Nurse McCarthy uses calm demeanor on and off the lanes
November 03, 2015
Erin McCarthy has always been calm, cool and collected on the lanes. But don't mistake her demeanor for a lack of passion.
A registered nurse who deals with critical care patients at Methodist Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska, one of the most important parts of the Professional Women's Bowling Association star's job is to take emotion out of her work. And she uses that same mentality when she hits the lanes.
"I have always been fairly quiet and not one to show much emotion, whether it's on or off the lanes," said the 25-year-old McCarthy, who finished second at the United States Bowling Congress Queens in May. "But that became even more apparent to me as I started working full-time in the hospital and bowling on my days out of the hospital. It's much easier to focus at work during critical situations and communicate with the patients, doctors and nurses if I'm calm. I've tried to take that same mindset with me on the lanes and have come to that same conclusion."
That calmness, along with one of the most powerful releases in women's bowling, helped lead the Team USA member to a 10th-place finish on the PWBA Tour points list this season.
McCarthy's rookie season on tour was anything but easy, though. Working a full-time job and bowling full-time on the tour was no easy task as she endured a grueling weekly schedule.
"During the tour, my typical week consisted of working Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night," she said. "I am clocked in by 6:45 p.m., and the earliest I leave is 7:15 a.m. After work on Thursday morning, I'd normally rush home to shower and do some last-minute packing before flying or driving to make it to the practice session on time. Sundays I spent traveling home, doing laundry and getting ready to start the week all over again. I would try to get in a few practice sessions between work and sleep before traveling on Thursdays."
The tough schedule led to mixed results for McCarthy. She started the season well at the USBC Queens and closed the season with a 16th-place finish at the BowlmorAMF U.S. Women's Open and an eighth-place finish at The Smithfield PWBA Tour Championship. During the middle of the season, she made a championship-round appearance at the PWBA Lincoln Open, finishing fourth.
"I was honestly a little disappointed with my performance this season," McCarthy said. "I had a rough start to the regular season. I wasn't physically throwing it well and my mental game wasn't where it should have been. With that being said, I'm very happy and proud of my Queens performance and U.S. Women's Open even though the endings weren't the greatest. I also exceeded my expectations when some of my best finishes were on short patterns, which tend to be a weakness in my game."
With her rookie season behind her, McCarthy is already looking ahead to the start of the 2016 PWBA season.
"As soon as the 2015 season ended, I decided I needed to put more focus on the mental aspects of the game," she said. "I'm reading a few mental books and really trying to implement those strategies into bowling and life in general. I've also tried to create a daily routine that's easier to follow, involving working on my physical weakness on the lanes, working out and eating better.
"The 2015 season definitely had its ups, but my goal is to make sure I've done everything I can to make 2016 as successful as I can."
A registered nurse who deals with critical care patients at Methodist Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska, one of the most important parts of the Professional Women's Bowling Association star's job is to take emotion out of her work. And she uses that same mentality when she hits the lanes.
"I have always been fairly quiet and not one to show much emotion, whether it's on or off the lanes," said the 25-year-old McCarthy, who finished second at the United States Bowling Congress Queens in May. "But that became even more apparent to me as I started working full-time in the hospital and bowling on my days out of the hospital. It's much easier to focus at work during critical situations and communicate with the patients, doctors and nurses if I'm calm. I've tried to take that same mindset with me on the lanes and have come to that same conclusion."
That calmness, along with one of the most powerful releases in women's bowling, helped lead the Team USA member to a 10th-place finish on the PWBA Tour points list this season.
McCarthy's rookie season on tour was anything but easy, though. Working a full-time job and bowling full-time on the tour was no easy task as she endured a grueling weekly schedule.
"During the tour, my typical week consisted of working Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night," she said. "I am clocked in by 6:45 p.m., and the earliest I leave is 7:15 a.m. After work on Thursday morning, I'd normally rush home to shower and do some last-minute packing before flying or driving to make it to the practice session on time. Sundays I spent traveling home, doing laundry and getting ready to start the week all over again. I would try to get in a few practice sessions between work and sleep before traveling on Thursdays."
The tough schedule led to mixed results for McCarthy. She started the season well at the USBC Queens and closed the season with a 16th-place finish at the BowlmorAMF U.S. Women's Open and an eighth-place finish at The Smithfield PWBA Tour Championship. During the middle of the season, she made a championship-round appearance at the PWBA Lincoln Open, finishing fourth.
"I was honestly a little disappointed with my performance this season," McCarthy said. "I had a rough start to the regular season. I wasn't physically throwing it well and my mental game wasn't where it should have been. With that being said, I'm very happy and proud of my Queens performance and U.S. Women's Open even though the endings weren't the greatest. I also exceeded my expectations when some of my best finishes were on short patterns, which tend to be a weakness in my game."
With her rookie season behind her, McCarthy is already looking ahead to the start of the 2016 PWBA season.
"As soon as the 2015 season ended, I decided I needed to put more focus on the mental aspects of the game," she said. "I'm reading a few mental books and really trying to implement those strategies into bowling and life in general. I've also tried to create a daily routine that's easier to follow, involving working on my physical weakness on the lanes, working out and eating better.
"The 2015 season definitely had its ups, but my goal is to make sure I've done everything I can to make 2016 as successful as I can."