‘Talking Tactically’

with Lachlan Tighe..... 

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

‘Games analysis reports: coach’s skill for action’

(edition 109  - 2004 of thoughts & observations on lawn bowls)

I occasionally hear of reports around elite state and national levels of bowls, and recall even when in Malaysia, that such comments only focus on the issues or anecdotes about player performance.  

How does the player know what to do if he / she has no personal coach, and even if they did have a coach, what solution, guideline and training can be offered to these players for them to either overcome the hiccup in performance, gain from the experience and the comment or, rise to another level of performance.

Let me put some hypothetical situations to you for consideration that may well be either situations or comments I find my ‘Elbows’ squad members subjected to as half of them are either state or national players and may well face these hypotheticals so as to then become realities..

Comment – the player trains poorly Monday and then is outclassed in an event later in the week

Reaction

-          what is the desired level of training to describe it as poor

-          what discussion should occur with the player to prime him / her for these matches

-          what is the players view, response

-          and what action occurs after the (lost) match to raise their performance level for the pending events

Comment – two bowlers combine very well and compliment each others strengths and talents and are worth teaming up as an elite level formation

Reaction

-          what is the observed strengths

-          what makes for two players being regarded as a good team

-          what does a coach do to ensure selectors are privy to this view too

-          and what view do selectors have on what makes for a good team

Comment – the team meets pre the game and decides to try different tactics which eventuates them in winning

Reaction

-          what was the lesson from the discussion

-          will the lesson be reinforced for future events

-          what were the initial tactics that needed adjustment

-          and what were the new successful tactics

-          will the rest of my squad be acquainted with this knowledge

Comment – this is the best game of bowls I have watched

Reaction

-          beyond the score or the closeness of the contest, what was it that made it the best game

-          what was the content of the post game analysis of this best game

-          how will the best game model then transfer into future training sessions

Comment – the squad has a training session on various deliveries in readiness for the next reasonably important event

Reaction

-          will skill sessions be recorded

-          will simulated games be incorporated into the training to account for mental and tactical skill training and development too

-          what will the mental skill training comprise

-          what will the format for the tactical skill training entail

-          and how will the game plan descriptions and agreements be set and practised

Comment – the opposition team had organized a perfect build up and the best preparation and training to out do the team

Reaction

-          on that basis what did the opposition do to prepare and beat us

-          question ourselves why we are not doing it or not doing it better than them

Comment – if an opponent simply outclasses us we should ensure the players sight the improvement necessary for us to succeed at the various elite levels of bowls

Reaction

-          what is the level of improvement for the team necessary to succeed

-          what is the level of improvement for each player in a team to gain success

-          did any one player improve though we lost and how and why

-          did any one player not improve and why.

I put this to ‘Elbows’ squad members as and when I meet with them for training. However, the big difficulty is that I am not in their hip pocket every time they turn out to practice and to compete.  

What I do know is that if they are not (equally) questioning as I am as expressed in the thoughts above, then maybe they may not scale the heights they set themselves as elite bowlers.

Question is, are we coaches prepared to take on the level of responsibility which is inferred in the above reaction statements.  

Lets hope so for the good of the bowlers.

Lachlan Tighe