I remember the moment I said this very clearly, I was determined (as I would say, it was over).
It was the morning of July 30th 2010. My friend, Ben Govel had just bowled his very first 300. What's a 300 people may ask? Well a 300 is where you get a strike in every frame when you are bowling. It is very complicated and mostly all mental. It does take skill to bowl a 300, but if you are not confident and relaxed, then you will not bowl a "perfect game". Yet many people say that it is all skill, I have yet to believe that is true. I average 210, and I believe that I have plenty of skill; yet, I have not gotten a 300 yet. Explain that?
That morning, beyond my vision, I would have a life-changing event.
I showed up at Town and Country Lanes around 8:45. That's normally when I would get there. But this morning I was not feeling well; I had a cold. This threw my confidence level down the drain. I could have cared less about bowling that morning. But yet, I went anyways. I did what I normally do, I sat down at the snack bar, and I ordered an egg sandwich. While I was waiting, my friend walked in, and we went and got ready to bowl. By the time I was back, my sandwich was done.
When bowling started, I just threw the ball down the lane, hoping I would get a good shot. Well, let's just say it wasn't so good. So, I decided to actually try.
The first game, I bowled a 206. It wasn't bad, yet I wanted to do better. Then I heard cheering and screaming. Ben had the front 11 which in bowling terms means he needs one more strike for his first 300. I walked over and watched quietly as he lined up... It was like I could feel his heartbeat... knowing that he was under a lot of pressure. I felt this feeling the year before when I shot a 299, leaving only the 6 pin standing. It was a terrible feeling. As I came to, I heard it. The sound was unbearable, the loud screams and cheers, but I was happy. He did it.
I walked over to him and congratulated him. He was speechless. I would have been too. As I was walking away, I said one thing that I was joking about.
"My turn."
As I said this, all I could think about was the feeling just one year ago, being so close. I wanted that feeling again.
It was now the 7th frame. All of those for me were strikes; yet, I had not thought once about what I had said. I was focused. Nothing would break my focus at this point. Many of my friends know this because they try to all the time, and I ignore it.
"BOOM!"
9th frame was over and still... all strikes.
I went into the tenth with my heart pounding. I could feel the sweat on my palm and my head. I knew I had to calm down or I would mess up. So, I took a step off the approach and mentally prepared myself. As I reached for my ball, everything got silent. I knew everyone was watching, but that just dropped out of my mind. It was me and the pins now; they were standing in the way of my 300. I was not losing this time.
"Yeah!"
Two more strikes and I had it...
"Yeah!"
Just one more. This moment I remember so clearly. My dad walking to the front of the crowd, a huge smile on his face, I knew I made him proud no matter what. My grandma, who was 77 at the time, got up and pushed her way to the front to watch. I couldn't let them down. This was my chance, my time. I got up and everything went silent, whether it was me ignoring people or whether they stopped talking, I still don't know because I was not listening or caring about them at this moment. I took my step, pushed the ball out in front, and let go. It was out of my control, but I looked at where the ball went, and I couldn't have done it any better.
"YEAH!"
As I turned around, I could see everyone jumping on the lane, coming to give me high fives, but I just stood there in shock. I just did it. I said I would do it, and I did. My dad came down and gave me a hug and said, "Good job. You deserved it." When he said that, I was so happy. I had done it. I finally bowled a 300. This changed the way I thought about skill. Just because you have skill, doesn't mean you're going to be the best. The best bowlers are the ones that have skill but know that they are good and aren't cocky about it.I actually said I was going to bowl a 300, and I did.
This moment changed my life. I now understood that not everything was skill: you could be amazing and still do terrible because you think you're amazing. I have a hard time not being cocky. I do think I'm good, but I know that I have the confidence to actually be that good.
Lucky Or Not?
Austin Van Buren
"Oh yeah, good job."
I remember the moment I said this very clearly, I was determined (as I would say, it was over).
It was the morning of July 30th 2010. My friend, Ben Govel had just bowled his very first 300. What's a 300 people may ask? Well a 300 is where you get a strike in every frame when you are bowling. It is very complicated and mostly all mental. It does take skill to bowl a 300, but if you are not confident and relaxed, then you will not bowl a "perfect game". Yet many people say that it is all skill, I have yet to believe that is true. I average 210, and I believe that I have plenty of skill; yet, I have not gotten a 300 yet. Explain that?
That morning, beyond my vision, I would have a life-changing event.
I showed up at Town and Country Lanes around 8:45. That's normally when I would get there. But this morning I was not feeling well; I had a cold. This threw my confidence level down the drain. I could have cared less about bowling that morning. But yet, I went anyways. I did what I normally do, I sat down at the snack bar, and I ordered an egg sandwich. While I was waiting, my friend walked in, and we went and got ready to bowl. By the time I was back, my sandwich was done.
When bowling started, I just threw the ball down the lane, hoping I would get a good shot. Well, let's just say it wasn't so good. So, I decided to actually try.
The first game, I bowled a 206. It wasn't bad, yet I wanted to do better. Then I heard cheering and screaming. Ben had the front 11 which in bowling terms means he needs one more strike for his first 300. I walked over and watched quietly as he lined up... It was like I could feel his heartbeat... knowing that he was under a lot of pressure. I felt this feeling the year before when I shot a 299, leaving only the 6 pin standing. It was a terrible feeling. As I came to, I heard it. The sound was unbearable, the loud screams and cheers, but I was happy. He did it.
I walked over to him and congratulated him. He was speechless. I would have been too. As I was walking away, I said one thing that I was joking about.
"My turn."
As I said this, all I could think about was the feeling just one year ago, being so close. I wanted that feeling again.
It was now the 7th frame. All of those for me were strikes; yet, I had not thought once about what I had said. I was focused. Nothing would break my focus at this point. Many of my friends know this because they try to all the time, and I ignore it.
"BOOM!"
9th frame was over and still... all strikes.
I went into the tenth with my heart pounding. I could feel the sweat on my palm and my head. I knew I had to calm down or I would mess up. So, I took a step off the approach and mentally prepared myself. As I reached for my ball, everything got silent. I knew everyone was watching, but that just dropped out of my mind. It was me and the pins now; they were standing in the way of my 300. I was not losing this time.
"Yeah!"
Two more strikes and I had it...
"Yeah!"
Just one more. This moment I remember so clearly. My dad walking to the front of the crowd, a huge smile on his face, I knew I made him proud no matter what. My grandma, who was 77 at the time, got up and pushed her way to the front to watch. I couldn't let them down. This was my chance, my time. I got up and everything went silent, whether it was me ignoring people or whether they stopped talking, I still don't know because I was not listening or caring about them at this moment. I took my step, pushed the ball out in front, and let go. It was out of my control, but I looked at where the ball went, and I couldn't have done it any better.
"YEAH!"
As I turned around, I could see everyone jumping on the lane, coming to give me high fives, but I just stood there in shock. I just did it. I said I would do it, and I did. My dad came down and gave me a hug and said, "Good job. You deserved it." When he said that, I was so happy. I had done it. I finally bowled a 300. This changed the way I thought about skill. Just because you have skill, doesn't mean you're going to be the best. The best bowlers are the ones that have skill but know that they are good and aren't cocky about it. I actually said I was going to bowl a 300, and I did.
This moment changed my life. I now understood that not everything was skill: you could be amazing and still do terrible because you think you're amazing. I have a hard time not being cocky. I do think I'm good, but I know that I have the confidence to actually be that good.