‘Talking Tactically’

with Lachlan Tighe..... 

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

‘ Setting goals for teams and individuals’ 

(edition 143  - 2005 of thoughts & observations on lawn bowls)

The road to success is that same road of practiced habits, remember last weeks column.

However we need to know which road we need to get onto to succeed. There is nothing wrong being in a different lane on a highway so long as that is the lane on the highway that takes you to the same destination which is your prescribed goal.

Be aware though that in bowls as in all sport there are a range of goals on the one day for your team simply because the premise differs in that

• You as a person may have a goal

• Players in the rink of 4 may have a separate goal

• The side has another goal

• Add to the mix the state selectors or coach may have one more 

None of which may be the same and yet you and the team and others (club) are out here competing.

So why do we have goals ? For some of these reasons

• To measure achievements

• Improve performance

• Focus effort

• As a foundation for personal and collective motivation

• To provide a direction

• Help increase persistence

• Increase commitment

• To develop and build confidence

• Increase concentration

• Challenging

• Provide a priority.

What may be some of the goals for the elite bowler

• Fitness and toning

• Diet and nutrition

• Training for skills development

• Competition programming

• Personal development.

What may be goals for a state or national team

• Meet mutual team objectives

• Win games

• Team together

• Contest every end

• Train appropriately and together

• Train with a coach supervision

• Develop camaraderie

• Enter other events with fellow state players

• Improve on each previous performance.

All sounds good but teams have numerous goals and individuals in a team may be separately seeking any of a number of goals, viz national selection, so it is vital that coaches sort out the priority that must exist for the team where the priority is not equivalent to an individuals priority, and these conflicting priorities may be

Ø      Winning a place from the squad into the team

Ø      Getting selected into the next level, national

Ø      Improvement on prior performance

Ø      Seeking to be in another position in the team, say from 2^nd to a third

Ø      Improvement on technical execution

Ø      Learning from the previous state competition

Ø      Comparison to another rink in the team

Ø      Personal contribution to the team score

Ø      Retaining their selected position

Ø      Maintaining an acceptable performance level

Ø      Measure of an acceptable performance level

Lachlan Tighe

ATTITUDE: ALL ABOUT PRACTISING HABITS