Friday, December 15, 2006

I'd rather have fun than win

I put together one of my best league nights all season: 188, 99, 164. After a month with the new ball, I finally figured out how to roll it with a lovely curve. The 2nd game I realized that I wasn't following through as much and finally got my wind back in the 3rd game. Unfortunately we only won 1 out of the 4. But that's because the other team made this run for the money in the final game. It's part of the reason that they are the number one team so far.

But as valiant an effort it was, they're not as fun to play against as the other teams. Even when they were going to win they seemed rather grumpy. And would complain about being interrupted. As a team we bowl at a slightly slower pace than others, but not exceedingly so. Last night we were in 2 frames of the next game being played. Some teams find it aggravating playing with a team with a wheelchair player, but I think it's because it's motion that they're not used to seeing. There's alot more movement in our lane as we have to set up Coach's ball. We try to be as discreet as we can and try to time things to not bother folks. But we do throw some people's rhythms off. But, hello, they knew we've been in this league from the get go. We play each other several times during the season, it's part of the game play.

The hubby and I promised each other that we would always try to remind ourselves to have fun. And yes, while competition and game play is good, not to get so entrenched in it to the point that you're not having fun anymore.

Anyway, it would have been nice to take 3 from them. But they are a strong team and any one of them can step up and throw 3 strikes in a row. That's a really balanced team.

The lanes were really tough last night, lots of oil and balls taking off on their own. Each ball changing the lanes and everyone trying to find that spot that will take them to the pocket.

When we play other teams, it's alot more fun. We chat, joke around, push each other to get strikes. It's competitive but it's a fun competition. Ironically enough, often because of this atmosphere, the other team often bowls really well against us, and I mean really well like bowling out of their minds 50 points over their averages well. At first we got discouraged by it, but I see it as a good sign and a reflection of what we bring to this league. In the end, it will only make us bowl better. We push them, they pull us up. We all have fun. It's a good thing. It means that we too can have our weeks where we bowl out of our minds. We can only get better.

We still move up to 2nd place so we're still in the running half way through the season. Personally, I think I'll hit the leader board for the season's handicap games for women. And next week I hope to bring up that 2nd game and go for a 500 series. I made the Nintendo Wii a prize when I hit 200 and the 188 showed that I could get pretty darn close.

Alternatively we also made the new Kansai restaurant a prize. Every time we hit a spare or strike, we'd cheer "Kansai!" A review on that restaurant coming up. If you ate there, yeah, you'd do what you could to go back.

It's not that we can't go buy a Wii right now or just head over to Kansai when we want, because we could. That's not really the issue. The main thing is trying to tie parts of our lives together, have one thing lead to another. I mean, when I get that Wii and am playing Wii sports bowling, I'm going to remember how great it was bowling that 200 game in league.

No comments: