When I became a PBA member in 1971 the majority of the tour players were done by their mid to late 30’s. Now there are a lot of players bowling their way through their forties getting ready when they turn 50 to play in senior events. The PBA senior tour really took off starting around 1990. Since that type of competition was available many bowlers whether they played the regular tour or not started to prepare for the day they turned 50 to take a shot competing at the highest level. In 2013 World Ten Pin Bowling started the Senior World Championships (SWC). This event further advanced the desire for bowlers to work hard to be ready to represent their country at international events. There is nothing better than standing on the podium getting a gold medal and hearing your national anthem played.
I have been coaching Senior Team USA for 3 years at international events. This year was my second Senior World Championships which is held every other year and was hosted by the South Point Bowling Plaza this year. In my 3 years I have seen the talent level of the players improve a lot. I asked a few of our players what they do or did to be ready to compete at this level, the answers varied a lot.
Ron Mohr who has been on Senior Team USA for all 4 SWC’s has been the individual star player of the event since its inception, he has won 14 medals, 8 gold, 3 silver and 3 bronze, with two of the gold being all events. Ron didn’t bowl the regular tour, he basically started bowling the senior tour after retiring from being an air traffic controller. He made a fast rise to the top, becoming a two time Senior Bowler of the Year bowler of the year and getting into the PBA HoF. At 63 he still has the drive to play. His workouts are legendary doing 600 sit ups on an incline bench 3 times a week and 150 push ups 3 times a week among other things. Ron has medium speed, about 14.5 MPH based on bowling centers equipment. Ron has the touch and ability to create the right rotation to carry. He uses a lot more loft than the kids use as do other successful seniors like Walter Ray Williams Jr and Mika Kouivinemi. With having less speed than the kids they rely on loft to get the ball down the lane and with upswing lift to produce revs. Ron’s physical fitness makes him mentally and physically superior which greatly adds to his playing abilities and longevity as a senior player. He has an intensity and focus like no one else.
Ron’s advice for seniors: “You must learn to read the lanes front to back, not just right to left. Figure out what you need to do to create optimum ball motion, then learn how to do it. Even the best players can't out bowl a bad ball reaction. Put a lot of emphasis on physical fitness which clearly benefits metal acuity. Too many older players do nothing to enhance their physical fitness, so doing just about any stretching and/or exercising will help. For the mental game: keep your focus on the approach side of the foul line. You have complete control over execution and no control over outcome. Why worry about something you can't influence?”, great advise for anyone.
Leanne Hulsenberg who was our star player at this years SWC’s, winning gold in 4 of the 5 events and out averaging the ladies field by more than 10 pins a game for all of her games. She was truly in a league of her own. Leanne was a great tour player having won 27 pro events including a US Open and Queens in her earlier life. She still competes on the ladies tour but on a limited basis concentrating on the majors. Leanne has a soft touch. She is able to out hook all the senior ladies and can get the ball to go through the pins like no one else. She has a medium speed, about 15.5 mph, with incredible speed control, which is one of the most important things any player can have. Her PAP is 5 11/16 by ¾ up which is very close to Ron Mohr’s. Both of these players are able to out hook most with great speed control. They have what senior tour players commonly call Voodoo roll, their ball reacts and carries better than most.
Leanne says “I don’t have as much time as I used to to dedicate myself to my game and it's not realistic to think I can compete at the same level. I think changing perspective helped me this year and allowed me to enjoy it more thus helping my overall performance and results. I work many youth events throughout the year and being around the kids greatly inspires me to continue bowling with a passion.”
Leanne says: “Practice with a Purpose. Many people don’t have a lot of time to practice. I like to empathize get the most out of the time you have, which basically means to make sure you are practicing something specific. It can be spare shooting, timing, balance, targeting/ zone play, equipment comparison or anything that will help your game and don’t worry about score. Don’t waste the time you have on the lanes, make sure you practice with a purpose”.
Lennie Boresch was our star player on the men’s side this year winning 3 gold medals and finishing 3rd in all events, our highest guy. Lennie like Ron became a super star on the senior tour. Lennie has been refining his skill sets for years, mainly being a weekend warrior and operating his pro shop for many years which has always kept him current understanding equipment, which is critical. At this years SWC’s Lennie was by far the best player on the fresh conditions. His low tilt 3-4 degrees, high track and about 45 degrees of axis rotation helped his ball read the mid lane and not over react at the end of the pattern. He basically had control of the lane both side to side and especially from to back which is a must on flatter patterns.
Lennie says: “I feel the biggest key for me is I have good touch with the ball. You can’t teach that, the bowler has to learn it. All the greats have good touch and feel. By touch I mean being able to understand the feeling of the release and the reaction you get from it when it’s correct or not. Being able to understand the feelings of the release and the results of it greatly helps me make decisions with adjusting like changing speeds and release to get the proper angles to strike. For success you must learn the feelings of the ball off your hand to know if the shot is good or not, learn to feel it.”
One of the interesting comments I got was from Walter Ray Williams Jr. Asking him how he has been able to keep current, still playing the kids tour along with the seniors. He said “the game is the same to me today as it’s always been, I have to figure out a way to strike and learn to do it”. Personally I have always said the game is the same to me today as it was when I started learning to play in the mid 1960’s. It’s 60 feet from the foul line to the head pin and it’s our job to to hit the head pin at the right angle to strike. Walter Rays perspectives are very refreshing in our sport where there is always something else that’s the problem for lack of performance rather than looking inside oneself. He is so open minded about getting better he is learning to bowl two handed and when to use it, which he has used successfully.
For an aging player an open mind, the willingness to work, learn with a never quit attitude will expand your career. As with players like Lennie and Ron you never know when you will become your best and be a world beater.