A Special Sports Psychologist - Part 3

Bob Rotella, Author  

Golf is Not a Game of Perfect, 1995 

Golf is a Game of Confidence, 1996

The Golf of Your Dreams, 1997

Dr. Bob Rotella Through the Eye of Dr. Peter Pierro’s Bowling Journey

I was really surprised when I started reading The Golf of Your Dreams. I was expecting to find how a coach was to use psychology with his junior high basketball team - how a coach would work with the parents of her Little League team players. Instead, I found it to be basically for golfers at Levels 6 and 7 of our Taxonomy of Competition, Chapter 8, Grassroots Coaching - Professional and Olympic levels.

I needed to look at this valuable information in a more personal manner - Did I use anything like these ideas in my productive athletic experiences from the 1940s through the 1960s in my basketball, baseball, softball experiences at the college, semi-profession, and professional levels? Maybe in some ways.

But Eureka!, I found that my learning and doing methods in Bowling could be examined and analysed that way.  So here we go:

Believe you can learn - have positive people with you in your game.

I really studied my bowling. I started setting pins in the Westclox bowling alleys in my high school junior year, 1943. We were allowed to bowl before and after we set pins for the company workers. Sam Arbisi, alley manager, was my bowling mentor - he taught me how to bowl and how to behave. I bowled some good games, including a 241, in my first year. Throughout my bowling years my older brother, Joe, and three good friends were my teammates. At college, my teammates and I were highly supportive of one another.

Believe that you are capable - that you have necessary physical, emotional, and psychological skills.

My averages and records were very high in the leagues I bowled in; 188 at home, champion male bowler in the college league - with no money for practice - 184 average and high single game score, 254.

Believe you can win.  

Winning is the result of doing everything else well. Losing is only acceptable if you have done your best.

Staying in the present. 

It’s my time to bowl and the only things that exist are Me, the Visualized Line, the Pins, and the Ball. 

Visualize.

I was in the U.S. Navy from September, 1944 to June, 1946. When I got out I returned to the Westclox alleys as Assistant Manager to Sam Arbisi. I got to bowl quite a bit simply paying the pin-boys (with tips). While sitting in the office, I would read the golf magazines. I was intrigued with an article on spot bowling written by Master Bowler Joe Wilman. I adopted his 3-spot system - where I started, where I released the ball, and a spot on the alley for the ball to go over. The release,  speed, and spin on the ball were constant.  The last two spots were adjusted to create The Line that would have the ball arrive at the 1 - 3 pocket.

I bowled my highest ever score there - 278 - in 1948.

Pick the spots, visualize the line the ball will take, and let it rip.

Focus on the attempt

As above. Dr. Terry Orlick calls it Focused Connection.

Acceptability OK, what do I do now? How do I act now?

I’m working on a turkey (three strikes in a row) and I have just buried a strike ball and - the 8 pin stayed up. THE  8  PIN!!  So what do I do? I pick up the 8 pin for my spare. No whining - No cussing - No kicking the ball rack. Just a head shake and I’m getting back to my game - my next attempt will be delivered exactly the same as the four previous attempts.

Patience

Be good to yourself. I’m OK - You’re OK - Everything is what it’s supposed to be. Just hang in there.

Bowling and My Sports Life

For its length of time, its intensity, and its success experiences, bowling has been the most important sport in my life. I really enjoyed writing this blog - taking a new and different look at my sports life and bowling’s special place in it. 

Goalsetting  - New goals

1956 - I left my sixth grade teaching and Junior High School coaching positions in DePue, Illinois and spent three  years teaching junior school math and fourth grade in Barrington, Illinois. This school district was visited by educators from all over the world to observe our curriculum that was based on Individualized Learning. While I was there I received my Masters Degree from Northern Illinois University.

My goal in Education was also changed there. I set a goal to continue my graduate education, to earn a doctors’ degree,  and to become a college professor. I began visualizing teaching in an ivy-covered building.

1966 - I began my college teaching career; teaching in Old Main at Elmhurst College (now Elmhurst University). 

These concepts should be familiar to you if you have taken a course in Psychology, or if  you have read our book Grassroots Coaching, or if you have been reading our Blogs.