annual Mercer County Track & Field Invitational will be held at Hickory High’s Hornet Stadium Saturday, beginning at 9 a.m.
Competing are all Mercer County teams, Class AAA and AA, as well as Slippery Rock. The meet serves as a warm-up to the District 10 championships set next week at Harbor Creek High. -
Roundup: Sharon baseball squad edges Sharpsville, 5-4
It was a tense Tuesday in Tiger-town.
Twenty-four hours removed from a 1-run Region 2-AA loss at New Wilmington, Sharon High’s baseball team could not afford another setback, otherwise its postseason aspirations were alleviated.
Conversely, region pacesetting Sharpsville could have secured the crown with a win, and the Blue Devils dashed to an early 3-0 lead. -
Roundup: WM sweeps Oil Country Track & Field Invite
West Middlesex swept the team titles on Saturday at the Oil Country Invitational at Oil City High School on Saturday.
Coach Bob Morris’ Ms. Reds accumulated 113 points to grab the crown, followed by Lakeview (107.5), Franklin (84), Meadville (74) and Corry (69.5). - More Sports Headlines
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5 area teams qualify for D-10 baseball playoffs
