Communication & Team Signals

A request from a Blog Reader was "Will be playing on a ..triples team this coming 2015 season. Could you write something abut team signaling that our members can learn over the winter. Thanks from the GreensBowler"

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Is this a Team Signal in the photo (Just on the shoulder of the Pointing Circle)

Here Goes showing some team Signals  ---  With a long time Pairs Partner I did the following Team Signal (will explain it meaning afterward ) First Draft before Christmas plse accept mistakes)

Signal - Open Hand, palm facing Player on the Mat..   Signal - Fingers on Chest show recognize signal for Love   Signal - Requested Forehand Bowl   Signal - Did a Crossed Arm in front of Chest "X"  Signal -Pointed to Opponents Bowl and Drew hand back toward Jack  Signal - Showed Three finger on chest pointing downward  Signal -  Stepped to Jack and Side stepped 18 inches  Signal -  Tapped ankle of foot pointing toward Player  Signal - Made small circle with thumb and forefinger  Signal  - Pointed to Jack and moved hand  back to Bowls behind Jack  Signal - Showed Bowls "Ours"  Signal - Showed four finger on chest  Signal - Made Baseball Safe type Signal (hands crossing body left and right)

First reaction of my partner was hand over his face and turned away from the Mat.  So I did it again all in the sme order and movements.   What I was saying was:
Attention  - Signal  Open Hand Palm toward Player on Mat  - Used to warn Signals coming
I Like     -  Signal  Hand on chest to say Love (Sign Language)    Suggesting I will suggest something.
Forehand - Normal Signal taught by Club to Beginning Players

LOVE (You, It, "L O V E")

Be Careful - Signal  "X" or Do Not Do  to warn of danger.
Not to Roll Opponent Bowl to Jack  - Showed Bowl as Opponent and it movement toward Jack
Giving 3 points  Signal for Points with finger on chest point down.
However - Going to Jack.. Suggesting a change in thought about the Jack
If 18 inches wide - Step side way from jack indicates playing a false jack  (as if the jack was there)
Can Get shot     - Pointing to Ankle of foot indicates where bowl should stop
If jack rolls   - Showing Jack (small circle with thumb and fore finger) and movement sign
Back to Bowls - Showing the bowls as "Ours"
Get 4 points   - Showing points up or gained  (fingers at chest in direction of oppose arm
SAFE - Your Choice - Signal of Baseball which I often use to tell Pointer they have choice of Jack Distance.

Safe or "Your Choice"

Yes a complete conversation but would you have wanted to yell it up the green or demand the player come to the Head and see.  Only a team that plays together would appreciate this conversation but it has some interesting signals.

First before doing a personal or team signal it is best to indicate that such a signal is coming.  (the open palm toward the player) suggesting.. Wait a Minute..  Could be touching your Ear to Say "Listen". But the need to have full attention when doing Team Signals is very important.  In triples it is usually between the skip and mate that this communication happens.

It is clear that this Skip is yelling instructions up the green.(Photobucket.com)

In the photo there are a lot of bowls and teams playing and if each is calling instructions up and down the green it shows a lack of respect for the bowler on the mat.  Sometimes a team is faster playing than another and the skip is on a neighbour green with Bowlers still on the Mat next to him..  Check out Mat players when yelling up and down the green Please
Second, the indication of Points up or down should be a rather invisible signal as sometimes the change in the head makes a big difference and you don't want to bring this to the opponents attention.  Especially if the opponent skip is on the mat and the communication is not that great between them.

Generally the Signals are from the head to the Mat Player however some signals are needed from the Mat, such as "Signals Request for Information".  "Are we up or Down ?" "What Changed ?" Distance from Jack ?" (Circle of thumb and finger and other hand moving away and back to that hand). Remember that reading the body language of the Skip or Mate can also be telling you about the shot.
A turn and walk away from the head with out a "great Bowl" Signal  can mean something went wrong.

Signals should always be Positive Communication or Request.  The Thumbs up for a Good Bowl or Got Shot is encouraging to the player on the mat. Indicating the number of points change when something happens is only polite.  Even with a mistake the player on the mat will think the worst or be worried when next coming to the mat.

Remember that the Skip is in charge and his instructions should not be a request but a direction of order of play. The signals taught to novice players are always instructions and not request. Forehand, Frontal bowl, Back Position.  Also a skip should value the efforts of his team mates and indicate the success of shots and points up or down.

Enjoy and hope you find some ideas in this blog..