‘Talking Tactically’

with Lachlan Tighe..... 

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

‘ Commitment, uncommon’   

(edition 130  - 2005 of thoughts & observations on lawn bowls)

Someone, somewhere is going to come into this sport of bowls (as a player) and do a ‘Roger Federer’ in his short space of time and shake off all the also rans and set the standard.

Not in bowls, but in the level of commitment to topple allcomers.

In recent weeks watching (or importantly listening and observing) players from all levels of performance, and support team personnel, I am amazed how content everyone appears to be with their ‘program’.

Some of the players appear to be out there playing incessantly, might I add winning too, but heck, what is winning a turkey triples or similar doing to improve their development of skill for elite bowling.  When do they give over the time for supervised quality game training.

So they beat ordinary opposition. Well hello, wowee !!!

And what about extending their skill levels to that point of near excellence.  Would’nt Ian Schuback give his eye teeth for players with that attitude.

I make a point of demanding my Elbows squad members expect a commitment (level) from me that equates to their own high expectations.  Most are surprised by that demand – in any other elite level credible sport I would ‘get the flick’ as their coach if my level of commitment was not to their standard and expectation. How else are they to succeed. And that attitude is applicable to the coach as a voluntary professional.

The other aspect about commitment is the need to be self centred, even selfish, in your priority management. And time is one source of priority.

I get so flustered observing elite bowlers squander time unnecessarily with clashes of commitments, excess mickey mouse games, other bowls commitments they take on that could be performed by fellow members.  And what goes by the wayside is the training to hone those skills to surpass the rest of the elite bowlers.

The one gratifying thing is that the rest of the bowls world has as yet not done a Federer.

Multi skilling may be a delight and novelty in contemporary work places, but anyone wanting to excel in the playing or coaching of our sport at an elite level has to be able to say NO so as to do justice to their ambitions, let alone their goals.

Maybe many of the elite players and coaches (and those pushing toward elite level) ought to walk the talk or take a walk and let a newer, if it be even younger, more desperate competitive person come in and take a shot at excellence for the long run.

Lachlan Tighe

ATTITUDE: ALL ABOUT PRACTISING HABITS