June 20, 2001 - Interview with ALETA SILL by Bowling Press Pro (BPP) June 20th, 2001:
BPP: What year is this for you on tour?
ALETA: 21st.
BPP: You won your first title in.
ALETA: 1981.
BPP: You won your 31st title last year, in 2000. That is remarkable, to have won titles over a 20 year period. What is different about tour, now vs. then?
ALETA: Well, I travel differently. I travel in a RV.which makes it more like home for me. It is hard bowling out here right now, because I am struggling.
BPP: Why?
ALETA: Because the pattern (that the tour is putting on the lanes) is very difficult for me.
BPP: How?
ALETA: Because when I grew up bowling, there was a lot more oil and the balls were not as strong. There was a lot more oil in the center of the lane.and the friction was to the left. Now, with this sport pattern, there is no defined oil line. So the only way to create "hold" is by creating angle. Right now, my angle is not enough right to left to get the ball down the lane before it hooks.
BPP: What is the Sport Condition?
ALETA: It is a pattern that the Bowling Headquarters is experimenting with on our PWBA tour in order to get feedback for league conditions around the country. Basically, there is a lot less oil in the middle of the lane. Whereas in normal league, there is an average of 8 times the oil in the middle, as compared to the outside. On the Sport Condition, there is only a 2:1 ratio of the volume of oil from the middle to the outside. The way the lane plays and the adjustments as they change are very different.
BPP: How are you learning to create better angle to your breakpoint, vs. playing down an oil line?
ALETA: By walking straight, as I used to drift toward my target. By loosening up and tucking my swing, I can more easily get the ball down the lane and out to the left to my breakpoint.
BPP: Is ball speed an issue on the sport condition?
ALETA: I think it is an issue. I think you need to have firmer ball speed, but I think it is more important that you have the right projection, because then you can get away with lower ball speed because you can get the ball to hook down the lane. For me, I need to use less aggressive equipment, because I have slower ball speed, in order to get enough distance down the lane.
BPP: You finished 10th in Albuquerque. How close do you feel you are to making these changes feel more natural to you?
ALETA: I think I am getting closer; it's a slow process. I have done it a certain way so long, it is very hard to change. My good shots are very good, and I am making more of them each game. I am making probably about 6 to 7 shots good, per game. I need to make 8 or 9 shots per game the way that I know I need to throw it.
BPP: Do you still enjoy touring?
ALETA: I don't enjoy it as much as I did, but I think that is due to struggling. I think if I were bowling better, then I would like it more.
BPP: Bowling Digest magazine recently came out with a list of the most influential bowlers of all time. You were 6th. The second woman [Marion Ladewig]. Earl Anthony was 10th. How does that feel?
ALETA: I was very honored when I read that. And also for Bowling Digest to think that I have had some kind of impact in our sport makes me feel good in that my career has done something for our sport.
BPP: How old are you?
ALETA: I'll be 39 in September.
BPP: That is amazing.
BPP: Does one lesson make a difference, or a series of lessons?
ALETA: We have seen one lesson make a difference, but when someone takes a series of lessons, we really see a change. It is because we can monitor them weekly and keep them on their changes. Sometimes bowlers think they are practicing just like they bowled in the lesson, but because of their old muscle memory, they are not fully making the change. While they are moving in the right direction, seeing them each week, for a few weeks, really helps us keep their change current so that they really see a difference in how they bowl.
MICHELLE: We get that question every day when bowlers inquire about setting up time with us. Often, a single lesson can make a difference, especially if there is one thing that will make a big difference for you. But it depends on the bowler and how they accept the change and how well they maintain what we worked on. That is something we are not able to control. We do see the most concrete changes in bowlers who take a series of lessons, let's say weekly or so, because we are able to stay on top of the changes, and move forward from lesson to lesson, and really help their game take better shape. But people have differing priorities regarding their commitments to work on their games and their use of time and money, so everybody approaches it differently. And bowlers who take a lesson and see that they can improve learn to approach it differently. I know that given what I see, when I take golf lessons (and God knows I need them!) I will take a series of them so that I can really improve my game. But, I will practice, too!
BPP: How important is practice to a bowler's success in making changes to their game?
ALETA: Practice is the key to repetition. When I take a lesson, I work on what we worked on in practice. It helps me really incorporate the change in my game sooner, than later.
MICHELLE: Well, like we were talking about before, repetition is the key. We work on that in a lesson to get a better feel for the changes. But practicing is the key to making the change and getting comfortable sooner. We have that old muscle memory to overcome and practice is the best way to do that. We do give you drills and things that you can do at home to accelerate your change(s). We do understand that life is demanding on our time and finding time is one of the biggest obstacles to practicing. But, when bowlers decide they want to bowl better, they usually find that they can make the time to throw 3 games or so of practice in between lessons. More is even better. The ideal situation is to take a series of lessons on a weekly basis, say 5 or so, and practice at least once in between them. You will see your game take shape. Some sooner than others; but when it comes together, it is so worth it.
BPP: When you work with a bowler, do you work on what they decide they need, or what you think they need?
ALETA: Well, at first we talk with the bowler to get an idea of what they are thinking. Then we will take a video that really tells us where we need to work. The Bowler's Map software has really helped us see things, and it really helps our students see what needs to be worked on with our guidance. We have a library of pros and other students who have mastered the desired techniques and we can split screen them so that you can really see the difference. That picture makes such a difference, especially for people who are more visual. We guide you by doing an analysis and then we coach you into your changes to help you bowl better.
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