Building a Championship Bowling Program 3-Pack

Hall of Fame coach Gary Sparks presents a seven-step program that will put your program on a path to success.

Coach Sparks' seven step program covers:

• Team/Coaching Philosophy - Explore what kind of coach do you want to be and what type of program you want to have.
• Coaching Skill Level - What level are you and your assistants? What type of certifications are required and how can you earn them? These and other considerations will help you develop your expectations for yourself and your assistants.
• Selecting and Evaluating Your Athletes - Select the best possible bowlers for your team! Get tryout and selection tips and ideas, along with specific things to look for when evaluating talent during tryouts.
• Developing an Action Plan - Learn how to set team goals and develop a road map for moving towards your goals.
• Checking Equipment - Coach Spark's mantra is "you can't out-coach a bad fit" as it is incredibly challenging to develop fundamentals of the game with balls that do not fit properly. Sparks details how to proactively address grip and fit, ball weight, and accessories issues.
• Good Practice Facilities - Along with team management, team bowling requires teams to co-exist with a commercial proprietor and sound planning will assist in making the most out of practice opportunities. Coach Sparks addresses the challenges of facility scheduling, cost, and how to make the most of your practice facility.
• Good Practice Organizations and Routines - This segment includes key factors you need to consider as you put together your practice schedule - start time, frequency, location, and more.

You will learn how to incorporate essential techniques and skills into practices, including: skill drills, advanced techniques for improving players, score vs. no score practice tactics, spare shooting, tracking statistics, inter-team competition, Baker Games competitions and more.

Each of these areas include invaluable implementation strategies and tactics for covering all critical areas of the game that need to be practiced in order to achieve success in competition.

This video provides a coach at any level a working blueprint to build and maintain a successful program.

109 minutes. 2013.

2012 National Coach of the Year, Gary Sparks provides insights into how you can make your bowling equipment work for your team and not against you.

Grip and Fit
You can't out-coach a bad fit! The fit of a bowling ball is imperative for ball control and injury prevention. Coach Sparks shows how inserts (versus regular holes) can make every ball in a bowler's arsenal consistent. He then discusses sizing and the use of tape to assist with the fit. Pitches are an important aspect of the holes and Sparks shares key areas to consider for maintaining proper pitches.

Lane Play
Bowlers face a variety of lane surfaces. Having the proper ball to match the lane conditions is critical to successful play. Sparks teaches you how to match up the proper ball with your lane condition, whether it be a house shot or a sport pattern. Sparks details all aspects of ball construction and how that construction applies to developing an arsenal.

House shots vs. sport patterns, long patterns vs. short patterns and pattern transition are all elements essential to lane play success. In these demonstrations, you will see the factors that shape lane play strategies and how to choose the best equipment to manage them and consistently hit the pocket.

This presentation will help coaches and players get the most from their equipment and refine their lane play strategies - and that translates into better scores for your team.

68 minutes. 2013.

Eleven-time National Championship Coach Gary Sparks presents a comprehensive three-part presentation that not only covers the "how-tos" of coaching bowling, but more importantly the "whys."

Bowling Fundamentals
Coach Sparks begins this presentation with a step-by-step description, demonstration, and video breakdown of the fundamental mechanics of the game. These technical fundamentals are critical to a bowler's ability to deliver accurate balls. These technical elements include the following phases:

• Set-up and Stance - A good set-up is needed for a good start, and a good start is needed for a good finish. See a break down of waist up and waist down technical components that will provide consistency, repeatability and versatility for your shots.
• Starts - Developing consistency in the start translates into consistent timing and improved repeatability. Techniques in this segment include: The direction of the start of the ball/swing in motion, direction and amount of "pushaway," the speed and timing of the downswing and swing alignment in relation to the target path.
• Approach - A solid approach allows the bowler to maximize leverage out of their shot which translates into power and versatility. This segment breaks down the timing and tempo of a 4-step approach, specifically studying positioning, balance, leverage, and movement.
• Delivery/Release - A critical part of being able to release the ball consistently is having the wrist and fingers in the proper positions. Technical details include the wrist and hand position and the most beneficial arm/elbow position at the release to maximize leverage and power.
• Finish Position - "Posting the shot" comes from good balance and timing, eliminating muscling during the swing and delivery. In this segment, Sparks teaches you optimal back tilt to improve consistency and movement, non-bowling arm position, non-slide foot position, and more.

• Process vs. Outcome - Change your athletes' mentality from striking to execution. Coach Sparks shows you how you can help your athletes focus on learning good habits and developing consistent, repeatable skills rather than purely focusing on throwing strikes.
• Relaxation & Breathing - Tension free movements provide the best opportunity for success.
• Visualization - Learn how to mentally rehearse a skill or shot, enhance focus and build confidence.
• Pre-Shot Routine - Enhance the repeatability of your team's bowling mechanics and improve focus.

This comprehensive video is loaded with championship-winning techniques and drills that you can start using immediately to prepare your team for success.

102 minutes. 2013.