Bowling - The 3rd Lesson

Date:  Oct 4, 2014

It’s Children’s day off for both the kids.  

Father & sons end up at the Bowling alley.

Today is Jay Jay’s 3rd lesson.

Here are some of the best shot of the day.  OK.  Of course, he has a lot of gutter shots.  But we don’t want him to remember those, ya?  Only post those good shots.  To show that “Hey son!  You can make such impressive shot.  So, it is POSSIBLE.  Not impossible to do it, right?  It just needs more practice."

He now learns 2 steps bowling.  No longer stand there and throw the bowl.

His ball still hooks to the left, which is good.  But the aiming sometimes is a bit off.

2 steps bowling.

There are many sports he can do.  I purposely added this into his weekly activities because to take advantage of his huge body build.  He can carry and handle a 8 lbs ball with no problem.  So, by learning bowling, can refine his motor skills, and yet learn another sport that he might came across when he grew up.  Most importantly to build up his self confidence.

It is very important to build that self confidence or self esteem for your kids.  If we can boost a little bit of this self esteem, it will eventually help him to become a better person.  It will add life into his social circle.  These are “super powers” the kids need to have.  

Back to the video...

This release is a bit wrong.. as the ball does not hook.

Mean while, I have to play with the young Kay Kay.  

This week, I noticed that he can handle the ball with much confidence.

He now can throw a bit further.  Means he has gain strength.

He still put his middle and 4th fingers into the ball and start rolling with the correct strength.

It is getting harder to beat their combine scores now.  You have too have couple of Strikes and Spares to do so...

But Father & Sons enjoys the game very much.

Happy Children’s Day!

Bowling Night

Date:  Sep 27, 2014

Father & Son Game

This week, after some guidance from Jimmy (Jay’s bowling coach), we changed Kay Kay’s way of holding the bowling ball and trying to get him to get use to throwing the ball from right to left.  And really, it changes the game.  The ball sometimes hook to the left.  So, he now stick his middle finger and fourth finger into the two holes, but not the thumb, and use two hands to throw the ball.  

Kay is about 15KG, the ball is 6KG, so, for him, bowling ball is very heavy.  But somehow, he loves it.

The whole night, he bring the ball to the line, and then, put in his two fingers, and then, throw the ball sideway.  

For very young kid (i.e. 5 years old), this is what we should do to train him.  Thanks the coach for the tip.

Kay spares, I spare.  Hahahaha.  

Father and son playing bowling can be that fun too.

And he spares it again!

Well done Mr. Kay!  haHaHaha...

Next, Jay Jay will play against his brother.

And he will be playing without bumpers.

Aiya… it does not hook.

The two brothers fought hard.  Kay plays with bumpers so got huge advantages.  But he is only 5.

Jay plays without bumper, and he is still learning to control the ball.  After his lesson, he must be very tired on his arms liao.  hahaha

But later, he did manage to hook a few 9 pins.  And stay in the game neck to neck with Kay Kay.

The final result of the game is 72 (Jay) Vs. 71 (Kay).

The two brothers hug and smile.

An Hour Earlier

This is Jay’s new bowling ball.  Blue!

It will be best to make your own ball as most of the bowling ball at the bowling court there, mostly does not fit your unique fingers.

Coach Jimmy is fitting his 3 fingers into the ball.

He will be trained with his bowling ball from now on.

Today he will do a one step forward bowl.

I tried to learn.  But I failed to hook my ball today.  How is it so easy when Jay did it?  

Thoughts

1.  When kids has some interest in something, give him a chance.

2.  Do not try to be a coach yourself.  You may teach wrong thing to the kids.  It will be difficult for the kid to unlearn it.

3.  Let the expert do the job.  It is their job to teach the kid.

4.  No matter how tire you are, or how busy you are, participate in it, play with your kids.  Don’t just sent them there and sit aside check your email on your smart phones.  (I see a lot of dads and moms doing so).  Sit behind him, watch the whole process, you might learn a thing of few from the lesson too.

5.  Have fun!  Most importantly is to have fun!

Jay Jay & Bowling

Date:  Sep 20, 2014

Today I learned a very important lesson, again.

1.  Coach Jimmy said to Jay Jay: “You don’t look at your papa, because the way how he bowl is wrong.  That’s not the correct way to bowl."

2.  Coach Jimmy said to me: “Later I teach you how you can teach your young one (Kay Kay) to bowl.  This is not the way to start him"

Wow!  Ouch!  But I like!

Jay Jay is going to be 8 years old.

He is 43kg in mass, and I think he can do well in bowling if he is willing to learn.

As usual, you ask him: “Jay Jay, do you want to learn how to bowl correctly?"

Jay’s answer is always: “Yes!"

So, let’s bowl tonight.

Coach Jimmy taught bowling in ACS school and Ngee Ann Poly.  He is one of the bowling coach at SICC.

Jay Jay has not learned bowling before.  Previous few times, he was playing with the bumper turn on.  And he simply any how throw the ball.

But today, judging from his focus and concentration spent in learning.

He shows high interest in bowling.

The coach start in teaching him how to kneel down and bowl.  Just to get the feeling of bowling.  He was having lots of problem in executing it.

The coach keep him swinging the ball for many times until a natural pendulum motion has been achieved.

This is like putting in golf.  Pendulum motion.

After he got a feeling of how the ball should be swinging in the air.

The coach made him stand up and give him the correct posture of swinging the bowling ball.

The coach has to hold his hand to keep his balance.

I can see that Jay start to loss a bit of confidence when almost all his ball went into the gutter.

Coach Jimmy patiently teach him and guide him.

Another ball in the gutter.

I know my boy, he must be thinking… wow, it is hard, all my balls go into the gutter.

But Jay Jay has this energy may be because of this strong mass in his body, he continues his lesson.  Until…. at the end… he starts a round of bowling...

It is an AMAZING feeling.

His ball go straight.

Until 3 quarters, the ball starts to spin and hook from right to the left.

That is Bowling!  That is what the coach comment about me not doing that.  HaHaHa.

Let’s see another ball.  Again, it stays on the right, and suddenly the ball hook to the left from the right again.

Jay Jay has done it! 

So, today, he is not even moving.  Standing there and roll the ball.  

Very nice.  The ball turn left hook again.

Coach Jimmy says, not every one can learn that in one lesson.  He was surprise that Jay Jay can picked up very fast in his first lesson, he already know how to make the ball hook.  some students did indeed need 2-3 months to even do that.

Coach Jimmy also says, usually parents only bring in their kids in P3.  I told coach that this one is for recreation, not for school CCA as Pei Tong has almost nothing, no golf, no badminton for boys, no bowling, no tennis, etc.  haha

Jay already feel special with his Golf.  Now, I think he has found another favourite sports.

Let’s come back to Kay Kay.

This is the 5th time Kay Kay bowl.

Unfortunately, he is so thin and I am not sure if he can handle a 6 lbs ball.

OK folks.  According to the coach, this is not entire right.  But to start the young one with bowling, he says, we must get them used to rolling the ball correctly.  What I teach Kay Kay was once again wrong.

I remember Jay’s swimming coach also said the same thing to me.  

It is easy for parent to teach.  But it is not easy for the kid to unlearn the mistake if the teaching is wrong.

So, sometimes, we have to let the professional to teach them the right way without intervene.

So, the correct way is to place the two fingers (no thumb) into the bowling hole, and grab the ball a bit side way.  And let the kid roll this way, so that the ball always goes to the left from right.

Thanks for the tips!

One huge difference between the Kay Kay today and the Kay Kay last time.

I no longer have to accompany him to the lane.  

He has done this all buy himself.

That means, he has grown STRONGER, and can handle grabbing the bowling ball with two hands and walk to the line and start bowl.

I must say, he is quite consistent for a young 5 years old kid.  Excellent Kay Kay.

So, I made a custom ball with correct fitting for Jay.  He will soon has his own ball.

Since he is talented in bowling.  Can hook the ball in first lesson, I think it is only fair to let Coach Jimmy to teach him from now on.  

Bowling #4 - Father & Sons

Date:  Mar 19, 2012

All of you know my son - Jay is a bit fat.  So, with that kind of build, I was thinking, may be bowling is one of the sport Jay should take up and practice.

So, today, I brought my sons to bowling at Kallang Bowl.  I think Kay Kay also enjoy the bowling.  See how he carry the 6lbs ball to the front.

Quickly drop it.

Hide both hands behind.

And run back.  Take note that the ball actually is travelling at 10cm per second speed.

Well done Kay Kay.  Let's wait until you are 5, then, we bowl again.  We have to ask the technician to grab the slow moving ball for us so that me and Jay Jay can continue our game.

One fun thing to do is to ask your son to take photo while you are bowling the ball.

I didn't know that is how I bowl.  hahaha

Teaching Jay to use two hands instead of one.  And teach him to get a hang of the rolling ball feeling, instead of throwing the ball.

Not too bad... Game #1 - he scores a 70.

Game #2 - a 68.  He actually have 2 spares.

And Game #3.  I think he is getting a bit tired.. hahaha

OK.  It is a good start.  I think Jay Jay will like it.

So, this is the third interest that he wants beside Violin and Swiming.  I think I will bring him to Safra Yishun as I just found out that there are a 4lbs ball there.  Or I will make him a new ball, smaller and 4lbs.

Bowling #3 - Re-Learn How to Bowl

Date:  Mar 11, 2012

Today is the new mile stone day for me.  I made my first bowling ball drilled according to my fingers.  My brother in-law recommended me to drill my ball at Kenneth Chua's Pro-shop @ Kallang Leisure Mall.

http://www.kenproshop.com/index-1.html

According to Kenneth Chua, my thumb is quite short, so, I should be able to release the bowling ball much faster.  This is my 13 lbs ball.  I told Kenneth Chua that I usually played 11 lbs or 12 lbs.  But he insisted me to try 13 lbs, and after the drilling, the ball feels like a 12 lbs.

The 2 fingers fit just nicely on the first segment of the fingers.  This is where you grip the ball.

And the thumb just nicely placed in the bigger hole.  The feeling is nice.  And the feeling is personal.

I also bought a bowling shoe.  It looks normal from the front.

Look at the back... It is different.

The right leg has rubber, so it can grip the ground better.

The left one is the smooth one, and it allows you to slide.  In all the bowling place, they will give you both smooth surface shoes.  That is why I did not notice there are different when you buy your own personal shoe.  And it feels better when you bowl.

My first ball is a plastic ball.  As I am still learning how to throw the hook shot.  Everything fits inside this small red bag.  It is $175 (originally is $125, but I exchange the better shoe, i.e. Pro-Am)...

So, I played about 10-11 games yesterday.  The ball feel is OK, but the way how I used to throw is wrong.  So, I have to re-learn everything.  And I found that myself cannot cope with Multi-tasking very well.

Left hand have to lift horizontal to balance.  Right hand have to push the ball out and then create the pendulum motion.  After throw, the right hand must comb your hair with a smile.

When throw the ball, is natural, like rolling the ball.  The ball will create enough initial to spin the ball.

Of course, the steps, the slide, the arrows.  All these, is like the 7 fingers multi-gestures on iPad.  Very difficult to coordinate, but you get the hang of it soon enough.  After say 8-9 games.  hahahaha

Of course, you wish you can play like your son.  This is Jay Jay.  I brought him there too.  At first he used a 7 lbs.

Jay uses two hands.  And release the ball.

Then, he changed to use a 6 lbs.

A proud look.

Jay and cousin Silas.