‘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)

'A GREAT TEAM ...defined for bowls and to apply to pairs, fours, sides of 16'

(edition six, 17/10/2001)

Last week I listed a number of phrases to describe great teams. Here I explain further:

‘Expects to win’…..because they know their preparation has been so thorough that their approach to the competition is superior to the opposition; and, they know their record and knowledge of the opposition because they keep statistical data to help that know how ;

‘Has respect’…for one another as team mates who can be relied on in the heat of battle to support one another;

‘Earns respect’…by the deeds in training and competition,and certainly in our sport, not by the words uttered at the club bar; if you are at the club bar you are not out training and therefore in my opinion not a member of a great team;

‘Is hard working’…and as such members train diligently so as to be full of excellent skills which is especially necessary in a side of 16 bowlers;

‘Is challenged by experimenting to approaches for higher and better performance’…I cite Steve Waugh, the Australian cricket captain, saying they as the world champion team train as if they are second best in the world; if anything all the bowlers I have ever laid eyes on do not adopt this facet of a great team as the training is so traditional and thus it lacks any form of experimentation and I put that issue down to a reluctance by good bowlers to accept the contemporary role of modern coaching that is seen in other sport;

‘Focussed to set goals’…and again this is where our best bowlers have a lot to learn; setting and writing goals is foreign to them, and, the idea of reviews and evaluation of both training and competition is too hard; why ? probably because they cannot describe their thoughts in writing and because there is no personal coach to guide them; our bowls coaches have limited their own development by not pushing the boundaries;

‘Trust and Honest communication’….among the team members and for that matter the coach; never has it been said the individuals have to like one another; they have a common goal (philosophy) and they accept personal responsibility to make the team goal their outcome; that generally means win the championship

And I reckon great teams revolve around these four Ps (which I keep in the back of my head to assist my coaching)

Philosophy an agreed approach and values for the team/ side/ club

People the ‘right’ type of people that can fulfill the goal

Programs relevant and stringent training and competition schedules to enable final success for that one game that ultimately counts

Performance competing, monitoring, evaluating, preparing and competing again

"Good Bowling"

"A Great Team ... defined for bowls and to apply to pairs, fours, sides of 16"

"Weight Watching - Drills and Experiments"

'Torpedo Toward Victory"