‘Talking Tactically’

with Lachlan Tighe..... 

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

‘Game (plans) analysis’

(edition 106  - 2004 of thoughts & observations on lawn bowls)

P.S.

‘Stevie Wonder’, heartiest congratulations to the world champ Steve Glasson on his monumental feat over in Scotland.

Over time in this column I refer to game plans and lesson from games, but I have not to date shown you the combined results and team discussion analysis of any of the ‘Elbows’ squad games and the plans.  Here is an example of a post game analysis from a review of a 2 day game played at Moama in May 2004

Objective:

prepared by the skipper, shared with me as coach and agreed to by the players the players pre the event

…To compete in the play offs after the 5 games

Strategy

·         win the five game(s) to win the section

won 3 of the 5 games

·         Win more ends than all opponents

Won 33/ 60 ends, averaging 7/ 12 ends per game which was a good outcome

§         Minimise shots lost to a maximum 2 shots on any end

Very good outcome keeping ends lost to a total of 6 of the 60 ends, 10% which meant only average of one (bad end) per game

§         Mention made of segments (sets of 3 ends was the inference I made) but no specific measure suggested

Won 9/15 sets and on reflection this was a drawback as they did not practice team meetings and maybe they may have avoided losing games had the team practiced the habit of team meetings and review of sets per time

·         2 of the first 4 bowls in the Mat Length (ML) head every end

the team deficiency as the average was 8/13 ends for ‘the front half’ had 2 bowls within ML in head; also now that they have kept a few cards 8/13 is the best average recorded for the squad so in future with this objective the squad should use this knowledge to set the measure rather than say there will be 2 bowls within ML every end;

·         A $ for every bowl a metre short

After 3 games the team reviewed this objective set pre the game as it oozed negativity which is reinforced every time you are reminded of a short bowl ( and the $ cost ); what the team did is look at each average contribution of acceptable bowls and set a target for each player to maintain their personal average over the final 2 games

Other Observations

·         team meetings were adhered to at various times but not when the team was losing

·         experimented with player positions

·         have provided a table with the ratings compared against the standards used at national level

·         skip to learn when to play the preferred opposition’s deliveries before the opposition has a chance to choose that option and get ease of access

·         new strategy - winning >2 shots per end may be worth introducing into the plans so as to foster an awareness of balancing situation when a team lose multiples of 2 shots per end

as the team lost 6 ends (20 shots) and countered that winning 8 ends (29 shots) hence a nett gain for the day

·         lead and second set the pattern and they are to be seen as a mini team

·         the number of ends a player contributes is a new way I am looking at the value of players – reference was made to the team in a separate table of stats analysis

·         perceptions mean everything: the review after the third game dwelt on the skip’s perception given at the team meeting pre this third game that the team were slow starters; the three other team members never thought of this and nothing was spoken of how well they had done in two games,  as individuals,  or as a team,  in either the process or the result, especially as the team was undefeated at that stage

·         skip calls were direct and precise but still include that level of negativity by reference to shots down

·         skip’s demeanour in tight situations, or when dissatisified with his personal performance, is too introspective, agitated, and an important area for him to develop and work to improve in training and further events

·         composure: what this shows is how the agitated skip if not questioned at the team meeting can override the team mood (both for the good and detriment) and in these games the others (perception) never doubted their continued success

·         lessons from English Rugby: Chris Woodward as UK coach preferred meetings when you win, not when you lose; so our team meeting over dinner that night was as 2-1 winners to discuss with levity our plans to win the final 2 games

·         and again from Woodward’s approach, we expanded leadership to set targets for each member of the team for day 2 using stats from day one as a guide for performance

I am sure many national players and good coaches do all of the above automatically.  However it needs to be written, seen and discussed by others involved in the analysis to be of any worth.  That is the next step of increased commitment by aspiring elite players and coaches in bowls.

Lachlan Tighe