Minnesota bowler finds formula for success at 2018 USBC Open Championships
April 07, 2018
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Prior to the 7 a.m. doubles and singles squad Saturday at the 2018 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, Alex Houston of Rochester, Minnesota, asked for permission to enter the 48-lane setup at the Oncenter Convention Center, so he could take a few photos and selfies while the custom venue was empty and quiet.
Four hours later, the silence was replaced by cheers and congratulations, and Houston was back in front of the camera, this time as the leader in Standard Singles and Standard All-Events, with scores of 686 and 1,855, respectively.
Perhaps for the first time in his 10-year USBC Open Championships career, the 30-year-old right-hander felt completely comfortable on the biggest stage in bowling, where he was surrounded by his best friends.
Knowing they'd be behind him and supportive every time he stepped off the approach helped keep his anxiety at bay as he closed his 2018 tournament campaign with games of 249, 207 and 230. There previously was a three-way tie for the lead in Standard Singles with 617.
Houston added sets of 612 in team and 557 in doubles to pass Shaun Turnbull of Fort Madison, Iowa, who previously held the lead in Standard All-Events with 1,717.
"This is the first year this group has been together here, and turning around and seeing some of my best friends makes me really comfortable," said Houston, whose high set at the Open Championships was a 747 singles effort at the 2011 tournament in Reno, Nevada. "You have to find the right mix of people. We've just all been in different places before, but it's nice it finally worked out. We had a great game plan, worked well together and really communicated well both days."
Houston has experience in the team environment as a high school bowling coach in Minnesota, and he also has spent time on the lanes being coached by four-time Open Championships titlist Matt McNiel, who had the opportunity to learn and grow under some of the best team bowlers the tournament has seen, the Linds Lakers.
Finding success this week at the Oncenter Convention Center, especially coming off the lowest all-events total of his tournament career (1,503) in 2017, is a welcomed sign for Houston that his hard work is paying off.
For years, he has been plagued by sciatic nerve pain, but time, rest, working out and some therapy have his pain and his game on the mend.
"I'm finally starting to feel healthy again," said Houston, who bowls and works at Colonial Lanes in Rochester. "I never felt like I had anything broken, but a nerve in my back went haywire. It makes my legs numb, and I sometimes don't feel stable when I slide. It's much better now, so that, combined with getting the ball off my hand cleanly and consistently, have helped me improve."
Houston understands the challenge of the Open Championships, so he keeps his goals simple.
He doesn't enter the venue expecting to shoot 1,900 or 2,000. He just focuses on breathing, pre-shot routine and making good shots, knowing those are the first steps toward things falling into place.
The biggest secret to success for Houston and his teammates, however, has nothing to do with equipment or execution. Their main objective is to have fun, the same thing he tells his high school bowlers.
The Standard Division is for competitors with entering averages of 181-209.
Four hours later, the silence was replaced by cheers and congratulations, and Houston was back in front of the camera, this time as the leader in Standard Singles and Standard All-Events, with scores of 686 and 1,855, respectively.
Perhaps for the first time in his 10-year USBC Open Championships career, the 30-year-old right-hander felt completely comfortable on the biggest stage in bowling, where he was surrounded by his best friends.
Knowing they'd be behind him and supportive every time he stepped off the approach helped keep his anxiety at bay as he closed his 2018 tournament campaign with games of 249, 207 and 230. There previously was a three-way tie for the lead in Standard Singles with 617.
Houston added sets of 612 in team and 557 in doubles to pass Shaun Turnbull of Fort Madison, Iowa, who previously held the lead in Standard All-Events with 1,717.
"This is the first year this group has been together here, and turning around and seeing some of my best friends makes me really comfortable," said Houston, whose high set at the Open Championships was a 747 singles effort at the 2011 tournament in Reno, Nevada. "You have to find the right mix of people. We've just all been in different places before, but it's nice it finally worked out. We had a great game plan, worked well together and really communicated well both days."
Houston has experience in the team environment as a high school bowling coach in Minnesota, and he also has spent time on the lanes being coached by four-time Open Championships titlist Matt McNiel, who had the opportunity to learn and grow under some of the best team bowlers the tournament has seen, the Linds Lakers.
Finding success this week at the Oncenter Convention Center, especially coming off the lowest all-events total of his tournament career (1,503) in 2017, is a welcomed sign for Houston that his hard work is paying off.
For years, he has been plagued by sciatic nerve pain, but time, rest, working out and some therapy have his pain and his game on the mend.
"I'm finally starting to feel healthy again," said Houston, who bowls and works at Colonial Lanes in Rochester. "I never felt like I had anything broken, but a nerve in my back went haywire. It makes my legs numb, and I sometimes don't feel stable when I slide. It's much better now, so that, combined with getting the ball off my hand cleanly and consistently, have helped me improve."
Houston understands the challenge of the Open Championships, so he keeps his goals simple.
He doesn't enter the venue expecting to shoot 1,900 or 2,000. He just focuses on breathing, pre-shot routine and making good shots, knowing those are the first steps toward things falling into place.
The biggest secret to success for Houston and his teammates, however, has nothing to do with equipment or execution. Their main objective is to have fun, the same thing he tells his high school bowlers.
The Standard Division is for competitors with entering averages of 181-209.