AboutWarren Friedl Expertise 20 Years Pro Shop Owner/Operator, 17 Years Bowling Center Operator (Manager/General Manager), Certified Coach since National Bowling Council and YABA days. Also Dick Ritger and USA Bowling Bronze certified. International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association (IBPSIA) Charter member, IBPSIA Certified, IBPSIA "On Lanes" Certified, 2 Time Member of the IBPSIA Board of Directors and Past Secretary/Treasurer, Small Shop columnist "Pro Shop Operator" Magazine, contributor to "Bowlers Journal International" magazine, editor of IBPSIA NET NEWS weekly e-newsletter, editor of "The Bowling Tree" blog and webmaster of www.revbowl.com.
Experience 20 Years operating Revolutions Pro Shops in 2nd Largest bowling ball market in the country, Chicagoland.
17 Years in Center operations as Marketing Director, Asst. Manager or General Manager, becoming GM in every Center I worked.
Organizations American Bowling Congress/USBC Member since 1976, bowling 50 years.
International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association (IBPSIA) Charter and continuing member (18 years), 2 time member of IBPSIA Board of Directors, former Secretary/Treasurer.
US Bowling Coaches Association (Bronze Coach)
Bowling Writers Association of America (BWAA)
Publications “Bowlers Journal International” and “Pro Shop Operator” Magazines.
Chicago Bowler, Windy City Bowling News, Centennial Lanes.com, The Bowling Tree Blog, IBPSIA.com and IBPSIA Net News (e-newsletter).
Education/Credentials IBPSIA Technically Certified. Multiple Seminars from AMF, Brunswick, Columbia, Circle, Ebonite, Hammer, Mo-Rich, Storm, Track, Dexter, Etonic, and others. Kaploe and Davis Bowling Marketing training.
Certified with the Young America Bowling Alliance (YABA) and the National Bowling Council (NBC) as a coach in 1982. Other coaching credentials include: Dick Ritger Level One, Dick Ritger Coaching Coaches, and USA Bowling Bronze Level.
Awards and Honors Created and executed Promotions highlighted in Bowlers Journal Magazine and included in the “150 Promotions for Bowling Centers” organized by the Bowling Proprietors Association of America (BPAA).
First Pro Shop featured in Bowling Industry magazine, for customer service and merchandising, October 1996.
Identified “One of the best ball fitters in the country” by then Track, Inc. President Del Warren, September 2005.
Tournament Promotions lead to top performance in center, or for center hosted events including: Chicago City Championships, US Open Qualifiers, Amateur Bowlers Tour.
Past/Present Clients Presenter at the IBPSIA National Convention.
Presenter at Bowling Proprietors Association Management School
Question Hi Warren,
I was wondering if you could suggest any good resources for learning about ball drilling. The last time I had a ball drilled I don't feel like the guys in our pro shop wanted to take the time to help me get a proper fit. I am thinking if I go in with a better idea about what I want to try they might be more willing to help me out.
Specifically I have problems getting my thumb out of the ball cleanly. For whatever reason I tend to end up using the pad of my thumb to hold the ball throughout the swing and it ends up causing the top of my thumb to get blisters after several games, especially in high humidity. I've also read that I shouldn't be gripping the ball throughout the swing, obviously I am.
I would love to just rely on our shop to get when set up correctly but when I showed them my thumb after bowling a few games they basically said "hmm, I don't know".
Thanks,
Nate
Answer Nate,
The ball should let go of you.
Are you interested in ball drilling or ball fitting? Why do you spend money with a store that you don't get satisfaction from? Point out that "I don't know" is not an option.
The Pro Shop and Instructors trade Association (IBPSIA) has been a resource for fitting and drilling for almost 20 years.
If a pro shop guy isn't aware, or hasn't invested in the knowledge available from the group, they truly "don't know"! or are oblivious to your (and other customer's) pain and are less than professional.
My problem with shops that haven't, at least, looked into IBPSIA information about fitting and drilling, they truly don't know what they don't know.
One of the reasons I do this, is potentially impacting the stores out there that don't know their customers are having a problem with what they do. And encouraging the customers to motivate the store operators to get better.
The International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association (IBPSIA) can be accessed at: www.ibpsia.com. It's education options are geared for shop owners and operators and are not cheap. Seek out an IBPSIA member (members are listed on the website) and share your concerns. Or encourage your shop guy to contact me (www.revbowl.com), and I'll help him.
Thanks for your question. Please elaborate and we can get into more.
