Practice Makes Perfect

Tonight was my last practice session before I leave for Israel. As the Games rapidly approach, many people have asked, “what do you do to get ready for the Games?” My honest reply is that I’ve been going to practice only once a week (ok, this week was twice, but that’s only because I’m not sure when I’ll put on the bowling shoes next). The once-a-week sessions give me a chance to “work my craft,” but also enough time away from the lanes to work the mental angle.

My on-lane practice consists simply of reviewing the basics and reinforcing my muscle memory – the ability to continue to repeat the same motion over and over and over again. Top athletes, especially in gymnastics and diving, seek to achieve this so that each motion, each pass, each rotation, is almost identical to the last. Ideally, I want my first shot, my second shot, my last shot, and every shot in between to be virtually the same.

I also work with angles and hand positions. For a game that looks simple on the surface, bowling is a complex combination of offense and defense, basic execution with nuanced geometry and physics, in every single shot. Not only do I need to know my own abilities, I need to know what the lanes will do and what my equipment will do in reaction to the lane condition and my condition. Reading Tuesday’s entry, you can see why it was so important for me to get out and try the new equipment. Imagine trying to decipher all these elements hundreds of times in a day. Bowling is not only physically draining (yes, it is a physical game), but it’s mentally taxing, as well.

After all these weekly practices – and after years of practice in general – I’m confident and comfortable with my abilities. And, above all else, having a positive mental attitude (PMA … it’s a Lakewood thing) goes a long way – that’s what I spend the other days working on.

But beyond the individual practice, I think the greatest challenge for all the athletes at the Games – in all the sports – is that our time together before we begin our various competitions is limited and so is our ability to form trusting bonds that underscore any successful team.

The greatest teams, from the New York Yankees to the Los Angeles Lakers, the New England Patriots to the Edmonton Oilers, all had great leaders and great chemistry. With those two elements, it’s not difficult to go out there and put your best foot forward. Fortunately, I’ve met about half of my teammates and spoken to them all on e-mail … we’ve gotten close already, but there’s a long way to go before we really have the trust and bonds that lead a successful team.

That’s not to say I don’t think we won’t achieve a lot of that chemistry amongst us. On the contrary, I have no doubt that we can and will be successful in Israel. It all goes back to practice … and we’ve all got lots of it.