I figured since I have been bowling for a year now and getting much better at it, I might as well join a summer league. I joined a 3 person team with my friends and we took off from there. We had a great lead throughout the league until the last couple of weeks where we started slacking off and not finishing games to lose by 3 pins or so...kinda tough when you have to give up 150 pins or so each game. So going into the last week, we were in 2nd by 3 points. My team had to win 2 games and total points just to tie. We did exactly that, and I also shot my best series of the league. 221, 204, 244 for a 669 series. We should have had a roll off for 1st, but our teams agreed to just tie because we were both missing players and didn't want to mess with putting in averages. I finished with a 198 average, second best in the league, 2nd best scratch series, my team tied for first, and my team won total pins, best team average, and best team series and game. Not too bad for my first league...definately looking forward to next summer!

I finally bowled my first 300 game. I have had previous highs of 297 and 278. I never expected to throw a 300 tonight, especially with my previous games not going so well and the way my ball was reacting with the lanes. It seemed to all come together in my last two games though, threw a 224 and a 300. When I threw my 297, I was so nervous, but this time I was relaxed and took each frame like it was no more important than any other frame. I am still on the biggest bowler's high...

For the past two nights of bowling, I have thrown my two highest scores. On Monday, I bowled a 297 with missing only the last ball. Tonight (Thursday), I wasn't doing so good early on in the night, but then I found the pocket in one of my later games. Hit 6 straight to start the game, then in the 7th I hit the pocket and as the 2-4 pins were hitting the 7 pin off the lane, a pin in the gutter kicked the 7 pin straight back up. So I hit that spare, and struck out till the last ball in the 10th and hit a 9. So I threw a 278. Previous to these two nights, my highest score was a 265.

 297, 278...getting better!

This Monday, I went to Don Carter lanes in Rockford, IL for Monday Night Bowling. On my third game of the night, I guess I was just feeling it. I have bowled 6 straight strikes to start a game before, but when I got to frame 8 with all strikes it kinda hit me. Frame 9, strike, and going into frame 10 I hit the first two strikes. At this time, most of the bowling alley had caught wind that a 300 was in progress and most of the people came down to watch it. Instead of staying calm, I got really nervous and was shaking and I sit down for a minute. So I got back up and didn't release the ball out far enough and hit the head pin too high and left 3.

 Still a 297 is pretty good if you ask me!