August, 2021

Welcome to the fifth edition of our Coaching Newsletter

FOOPO

If young players spend a lot of time at their club, as many of them do, they will inevitably form friendships with older bowlers. They start to care about them personally and they start to care about their opinions and that almost inevitably leads to FOOPO. I have seen it a thousand times, and though I am prone to hyperbole and exaggeration, that may even be close to the number.
 
FOOPO is the ‘fear of other people’s opinion’. It often causes great anxiety in players as they find it impossible to extricate their sense of themselves from their bowling successes. “If I lose, what will people think?” It’s worth noting and considering.

Conundrum responses

#1
I have always said that 90+% of our game is played above the shoulders. People who exhibit the trait you have mentioned I find are usually people who have a nervous disposition/temperament. Identifying ways to reduce this nervousness is a starting point. Reducing their belief that they are the only player in the rink and that if they have a bad end then the whole rink fails can help. Being supportive and creating an environment where even though we are competitive we can still have fun. Learning how to relax between bowls/ends is also important.  No one can concentrate for an entire game and the ability to turn on and off is key to maximising your time on the mat. Also, depending on the level of bowls the player is at it may even be feasible to involve a sports psychologist as the problem does appear to be above the shoulders.
 
Thanks again for the Newsletter, very informative.

Coach John Emerson

#2
There’s no single answer to your conundrum about being great in practice but not in the game. It could be any one of a dozen issues. Unfortunately, most players and coaches only practice the physical skills which are only about 20% of the game.

Coach Doug McClelland

#3
In the last edition of the Coaching Newsletter, this Coaching Conundrum got my attention! The solutions are simple in theory… but the execution perhaps not so.
 
I’ve had the good fortune during my many years in the sport, to have been under the guidance of some great coaches, professionals & mentors. Opportunities through coaching, especially of our many talented Juniors, has helped me form the views I have today... although I never stop listening or learning!
 
Firstly, a quote I like… “Success may come but rarely without hard work. Nothing takes the place of commitment to training!” Nerves play a big part in performance. The more you practice your skills the more confidence you will have to play those shots in competition. Being a “roll-up” champion is a good step forward but how do we translate that onto the competition stage?
 
One solution to the Conundrum is MORE games, matches and competition! The more matches players take part in, the less impact nerves will have. Encourage players to take part in as many events as they can! I remember in my early days, the butterflies were buzzing around inside leading into my first selection match at District level. I was so nervous that I tensed up, my thoughts were all over the place and it was probably mid match (if at all) that I settled into my relaxed bowling rhythm. Those nerves were there as I progressed in the sport, but because I had competed on that stage so much, they became easier to control and I began to be able to perform as I did in training (most of the time…).
 
Another solution is to put yourself under pressure in training (roll-up). Going through the motions of just ‘getting on the jack’ is great for consistency and tweaking deliveries… but not to emulate competition. 

One way to do this is through the use of drills. Bowls Australia have a great set of drills for their squads which are also widely used by coaches throughout Australia. I have done my own variation of drills too and I’m sure many coaches do the same. Whatever drill is being used, there must be a method on scoring the drill and recording the results. Drills for me, were such a useful tool not only to gain consistency but to put myself under pressure in practice. I was always trying to improve on my score from the previous session. That pressure I was putting on myself, was improving my focus and creating an environment closer to that experienced in competition. 

Another way to create that pressure is to practice against another player or team (preferably of the same or better standard).

For players (like me) who enjoy getting out there on the green by themselves and don’t always like to do structured drills… this is an activity I use. I often draw to the jack with my first two bowls, play a shot (trail, running or drive) with my third and draw again with my last. If I don’t make the “on-shot”, I punish myself by walking up to retrieve my bowl and play it again until I make the shot I was going for. Doing this activity increases the arousal level (pressure) during my practice session and I find it challenging and fun!
 
I’m sure there are coaches out there who have wonderful ideas for lifting the intensity during training and I for one think that is the key to this “Conundrum”.

Sharyn Renshaw NCAG member, former Jackaroo and all round freakin’ good person (I put that last bit in - MB)

#4
What goes on in the brain, travels down the reins - A horse riding quote that I love.

Coach Marilyn Bradbury

Spare a thought

Lack of respect for coaches and the role of coaching in our sport is a common theme in your emails and letters but spare a thought for our women coaches. It is a long-held idea that women can only coach women, although men can coach everyone. Does that sound a little loco to you? It certainly does to me.
 
It is not only players that hold this idea though, when I approached a few females to coach me recently I was told it either wouldn't be allowed or has never been done. Come on people, we need to be better than this.

Light bulb moments

After playing bowls for 28 years and coaching for 12 years, I recently decided to have a go at playing golf. So off I went around the golf course with a couple of friends and thought I would be able to play golf. ‘Hold the stick this way’, says one friend, ‘put your feet this way’ says another. ‘Watch the ball, put your weight on the front foot, use your arms not your wrists’. The perfect experience to make sure I never play again! 

But I had an ace up my sleeve. I knew the importance of seeking out a coach. So, I asked around the club and found that a Golf Pro visited and gave lessons and was very well respected. So, I booked a session and waited expectantly. 

Gary, the pro, arrives on time and looks and acts professionally so I jump right in with my first question. 

How do I work out where my feet go in relation to the ball? I have no idea of how to line up with where I need to hit it. And Gary tells me how to stand behind the ball, pick the direction I want to hit in, look at a spot or a weed a couple of feet in front of the ball, move to the side of the ball and line my feet up parallel to the imaginary line I have just made. LIGHT BULB MOMENT!!!!! 

Why hadn’t I thought of that? It was so simple yet solved several of my issues in one go. So, I practice and YES I can hit straight. Gary also changes my grip slightly but because I am still excited about the lining-up trick I’m not really paying attention. End of first session. 

Next coaching session I admit that I wasn’t clear on the new grip so I ask Gary to show me again. I practice and also get him to take a photo, on my phone, of the grip so that I can check it while practising. And then onto my next question of Gary. ‘What part of the ball do I look at when concentrating on hitting the ball? Do I look at the back, top, front or behind the ball? Where do I focus? I thought it was going to be a one-word answer, but no! Gary says to me ‘Show me your bowling delivery stance’. So, I do and he says, ‘ What part of the bowl are you focusing on’? I admitted that I don’t focus on the bowl at all. So, he asked me what I do focus on and I said I focus on the target or where I want the bowl to finish. Guess what? Another LIGHT BULB MOMENT!!! I know where this is going. My focus is on my target area NOT the ball. All of a sudden, the pressure of staring at the little white ball is lifted from my mind and I am mentally more relaxed when addressing the ball. 

Now you would think that having coached in another sport that these obviously simple coaching points would have been apparent to me! But they weren’t until pointed out to me. Sometimes it’s the simple things in life that make all the difference. In order to build my golfing skills, I needed to be given the first foundation blocks on which to build my skills and knowledge of the game. 

I started to think of my role as a bowls coach. Have I provided those LIGHT BULB MOMENTS to players over the years or have I just assumed they have the foundation and gone on to more complex skills without giving them the foundation. When people take up bowls for the first time they must often be as clueless as I was at golf. And if the coach doesn’t get it right then we may either lose the player altogether or start them off on a very rocky course. 

Thankfully my golf coach knows his business and I have the basics to be able to practice and achieve (with my 43 shot handicap) in a round of golf. I am not yet lost to the game. 

Therese Hastings - Pathways Coach WA 

Quote of note

Ego prevents you from learning from others
Envy prevents you from focussing on yourself
Anger prevents you from seeing clearly
Ignorance prevents you from making good decisions
Fear prevents you from seizing opportunities
Get rid of them all

The Essence of Trust

Number two in the series
 
What is the “personal” value of trust, getting it, nurturing it, growing it and most importantly sustaining it?

The essence of trust between a player and a coach is a personal and meaningful relationship. Trust is full belief in the words and actions of the GIVER, (with mutual benefit for all parties) and no harm or damage to the receiver. Your player has to know (trust) that in all that you ask them to do, practice, diet, exercise etc. that you have their ultimate sporting (as well as personal) well-being at heart. Trust is a two-way relationship, between the Coach and all other parties, i.e. Club Management, “THE Board”, Squad leaders or Senior Players, Squad members and at another level Club Pennant players, or Club playing members.

It is earned over a period of time. Acceptance of you as being a creditable teacher… i.e. you can “walk the talk”. Trust grows with advertising. A demonstrable improvement with one player, leads to “word of mouth” advertising, which is the best you can have. It can be lost in a second.

Don’t over commit – Time and place, actions, are everything! Say what, how, when, where… and stick to it…..forgiveness is fickle. Once, twice maybe, after that… word of mouth advertising will drain your trust bank like sand in the hourglass, then trying to turn that glass up again will be like moving a mountain!

Restoring Trust. Small steps will begin the journey. May be just as simple as an apology. Be receptive of objective criticism Don’t expect to move the mountain with “leaps and bounds”

Trust is inter-reactional, when you earn trust, you have to accept responsibility for your actions. Learn that “all my actions” should be role modelling (Coaches Code of Ethics). The other party has accepted this new “teacher/student” relationship role with the Coach, so nurture and grow it!
 
It is real, however, intangible. How do we measure it? The level of trust can be measured! By asking and receiving compliance/adherence to tasks/requests that are outside the level that you would normally expect from that player or third party. E.G. ask your player to practice three times a week instead of two. Ask the Board for extra funding beyond your allocated budget.
 
The rider here is that you HAVE to substantiate why that extra level of trust is being requested. Should you be rebuffed, Could be one or more of Three reasons; you have not substantiated your reason for extra trust well enough. The player/third party is simply unable to comply (you overreached). Trust in YOU as the Coach is waning, time to work harder/smarter. 
 
So, to summarise;
• All Coaches NEED the “Personal” value of trust.
• Get it, nurture it, grow it, and most importantly sustain it.
 
Cheers, good bowling, happy and enjoyable Coaching.

Pete Davies  -  Advanced Coach

New Coaching resource
(reprinted from last edition)

Like me, you are probably constantly on the look out for coaching resources, books, newsletters etc. Bob Tuck very kindly sent me a copy of his Coaching Manual “Lawn Bowls, The game and how to play it well”. As you can imagine I do get sent a few bits and pieces like this from time to time and if they are not very good, I just shelve them. This is very good.

The soft cover book is 75 pages, glossy covered, and I think it's really good. Bob is a South Australian and has done it all in the admin of the game. The book costs $24 and is worth every penny, I think. I always think of it this way. Did I get one new idea? If yes, it's money well spent. Did I get more than one new idea? If yes, it's a bargain. If I get more than two, then the purchase price doesn't even enter the equation. I think this is one of those books.

I was a huge fan of the maths section. But other sections may resonate with you. There is a good section on practice routines which is always helpful for any coach. For more information you can visit his website www.getagameofbowls.com. The manual is also available as an ebook for $5 and the profits of the online version go to Bob’s club. Just saying...

Collingwood

I bet you have been following the search for the new Collingwood coach with great interest. I am not a Magpies fan, in fact I’m a member of the ABC club (Football fans will understand). What do you think the club is going to prioritise in their search process? What sort of language do you think they will be using in the search process?
 
Will they be looking for someone to “win them a flag” or something equally fluffy? Will they be looking for someone to reinvent the team? Or work with what they have? Or bring in a new game style? All of these are real issues for any coach or any coaching panel. I am watching the process with great interest, keenly listening for clues as to their process. I am a firm believer in the “right process” will lead to the right decision.

The four attributes of a good coach in our sport

We want our coaches to be open to learning. Good coaches are learning all the time. They watch other coaches, other sports, read books and articles and are actively involved with other coaches.
 
We want our coaches to be good listeners. Coaching is a people business. Understanding the needs of players is an important part of becoming a good coach.
 
We want our coaches to have a Growth mindset. The brain is an ever-developing muscle and continues to be able to absorb new information and new skills all of its life. The Growth mindset is integral to being a good coach.
 
We want our coaches to be good problem solvers. Finding a work around, or another way to do something, or a short cut is a result of thinking about problems and situations and looking for solutions and workable outcomes.

The Coach as a conduit

I once created a list of “things” or “jobs” that a coach does or is expected to do. Can you guess how many items are on my list? I will let you know at the end of this article. Suffice to say, it's more than many would guess. One of the really important roles a coach plays in the club setting is as the conduit of information, both formal and informal and I thought it might be worth talking about that for a moment.
 
Often as not, a coach is the portal into a new club for a bowler so it is crucial that we get this right. Supplying healthy, sound, positive advice is crucial if we want new bowlers to keep coming back. I remember when I first started bowling, the Bowls Co-ordinator took me aside after two weeks and said “you look like you could have a future in this game, whatever you do, don't play pennants. It’s the worst form of the game, the bitching and backbiting and fighting, it’s just horrible” 
 
This is not the sort of advice a new bowler should be subjected to or listening to. Regardless of the veracity. I think every club should have a printed welcome pamphlet, explaining rules, conventions, people, etc. New members are walking into the great unknown when they sign up to become a member at a club.
 
We coaches have a great responsibility to get this right, so please, be great. The answer is 73.

Drill types

As near as I can see there are basically three sorts of training drills you can do. Competitive, Binary and Scoring. They each have their place and they each result in different outcomes. A binary drill is a yes/ no result situation, for example if you have set up a drill to ensure the player does not cross the line, they either do or they don’t. I like to use a device to score these like 5c pieces in the pocket (each 5c moved to another pocket when a successful bowl is put down) or something similar. Then there are competitive drills where your player is training against and / or with someone and they are trying to beat them. Then there are the scoring drills like the 40-bowl test.
 
Different players respond differently to each of these types and they should be used with that in mind. Some people don't like competition, some people thrive on it. Some people cannot perform without it. Though many drills can be altered to make them either competitive, binary or scoring, understanding the differences and their uses and also their limitations is a really useful part of coaching.

Advanced Coach Course

We have recently completed the second Advanced Coaches Course for 2021. It was a great group of dedicated clever coaches from across the country who aspire to coach at Zone, State or National level. 
 
The course demands a fair bit of reading and research, then ten weeks of online group learning, once a week and then a written assignment to gain accreditation. In the meantime, the usual WWCC and a First Aid Certificate are required. The course costs $1000 to complete and the next one will be starting soon. If this interests you or someone you may know, get in touch please.
 
The course is demanding, make no mistake, but then so is the role you are aspiring to take on. On the last course we had a few younger coaches, but we also had three coaches in or around 60. Some had studied something after school, but a few had not written anything formal in 40 years. Pretty obviously the final 2500-word assignment was going to be a hurdle for them. However, to understand the discomfort of something new is such a great opportunity for learning.
 
They provided great feedback on the course and I know they will go on to do great work in the field.

Four new books

My bride often jokes to my friends that my entire book collection consists of books with single word titles, and try as I might to defend myself, books like Bounce, Grit, etc do nothing to make my case. So, it was no surprise when “Effortless” by Greg McKeown turned up on my reading list. The book is a worthy read if not ground-breaking. I would think as a coach, if you are having difficulties breaking down the “plotted improvement path” for one of your players, this may come in handy though. It effectively breaks down the improvement process into Done, Delete, Obvious, Gradual and Grateful.
 
The next new book on my reading list is the ever-reliable Seth Godin. His book “The Practice” is book twenty for this much sought-after speaker and writer. His writing style is so engaging and his thoughts are beautifully presented. In this book he breaks down the four people styles as Hack, Hustler, Cog and Creative. You can tell straight away he is all about the Creative right? He contends that people like you and me, coaches, are creative and from time to time will naturally struggle to get our message out there. This book is all about how to get our message out. I’m happy to have any Seth Godin book on my bookshelf and this relates to coaching beautifully.
 
The next on the list is for those coaches that might be interested in coaching mental toughness. Jim Afremow’s "The Champion’s Mind". Jim talks a lot about self-talk and I particularly liked the section on ‘Bounce back” which I’m sure will resonate with all bowlers. It is the stat they collect in golf about a players ability to bounce back after a setback on the course. So, if they hit a bogey, the number of times they can come back to hit a birdey on the next hole. The best five golfers in the world, are also the golfers with the highest ‘Bounce back” numbers. It sounds a lot like our sport doesn't it. Clearly, I had to hide this book at the back of my bookcase because it has three words in the title.
 
The last book I want to tell you about is not new. It has been out a few years now, but I have purchased several copies and I am about to buy another this week. "Everyday Resilience" by Valerie Orton is an invaluable tool for every coach. I have written about it before, but I keep coming back to it, and you really should have it in your reading arsenal. You can buy it online through one of the big retailers or from her website www.headhandandheart.com.au It’s around $25.

Advanced Coach Course

I need to put a line of thinking to bed. The Advanced Coach Course is not about making you a more effective Club Coach. We are working on ways to do that (and you should be too). The Advanced Coach Course and the accompanying accreditation is about bringing you up to speed with the next level of coaching. The majority of the course has nothing to do with coaching at Club Level.
 
I don’t want to disappoint anyone. The course costs $1000 to do and is fairly and squarely aimed at people wishing to be a state coach, or something similar. It is not just being a better Club Coach. 
 
Being a better Club Coach involves getting your head around basic bio-mechanical stuff, and also into the heads of the players around you. It includes building your folder of drills and skill development exercises and watching other coaches from other sports and going online to watch and learn. I would hope any coach worth his or her salt would be doing all of these things.
 
The Advanced Coach course is all of these things but also takes them much further, trying to prepare the attendees to deal with critical thinking, stakeholder relations, personal strength analysis and development, and the development of sophisticated feedback loops incorporating a range of empirical data. It’s not for everyone, and nor should it be.
 
The course aims to provide coaches with the skills required to lead and nurture elite teams and the individuals in those teams. 

Conundrum

The nemesis of every Club Coach I have spoken to, is the ‘table of knowledge’. You know who I’m talking about. How do you deal with them? I’m keen to hear from you. 

Email me at mbeaumont@bowls.com.au.