‘Talking Tactically’

with Lachlan Tighe..... 

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

‘ Turning up a new breed of skip’

(edition 136  - 2005 of thoughts & observations on lawn bowls)

I was struck by the heading ‘turning up a new breed of AFL Football skipper’ in the sports pages in which the journo looks at what makes a captain (for bowls that is the skip) in the era of consultants and psychology tests for leaders (of men or women).

The AFL club employed a consultant who asked what they sought in a skip and everyone had different answers and so there were 22 traits of leadership thrown in the mix. My difficulty with using external management consultants is their sense of ‘distance’ from the sport and the absence of the ease of communication as opposed to we seeking the answers among ourselves. It is common sense after all, a degree of which always seems lacking. Bowls administration of late tends to go down this external consultancy path a bit.

Interestingly for years I have entered into each new year diary the words that depict to me what represents leadership so I have 21 words which would be interesting to see if any / many overlap with the AFL club consultants.

Another AFL coach mentioned that traditionally the best player got the captaincy (skip) and he felt there is a shift now toward looking at players who might have actual leadership ability. I have seen the success of this shift in the rare selection of some club bowls skips who are prime man managers. 

The AFL coach went on to say that you still have to have someone on the arena who has to lead the team, but he saw the shift in what these new leaders were able to do off the field.

I believe anyone, male or female, who expects to be a state and/ or national skips in bowls needs to view themselves as role models on and off the green, who teach and support others, who are conscious of the team and where it is going and to assist the coach in setting the standards.  I guess I expect a bit when this is exactly what the article was suggesting is happening slightly in the AFL our highly paid professional sport.

Too often I overhear bowlers say they can only skip, when they actually mean the only fours team position they want to play is as a skip, which reflects a degree of selfishness and an indication of a flawed fours team.  And I believe it also reflects a restriction in how far they can progress their skill as elite bowlers.

Lachlan Tighe

ATTITUDE: ALL ABOUT PRACTISING HABITS