Week 5 of the Next Generation Bowlers Pro Shop Trio League at AMF Starters Lanes in Grove City, Ohio was basically me trying to bounce back after a rough week—and the lanes made sure I had to earn it. Early on I started with the Hammer Maximum Effect because the lane was giving me a super “cliff” look, so I was playing the puddle. Problem was, that Maximum Effect got way too angular for what I was seeing, and it forced me to make a move fast. I ended up downshifting to the Storm !Q Tour Combat because it’s one of my most versatile pieces. I can square up and go straighter, or I can loop the lane if I have to, but in this building hooking the lane usually isn’t the move—front to back control wins. We also had a sub in the lineup, so we had to sort out the team handicap situation after the fact, which is always a little goofy, but we rolled with it. Between slick approaches, new pins that don’t like to fall, and me literally taking a spill mid-session, it was a grind. Still, the goal stayed the same: keep pushing, make the right ball changes, and chase that 900 for four games—no matter how ugly Game 1 looked.