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Become a Shocker Bowler

Do you want to be a part of one of the best College Bowling Programs in the country?!  The Shocker Bowling Program has a proud history, boasting 23 national team championships along with nine individual national championships.  A host of PBA and PWBA champions honed their skills with us here in Wichita, KS.  Check out the information below to learn more about becoming a Shocker Bowler. 

Attend a Shocker Bowling Camp

Shocker Bowling Camps will give you a sample of what the Wichita State Shocker Bowling Program is all about.  You will live the college life for three nights, sleeping and eating at the dorms, and training at the Shocker Sports Grill & Lanes.  You will train on the lanes with Shocker Bowling Coaches, as well as current and former players.  Training will also include classroom sessions on lane-play, the mental game, and equipment.  Professional bowlers from the Storm Bowling staff also frequent our camps!  The weekend is wrapped up with a baker style bowling tournament, giving you the chance to compete in a team setting!

 

 

The Shocker Bowling Tryout Process

Players that are not pre-selected for the selected team will compete in a three-week long tryout process.  The tryout process features a physical fitness test, a bowling skills test, and a 30+ game competition.  Bowlers will compete on a variety of incredibly challenging lane patterns, and a wide variety of statistics are kept to evealuate their performance including makeable spare percentage, first and second ball accuracy, pocket percentage, carry percentage, and many more.  Cuts are made at the end of each week and after the final week, players are placed into one of three team levels:

- Non-Selected Players
- Developmental Team Players
- Selected Team Players

 

Non-Selected Players

All players who do not make the Selected or Developmental Teams, will still have access to a wide variety of tools availabel to them to improve their skills:

Free Bowling Practice

This is something that most players will be take advantage of from the beginning of the fall semester. Free practice allows athletes to take the new information they are learning and apply it on the lanes. Shocker bowlers have access to free practice both on and off campus. Student-athletes are encouraged to take advantage of this privilege, as most collegiate bowling programs do not offer this opportunity to their bowlers.

Team Training Book

Every student-athlete in the Shocker Bowling Program receives a 200 page binder known as a "team book." This binder is filled with cutting edge educational material on all major facets of the sport of bowling. Information on the physical game, bowling equipment, lane play, sports psychology, and physical conditioning is included in the team training binder. The information in each team book comes from a variety of elite sources, such as the USBC Coaching Certification Program; former Team USA Head Coach, Fred Borden; the Kegel Company and materials designed specifically for the Wichita State University Bowling Program. This binder is brought to each educational session where our staff of master instructors supplements the binder with further handouts and information. The information in this team binder is highly beneficial to improving a student-athletes skills and abilities both on and off the lanes.

Educational Classes

Every student-athlete in the Shocker Bowling Program is able to attend these classes throughout the year. Each class will cover a different topic. Subjects that may be discussed include: time management & study skills, drug & alcohol awareness, physical game, equipment, lane play, sports psychology, professional tours, life after college, bowling balls, team play, and physical training.

Topics will be presented by a numerous guest speakers who are professionals and experts in their field. Most of these speakers are well known in the bowling industry and come from all over the country. These experts include world renowned sports psychologist Dr. Dean Hinitz, former Team USA Head Coach and bowling genius Fred Borden, and WSU's nationally recognized coaching staff fronted by Mark Lewis, Rick Steelsmith and Holly Harris. The lessons provided by these individuals greatly contribute to making the program's Elite Training Program successful and unprecedented. Most of the material presented during these sessions will be beyond what is included in the TEAM BOOKS.

Collegiate Pricing Program

With the support of several corporate sponsors, USBC sanctioned intercollegiate bowlers in the program are allowed to purchase new bowling balls, bags, shoes and accessories at deep discounts. This exceptional program gives athletes the ability to purchase, drill and use the latest bowling balls at significantly reduced cost

Coaching

It is the goal of the Shocker Bowling Program to give EVERY student-athlete who goes through our tryout process the opportunity to be their absolute BEST. It is a requirement to participate in the ASSOCIATE COACHING PROGRAM following the conclusion of tryouts and team selection.

The Associate Coaching Program is designed to help student-athletes improve their bowling skills. The Associate Coaching Program is made up primarily of talented Shocker alumni who live in the Wichita area and volunteer their time to help student-athletes, while giving back to the Shocker Bowling Program. Some of the Associate Coaches include: Francois Lavoie, Devin Bidwell, Packy Hanrahan, Lonnie Waliczek, Casey Slaughter, Allie Tatrow, Kelsey Helmick and Dasha Kovalova.

This extraordinary group of coaches include national collegiate champions, PBA & PWBA members, junior and adult Team USA members and USBC Bronze and Silver certified coaches.

The main goal of the Associate Coaching Program, along with the entire Elite Training Program is to improve each players skills, coupled with the player’s strong work ethic, to advance to higher levels within the Shocker Bowling Program.

 

Developmental Team Players

The introduction of the developmental team concept is designed to enhance the player’s skill training using programs tools and include team play training by applying their skills with a team in a competitive environment. Developmental Team players will receive all of the same benefits as the non-selected players, plus some additional perks:

Collegiate Tournaments

The Developmental Team competes in 3-4 collegiate tournaments during the fall semester.  This gives these players the chance to test their skills in a competitive environment, and learn how to compete on a team. 

Team Practices

The Developmental Team meets to practice once a week during the fall semester with the head coaching staff. These team practices mimick a selected team practice and gives the players an idea of what to work on for the coming season.

 

Selected Team Players

The selected team is the top level of Shocker Bowling.  Members of this team will be competing at a high level from Ocotber through the Intercollegiate Team Championships in April. 

Collegiate Tournaments

The selected team competes in 10 to 12 collegiate bowling tournaments every season. The season kicks off in October, with post-season play beginning in March.

Team Practices

The selected team meets four times a week for structured team practices.  These practices are run by coaches and team leaders, and consist of a wide variety of drills, mini competions, and team building activities.

2 on 1 Sessions

Each player takes part in a 2 on 1 session once a week.  Two players will meet with Coach Steelsmith simaltaneously to work on their physical game with the aid of video, and the Specto Bowling System.

Mental Game & Team Building Sessions

Every player on the selected team will meet with a small group once a week to take part in a structured curriculum designed to improve their mental game and to learn how they compete as a cohesive unit with their teammates.