The only way to win is to be sponsored?

[storm recharge]

SA Cup - Belmo - Storm Staff
Blacktown - Jason Walsh - Hammer staff
Canberra Open - Jarrod Lean - Track staff
Cannington Classic - McArthur - not sponsored
AO - Michael Little - Roto Grip staff
K&K - George F - Track staff
QLD Cup - George F - Track staff
NZ Ebonite Enduro - George F - Track staff
Perth Cup - Belmo - Storm staff

I see a pattern developing here, 8 from 9 National events this year have been won by sponsored bowlers. Join the dots...............

 

[RONALD C]

They are sponsored because they are the best bowlers in the country you idiot! JOIN THE DOTS!
Do you think the bowling companies are going to sponsor crap bowlers?

When i join the dots it appears to me that the bowling companies are making the right decisions.

Instead of whinging about the good bowlers winning everything, go out and practise and become one of them and maybe you too can get a sponsor!
Not only sponsored bowlers win, it's just good bowlers that win!

I forecast you are about to be hammered!

 

[Rig]

SA Cup - Belmo - Storm Staff
Blacktown - Jason Walsh - Hammer staff
Canberra Open - Jarrod Lean - Track staff
Cannington Classic - McArthur - not sponsored
AO - Michael Little - Roto Grip staff
K&K - George F - Track staff
QLD Cup - George F - Track staff
NZ Ebonite Enduro - George F - Track staff
Perth Cup - Belmo - Storm staff

I see a pattern developing here, 8 from 9 National events this year have been won by sponsored bowlers. Join the dots...............

Mate, you have no idea..................... whatsoever.
Jason Belmonte - Practices about 80 games a week as well as commitments all over the globe, as well as getting himself to tournaments, and still practicing......
Jarrod Lean - Coaches every week, bowls numerous times a week, stays fit, and pays to get himself to tournaments, and still has a job.....
Michael Little - Is a father/husband, coaches every week, practices, gets himself to tournaments,
George F - The same as Mick....
Jason Walsh - Is a coach, has coaching, practices, works, married.....

These guys all have a few things in common.
1) Incredibly committed to themselves and to the sport.
2) Works their asses off to put themselves in a position to be at the top of their game.
3) Are all good diplomats for for the sport
4) Have made huge personal sacrifices to be at the top of their game.
5) Are all extremely passionate about their bowling equipment that they use, and are not afraid to spread the word
6) Are great examples of people that believe in themselves (To simpletons and critics, that sometimes might look like arrogance)
7) Are all people that other bowlers would like to bowl like.(Except Belmo, there is only one Belmo)
8) And all are extremely approachable and willing to help other bowlers to excel in the sport.

If I was Storm, Track, Hammer, Ebonite, etc. I would rather sponsor them, than a drop kick couch potato that rubbishes people for having a go and willing to go the end degree to be at the top of their game. I am damn sure that we could give all of the guys listed above White Dots, and they would still find a way to come out near the top.

Good luck to them, and remember, it is easy to criticize, and not easy to duplicate their feats. I say good luck to them, and I hope that many more are still to come.

This is not directed at one person, but just an insight to what it takes to be champions, and all of the names listed above are definately that.
Dennis Rigney

 

[luke]

what ronnie said is completly true, these guys are the best in the country and there not sponserd for no reason, they are winning because they are the best, not because they are sponserd.

luke green

 

[The Spanner]

Join the dots...............

_______________

I'd say that's dots joined.

 

[tonx]

Jesus, George and Belmo are having quite good years haven't they!

Storm Recharge, ur a silly little man, go to the naughty step for as many minutes as your age....... 4.

 

[FLOWER]

Carl Bottomley (almost retired!!) - a sponsored bowler who spent years and hours on the lanes - in Queensland, hot summer, ordinary air-con. dripping wet and bowling for hours. He was doing this as a 'little' kid and spent his spare weekends hanging around the 'big' guys, watching and learning his craft - for me, one of the greatest ever with his work ethic.....won't bowl if he is not prepared mentally and physically.

Flower

 

[Ash]

I agree, I think you have it the wrong way around...

they don't win BECAUSE they are sponsored, they are sponsored because they WIN.

dot--dot--dot

it's pretty simple, being sponsored doesn't really give you much of an edge in my opinion...

Alan Shephard.

 

[Tiger]

These blokes were champion players long before they garnered sponsorships like that though.
It wasn't as though the companies just set out to pick out a few bowlers who had rolled a 300 and won a couple of tournaments and said "Oh well, we'll sponsor this bloke and that bloke"
These guys had to work thier butts off just to even get noticed, and have probably given up a hell of a lot to get noticed.

Those companies wouldn't be handing out sponsorships like Pokemon cards, they'd expect a quality person who would be able to represent thier brand and extol the virtues of that brand at every opportunity, both on the lanes and off.
They'd expect as major sponsors, for thier player to be doing the right things, and representing thier brand in the best possible light at all times.

 

[tonx]

These blokes were champion players long before they garnered sponsorships like that though.
It wasn't as though the companies just set out to pick out a few bowlers who had rolled a 300 and won a couple of tournaments and said "Oh well, we'll sponsor this bloke and that bloke"
These guys had to work thier butts off just to even get noticed, and have probably given up a hell of a lot to get noticed.

Those companies wouldn't be handing out sponsorships like Pokemon cards, they'd expect a quality person who would be able to represent thier brand and extol the virtues of that brand at every opportunity, both on the lanes and off.
They'd expect as major sponsors, for thier player to be doing the right things, and representing thier brand in the best possible light at all times.

Pokemon Cards? Who is giving out pokemon cards? lol

 

[Resurrection]

i agree, yes they are great bowlers that have harnessed the ability to bowl consistently. yes they have spent hours on the lanes practising and honingtheir abilties. but these days you cant even go down to practise without pins. Congratulations to these bowlers and i admire wot they have done and will continue to do.

now for my 2 cents worth, due to the excessive pricing of bowling these days the normal bowlers can barely bowl 4-6 games a week let alone 20-50. Then if you want to be coached there is more money. Unless u have money to burn, a passionate bowler eg. myself will have no chance of suceeding in this game let alone get sponsored.

Once again congratultions to the above mentioned bowlers and i hope more great things will come to u all

Matthew Lambrick.

 

[RobbieB]

Matthew,
There are things you can do off the lanes to practise, especially with timing, footwork and concentration. Get a bucket of tennis balls and roll them into a can fifteen feet away. You can do onestep and kneel down drills at home. Work on fitness and strength, especially legs and wrist. See you local centre manager and offer to wash balls, sweep floors or do a couple hours pinchasing in exchange for practice.
If you want to get better (as opposed to score better) then the work you need to do is not bowling. It is training and it is not 'fun'.
The point has been made that the people who are sponsored didn't just stick their hand up. Generally, it takes as much effort to reach the elite level in bowling as in many other sports, and if the people who complain about sponsored bowlers put in as much as these guys do they too would get the rewards. Unfortunately that doesn't gel with the current instant gratification culture that the balls and lane conditions are generating these days.
Where the sponsored bowlers do have an advantage is in being able to throw new and latest gear all the time. Personally, I don't think it makes a huge difference, but at the top level every few pins helps. If there is a problem in Oz tourneys with the perception of there not being a level playing field then maybe a limit on the number of balls allowed to be used in a tourney would help. But the bottom line is that the cream will rise to the top no matter what.

 

[bowlrig]

Jesus, George and Belmo are having quite good years haven't they!

Who is Jesus sponsored by?

and

But the bottom line is that the cream will rise to the top no matter what.

Exactly!!!


Rob

 

[tonx]

Jesus, George and Belmo are having quite good years haven't they!

Who is Jesus sponsored by?


Rob

storm of course!!!

 

[storm recharge]

Wow nice response, maybe I joined the dots wrong? I think you took my post the wrong way

my point was that there is probably a few bowlers who MIGHT, given 15 free balls a year and access to free education have a chance of winning more.

Yes I agree Belmo, George, Jason, Michael and the rest are great bowlers. All I'm trying to say is that maybe there are some bowlers out there who would perform better with same opportunity given to the mentioned bowlers.

Sorry if I offended anyone

 

[tonx]

Matt:

Stop sulking...

 

[The1bigun4eva]

Good on em! they've worked hard for their sponsorship. If you want one go win a couple of National ranked tournaments and I'm sure someone will offer you a ball Sponsorship.

 

[Stuart Little]

Apart from being the best, do u think that having endless amounts of new bowling gear at there dispossal might have something to do with them winning all the time? i mean yea, people can train all the time, and have an awesome game, but people who dont really have to worry about buyin new stuff for each tournament and can drill a new ball up just for a days play might have an advantage over the rest?
Just a comment someone made about my game got me thinking about this, is all there equipment an advantage?
Just my thoughts, not tryin to stir up anything. Hamish

 

[PeterB]

Hamish, I understand what you're saying, but at some point these guys had a time when they weren't given the advantages. They had to be committed and train hard to be noticed. They don't give sponsorships to potentially good bowlers. They go to proven winners.

Yes, I agree having access to top of the line gear when ever they want is a huge advantage, but think how satisfying it will be when you actually beat one of them.

 

[Craigy]

Hey, this is Stephen Cowland (da_cowman) posting in this account cos the Log OUt button isn't loggint out. (Graham... I had this problem on my computer as well... anyone else???)

Anyways
I will answer your question with...

The only way to get sponsored is to win.
Is it an advantage?? Most likely. Were there guys out there that were sponsored before these guys got sponsored? Most likely. Did these guys buckle down, train hard and deserve their sponsorships because of their impressive results?? Most Definatly.
Wake up buddy.

Later Da Cowman!