Susie Minshew Ordnance Deployment

[litefrozen]

Ordnance Deployment
We're all looking for repeatability. You know that consistency in your
approach, armswing, and release will give you
the best opportunity to reach your goals. If you start inconsistently,
your execution will be inconsistent. As Fred
Borden says, a good start equals a good finish. Prior to rolling the
ball, you should do the same thing every time.
That 'same thing' is different for everyone. It doesn't matter what it
is. You must decide what activities make you
feel comfortable and then do them EVERY TIME.
Having a pre-shot routine that is the same every time sets the tone for
your shot. A pre-shot routine is whatever you
do from the time you completed your post shot routine from the last shot
until you begin your delivery process for
the next one. Like computer viruses, bowling viruses are the little
things that sneak into your game you don't even
know you're doing. "When did I start doing that?" Most times you're not
even aware you're doing it. It takes your
coach or someone who intimately knows your game to spot it.
One way to be sure you eliminate as many openings as possible for these
viruses is to have a pre-shot routine. It is
the foundation of repeatability. Your routine is a comfortable,
repeatable, quick method of preparing yourself to
execute a shot. Bowlers who do different things before every shot are
much less likely to be consistent. Having one
pre-shot routine for your pocket shots and then just getting up and
chunking at a spare won't work. After all, it isn't a
pre-strike routine; it's a pre-shot routine.
There are many things a pre-shot routine will accomplish for you
mentally. It's comfortable and safe and like a
blankie (only easier to pack). If you don't know all the parts and
nuances of the pre-shot routine, this will help you
identify them. This first list is not optional.
Check the rack for missing or offset pins.
Take a deep belly breath.
Imagine your ball going over the target, following the path in your mind
through the deck.
Wipe off your ball all the way around the track at least once.
Look both ways before stepping up on the approach.
Check the sole of your sliding foot on the approach by sliding into your
starting position.
Choose any or all of the following and of course feel free to add stuff
of your own.
Decide which foot is going on the approach first and then do that every
time.
Blow in the thumbhole, on your thumb, or in the finger holes.
Use your hand conditioner.
Take your thumb in and out of the hole several times.
Deliberately release the tension from your bowling arm and shoulder.
Make sure the weight distribution on your feet is exactly where you want
it in the stance.
It doesn't matter what you do, only that you do it every time - even IN
PRACTICE. This routine helps get you ready
physically and emotionally to execute the shot. It is important that you
do it in practice when you are calm and
focused, so that in competition you can reproduce that calm, comfortable
feeling. It provides a tranquil influence
before it's 'showtime.' You need that to help allay the nerves. It can
be a confidence builder and allows you to feel
prepared, not rattled or scattered emotionally.
Remember, you shouldn't take more than 3-5 seconds once you're on the
approach. Don't think, do. THINK LONG,
THINK WRONG. Once you've gotten set, something tells you you're ready to
go. What is that? How do you know
when you're ready to start? If you have an established pre-shot routine,
you don't have to think about when to go.
You just know it FEELS right - and that's what you are constantly
striving toward. Once you have discovered what
your pre-shot routine should be, it will become part of your rhythm. Any
deviation in the rhythm will upset your
ability to repeat good shots. If that happens, step back and start over.
Don't be embarrassed to do so. Do you want
to apologize for a bad shot or for making folks wait for a good one?
You only have between 12 and 21 shots in a game (hopefully, you'll only
use 12). Think of this in terms of having
limited ammunition. You truly are limited in your ordnance and having a
pre-shot routine can help assure you
don't waste any of those precious shots. Before you deploy any of that
valuable ordnance, be sure you are ready to
do so through your consistent pre-shot routine. The target is locked in
and the shot is launched. Repeatability =
consistency = higher scores.

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