#bowlingmotivation

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Where to get bowling shoes without breaking your budget!

Being a father of three children who outgrow shoes as fast as I seem to buy them, I know that purchasing regular shoes can sometimes be a challenge.

Adding in bowling shoes can be an additional source of frustration when budgeting and bill-paying time comes around.

I have found that if my kids need new bowling shoes (see my last post for more information on when they need them) I need to do so very inexpensively!

Here are a few places that you can look for shoes for them:

Local Pro Shop:  This is usually not the cheapest option, but I’ve found these guys are generally great guys to know and have a ton of bowling experience for when I have questions.  Making sure that they stay in business is a good thing.  Most of them are not too much more expensive than in other places if you are buying new shoes.   Especially if you are willing to wait if they don’t have your size or style in stock.  You can usually find a new pair of low-end bowling shoes for $30-$40.

Goodwill:  Goodwill and other thrift stores are often hit-or-miss, but you can score if you see a pair in good shape there.  If you plan ahead, you may even pick up the next size. It will probably only be a few months before they grow into those anyways!

Social Networking:  Speak to the other parents at the kid's leagues.  They probably have a few pairs they would be willing to sell or sometimes even give away.

eBay:  eBay (www.ebay.com) is excellent since it is like a big garage sale.  Somewhere, someone has the pair of bowling shoes your child needs.  And they probably listed it on eBay.

Bowlingball.com:  (www.bowlingball.com) These guys are pretty great for inexpensive bowling products.  I have found new bowling shoes at their website on sale for as little as $25 per pair.  Otherwise, they are usually between $30-$50 and have an excellent return program for shoes that didn’t fit.

Amazon:  (www.amazon.com) Another source of inexpensive gear online.  Amazon is a great source for finding just about anything at a great price with excellent shipping and support options.

As you can see, a new pair of bowling shoes is not the end of your budget.  You have many options for purchasing new bowling shoes for your kids!  Please, don’t make them wear the old shoes that hurt their feet!!!

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Bowling Tips for Youth – Scholarships

The saying “I wish I knew then, what I know now” definitely applies to myself and youth bowling. I was average at sports and liked them okay. I made decent grades but was not at the top of my class for anything. 

When it came to applying for scholarships, I did not stand out. No band scholarship, no academic scholarship, definitely no athletic scholarship and my family was not rich nor poor. I got to go to college because my parents saved for most of it, and then good ol’ fashioned student loans paid the rest.

Had I known about bowling 10-15 years earlier, my college actually could have been paid for. Besides just the scholarship benefits, there are so many other reasons for kids to start bowling competitively.

Bowling is a unique sport in which it is both an individual and a team sport. There are no bench warmers in bowling. With handicap, all levels can compete together and stay competitive. I will never say bowling is an easy sport, but there are opportunities to compete at your own level. You do not have to be the fastest runner or the strongest and biggest kid to be a bowling star. There is ample opportunity for competition, through leagues, tournaments and schools.

I know a young man who recently graduated from high school. He is a sports fanatic, but the older he got, could not play on his school teams. He couldn’t keep up in baseball and football which are his favorite sports. He started bowling when he was eight because his dad bowled. He stuck with it because that is what his friends were doing. When he was a freshman in high school, he tried out for his bowling team. The team was not very competitive, and he quickly made the team. By the time he was a senior, he had managed to average a 212. His team made it to the state championships, he came in third in the state singles and managed to accumulate over $12,000 in scholarships through bowling. He now plays for his college which is a club sport and loves bowling as much as he does all the other games he was unable to play.

Bowling also offers youth an opportunity to travel the country. There are youth tournaments around the country. Some you qualify for, some you can enter. Most of these tournaments have very nice scholarships as their prizes. One example is a family tournament. Youth and an adult family member qualify through a local bowling center. Then they go to the state level. If you win at the state level, not only do you get a scholarship, the youth and adult get a paid trip to the national tournament to compete for more scholarships. This is just one example of the many opportunities that youth bowling has to offer.

Bowling is not for everyone, but I wish more people knew about the many advantages of youth bowling and gave it a chance.

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How to choose the right bowling ball

How to choose the right bowling ball is the first important decision you will make at the bowling center.  Bowling historians believe that stone was the primary material used for bowling balls about 5000 years ago. When bowling finally moved indoors in the 1800s, wooden bowling balls were all the rage. 

Then, throughout much of the 20th century, most bowling balls were made of hard rubber. Choosing the right bowling ball during each of these periods wasn’t too tricky; pick the appropriate weight and ensure the finger holes fit right-done.

Technology has had dramatic effects on the game of bowling. Electronic scoring systems, lanes made of synthetic materials, and bowling balls made of various materials to react differently to varying lane conditions to name a few. Fortunately, if you only bowl a few times a year and you’re not interested in buying your bowling ball, figuring out how to choose the right bowling ball from the selection of “house” balls can be very easy.  Compared to the rubber bowling ball era, there is only one additional consideration but I’ll get into that after discussing weight and fit.

First, how heavy should the ball be? Well, a pretty good rule of thumb to follow is one pound of a bowling ball for every 10 pounds of body weight. So, if your first time bowling child weighs 80 pounds, start with an eight-pound ball. From there, you will have to watch and make a judgment as to whether they seem to be able to handle that weight physically. If he/she appears to be able to swing the ball comfortably without losing balance, that is probably to right weight to go with. Most bowling centers have balls from 6-16 lbs. The importance of the ball is usually engraved on the surface of the ball. So if you need to adjust, you can go up or down until you find the right weight.

Second, how should the holes fit my fingers? Simply stated-comfortably. More specifically, not too loose or too tight. You shouldn’t have to worry about the ball falling off of your hand or any of your fingers getting stuck during delivery. Most house balls are drilled for the thumb to go all the way into the ball and for the ring and middle fingers to go into the second knuckle. Another fit factor is how the ball “sits” in your hand. With your fingers and thumb in the ball as explained above, the ball should lay in your palm making full contact.

Now for the mystery third consideration when choosing the right bowling ball. This applies especially to those who wish to buy their bowling ball. Back in the rubber ball day, there was only one color to choose from, black. Now there are numerous colors and patterns to choose from. You can find a bowling ball that suits your personality. Whether it’s your favorite color, your favorite sports team logo on it, or it looks like you’re bowling with a giant golf ball; your choices can make it fun to go out and buy a brand-new ball.