Singapore Bowling Federation launches plan for two-handed bowling
Bowling body working with S'pore Sports Institute to train two-handed keglers
To the uninitiated, two-handed bowling may appear to be an amateurish approach, but Singapore Bowling Federation (SBF) technical director Sid Allen feels it may be the future of the sport.
To be in tune with the trend, the SBF has launched a three-prong plan aimed at increasing the pool of two-handed bowlers in the country.
Allen hopes it will result in the national team having their first two-handed bowler.
The Englishman, 70, told The New Paper yesterday: "It (two-handed bowling) is going to take over our sport. We are concerned and we need to be on the leading edge of that, at least in Asia.
"So we are trying to do projects that will put us in a position to be ahead of our rivals. Our first aim will be to get someone who is capable of being on the national team."
The SBF's strategy will include a collaboration with the Singapore Sports Institute (SSI) to conduct research on two-handed bowling, improve the current crop of two-handed bowlers in the national training squad and enhance the knowledge of the academy coaches, so that they would know how to teach the technique effectively.
On why the SBF had decided to expand its repertoire, Allen said: "Two-handed bowlers get an increased speed and revolution rate on the ball, and those two things are crucial to success. It gives them a massive advantage over one-handed bowlers."
Two-handed bowling burst into prominence in 2009 when current world No. 3 Jason Belmonte won his first career Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) title at The Bowling Foundation Long Island Classic.
Belmonte, 35, has since gone on to become a four-time PBA Player of the Year.
Currently, four of the top-12 male bowlers also use the two-handed approach: Belmonte, No. 4 Osku Palermaa, No. 8 Jesper Svensson and No. 12 Anthony Simonsen.
The SBF has enlisted the help of Simonsen and Irish bowler Christopher Sloan to conduct a two-handed bowling clinic for about 60 local keglers and academy coaches next Monday and Tuesday.
The SSI will also be working with the duo, filming them in action to collect data.
The objective of the research project will be to determine the muscle groups involved in the two-handed bowling technique and how it differs from single-handed bowling.
With this information, SBF hopes to determine how it can help its players plan a physical conditioning programme for two-handed bowling.
Allen said: "The concern for us is that some of the two-handed bowlers believe strength is a key factor to the approach.
TAILORED PROGRAMME
"What we want to know from SSI is if that is true, what are the muscles involved and how can we create a strength and fitness programme that will improve us in that area."
Simonsen, 22, is back in town to defend his Singapore International Open at SingaporeBowling @ Rifle Range this weekend.
"The Internet has been huge in boosting the popularity of two-handed bowling because previously, not many knew about it," said the American who became the first two-handed bowler to triumph at the Singapore Open last year.
"I started the two-handed bowling approach at such a young age. Nobody tried to get me to change. There has never been a reason to change because it has worked for me.
"At the end of the day, the goal is to knock down 10 pins. So it doesn't matter if it's by using a right, left or over-hand approach even. It's really bowling to the best of your ability that matters most."
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