‘Talking Tactically’

with Lachlan Tighe..... 

(a new weekly edition, commenced 12/9/2001, of thoughts, observations and commentaries on developments for bowls coaching and competition)

"Capriati.....winners victorious"

.(edition eighteen, 30/1/2002, of thoughts & observations on lawn bowls)

Three (3) female members from our ‘Elbows’ bowls squad have made it the final 16 of the Victorian Ladies State Singles being played as we read this in Swan Hill, Victoria.

The title is won after 2 full days of bowls requiring a consistent and determined mental, tactical and physical commitment to succeed.

We all now know Jennifer Capriati conquered Martini Hingis last weekend to win the Australian Open Women’s Tennis championship, what I want to focus on is the grit factor that had Capriati down 4-6, 1-5 and still capable of fighting and finally clambouring to the top to conquer.

Rather than succumb, Capriati invariably averted disaster with brave, aggressive strokes proving she was not only good enough to win, but, she was also not afraid to lose (without a fight). What she did was display enormous mental toughness, something we expect but cannot rely on.

And how did she have that belief ! Simple. While Hingis spent winter at home in Europe, Capriati was working on her game (plan) in Florida, a hot steamy environment not unlike Melbourne on the Open final day. Her training led her to know the pressure and composure factors that intrude into normal good stroke play, nothing to do with technical skill at that stage.

It was all about practising the habits that become automatic in the ‘heat of battle’ and heat was the factor that Hingis did not practice for, and possibly lost because of the inappropriate mental preparation in that steamy environment.

Let’s learn from the successes of Jennifer Capriati. And let’s hope our ‘Elbows’ colleagues battling at Swan Hill have that mental and tactical edge over the other lady bowlers for one of them to be able to take out the State title. And, even go on to take out the Australian Ladies singles title. Who knows !!!

"Good Bowling"

"....it is just not cricket!"

"...tactical analysis of or in competition"

"How do you assess the performance of a Coach"

"... no Limits"