Foremost, I’m going to be honest.  That’s one thing you’re always going to get from me.  If the bowling center sucks, I’m going to say so.  If I get humiliated against far superior (but obviously cheating) competition, you’ll hear about that too.  Although, I may not write as much about the latter.

My Skills (or Lack Thereof)
Breaking 100 was cause for high-fives up until 2009.  I bowled recreationally maybe two to three times a year for many years and, though I enjoyed it, I didn’t really think that bowling was something I could excel at.  I just picked a 14-pound ball off the rack (since that’s my lucky number) and made sure the finger holes weren’t too tight.  Then, I’d take a couple steps towards the line, chuck the ball, and cross my fingers.  It’s a typical story for many people that I know.  I haven’t known many people that bowled in a league or could even get the ball to hook.

In early 2008, I started subbing every few weeks for the boss’ team.  I don’t really recall much from that month or two that I bowled, aside from expected lack of talent and success.  The following fall, I was recruited back to the team to bowl full-time.  It’s the boss’ team, so could I say no?  Anyways, it started out along the same worn path of gutter balls, missed spares, and plowing straight at the pins.  A few weeks in, one of my teammates Jerry offered to bring in an old ball for me.  Our hands were about the same size, so I wouldn’t have to get it re-drilled.  Cool, sounded good.  When he showed up the next week, he had a worn-looking black ball with a big red outline of a cobra on it.  And etched just above the finger holes—BOB.  So, I picked up Bob and threw the initially awkward feeling ball down the lane to get warmed up.  And it HOOKED!  How the bleep did that happen?!  Mind you, it was barely a hook, but it moved.  Now, the story doesn’t really get exciting here.  I continued to chuck Bob down the lane with a baby hook and slowly worked my average up.  After one full season, I think I ended up averaging around 170.  To me, that was amazing.  I learned that equipment mattered.  And that’s about it.  Oh, and that bowling was actually pretty competitive, interesting, and might be something I’d like to do more of.

Then, I touched a bowling ball twice in all of 2010 and twice in 2011 up until this September.  Bob spent most of his time in the closet as I gave up bowling to be at home more often and not have that Thursday night completely away from home.  My daughter was born during my first league season and she was definitely going to take precedence over the potential to bowl again the next year.  Those few times I did bowl, I barely broke 120 and didn’t look or feel like someone who knew what they were doing.  What bowling skills I’d developed with Bob atrophied and dust collected on my shoes.

Even though I have been working with bowling in the social media world for the last six months, I still couldn’t tell you what coverstocks do what or what the difference is between all those funky shapes in the center of the ball.  I have been learning as much as I can, but this game is nothing if not complicated.

And that’s pretty much were I’m at heading into this.  I think that if I had to bowl a game right now, I’d be happy to break 100…

The Glory
Okay, so the backstory took a while.  Now you know I stink.  So that’s the gutter that we’re standing in.  What’s the glory, though?  Where is this ship sailing to and what would be a success?  Here’s what I’m aiming at right now (subject to change without notice):

• Break 250 for a game (300 is shooting too high, right?)
• Break 600 for a series
• Average less than one gutter ball per game

I think that seems reasonable.  There is a part of me that really hopes that I can reach those early and set some new goals.  And those are just the tangible numbers.  I really want to understand what real equipment can do (why is one ball shiny and the other dull and why does it matter?) and what coaching can do with my messy delivery (aside from them telling me to put the ball down and cut my losses).  I want to grasp more than just the basics and feel like I can really compete out there.