Bowling and B-ball
Chris Paul loves the games, gets coaching on the lanes
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| Chris Paul prepares to throw out the first ball to open his annual Winston-Salem Weekend Celebrity Bowling Tournament. |
Basketball is his career but bowling is in his blood. Chris Paul, the 2005-06 NBA Rookie of the Year, gets his paycheck from the New Orleans Hornets but he gets his kicks bowling – often twice a day – with his dad, his brother C.J. and other family and friends.
When he can, he hits the lanes in the morning to work out with C.J. Then they come back to the center at night with a larger group for some serious action. "That's when there's a lot of trash-talking," Paul admits.
Since agreeing to become an official spokesperson for USBC, Paul has talked up his everyday sport with magazine editors, newspaper reporters and others. He's also enjoyed a perk that many bowlers would envy – he's gone one-on-one on the lanes with PBA star and USBC Sport Bowling spokesperson, Chris Barnes, who is a USBC Silver coach.
Pro athletes know firsthand the skill development and dedication necessary to excel in a sport. Barnes helped Paul tap his pro athlete training to maximize his efforts on the lanes.
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Chris Paul gets some coaching from Chris Barnes |
Paul's first lessons from Barnes occurred under the bright lights of a video crew. They were there to shoot coaching tips for short segments to air during broadcasts of the U.S. Women's Open on ESPN in September and October. (See the top 16 finalists battle it out on ESPN Sept. 23, 31 and Oct. 7 and 14 at 1 p.m. Eastern Time.)
"While we were shooting these segments, I definitely learned all sorts of things," Paul said. "I've picked up some stuff about how to make spares, and Chris showed me different ways to hold the ball."
Other bowling stars involved in the segments were USBC Collegiate spokesperson Kim Terrell, reigning U.S. Amateur champion Lynda Barnes and three-time PBA winner Sean Rash. The Barnes' twin boys, Ryan and Troy, were also on hand to help out with a youth coaching segment.
Check back here in October to see Chris Paul, Chris Barnes and others in the USBC Coaching video segments
