Youth bowlers - weight progression, fingertip, etc.

[AJCZAR]

Hey,

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but if it isn't, please let me know so I can post in the proper place.

My 7 year old daughter began bowling last summer. I got her a 6 lb. ball to start. She used it through last summer and winter. At the beginning of the summer, we got her an 8 lb ball as she was able to throw the 6 very hard. We also began having her work with a junior coach. After a month, he informed us that she was throwing the 8 too hard and we should think about moving her up to a 10. I took a 10 lb house ball, drilled into the side of it just so she could test the weight (kids, don't try that at home). She was more than comfortable with the weight so I punched her up a 10 lb TZone.

Now we are faced with just a month later, she is able to fire the 10 lb. ball at will. She is very tall (4' and change) and very strong for her age. I really don't want to move her to a 12 as I am not sure that is really best for her. I've also read that a child shouldn't go to fingertip until teenage years at the earliest (even Mo posted this on another site; I'm assuming his feelings haven't changed).

So, how long do I leave her in a 10? How long before I change her to fingertip? How long before I teach her a proper release? She has no approach yet, so she is generating ball speed just from taking 1 step near the foul line. I want her to continue to enjoy the game, and she wants to improve, but I don't want her to do any long term damage to her hand, wrist, etc.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[JMerrell]

Youth development progression:
1) Most entry level bowlers start at the bumper level and don’t own a ball or shoes.
2) In our youth program we encourage them to NOT use the 6 pound balls.
3) The pro shop has been gracious enough to plug & re-drill some 8 pounders with hole & span sizes more appropriate to this age group.
4) We also encourage all of them to take an approach. Many at this age will take several steps, start the ball in motion close to the foul line and roll the ball down the lane. My goal for this age group is to help them learn the sensation of the ball swinging the arm as they walk up the approach.
5) This is not to say that we don’t spend time teaching them proper timing of the approach. Obviously this is difficult if the ball doesn’t fit or is TOO heavy.
6) The fundamentals of a good approach are number one for me at this age level.
7) Developing a good release is dependent upon fundamentals and proper ball weight.
8) If their fundamentals are good….letting the ball swing the arm, ball speed is seldom a problem.
9) I have seen kids stand at the foul line and throw balls that are too heavy for them, but there is no way they can make a fundamentally sound approach
with that heavier weight. The extra weight makes them very unstable.
10) A common mistake I see is moving them up in weight to quick, the release suffers in most cases as the extra weight forces the hand on top of the ball. A habit that is hard to break.
11) Fundamentally correct release….straight line from the shoulder to the fingers, no bend in the wrist in either direction. If the wrist bends back, the hand will go more on top of the ball. Not good.

My suggestion to you:
1) Keep her in the 10 pound conventional grip ball until she can develop a sound approach, maintain her balance until the ball hits the pins and roll (not spin) the ball with a solid hand position and follow through.
2) Work on spares until she makes 75/80 % of them.
3) If you do these things in this order, she will improve and enjoy the game more.

To repeat myself, going up in weight too soon is a recipe for disaster.

As for the finger-tip grip, I have correctly developed youth who start using them around age 12.

[AJCZAR]

Thank you Jim.

Per your advice, my wife has already spoken to her coach. He pretty much echoed your sentiments (which makes me feel even better about him as a coach), and has agreed to start with her on an approach beginning this week.