The blog Lawn Bowls "Using the Head": Measuring Which Bowl is Shot? (ishi-in-sn.blogspot.com) on a method of measurement of Bowls which was written in March 2013 has been cleaned up and updated.
Bowls is like everything else in life. Baking a cake requires you to do the preparation which may require grocery trip, a kitchen baking session and finally the actual Cooking. After the cooling of the master-piece is the final and most important aspect. The evaluation, the approval and maybe the success. Although you will be extremely satified with the result; more likely than not you will already be making plans for changes in the next cooking session.Same applies at work where preparation for a meeting often depends upon the success of the meeting.
Likewise in Lawn Bowls we require a preparation and after many partial successes and even a few failures (games losts). All are experiences and learning toward the final creation of a great Lawn Bowler "Lead" who is doing more than throwing (rolling) bowls at the Jack..
Later when after many years of experience, the Lead had gone on to become a champion (as lead or as the skip) at a National or International Competition; the memory are often not of the losts but more the excitement of wins which have had such an influence in the game decisions. But all starts with the "Preparation of a Lead" and hard work toward knowing the game and all the potential you have as a team member and a "Lead".
Too often the Leads is put as the first player on a Lawn Bowls Team at club games or competition like it is the position of less importance and has been instructed with "Do what the Skip asks". A Lead is only as good as their teaching by the Club Coaches and their game experiences during those first few years. (here edit June 2025) This week I am preparing a "Jack Rolling Course" because in recent years I have seen shorter and shorter teaching (or coaching) of new bowlers and the first cut to Coaching of New Members is the "Leads responsibility". "Just step on the mat, throw the jack up the green and show the skip the distance it has to be moved to be put on the centre line" is the only instructions given. (end of edit)
As they begin Club games as an inexperience "Lead" they have a lot to learn and I would say "Being Smart, or using your Head" is my best advice to a new bowler. Of course, a "Lead" certainly should not want to out guess the Skip' by doing the opposite of what is requested so communication is important. A "Lead" should never be afraid to ask questions; and if your skip replies "Don't Think just do as I say" then know that reply means "Don't try to be more than just a "Bowl Roller".
The "Lead's Bowls" makes the mixture of bowls in the head which is the start of each end played and a good lead can win or lose a game. There is a lot to learn and it might be a good time to give an example of a "Good Lead" performance which show the final expectation of years of experience.
(edit June 2025) As a coach and being interest in the new players development, last week I went out to a local interclub competition to watch and study our new players. Because our club's women's team was short a player I was asked if I would play for the club. The skip of the triples had just finished my "102 Singles" course on the collection of information which a player can find before game start; and so I was happy to now show her how valueable her performance as a "Lead". (Although she skips for club games, she had indicated several times her wanting to be the Lead in major competitions and especially Invitational where 1st place means shared money.
My first 3 bowls of triple plays were all 2 feet from the jack. Two frontal bowls (at 5 and 7 o'clock) in front and one behind the jack. Object was to read the opponent and my team players on their abilities under a little pressure. Over the first 4 ends of play I discovered my team's second had a Natural Distance of 26m and was still doing Line of a point of reference on the back ditch. The opponent lead was a good draw player on most distances under 28 meters and the opponent skip was triple superior to our skip. Yes three-times better. But had a preference for "Backhand" draws cause her "Forehand" was "Cross body swinging". (The first four ends of play are to learn this sort of information and if the score stay single points then the lead had done their job. Get the information needed for the win but not give points.
Because our skip knew me as her coach, she allowed me to play a "Lead heavy" game and we won after 10 ends of play with a 3point last end on a final score of 9-6. I played the jack distance to my second's Natural Distance. Used my first bowl to push the opponent's lead into tough shots and Forced play onto the skip's Forehand. (with most bowls in front closing her approch she often missed her shot or the draw though a tight opening to the jack. The green had a bad ridge at "first Third" so I brought up the mat to remove that ridge from my second and skip.
As you watch games you will find many times that the lead is building the head. (end of edit June 2025)
The role of the team's "Lead" is often as simply " Place the mat" and "Delivery the jack" with each new end of play. But the "Lead" is not always taught the important these two action in a Lawn Bowls game.
The "Lead" does three major action that win or lose the game. "Place the Mat", .Roll the Jack" (and center it) and "Play First Bowls". Recently, I skipped against another similar age skip and I asked him "Do you remember how we were taught to place the mat and measure if it was Legal distance ? " and he answered " Flip it over 3 times as you placed it ahead toward the matline ?" Yes, that was what we were taught as a method of measuring the correct distance of the mat.( place 2 meters or beyond the "Mat Line". Today we see the "2 step - Mat down" method as those smaller players put the mat illegally and everyone accepts it.
If a jack was thrown out-of-bounds would you simple put it back on center line or send it back to the mat for the opponent to roll it ? Or a"Short Jack" not over the Hog-Line?" and simply kick it a little further. Yes these are club fun games methods and we hear comments from skips of "Oh it is ok, it is only a few inches short or "out-of-bounds"?. Why does a club accept the illegal mat placement of a New member or a bad jack roll? Maybebecause club coaches are not seeing it as their failure teaching or Club executives say "We are here to have fun. Learn later.
Of-course, the rejection of an illegal mat placement by the opponent can only be contested after the first bowl of their is rolled. But the "Leads" should work in cooperation to establish acceptance and communicate with the learning player who might be in their first serious competition and suggest polite help to them. It is surprising to heard that lead say "I didn't know that".
Recently, while playing a club game, with both teams each having new players as "Lead", yes even in a club trophy game; I explained that "A mat which does not have it front end beyond the "Mat Line" is illegal and can be contested by the opponent skip and result in the lost of the jack". After several ends of play, it does my "game spirit" a sincere joy to see the two leads each helping the other to place the mat correctly.
Why the club did not have "Mat-Lines markers (as in photo right) or drawn or the "respot point" not marked surprised me; If the new members was not taught properly or each club has different ways of acceptance of the mat for club game play; how can players find their line off a not centered mat or jack.
After seeing it 4 or 5 times seeing this interaction of the leads, I was so happy that after the game it was my treat to pay everyone their drink of choice. The above photo is from a August 23 2024 Canadian Nationals and shows according to the rule book; the mat-line drawn and indicated with a "Matline Marker". You will be surprise how often you go to major competition and not find matline indication.
Placing the mat is defined in the rules as being on the "Center line" and being at or beyond the "Mat-line". Know these two terms (Mat Lines and Center Line) and their meaning is important. Even if a club's decision is that the Green does not have a Mat-line marker on the side boards or the competition official did not check the green markers; this information should be taught to all new bowlers and Leads.
But I remember many years ago, during "Governor Generals" (a inter provincal competition in central Canada) as I was playing lead, my 3rd told the skip with a sign that the mat was illegal, After at least 6 times in our game of Triples making the sign; he said to me "I don't know why Stephen does not contest the mat placement. Finally, before last end of play the skip called for the umpire and a verification of the mat and with jack in hand, the skip asked our lead to throw a long jack which resulted in a gain of 4 points and finally us winning the game. (Was it good ethics to wait so long ? Rules are rules and should be applied always from minute one to the last bowl of the game. But mistakes and skips are different.)
Centering the Mat before the jack is thrown is another important aspect of the jack throw. When the mat is brought forward several meters the "Centre line" can be hard to identify. So the "Leads in Learning" should be shown "Placement of the Mat" and how to place the mat and then stand to the side while expecting the Skip to indicate that the mat is on "Center Line" and adjust it if needed . New members are shown how to "Center the Jack" after it has been thrown up the green but seldom are taught or shown how to let the skip "Center the Mat".
Placing the mat where the skip has asked that it be brought forward is important, but often we finds that the skip will allows some freedom as to the choice of where the best place to lay the mat. Some will say " as long as it is on "Center Line". ( before jack is rolled). Why ??"
In the past when the use of "Protective Screens" ahead of the mat was less important the lead was expected to do a wise choice of the "Receiving area" directly in front of the mat. The. "Receiving area" is that area of the green directly in front the mat where their team would be placing their bowls as they did their delivery. In recent years the "Protective Screens" are used more often at club games and the lead had a responsibility to find an area of the green in front of the mat without any imprefections (sand, worm holes or even debits). This can be important even if under a protective screen as it can effect the bowl during delivery.
As a lead progressed into a level of competitions; they became aware of many other thing about their teammates delivery. Their placing the mat might be different for how their team mate stand on the mat or even deliver their bowls. Also a left or right handed playing teammates may deliver to a different area of green infront of the mat. Remember left and right handers roll their bowls 2 feet apart in distance (Shoulder distance) and can make a big difference toward a draw around a block or frontal bowl.
As the player is taught to bowl they also learn that some players will bowl from the "center-line" as their first contact of bowl to green; while other players may be bowling their bowls in a standing on the mat which has the bowl arrive on the green nearly a foot away from center line and more off to the "mat's corner".
If the "receiving area" you have picked as lead (and even today will be covered by the protective screen) is always a smooth area of greens, then when their bowls are rolled, there is a good chance they will not be affected during those first few moments of Delivery. Every year as a Leads learn more about various choices their team mates make in a delivery; will result in them asking questions like "Why did you Walk the Mat?". A lot more than just throwing down the Mat and the jack up the green. Many small details can affect the actual winning your game.
"Rolling the Jack" means putting it where the Skip has asked for it. "Unless, he says "Your Choice" which means to put it at a distance where you (the lead) can best bowl. Probably your "Natural Distance". Opps, I hope that the lead has been taught "Natural Distance" and know what it mean.
Don't try to second guess the Skip and decide the distance best for the team or best against the opponents unless the skip has given that instruction in the "Pre-game" instruction. Although, some competitive teams will allocate this decisions to the lead because the leads responsibility is to start a good Head, sometime "Your Choice" means.. "Where ever you can start a good Head". (Photo of a local Montreal Club in the early 20th Century) I used this photo to show that not always has greens been nice and smooth as we see them today.
The lead should practice to roll the jack to the distance requested by the skip. The skip depends upon this ability especially when at the end-game and end-strategy the "Jack Distance" may be what will win the game. Because the lead is the first to roll their bowl after the jack has been centered; they should always watch the Jack roll, and watch for its changes in direction especially as it arrives at the final stop. I was once playing an inter-provincal competition and the jack rolled left like a bias bowl finishing it roll indicating a slight indentation at that location.
With the Internet today, the Lawn Bowlers has a lot of opportunities to learn and make decisions on various aspect of their sport. There was a time in the past when black bowls and white cladded Bowlers was building an image of Lawn Bowls and Club Play. At the time there was also a pride in "Respect" for your fellow players, both club members and visiting bowlers.
Ethics is more than how we doing things but also our attitude toward being respectful of the sport and others whom might make a mistake. (stats right show total views of blog approaching 100,000) over last 15 years)
Opinions on what was right or wrong mattered. Last week, I was playing cards on a website and in the Lobby of the game tables someone accused someone else of cheating. Immediately, the host of the game wrote "In here we do not call anyone a cheater, another incident and you will be banded for two weeks". The individual attempted to explain but before more than a few words it was clear that the opinion was given was intended to show the event as cheating.
The host immediately wrote. "I will discuss this with you but because you did not respect my warning you will be banded from play for 2 weeks starting now" and the player disappeared. In the recent month I have been told three or 4 times "That is cheating" by another club member who did not know what I was doing. The event was not important but I was taught to measure close (millimeters) to the jack and if both bowls are so close then call for a measure.Do not touch the jack because if it moves you lose your bowl as point. What was important was members accusing others of something they had an opinion as not being correct. The rules of Lawn Bowls are easily to understand and all players know what is right in play and what is not. "Foot faulting" is not defined as "that is cheating" but "it is illegal" or "it is not permitted".
This example of a Lawn Bowls Discussion on Ethics of counting the points is an example of "Respect"
A simple error made by a beginning player who is learning and more guessing as to if a bowl is a point or not to be counted. The interesting discussion brought a comment of " I was a 2-3 year player at the time... and the other team's lead was a new player also". "I'm seeing that they have 6 counting bowls! But they are all back bowls so the other lead was focused on front bowls only so he signals 1 pt so I do the same. (We can argue the ethics later)" Later in the discussion the author of the inquiry said " The worst part of this question extends to being too quick to accept less points when you see other points that should at least be measured. and as said above " (We can argue the ethics later)" was answered by the following comment "Ethics does not exist with arguments", There are Good Ethics and Bad Ethics only".
To further follow the discussion was "K.J Top contributor "Lost a tournament because of this. Once the count has been given, the end is over" and " GT Top contributor "My understanding is that once both have agreed no change can take place. It would seem as though both agreed." Yes this is the rule.
The author explained that he let the 2nd point be counted as he wrote "I did not answer the umpire when asked "Did both leads indicate 1 point?" and therefore let the 2nd point be counted as it is a club game and to me a learning for the beginning players".
Also from the discussion came the problem when both leads indicated the point was for them and after the jack was removed the umpire asked that the game be replayed. It is shown in the discussion that because of the time limit the question was that maybe the umpire should have allowed extra time . As can be seen in the screen capture of the discussion group the comment given was "An umpire should not be adding any time to replay dead ends" but is this case a "dead end" or is it an error to be corrected.
Regularly there are questions like this which are simply about Good Sportmanship, but Ethics is not just good sportmanship but also respect for mistakes which happen due to inexperience or lack of knowledge.
Today, 10 years after writing the blog on the 1906 British Lawn Bowling Tour to Canada; a new interest has been forward as I send the original March 23 2013 (Saturday) blog link to Bruce St-Louis the president of Bowls Quebec.
At the time that the Ontario and West Ontario Bowling Associations began organizing this 1906 Summer activity with the International Bowling Board the decision was for a total of 8 rinks of bowlers. This was such an important event that Illoa Bowling Club gave Bailie George Cousin a set of Bowls tagged as " To Commemorate His Bowling Tour in Canada on 16th July 1906.
For those with interest in this part of Canadian Bowls History which is available in the Canadian Archives for the reading; I will indicate a bit of which exists in the more than 260 Diary pages of the "The British Bowlers in Canada Diary". (internet archives) by Bailie D. Willox from Glasgow.
Following the Introduction and index, Author Willox states " that the event ..was the natural outcome of the Canadian Bowlers. visit.. two years previously, (1904) when they played a series of games in different parts of the Kingdom. A strong desire was then expressed that a return match, or series of matches, should be played in Canada" (page 8).
On the 25th of October 1905 a letter to the various UK Lawn Bowling Associations stated " The International Board suggest that the four associations be represented, thus - Scottish Association by three rinks, English Associations by three rinks, Irish Association by one rink and Welsh Association by one rink." and " The Ontario Association propose that the team leave this country about the beginning of July. The whole trip will entail seven weeks" or two months" absence".
Following 20 pages of the diary listing the actual agenda for the planned two months of the Lawn Bowl's Visit to Canada, a 9th June 1906 letter to the travelling members stated " In regard to berths, I have arranged for 15 rooms on the saloon deck of the Virginian. You will see the numbers from the plan...which I sent you. You can quite easily secure one of the rooms for your family. Three will occupy each room , although there are four berths. I note that you are taking your wife and daughter,and I shall be glad to have your cheque for £15, (15 Pounds) the deposit of £5 each which will have to be made to the shipping company"
The diary is well written as M. Willox who had done several writings and prose and even a romance ("Black Jock" (1903)); so those interested in reading the diary you can sign up for www.archive.org with a small donation for free borrowing to read (photo below). The link above and photo is what I first discovered.
"Sunday, 22nd July (Page 38) This is a fine morning, and it does one good to be astir. There are quite a number of early risers here, and , of course, they all find their way upon deck to smoke and crack and move about. or that evening " It became cold and windy towards evening and most of us sought the seclusion of our cabins. The head winds are telling against us, but the good ship manfully ploughs her way through the billows, trembling and trobbing like a child in pain" and then the following morning.
"The sea is a little lumpy, but not bad, even for a landsman. Our ship is making steady headway, and during the last twenty-four hours we have covered 378 miles." and further down we even find a cure for seasickness. "namely, that a cloth wrung out of boiling water wrapped round the head tightly removes the sickness. There you are, ye sufferers from mat de mer. Of course I have not myself tested tis efficacy, not having been sick".
With the crossing over as they reached Rimouski at 5pm on July 26th and Sea crossing chores completed and newspapers obtained, (Mail moved to a steamer for delivery up river to Montreal)
"A cutting from the Montreal Daily Herald dated the 24th July, and, as it deals with the all-absorbing matter of our tour, I give it in full.
PREPARATION FOR ENGLISH BOWLERS Westmount Enthusiasts getting their greens into shape .... Westmount green bowlers are busy o' nights preparing for the reception of their brother players now on the voyage from the old country to make a tour of the Canadian greens."
"The local turf is admittedly in a wretchedly bad condition this season, worst probably than since it was laid. For this the Westmounters are, however, in no way to blame. since the growing weather set in, in the spring, much time and labour has been devoted to getting it into shape, But so disastrously has the gurf been served by the remarkable weather of the winter, that the task from the beginning seemed almost a hopeless one."
"Sudden thaws and succeeding frosts had played havoc, and when the snow cleared, there are a series of bare patches that gave the enclosure more the appearance of a huge checkerboard than of a bowling green."
"In the interval much has been done. For days the patient keeper worked laboriously picking out by the roots rank growths of grass that so plentifully showed as the springtime advanced; for days he sanded and rolled alternately, and played the refreshing hosepipe in long spells of drought."
"Last night many of the members, including Jimmy Wilson and Willie Brown spend much time with sand and roller eradicating lumps and testing the various rinks running both ways of the green. the heavy rain of the day had, of course, softened the turf very considerably, so that the effect fo the heavy roller was quickly apparent as rink after rink was operated upon and tested by the trial ends of Messrs Brown and Wilson".
"Today, again, the green-keeper is hard at work, and will be until the latest possible moment before the appearance of the old country visitors on saturday, but all the same, these will find it a much more difficult proposition than they are accustomed to face at home, where keen true drawing greens are in order." (Page 47)
With such a description from the newspaper the Diary author wrote. " The reading of the foregoing had rather disturbing effect upon some of us, We didn't doubt for a moment the heartiness of our reception, but we wondered how we might acquit ourselves upon such greens as herein described, and under such conditions. No matter, we were bound to see it through, and, come victory or defeat, we would do the best we could to give a good account of ourselves."
And as for the next 20 or 30 pages with detail descriptions of Montreal in 1906 and the elegant Windsor Hotel (pages 48 to 54) and each room described in detail as the Windsor was the biggest and finest of the Grand Railway Hotels. Also a lot of detail is given to the Westmount players and British. Ever earlier we find detail on the order and preparation of the outfits that were made for the trip and social activities. The Diary is quite easily to read in these sections and a great look into Montreal in 1906.
Of course, the Diary has great sportmanship and appreciation of the Westmount Lawn bowling with "A word of praise is due to Mr. A.w.d.Howell who skipped No. 4 rink for Westmount, and his three partners. Playing against Mr. Telford, who is acknowledged to be one of the best skips in Great Britain, and who has won 12 international matches, the Westmount quartette gained the verdict by three points. Mr. W.Brown and his men are also to be commended for their excellent display."
As I am writing this for my fellow lawn bowlers here in Montreal I thought the following stories would also be of interest before going on to list the other clubs which were involved and documented in this diary,
Updated August 12, 2024 Springhiler
Almost anything can be found on the net. But luck means you know where to look. Maybe a blog from time to time can send my reader to the right portal of information. So a summary of Stress in sport as defined by International Journal of Physical Education, Sports and Health 2015 .
As these past blogging years has been about the Mental Strength we need in sports and some tricks toward development of mental skills in our Sports; I realize that often personal affairs in our life greatly affect our performance. With the Olympics now coming to a close and my sport of introduction to Mental Control (Archery) now giving good Canadian results; I spend more time teaching and writing about our Mental Strengths.
"Sports performance is not simply a product of physiology (for example stress and fitness) and biomechanical (for example technique factors) but psychological factors also play a crucial role in determining performance." he adds. One would say we live on the High of Stress during a good Competition but can we go into our sport without worries about the daily events which create a mental stress for us. It is certain that unless our mental health is strong the family events, or other elements of life do and will affect our performance. We must have the strength to remain "Focus" and Concentrate.
"However, every athlete has a certain stress level that is needed to
optimize his or her game. That bar depends on factors such as past experiences, coping responses and genetics. Stress during sports, as in anything else in life, may be acute, episodic or chronic" How does stress affect Performance and the studies of study of Stress by the Yerkes-Dodson Law is expressed in the Stress Response Curve. Seems as Stress increases in competitive activities that the point of eustress, or healthy tension builds.
"As stress begins to be perceived as overwhelming or excessive, the person reaches a fatigue point wherein the performance levels starts to decline. The ultimate end of overwhelming stress, called burnout, can be exhaustion, illhealth or breakdown."
This article deals with the Postive and Negative Effects of Stress and how we should see Management wheather in our sports or our daily life.Actually it shows Boredom with low stress and Health problems with High Stress and discuss various suggestions to confront Stress.
In dealing with Anxiety it discuss how "Anxiety is an essential ingredient of any competitive situation and without certain level of anxiety, there cannot be competitive performance. Neither too high, nor too low level of anxiety is conductive to sports performance." Also for the athletic who has reached that level where he is visualizing his game and his opponent with each part of his performance it offers tips and controls against excess anxiety or stress as we attempt our best performance.
Dealing with Tension the article 10 year old article (2015) says "Anxiety is an essential ingredient of any competitive situation and without certain level of anxiety, there cannot be competitive performance. Neither too high, nor too low level of anxiety is conductive to sports performance". Like any good scientific article it offers "Tension Regulating Skills" suggesting that " An athlete’s tension level in a particular competition generally consists of two parts: 1. his basic tension level (i.e. the average tension level when awake, in other words, the activation level); 2. and the situation rise in tension due to competition (i.e. competition fever equivalent of examination fever)."
And interesting read for Coaches and Athletes whom have reached this level of competitions.
