Sussex Coaching in association with:

Kirstie has been bowling since the age of eight, enjoying success on the youth tour and bringing years of competitive experience to her coaching. An EBF Level 1 Coach and Crawley YBC Coach, she has also attended the Beyond the Lanes Academy run by Diandra Asbaty, further developing her coaching knowledge.

Alongside coaching, Kirstie serves as Sussex Senior Men’s Team Manager and Secretary of the Sussex Tenpin Bowling Association, supporting bowlers and helping organise the sport at county level.

At KVD Bowling Academy, Kirstie helps young bowlers build strong foundations, grow in confidence and enjoy developing their game through purposeful practice.

Vicky took up bowling in her thirties and quickly became deeply involved in the sport. An EBF Level 1 Coach, qualified in 2025, she now coaches at Crawley YBC.

In 2024, Vicky became Head of Equality and Diversity at the BTBA, promoting inclusion across bowling. Her work includes establishing a Parkinson’s coaching programme across the county and arranging neurodiversity training for coaches, helping them better understand and support bowlers’ individual needs.

Vicky is Sussex Grand Senior Team Manager and Treasurer of the Gatwick Tri-Stars League at Crawley.

Vicky brings a strong commitment to making bowling welcoming and accessible, helping young bowlers build confidence, develop their skills and feel valued.

A USBC Bronze and EBF Level 1 Coach, he has completed the Kegel Coaching Master Programme in Direction, Speed & Release, Art of Scoring and the Two-Handed System, and is a Kegel Pro-Shop Academy graduate.

For the past three years, Daren has coached Team England’s U19 Girls at the Youth Triple Crown, alongside his roles as Crawley YBC Coach and Sussex Open Ladies Team Manager.

As Sussex Tenpin Bowling Association Chairman and Gatwick Tri-Stars League Secretary, Daren also supports the sport at grassroots level. He works with bowlers of all standards, helping them build confidence, understand their game and develop lasting skills through process over results.

We begin each session with a group warm-up, using movements such as seal jacks, squats and inchworms to gradually raise our heart rate and get our muscles and joints moving before bowling.

It is also a chance to bring everyone together, settle into the session and switch our focus to learning. We want bowlers to understand that preparing their body and mind is part of their bowling routine, helping them step onto the approach feeling ready, focused and confident.

We work on physical skills such as balance, footwork, timing, a relaxed swing and a controlled release. Bowlers also practise alignment, targeting and spare shooting, helping them understand how their movement affects the ball. Developing these foundations makes shots more repeatable and gives bowlers confidence when making adjustments.

Mental skills are equally important. We practise building a pre-shot routine, focusing on one clear intention, managing frustration and resetting after a difficult shot. Bowlers are encouraged to recognise what went well and identify what they can learn, using positive, realistic self-talk.

Our practice plans give bowlers a clear focus and purpose each week. We explain what to practise, how to practise it and what improvement to look for. Simple challenges and practice sheets help bowlers recognise their progress and give them something to continue working on between sessions.

The aim is to build good habits through purposeful repetition. Success might mean holding a balanced finish, hitting a target more consistently or following a routine.