Socialites

All my bowling leagues are now finished for the year.  The Wednesday's social league finished up on Wednesday.  Consider it was a single's league I came 4th, only because I didn't played every week. Also I had the highest series scratch game on record.

Last night we had our dinner break up party for Wednesday's league at a sports club.  The meals and company with the the ladies were great!  I had a two course meal.  The main course I consumed a chicken, mango and macadamia filo with green salad.  For dessert I had a triple chocolate cheesecake sliced. 

 

We all exchanged Christmas cards and gifts. The ladies got me a Xmas mug, a snowman light, a reindeer ornament, shortbread biscuits and homemade food balls. YUMMY!!

 

The club had two performances on.  The first artist was basically singing country music songs while the second artist (with another vocalist) sang a variety for all taste.  There were alot of dancing couples up there on the dance floor. They were doing ball dancing routines.  It was so interesting to watch for hours!! 

 

Before we left we spent half an hour playing on the pokies.  None of us won a cent!!  But the club had raffles on earlier in the night and one of the bowlers managed to win $50 which she decided to use the winning money for our drinks or keno.

 

Love to have more sleep as I didn't get to sleep until well after 1am but I have some things I must do today.

Final junior tournaments

Yesterday, Monique had her final junior tournament for the year in Brisbane which I went along to watch for once.  Other times she was receiving lifts to the venue from other parents who went with their kids to the tournament throughout semester two.  Only went yesterday because the other parents didn't offer to take her this time. It was only an hour's drive north of Brisbane.  It was nice to be out of the house for once and continue with my Christmas cards for a couple of hours.

 

She managed to bowl over average games but didn't win any medals.  One of the junior males had bowled his 2nd 300 game in a tournament this year. 

 

After four games played, they had a BBQ lunch and then prize presentation for yesterday and end of the year.  All bowlers received money, badges and a certificate.  The centre she represented for came 2nd but for the overall year the centre came 3rd. She received $25 for participating into this tournament for most of the year.

 

Final TBA tournmanet ended last month but because I wasn't there for most of semester two I don't really know how the centre went.  Monique never said!!  But from what I heard I don't think they were in the top 3.

 

As far as I know at this stage, the same junior tournaments will be continuing to be played in 2013 but I don't think they will resume until February.

Sunday's League

After 46 weeks of play the season of my Sunday night league has now ended for the year. The best highlight for me I ended the night well with a 203 game last week. We won all the points against the all male team who was placed 2nd. One of the guys is the highest game scratch player of the year with a 268 game.

On Saturday night it was our end of the year party which went quite late as we had our break up party and prize presentation for our yearly season played for 46 weeks. 

 

After our two course meal we had our cash or trophy presentation and multiple raffles drawn for cash envelopes. There was only one lucky door raffle, full of goodies inside a laundry basket which was won by one of our committee members. 

 

As for the multiple raffle draws most of the league bowlers won twice but my team mate won four times which I think it might of ruffle afew feathers from one or two bowlers.  We had a variety of cash amounts in about two dozen envelopes.  Two envelopes had $100 in each envelope but the others varied from $70 to $35.. But most of them were $35 win envelopes. I only won one envelope!!  Most people knew who one lucky winner was as she flash the plastic note in the air.  Not sure who the other lucky big winner was as they kept it a secret.

 

As for bowling prizes my team came 9th overall.  Also we were first for high pinfall with HCP. That was really a surprise to me!! Individually I came 3rd for high game scratch (209 game). Also I received a trophy for most improved bowler for the year.  Can't remember what my team mate got but I do know she got more money then I did.

 

Last night our league had a fun night of bowling and pizza for dinner.  It was another late night again which I slept in until 8am this morning.  Most of us dressed up in party theme with eye masks, party hats or feathery necklaces.  Managed to capture afew photos but I haven't downloaded them to the computer yet.

 

As of today we will be on a bowling break for six weeks.  I will miss my Sunday night of fun! 

 

SEASON ENDING SHORTLY

Only another two weeks to go and it's farewell another season of play.  Each week I just intend to take the night as it comes.  It doesn't bother me if we lose! I enjoyed being out on Sunday night to play and socialize with friends until around 9pm. But after the league ends in two weeks, I will miss playing for six weeks.

On 21st October I finally bowled a 200 game.  We played against my best mates I have known for over a decade now.  I was over the moon by the the time the third game was finished.  I bowled a 209 game and of course I was the star of the week in the following week. Since then my games have been either under or over average.  At present time we are in 9th place (out of 13 teams).

Tomorrow we have to be at bowling by 5:15pm as an AGM will be in process to discuss about the break up party and next year's play. There possibly be a change of committee members as I heard a rumour about how the current ones aren't good enough for some players.  I was happy to have them as part of the committee!

We will have our break up party and prize presentation towards the end of this month.  Our party venue has been changed this year.  I will report about the event results after the night happens. 

Bowling Updates

At present time only my husband and I are still bowling in leagues as I withdrawal my girls out of their junior leagues this term.  I just needed a break!  I was getting tired of spending my weekends at the bowling alley for years.

I only have another ten weeks of league left for Sunday night. Majority of the weeks we have either won 2, 6 or all points which means my team is about half way down the ladder.  Guess we should be thankful we won't be getting the horse's butt trophy at the end of the season. But for individual placings we might be lucky to get something as currently we are in first place for an award.  It's not really worth mentioning what the reward could be because you never know what could happen in the next ten weeks of play.

I still bowl in a social league on Wednesdays too!  Just some weeks I am not there because I had other events on. I haven't bowled well lately through! I am not sure if I will continue in this league next year as I need to get my other priorites sorted out.

This term I have been calling into the bowling alley once a fortnight on Thursday mornings to watch a bowling friend prebowl. My friend intends to work every second weekend.  This morning my friend prebowled very well with over average games. The last game was a 217 game.  Probably be a good thing because the all male team they are playing against this Sunday night has a male bowler who bowls 200 games, nearly every week.  He was even the star of the week, three times in a row in August.

Good luck in your chosen sport!!

London 2012

Fireworks light up London

Inspite the world has different time zones, did you either stay up/woke up early to watch the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics Games?  What did you think of this ceremony? 

 

Even watching the four hour event on TV the ceremony was lovely and bright.  The entertainment was good too! 

 

Cauldron is lit

What is your favourite Olympic event/s? In Australian time, day one of the games starts from 6:30pm tonight.  Not sure how many hours I plan on being up for but I want to watch all of the swimming events.  How about you?

 

 

Season one results

All junior leagues had finished their season one of play before school holidays but it wasn't until this week (when schools resumed after a two week break) their prize presentation happened after their league. 

My 12 yo had her prize presentation on yesterday afternoon but we didn't go because she changed leagues and now bowls on Saturday mornings after her sister's league.  My daughter received her prize envelopes last night when she went bowling with her father.  Her team came 1st overall!  Also the team came 1st for high series with HCP and 2nd high game with HCP.  Individually, my daughter came 1st for High game with HCP and high series with HCP.

My 14 yo daughter had her prize presentation after league this morning.  Her team came 6th.  Her team came 1st for high game scratch, high series scratch, high game with HCP and 2nd for high scratch pinfall.  Individually she came 1st for high game scratch and high scratch pinfall.

Seaon two of play started when school holidays started so today was their third week into play.  By the time school ends for the year in December, that is when most league ends for the year as well.  At present time I don't know where the break up parties will be held.

Lismore vs Caboolture

What a day!  While I had Monique down at Lismore competing in one bowling tournament, I had Rachel in Brisbane competing in a different one....Under 21 tournament today.

 

I couldn't be at two centres at once as they are four hours apart.  Monique went down with one family yesterday while I drove to Caboolture with a friend today. From home it's only a 75 min drive to this centre.  I never been there before but was easy to find as I used to had a friend living in that general area.

 

I can't say what Lismore Lanes looks like as I wasn't there but I think it might be better then Caboolture.  This centre looked so old and might be time for some renovations to be done and update their computer systems.

 

Both tournaments bowled four games and both finished about the same time.  The bowling matches in Brisbane were half an hour late in starting but we all got there in the end. 

 

Because Monique was down there I had regular texts saying how she was going.  I am so proud of her!  Apparently she won an individual medal for a great game (199) with HCP and her team won a trophy for coming 1st.

 

From all centres competing with each other, Logan came 1st again!!  YAHOO!  We were all over the moon once I shared the news with other Logan players in Caboolture.  At Cabooture Logan came 2nd! But unfortunately Rachel didn't come home with any medals or trophies.

Married to Bowling

Starting to think I am really married to the bowling alley as I already been there three times at the same centre on Friday and yesterday.  At least the bowling alley wouldn't break my heart!!

 

After school on Friday, Rachel had her junior league which her team managed to win all the points. Monique had to sub bowling for her father that night as he came home quite ill from work at lunchtime on Friday  I think it's just a stomach bug cross winter flu that has been going around the country side.

Yesterday morning we had Monique's league to see her and other teen kids bowl.  She bowled better on the same lanes she had on Friday night  As long as she had a good sleep (and she's still in her room), she should be fine to prebowl nine games this afternoon at Mt Gravatt Lanes. 

 

Tonight we have our league to play in.  I already know who the SOTW person is as I have seen the results online but I didn't check on who we will be playing against tonight. It might be the last team we haven't played against as yet. Consider there has been afew lane schedule changes (as new teams come and go this year) we intend to bowl with the same teams more then once so far.  I think there is only one team left to play against then it will be a new round to play. Round two met to started years ago. Being a public holiday tomorrow I am sure there will be alot of social bowlers around after our league is finished tonight.

 

This afternoon and tomorrow morning the girls have been booked to prebowl at two centres as they will be away to Grandma's later on this month.  School holidays start from 23rd June and the kids will be on holidays for two weeks.  It will be a nice break for me but I plan on keeping busy with other projects to do.

 

Good luck in your sports!

New bowling gear

It's been two weeks since I finally owned my bowling ball and bag.  While my 14 yo daughter was competing in the Gold Coast intercentre tournament at Coolangatta Tweed last month, this centre had a one day sale on. They were selling any bowling ball for $100. I had a free drilling done by the guy who works at Coolangatta Tweed.  He done a great job too!  I just got a simple plastic ball from US that is normally $140.  The bag is the same colour as the ball for only $40. So really the bag was free! Normally they say it takes six weeks to get used to a new ball but I already know within two weeks. I have started to improve in my games over average now. Hopefully by the end of this season my average has improved.

Monique bowled her 202 game last week so she should be the star of the week this weekend.  Her sister had her SOTW about two weeks now. Last I knew Rachel's team was in first place.  The junior leagues will finish their first season when school holidays start later on this month. They just go straight into the second season before semester two starts.

Good luck in any sports you play! 

TQI tournament

Only one junior tournament was played this month.  It was the girl's under 21 intercentre match played at their home centre. Only four centres from Capalaba, Caboolture, Toowoomba and Logan played on 16 lanes. My girls home centre came 3rd.  The winning team was Capalaba but the strangest part was this centre only had one team played.  It's obvious this centre has excellent team players. My girls bowled three games out of four over average. Unfortunately neither girls won a medal for individual placings.

Did I ever mentioned about a 15 yo junior bowled a 300 game during a tournament in Toowoomba?  Apparently I heard last week the same kid done it again during league this time. I was told once you bowl one 300, it is easy to do it again, But I was more blown away to hear a teenager bowled it twice in less then a month.  I only dream of bowling that perfect game (of 12 strikes in a row).  The highest game I have ever bowled was a 232 game which happened in a league in the early 21st century. I must be due to bowl another 200 game soon.  The highest game so far for this year is a 191 game.  And I have about another 25 weeks to go and do a 200 game.  Must beat 210 game (for me to win an individual prize) as one of the league female bowlers has bowled three 200 games already.

New teams come and go

Going back to my records it seems I joined an adult league in 1991.  I can't believe I have been playing in leagues for over two decades already.  I don't know where the bowling gene came from as neither my parents or grandparents walked into any bowling alley in their lifetime.  But going by my toddler photos I always had a ball in my hand.  Guess then, bowling was going to be my favourite sport to grow up with. But I didn't start to play socially until I was in primary school. It was my school sport activity to do each week on Friday afternoons. The bowling alley used to be only across the road from the school. This bowling alley now no longer exits.  Their doors were closed and the building was knocked down in 2008.

It's now 14 weeks of of new season play in my Sunday night league at the centre I play at each week. I have been in this league for 4 years now and I have made some great friends from here.

A couple of new teams have been introduced and one team has already left us.  Because of new teams coming in we had four draws of lane re-schedules which happens some teams we have competed twice already. 

At the present time my team seems to be casually standing in the same position.  Some weeks we win or lose some points.  Only a couple of times we won all points.  My average is slowly increasing and currently I am in first position for a high series scratch.  My highest game is 191 which happened last week.  And yes I was the star of the week recipient.  This is my second certificate so far this year.

Sporting updates

It's now been three months since we resumed back into a new season of bowling in our leagues.  My Sunday night league has been a challenge.  Most teams have been going up and down on the charts.  My highest game so far is around 170 mark.  I would like to see a 200 game but right now it might not hopeful.  My 13 yo daughter has bowled a 200 game during a tournament earlier this month.  Last weekend there was a teenage boy who bowled the most perfect game "300" during a tournament. A 300 game means 12 strikes bowled in a row.

Football season started last month.  I started to make a friendly gamble with friends on NRL matches. While they make their bets and paid, my tips have been for free. So glad I didn't paid a cent because I feel I am not the lucky person to win much. Majority of the weeks I have about average markings out of eight but one week I had six right.

School's cross country were held this week.  The primary school supposely had their run around the school ovals next week but the wet weather postponed the morning until this week.  My year 7 child did very well with her 3km run.  She came 2nd overall in her age group.  This means she does qualify to enter the districts event at another school next month.

My other child who is in year 9 has her cross country event at her high school today.  In the next hour I should know where she comes.  So I better go and see her start of her run in 30 minutes. 

Have a good weekend!

Casual tournament

I think there was a misunderstanding from the junior co-ordinator about this morning's game.  I thought it was a qualifying round for a different tournament to be played in two weeks time.  But it turns out it was a casual in centre tournament so other juniors can enter as well as the qualifying round to be done at the same time.  Killed two birds with one stone they say!! 

There was only fifteen juniors who done the qualifying round for the GC tournament while another seven other juniors were there to casually play in this incentre match for a friendly competition.  I think the youngest was a young girl aged around preschool.  She must of been good because she was one of the top six to win cash. 

My 13 yo daughter did played and she managed to bowl 75 pins over average with all her three games.  Her highest game was a 203.  She came 2nd overall to win $35 cash.

First tournament

We had a busy month with bowling leagues but only last weekend my 13 yo daughter started to play in her first tournament on Sunday morning.  Afew more centres are now involved this year.  It was around 2pm by the time we left the bowling centre to go home.

She started her second year of entering under 21's intercentre tournament.  This year they changed the people who does the bookwork for the tournament.  The rules have changed and the point structure has changed. Instead of team v's team, it is now head to head with each player. 

The prize fund still remains the same for individual placings of high games and series for a male and a female but now they give a trophy to the winning centre each month. At the end of the year there will be a break up party somewhere.

The first match was played at Capalaba Lanes. We had centres with teams of young males and females from Logan, Toowoomba, Capalaba and Caboolture were competing on dry lanes.  Unfortunately these lanes were too dry for some bowlers who bowled under average games.  My daughter was one of them!  She is too used to fast lanes! 

Great news through...their centre came 1st! Only five kids from the centre my daughter respresents won a medal for individual placings of either high games and series, scratch and handicap. 

Stayed tuned for this month's results later on in the month!

Bowling Tip of the Day

Thought I would be abit different and add some bowling tips for once.  I can across this tip from other sources.

Practice Swing Drill

Keys to Success take stance take a practice swing feel the speed of your swing when your elbow (like a piston) returns to the body, that's the signal to go go with your tempo steps ensure your swing and steps are in time. Safety ensure no one stands behind dry your hands before each swing Good luck and high scoring!

Great games

Sunday night's match was good. All my matches were over average and it felt good to be back bowling well again for one night.  I haven't bowl for the past two Wednesdays as I had other commitments on but I should be back next week for a social match with other ladies.

Before the league even started, we had a social game at the centre and bowled four games with a friend of mine. It sure was worth the practice as I had some good advice from my friend who pointed out why I had been bowling lousy with under average games for the past couple of weeks.

At the end of this month, my 13 yo daughter will be entering into her first tournament for the year.  She will be bowling four games on Sunday in a three man team to be played at one of the centres east of Brisbane.  Wish her luck!

Busy competitions

It's been 13 days since I last made any form of a sporting report.  I think it's because I have been busy with other commitments on.

Our weeks are busy with bowling leagues now as all leagues are back into action.  Last week I was awarded as the star of the week recipient in both leagues as I had a great game bowled.  But our team placements is another matter...we have been up and down for the past two weeks.

Last Monday the high school hosted their annual swimming carnival at a local public pool. Only about one third of the school's enrollments attended to this event to either compete or support their house colour.  My 13 yo daughter entered three 50m events to compete.  She came 3rd for breaststroke and backstroke and 1st for freestyle. At present time I do not know when the district event will be happening in Brisbane.

Leagues 3 and 4

The kids resumed back into their junior leagues this week.  Rachel now bowls after school on Friday afternoons.  She bowls in a doubles team and plays with the junior coach's grand-daughter.  Monique resumed back into the same teen league she done last year on Saturday mornings.  But her team has a new player as Rachel dropped out of that league at the end of last season.

Monique plans on entering more tournaments this year.  The TQI juniors is still going and now they will have more centres involved each month.  The first match will be played in late February.  Also a new tournament has been introduced.  Not sure on the full details but I do know it happens every two months down the Gold Coast or Northern NSW. All I know there will be playoffs before each match day. At this stage I haven't decided if she should try out this new one but I did tell her junior coach that the TQI is our top priority if the other tournament happens to fall on the same day of play.  And if lucky Monique might get back to the KEN MILLS KUP to compete in on weekend in September.

Tonight I had my bowling league as normal.  We played against the team who was just above us but unfortunately they won most of the points.  We only won the second game but the other two games it was a close call.  Overall we only lost by one pin.  Both myself and my team partner bowled only two games over average.  The highest I bowled tonight was a 170 game. But the best part of my night was winning the fortnightly raffle.

After three weeks of play, my team is currently in 8th position (out of 12 teams).  I know it is way too early into the season to chat about team and individual placings but our standing sheet each week gives us the updates.  Currently our team is in third position overall for a high game scratch. It must of been when we bowled a good game in the first week. Individually I am currently 2nd for high game scratch.  That was last week when I bowled a 164.  I can't remember what the highest game for first placing was but I don't think I have beaten that score as yet.  My team mate is currently first for high series with HCP which she happened to do it in the second week.

Welcome back!

This weekend will be my third week back to play on Sunday night.  For the past two weeks we only won one game each week.  Two out of my three games were over average.  Strangely through my average increased by three pins. 

Last week it was too hard to complete with last year's winning team. This weekend we will be playing against a new team member who joined last week. She bowls with one of the bowlers who has been there for afew years now. He bowled with another female but she dropped out of the league at the end of last season.

After checking our standing sheet last week, it seems a new team has so far hit the top of the ladder while my team is more down the snake's mouth. Oh well...it is only very early in our new season so anything would change by the end of this season.

On Tuesday we went out social bowling with one of my friends who is a league bowler. We bowled at an AMF centre but only one child of mine has bowled there before.  After four games we pretty well had enough but it was alot of fun to do something with the kids.

Next week the girls will resume back to their junior leagues.  My eldest daughter will continue bowling in the same league on Saturday mornings but the second child decided she wanted to go back to Friday afternoons league.

League 2

Frank's league resumed back for a new season last night (which is known as Black Friday).  He joined the same team who he bowled with last year.  It isn't very often I go along to watch but I went last night with my crochet to watch and speak to a couple of bowlers I know. 

I did speak to one of the professional bowlers (well..... he does have a 200 plus average and he is employed as a coach for junior leagues) about the sunshine method of cleaning the polyurethane bowling balls.  He told me he has heard of it but would not recommend this method done to any bowling balls as in time the balls will go out of shape. He said the best method to clean any bowling ball is with warm water and dishwashing liquid which I believe is the correct way of cleaning one. I don't own a ball so I don't bother cleaning the house ball I used from the centre.

I did forget to add, apparently after the sunshine method, Frank did put the ball into the downstairs bar refridge for a week so the ball would regain back to its standard shaping.  I don't know where he got his sources from about the sunshine and refridge method.  I tried goggling it and there seems to be no information about this unusual cleaning method.  So all the readers who bowl, don't go and try it!  If you own a bowling ball, just stick to the dishwashing method to clean the oil off the ball.

Leagues resuming

YEAH!  My bowling league for Sunday night is now back for this year.  After a six week break we resumed playing in our friendly competition last night. It was nice to be back and catch up with afew players I haven't seen since the breaking party in late Novemeber.

We lost two teams and a long time player but we gained two new teams last night.  I didn't get to introduce myself to these new players but I guess when my team completes with them we will get to know these guys abit better.  From what I heard, two of the new ones bowled 200 games last night. So I guess for our regular male players it will be an interesting competition for them to compete with. 

I guess it might of been abit too early for some league bowlers to return back to league playing as yet because they didn't show up last night.  I know two members are away on holidays still and another player is sick but I don't know the other players reasons were.  Maybe they haven't realized what week of the New Year it is yet?

I don't know how our team's first night went because when I tried to check the standing sheet online today, it seems our league's name has gone walkabout from the centre's results online. It will be interesting to see how long before our bowling committee members find out this incident.

As most league bowlers who own their own equipment know they are required to clean their balls time to time, otherwise your game consistency won't be the same. I used to own a 11lb bowling ball until I had a nerve injury happened to my wrist, caused by a relative's cat years ago.  I had to drop the weight of my bowl since.  Right now I am just using a 10lb house ball from the centre but I think it is about time I go and buy my own again as the rest of the family here owns their own equipment.

Have you ever heard of cleaning a polyurethane bowling ball from sunshine?  I don't know where my spouse got this information from but he has tried cleaning his ball in this method after NYD.  I couldn't believe my eyes to see oil simply be removed from his ball onto his towel. Like the standard method of laying the ball down on a towel, etc, etc just you use sunshine to clean the ball instead of water.  For readers and followers who are reading this, DO NOT and I MUST REPEAT DO NOT CLEAN A PLASTIC MADE BALL IN THIS METHOD. As far as I know the sunshine method can be only done with polyurethane balls only because the make of this ball is made with a different compound then standard plastic balls (the ones you see aa house balls at any centre and they roll more straight down the lane). 

But I wouldn't recommend on doing this sunshine method weekly to them either. To my understanding that powerful sun does enough damage to our skin, just imagine what it would do to a bowling ball instead?

Because it was my first time of hearing and seeing of a cleaning sunshine method to a polyurethane ball, I asked some guys (well they are more likely the ones who own a polyurethane bowling ball) around the league last night and there is only two guys who have heard of this method done. Have you?

My spouse resumes his league on this Friday night.  If I go along to watch him I will ask around if any of this league guys who own a polyurethane ball, heard of the sunshine method??

To all league bowlers, good luck and high scoring this year!