1. 1 st Appointment Advise the player to wear comfortable clothes that they can bend in with softsole shoes, like trainers. Advise the player to apply sun-block, wear a hat and bring a water-bottle. 2. Set-up Set up at a rink, allocated by the green-keeper, prior to the player arriving. Coaching Tips: Subsequent sessions may require additional coaching aids to be set up on the green. Over a series of lessons, you are going to explain bowling terminology, nomenclature, the laws, the etiquette and how the club works to the new player. It is very important that you share this information in small chunks and only when it is relevant to something that player is actually doing or asking about. Remember more doing and less talking should be your motto! 3. Greeting Introductions. Explain process and cost. Exchange contact details (write name and phone no in log-book). Record details of player on form (dominant hand, medical, etc.). Select appropriate bowls size. Coaching Tip: After the first lesson, encourage your new player to purchase The Etiquette and Courtesy of the Game of Bowls [29]. 4. Warm-up Player carries bowls to rink, place on bank. Walk briskly around the green to stretch the muscles and explain the environment green, banks, rink markers, wind-sock. Walk on at entry to green, explaining why not to climb up & down the bank start of instruction on the etiquette in bowls.. Go through a short set of stretching exercises, explaining about slow movement and holding, with no jerking. Coaching Tip: Start each session with the brisk walk and the stretching. In subsequent sessions (probably from the 3 rd session onwards), add the m warmup exercise provided in Appendix C. 2-3 Jacks ±4 Mats Water Lesson Plan Coaching Aids Bowls sets of various sizes Log-book Player record form Stretching exercises 5-1
5. Bias The new player has come to learn how to play bowls, so give him/her the opportunity to roll bowls up the rink as soon as possible. Place a mat at ±2m while the player is taking the bowls out of the bag on the bank and placing them gently on the green. Ask the player to take the stance as for the jack and place a bowl in the hand (not necessary to explain grip yet). Player delivers the bowl (the same way as the jack) aiming for the jack, straightened in the previous activity. Repeat this by placing the next bowl in the hand the other way around, so that it will curve in the opposite direction. Walk together to fetch the bowls & jack, explaining about the bias (NOT weighted, but falls over onto the lower shoulder, which causes the bowl to curve) and the difference between the centre-line & the delivery-line. 6. m Mat (backhand) Explain the goal of bowls being to get as many of your team s bowls closer to the jack than those of the opposition. Coaching Tip: Always use correct terminology to ensure that the new player learns the language of bowls as quickly as possible. Set-up 3 mats against the bank under a boundary-marker (usually white) and 1 mat on the centre-line, m from the plinth start on the back-hand side of the player. Gather the bowls ±1m behind and to the left of the m Mat. Stand behind the m mat and demonstrate the grip, with the player following your example. Note: Explain that the reason they are essentially bowling backwards, is to concentrate on the technique without having to fetch bowls from far and wide. Allow the player to leave his/her bowl on the ground while you demonstrate taking the stance, which the player repeats after you, without the bowl in hand remember to walk the line practice this a few times, assisting the player to get all the body-parts in the right place. Stand in front of the boundary-marker and demonstrate, using the mirror image, the delivery, follow through and standing up on the stepping-foot allow the player to practice taking the stance and delivering a number of times with you 2 Mat Bowls 4 Mats Bowls 5 20
advising, while you stop and return the bowls. Boundary Marker Note mats protecting the bank Coaching Tips: Figure 1 Using the m Mat This entails letting the new player stand on the mat which is placed at ±m from the ditch. The coach stands in front of the ditch and returns the bowls or jack to the player. Another advantage of using the m-mat is that it allows the new player to focus on the process of delivery rather than the task of drawing to a specific spot on the rink. Although much of the technique has been fine-tuned over the years, this is one aspect of coaching that remains unchanged today. Use the m-mat to demonstrate, practice and fine tune the Clinic delivery technique (see Error! Reference source not found.). It also means that the coach has no need to shout instructions to the new player, as the two are in close proximity. Use this means of honing the delivery technique in diminishing lengths of time over the first 3-4 lessons. Your new player may find that elastic strips to indicate the centre-line and deliveryline are useful (see Error! Reference source not found.). Keep using the swing-then-step-then-point rhythm started with the jack delivery. Coghlan suggests using songs of different tempos to assist in getting the rhythm correct to deliver the bowl to a short length (Swing [S]low, Sweet Chariot slow tempo), medium length (Frere Jaques / Brother John / Vader Jakob depending on the preferred language! medium tempo); long length or heavy green (I ve Got Rhythm faster tempo) [112] 3
7. m Mat Instruct the player to maintain the same bias, but to use the coach s feet as the delivery-line the player delivers a bowl which you return, moving 1m towards the other boundary-marker. Once the player has delivered a bowl to the opposite boundary-marker, instruct the player to change the bias, but to do everything else exactly the same and move the mats against the bank to the opposite boundary-marker allow the player to deliver a number of bowls on the fore-hand. Emphasise that the only difference between forehand and backhand is the bias and the delivery-line. Coaching Tips: Start all subsequent sessions with the m mat delivery on the backhand and forehand, to hone the technique each session, the time spent with this activity will probably be less than the previous session. At the end of the first lesson, encourage the player to purchase the Bowls SA booklet Introduction to Bowls and the Walk the Line video to read and watch at home. This will help to entrench the grip, stance and delivery. Encourage the new player to go through delivery-routine with a sock or tennis-ball in front of a long mirror, so that s/he can see and feel what his/her body is doing. 4 Mats Bowls 4
8. Jack Emphasise that the delivery of the jack is exactly the same as the delivery of the bowl, with only minor adjustments to the grip and stance. Demonstrate where and how to place the mat - opportunity to explain the minimum and maximum mat law and why a mat is used. Demonstrate the grip of the jack with the player following your example (see Error! Reference source not found.). Coaching Tip: With the player standing on the mat ask the player to step-and-roll the jack to you you stand approximately 5m from the mat, on a mat which is on the centre-line demonstrate the correct grip, stance and delivery when you return the jack, but do not talk about just do it, and see how much technique and rhythm the player picks up purely by observation. Encouraging the step-and-roll rhythm means the player is already starting to pick up the rhythm and timing of the delivery. [112] Explain the centre-line of the rink and demonstrate how you are going to aim to deliver the jack towards the opposite number, along the centre-line (see the line); take the stance (walk the line) allow the player to practice this a few times,, assisting the player to align the body correctly. Demonstrate the delivery, follow-through and standing up on the stepping-foot (see Error! Reference source not found.) allow the player to practice the grip, stance and delivery a number of times, stopping & returning the jack from ±m away opportunity to explain the foot-faulting law. Coaching Tip: Encourage the player to follow the rhythm of swing-then-step-thenpoint to develop both the timing and the rhythm of the delivery the faster the words are said, the further the delivery will go. Once the player has mastered the grip, stance and delivery reasonably well, allow a jack to continue on its course up the rink. Demonstrate and explain how the player should step back, stand square on the mat, and indicate to the person at the jack how to straighten it onto the centre-line, using clear, bold movements allow the player to practice this with the jack delivered up the rink. Mat 2-3 Jacks 5
9. Practicing Teach the new player how to do the jack-consistency exercises Appendix C: Jack 01 & 02 explain why the jack length is important. This will allow the new player to start the memory training necessary to accomplish consistency.. Point-of-Aim (PoA) Using the PoA diagram (see Error! Reference source not found.), explain to the player what s/he should be focussing on at the time of delivery (see Error! Reference source not found.). The player should practice the delivery routine by delivering the bowls to the closest jack, while keeping their eyes focused on the PoA, from the 2m mark. Place a jack on the 2m mark and the mat behind the first jack. The player should play back on the same side of the rink, but this time, s/he has to focus on the PoA without the aid of a cone. The player repeats this up and down on the same side of the rink while playing 4 bowls to the 2 nd and back, and then 4 bowls to the 3 rd jack and back. Coaching Tip: Allow the new player to practice this a number of times until you can see that they are practicing the delivery routine (i.e. doing the same GSD each time), anchor-foot on the delivery-line and eyes focused on the PoA. It is vital that the new player does NOT assume that the boundary-marker is the delivery-line it is merely a useful marker to use, as a reference point only. 2 jacks 1 mat Coaching aid to show PoA Strings & markers (e.g. cones) on rink, set-up before session (see Appendix C: L&L 01) 20 6
11. Practicing Teach the new player how to practice and encourage him/her to practice between lesson sessions for ±1 hour at a time, once the player has a reasonable delivery-routine and an understanding of the PoA Appendix C: Warm-up 03, L&L 03 L&L 02 could also be useful if the player is struggling with weight control. Up until this point, you have been encouraging the player to develop a deliveryroutine, without making it explicit it is now time to discuss this with your new player so that they understand the importance of doing the same thing every delivery (see Error! Reference source not found.). Explain and demonstrate to the player how to take deep, relaxing abdominal-breaths and how to link the breathing into the delivery-routine (see Error! Reference source not found.). Once the player has started playing up and down the rink, ensure that you introduce imagery (see Error! Reference source not found.). Coaching Tips: Advise the players to carry the mat up and down when practicing to avoid wasting time walking a long way to the bank and back before starting each end. The new player should firmly understand that the boundary-markers should only be used as a reference point to establish the delivery-lines on each side they are not themselves necessarily the delivery-lines. The new player may find Coghlan s acronym CBS useful to remind him/herself to breathe and take his/her time through the delivery-routine Centre Breathe Smile. N.B. Warn the new player that every Tom, Dick & Harry will be offering advice in the mistaken belief that they are being helpful! The new player should smile and say thank you and say that s/he will discuss it with the coach.. 12. Club Show the new players where to find information in the club about social and bowling events, especially those available to novices. Explain what duties they would be expected to perform as members of the club e.g. tea, bar, maintenance, etc. depending on availability and expertise. Coaching tip: Explain this information a little at a time each session, to avoid information overload. 2-5 jacks 1 mat 7
13. Playing Singles Play a game of singles with the new player, so that s/he can experience the etiquette and applicable laws to game situations where to place the bowls, where to stand, how to determine the number of shots, measuring, jack / bowl in ditch, etc. Introduce imagery to the new-player s delivery-routine, but asking him/her to imagine standing on the mat, delivering the bowl and watching the bowl travel up the delivery-line, turn and stop exactly where s/he would like it to. This should happen before the player actually steps onto the mat, crossing the decision-line (see Error! Reference source not found.). 14. Practicing Teach the new player how to do the memory exercise Appendix C: Jack 03 and explain why it is important. An additional exercise to add to the new player s exercises is Appendix C: L&L 04, as this brings memory, line, length and focus into the delivery-routine. These will allow the new player to continue the memory training necessary to accomplish consistency. 15. Bounce Game Organise a game of trips with 4 other club mates the new player plays lead and the coach plays 2 nd outside of regular tabs-in sessions. All players should understand that the game is a lesson and will be stopped when necessary for explanations, demonstrations, etc. Coaching Tip: This allows the new player to understand more about how the game is played, without the pressure of having to perform around new people in a tabs-in game; it also ensures that the new player knows some of the club members prior to participating in a regular tabs-in session. Also encourage the new player to purchase the Laws of the Game and read this at home regularly, and keep in the bowls bag for easy reference. Ensure that the new player understands the clothing requirements prior to playing the first tabs-in game. Give the new player a membership application form to complete and explain the process that will take place and how the costs are made up. (Welcome brochure Appendix A) 1 jack 2 mats Scoreboard Chalk Ditch-markers Measures & Props 2 jacks 1 mat Regular game setup 45 90 8
16. Revision Allow the new player to indicate areas of insecurity and devise activities to meet these particular needs. The coach should also have noted areas to work on in private, during the bounce game. 17. 1 st Tabs-In Game Meet the new player and take him/her through the process of entering a tab in the draw. Ensure that the Tabs-Master is aware that you need to play front-rank on the same rink as your new player. Introduce the new player to other members while awaiting the draw. Explain to the player how the tabs-board works so that s/he understands how to read it in future, to find where s/he should be playing, and who s/he will be playing with. During the game, quietly explain what is going on, but do as little technique coaching as possible, as the player needs space to adapt to the new environment. 18. Follow-up Approximately one month after the new player has started playing bowls, arrange a follow-up session to tweak any faults that may have crept into the delivery routine and to answer any questions the player may have from the past month s experience. 19. Marking & Singles Teaching the new players at the club the basics of marking a singles game, by allocating 3 to a rink 2 to play and one to mark, rotating the positions after 4-6 ends. The new player needs to know the duties and etiquette pertaining to a marker of a singles game e.g. measuring, where to stand. Enlist the assistance of qualified technical officials for this, especially if you are not a qualified technical official. The new player also needs to understand what s/he can and cannot do during a singles game. Coaching Tip: Only do this shortly before these players are due to play, for example, the club novice singles competition. Various resources may be necessary Regular game setup 60 Variety 60 Regular game setup Score-card and pencil with eraser Measures & props 90 9
Note: Each session should be no longer than 1 1.5 hours in length. The above is a recommended sequence that is known to achieve success. However, it needs to be adapted to the needs of the player; each player will be different, with different needs. This plan is meant as an aid and is not prescriptive. A possible series of 5 lesson-sessions, would break up the above plan as follows (numbers referenced refer to the number in the left column of the plan): Session Activities Notes 1. Lesson 1 Numbers 1 8 End with 1 end up and 1 down, with the new player playing four bowls to a delivered jack 2. Lesson 2 Number 4 Number 6 (15 minutes) 1 end up and 1 down (discuss line and line-adjustment) Number 1 exercise each from Numbers 9 & 11 3. Lesson 3 Number 4 Number 6 ( minutes) Numbers 9 & 11 (introduce new goal-oriented exercises) 4. Lesson 4 Number 4 Number 6 (5 minutes) Numbers 13-14 5. Lesson 5 Number 4 Number 15 6. Revision Number 16 7. 1 st Tabs Game Note suggestions in Number 17 Coach encourages sequence for each delivery, without mentioning the delivery-routine. Laws: Mat, foot-fault & jack-length New player should put in at least 1 hour s practice on his/her own before next session. Coach explicitly introduces the delivery-routine in this lesson. New player should put in at least 2 x 1 hour practices on his/her own between remaining sessions. Coach plays singles against new player with the handicap of playing with the other hand if possible, to ensure that the new player scores too! 8. Follow up Number 18 Coaching continues indefinitely and follow up sessions should be held at least every 6 months with players working on developing their skills. 9. Before Club Singles Number 19 This session should be done shortly before new players play in their first singles competition. At the end of each session, ask your players how they feel and listen carefully to what they say, as this can give you cues for designing your next session. Make a definite appointment for the next session, to ensure that follow up sessions are not vague events that may or may not happen in the misty future. There should be a fairly short period, preferably two or three days between the 1 st and 2 nd sessions, with slightly more time between the remainder in order to allow the player to practice independently. The reason for the short break between the 1 st and 2 nd sessions is to reinforce all the new concepts learned in the 1 st session, before they are eroded in the mind of the player. Coaching Tip: Print, cut out and laminate the cards provided on CD. Give one to each player when you discuss the-delivery routine. This reminder could be useful to any player, especially when things are not going quite right the common phrase is go back to basics and this card may help calm down frustration and get the player back to basics [113]. A beautiful, tranquil picture could be laminated to the flip-side of the card, to help the player relax.