‘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)

'TORPEDO TOWARD VICTORY'

( edition nine, 7/11/2001, of thoughts and observations on bowls)

‘The thoughts of Thorpe’ Age 30/7/2001 quoting Ian Thorpe, Gold medal and world champion swimmer:

‘…in everything I do, I really question a lot of different things, ponder different issues; I am always asking the question WHY of everything I do’

‘…it (why) constantly challenges me to find out more, to learn more, so I improve and continue to improve’

I overheard some elite players from other sport express surprise at the approach of our bowlers in Moama for the recent Asia Pacific games. Having watched the bowls, they noticed and compared the drinking, eating and general lackadaisical approach of preparation to that they would be accustomed to for elite competitors in their sport.

Add to that a reluctance within the sport for players and coaches to analytically record and assess their training and games, these observers walked away dismayed to think this observed approach applied to elite level competitors.

Robbie Dobbins newly appointed womens national coach is conscious of this defect in approach and hopes to modernise it and move the competitive element into a modern level of professionalism. I think he has a better chance with younger players who can be coerced into moving into new modes of approach. The domain for change and development is at the state level of competition where the players are bred.

My ‘Elbows’ squad training is meant to enable members to do exactly what Thorpe says , question WHY; to focus on the challenge of extending the accepted boundaries, to experiment and set higher standards for yourself; it is not a perfect environment because we are not perfect.

However I stress and encourage the squad to be watchful that whenever we finish a session with a simulated game many forget the challenge of the application of training to the game and focus on the result and their preparedness to implement the experiments is not taken (why: because they want to win) – for me the session is then in question as they lost the opportunity to extend themselves and experiment in a simulation of ‘the heat of battle’ and what they did is focus on the short term result.

One day soon our national coaches will move us on and the coaches like me floundering around at present will have a direction and focus to follow to assist the bowlers develop their total skills

"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"