machines that allow us to distribute the patterns very easily throughout the week; before, you had to call the mechanic to get that done.” Without a doubt, Team USA has all
the tools necessary for elite training. But how about the rest of us? Is there any way league bowlers can train like Team USA? Absolutely, says Ross. But before he of- fers his advice, it’s important to know that the ITRC facilities and use of the coach- ing staff are available to any bowler look- ing to improve his or her game. Group lessons, as well as individual private lessons may be reserved and purchased through the ITRC link at
BOWL.com. Special rates also apply for high school and college teams, as well as for other national teams looking to make use of the ITRC’s cutting-edge technology. But not everybody has the time or mon-
ey to make a trip to Arlington. With that in mind, Ross says that any league bowler willing to put in the time and energy can train similarly to Team USA. “You probably won’t have access to
the video analysis and C.A.T.S. systems that we have here, along with much of the other technological equipment,” said Ross. “But if you really want to train like Team USA there are still many things you can do.” First on that list is pattern identifica-
tion, according to Ross. Team USA members spend hours learning a variety of lane oil patterns that they are likely to see during international competition. At the ITRC, they bowl on each of those patterns, along with a variety of lane sur- faces, over and over again, studying how their ball reacts under every condition, discussing and memorizing every iota of observed data that they can. “That way, when they’re bowling in
competition, they can draw upon their experiences and make the most logical adjustments,” explained Ross. “It’s about being prepared and the team members are dedicated to it. They don’t match up well because they’re lucky; they match up because they know what they’re doing.” For league bowlers, getting to know
their own house patterns is crucial. So is preparing for a local, state or national tournament, like the USBC Open Cham- pionships. Those lanes will be much different than they are used to, but they can be learned.
30 USBOWLER SUMMER 2010
Team USA members like John Janawicz have full access to the full-service gym and exercise equipment at the International Training and Research Center.
“A lot of league bowlers spend a lot of
time switching balls, but few really dig into lane surfaces.” Said Ross. “Anyone looking to train like Team USA must know about a variety of lanes. Even bowling in your own house, you should practice the lanes on each end to get used to the differences in the surfaces so you know how to adjust no matter where you’re paired. “When it comes to prepping for a tour-
nament, it’s definitely worth your time to call the center or the tournament director and find out what pattern you’ll be bowl-
ing,” Ross added. “You may be able to go practice on that pattern somewhere, either by having your own center lay it down, or trying a different center that’s using it.” Ross also strongly recommends bounc-
ing around to a few different bowling centers to get a feel for playing on both wood surfaces and synthetic surfaces — ideally with the same oil pattern — to study your tendencies on each and how you can adjust for each. Speaking of surfaces, Ross recom-
mends taking a hard look at your ball surface, too. “Most league bowlers will
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