Playing my own game…

This is my first week of being officially retired and what a busy week it is shaping up to be. I have things on every day of the week. Some of them ‘life admin’ and some of them fun and social interactions. Plus, my first volunteering stint.

Yesterday, I rocked up to another bowling club in my area. They have an artificial green and so are able to play even in the winter months. The club I will be joining is a natural grass green, so this is quite different to play on.

So, first time on an artificial green, was probably enough of a challenge. However, my new bowls have arrived and that was another thing to get used to. Add to that a very helpful coach from the other club, I think all together it was a bit much for my brain to process. The coach was very kind and helpful, telling me where to put my feet, how to swing my arm, what to do with the non-bowling hand – in a fist apparently – and other stuff I probably didn’t process.

Then I went on to play in a couple of games. I have to say, they were the worst games I have ever played. I bowled short. I bowled long. I was too wide. I was too narrow. I had more bowls in the ditch than on the green. Honestly, if there was a way to not bowl, then I seemed to find it yesterday. People were very supportive, but I just couldn’t get it together. Someone came and showed me a better way to hold the bowl, but still it didn’t seem to help.

So, there was ready to take my turn, with all of this advice whirling round in my brain. With a compromised brain, that has some trouble processing information, I think it was all a bit much. I found myself standing on the mat thinking, ‘which foot on the mat?’ ‘Do I step with the other leg as I bowl or do I find a position and bowl from there?’ It reminded me of a scene from ‘The Simpsons’ where the teacher is trying to give Bart instructions and all he hears is ‘bla, bla, bla, bla…’ Information overload springs to mind.

So, a difficult couple of games ensued. I played the odd decent bowl, but they were definitely outnumbered by the shockers! I came away a bit despondent, because I had been so looking forward to the day and getting to grips with my new bowls.

I have to remind myself that:

• I was playing with bowls I have never used before.
• I was playing on an artificial green, which plays very different to a natural green.
• I had just received a short coaching session, which gave me a whole new set of ‘how to’s’ quickly followed by the first game.
• I was nervous about playing in a club I didn’t know and people I had never met.
• The more I tried to remind myself of all the things the coach told me, the more I went off my game.
• I have a brain affected by Parkinson’s, so I am starting at a bit of a disadvantage to those with an uncompromised brain.
• I need to be kinder to myself and cut myself some slack!
• Perserverance, Patience and Practice is the key.

This is a new stage of my life which takes some adjustment. I have stepped out of the relative comfort of a job I have been doing for 11 years and into new learnings and expectations I am putting on myself.

I must constantly remind myself, that I am a learner and that I should celebrate the fact that I am putting myself out there and having a go.

I will eventually succeed, I am sure and make my bowling forebears proud of me. It just takes time and I must learn patience, which has never been easy for me.

Onwards and upwards.

It can only get better.

There is lots of scope for improvement.

Don’t give up!