SINCE THE MIDDLE OF THE 19TH CENTURY, MOST PEOPLE -- young and old alike --have been playing, watching, listening and reading about sports. And those who have enjoyed themselves the most are the men and women who participated in a given activity... the players.

You are reading this column now for either one of two reasons. Either you want advice on how to become a good bowler, or you have already developed a certain amount of skill in the sport, and want to improve your performance through assessing your weaknesses and correcting your mistakes. In short, you want to improve on the skills you have now and, even more, to learn and perfect additional ones.

You also realize that you will enjoy bowling more if you know more about the skills and techniques that will help you become a better practitioner of the sport. In either case, the following tips should help you get up a head of steam, while pointing you in the right direction.

First, start by cultivating a habit of reading as much as you can about the mechanics of the sport, be it via pamphlets, articles, magazines, etc. If you haven't already, I strongly suggest you subscribe to this magazine. That's because many great bowling experts and teachers contribute regularly to Bowlers Journal International.

Also, get down to your local library and, over time, check out all the books they have on the sport. If their stock is limited, try a couple of nearby libraries.

If "pickings" are still limited, contact Bowling's Bookstore in St. Louis, Mo. (www.BowlingsBookstore.com). They carry a number of great books on the sport, from the recent releases to the old standbys. In particular, don't pass up anything authored by Dick Ritger, Fred Borden or John Jowdy. These books have been written by teachers who want to make it easier for you to learn, who want you to become more self motivated and to gain greater understanding, appreciation and proficiency.

The methodology described in their books relate to skillful, efficient movement. That's what the bowling form is all about. These books contain descriptions and helpful tips about the nature and purpose of bowling, about the fundamentals of each movement skill involved, and about the purchase and care of your bowling equipment.

Bowling books also tell you about common errors and how to avoid making them, about ways to improve your mental game, and about the game's rules, strategies, scoring and special techniques. Above all, they tell you how to get the most benefit from time spent on the lanes, how to become a successful participant instead of a "couch potato," and how to reap countless hours of pleasure and satisfaction from a great sport.

Having learned a great deal about the sport through reading, your next step is to put yourself in the hands of a qualified ball driller. A bowling ball is a highly customized, technical piece of equipment upon which skill and scoring results are largely dependent. Much of the success in bowling relies on how uniquely suited the ball is to the user and the lane condition. The bulk of that uniqueness concerns the fitting of the ball, and the understanding that to acquire an ideal fit involves one very important factor... finding an experienced and knowledgeable ball-driller. And, take heed, once you find that person, stick with him/her. Too many bowlers make the mistake of jumping from one driller to the next. This often leads to a lot of confusion, not to mention having little chance of developing your driller's personal interest in your success.

Top pro shop technicians take a great deal of pride and satisfaction in their work. Giving them your trust and loyalty will go a long way in intensifying their motivation to serve you successfully.

And now for the final step... the bowling instructor. Nothing will ever be as important to your game as trained "eyes on the bench." By and large, bowling is an acquisitive skill... which means there are so many unnatural things to learn and adopt. In this regard, nothing is more helpful to your game than a proficient instructor making relevant corrections, frame after frame, during your practice sessions.

How do you find a good instructor? Well, his or her reputation and success will speak for themselves. But there are other factors that need to be considered. Most important is whether you actually like your instructor. If there is a "personality clash" between the instructor and the student, the best-laid plans will inevitably go astray. Mutual respect is a must in a teacher-student relationship.

Another coaching problem is student impatience. Rome wasn't built in a day, and we can't work on your ball placement until we reign in your "galloping feet." Indeed, a good instructor will furnish you with admonition and a wealth of good advice.

Above all, learn how to be coachable. It's not as easy as it sounds.