July 21, 2011
Editor’s Note: Vanderbilt All-American Jessica Earnest is competing on Junior Team USA at the Pan American Bowling Confederation Youth Championships this week. More than 100 bowlers from 16 countries will compete in the tournament, which features two divisions, one for bowlers 20 and younger and the other for bowlers 16 and younger. Junior Team USA will compete only in the under-20 division. Complete information and live streaming are available on bowl.com.
July 18 Blog | July 19 Blog | July 20 Blog
I know I didn’t blog about yesterday’s trio competition. Yesterday was (again) a rough day for Team USA for the ladies. We had mental lapses and did not win a single medal for this event.
However, last night we had a meeting with our coaches to discuss what we thought we needed to do differently today. We all pretty much had the same answers. Stay mentally tough, stay in the moment, pick up spares, and to communicate better as a team. The biggest lesson I have learned about a team sport is that everyone’s attitude makes a difference. A negative attitude is lethal in team bowling.
On a positive note, the girls are leading the team event after the first three games by 211 pins. We had an awesome day today. The team meshed well and we made moves quickly.
It also helps that this is a short oil pattern, my absolute favorite shot. In bowling, we have various oil patterns that affect how a ball reacts and rolls, some more challenging than others. The only way I can think to describe this is to consider the different levels of difficulty on golf courses.
Today we were determined to have a better day. Our attitudes changed and that showed. I’m excited to say that our team has an amazing chance to win and this event is the one that would mean the most to me. I want to hear my national anthem played because it would signify that we have won gold.
This is the goal for tomorrow: keep a positive attitude and have another fantastic day. I will continue this part of the blog tomorrow to let everyone know how our we finish.
Adios!
Jessica