Donvale Bowls Club Inc.

England wins 2 gold medals in bowls, South Africa wins 3 gold. How and why?

As an opposition coach for Bowls Jersey, observing first hand these countries, there is little difference between them and the other 4 strong countries- Scotland, Australia, NZ, and Malaysia.

WHAT IS COMMON

These 6 countries all

• Appointed coaches
• Resourced their bowlers to attend international events, training camps and use of sports science
• Have a version of a high performance program in operation
• Blended younger, athletic bowlers with their experienced campaigners
• Set targets for bowlers to achieve
• Have a large talent pool of bowlers
• Have technically proficient bowlers

WHAT IS DIFFERENT

My perception of the differences with the six bowls countries is:

• Selection - Some of these countries had players who are strikingly non team oriented for which selectors need take full responsibility; and in some cases there were glaring omissions in squads which may make a difference (who knows)
• Team environment - Team England and its contingent of players and support staff impressed me the most; I could sense a shared joy/ spirit exuding from everyone and that is a reflection of leadership, of positive communication that filter in and around the Team;
• Adaptability - Conditions were different which was known to all since 2003 when India was announced as host nation; how well did players adapt to these unique conditions and was that a slight factor in favour of the mentally tougher (team) of players; if I heard one more person talk about the surface or the heat affecting performance I will kill 'em
• Coaching - Two varieties are on show nowadays: coaching from the rink edge, or, coaching completed at training and allowing players to apply their own resources in the event; it appears to me some of the side line coaching is off putting to particular players; bit of horses for courses;
• Draw bowls - The Northern hemisphere bowlers tend to use wide drawing bowls and they succeed; question to pose to us all in our hemisphere is have we lost the 'ounce of touch' skill because the tight bowl hides our sins and we simply choose to play heavy into the head?
• Emerging nations - India, Brunei, Malta, Jersey and maybe Canada are taking steps forward by appointing coaches and look toward long term planning to join the six countries vying for future success

WHAT HAS TO CHANGE

The quality of selection universally has to improve. Whether it was poor choices, omissions, incorrect teams, all lead to a need for selectors to be held accountable. And stringent criteria based on sound evidence and observable behaviour is a must.

Do we know what to look for in choosing selectors?

Personally, in my role as the coach, I reckon the coach/ es ought to be selectors as they 'fall on their sword' if the results turn out lousy.

My second issue is......decision making, decision making, decision making. Bowlers from all countries make atrocious decisions. And don't let me hear this '.......Joe/ Joanne Blow is an experienced bowler'; how often did I see these supposed experienced bowlers from numerous countries make decisions that I could only cringe at seeing. Experience is overrated if you learn nothing from it.

Training needs to be based on game plans and simulated games situations and repetitions of skill deliveries and post game analysis. Bowlers not wanting that approach will fall off the pace. If you don't agree with me simply talk to the new breed of player who is successful. Or even go and read the sports pages and read what is occurring in modern profile sport. Even as I was typing this out my Sport College work colleagues called me over to view the latest IT video/ statistical computer tool being used in analysis for Olympic sports.

In company with fellow international coaches, we were aghast at how the bowlers lack an appropriate level of tactical skill for International battle. Now maybe that suggests our coaching is poor as the bowlers are our charges. Or maybe players discard what we coaches offer. Either way it is one to talk over for the future.

GLASGOW, 2014

In 1998 Robbie (Dobbins) was, to my knowledge, the first true coach appointed to an international team. Before then it was a team manager pretending to coach.

In the period to 2010, there are now about ten of us coaches appointed to international teams. Come 2014 that may grow further.

Younger athletic bowlers with spirit, without fear, with better ball sport coordination,  will be the majority of bowlers in the competition. Wider draw bowls most probably will be best suited here, and, a few countries that appear to have under achieved in 2010 will be hungry to alter that 2010 result.

Finally, that other gold medal- well done Robert Weale from Wales. Now in his game against our Jersey singles player, Robert only bowled with 36% effective deliveries. What does that mean to you?

I shall have that statistic hanging for you to wonder about. That is an example of one of the changes in coaching future bowlers to succeed.

Lachlan Tighe.

Nov.2010