For the Bowls Season 2026 I will attempt to do shorter blogs addressing one theme or principle. Today, the new lawn bowler can find almost any instruction of Lawn Bowls on Youtube by very knowledgeable coaches. Over the last 10 years my blogs have captured many of the un-taught skills that you can develop.
The blog stats this last week show a one day visit of over 800 readers and the topics they found of interest. Such selected items are usually because a club coach has suggested that their members check out that particular blog.
Last "Thursday Practice" after the game play I told Jim that I was impressed to see his performance and that I expected he would learn fast. He replied that his "Off-the-Mat" Preparation was from a YouTube video he had viewed and that his "Down Low" Delivery was easy because of his winter sport of Curling. For several years I have suggested to club executives and here in blogs that new members needed more than two or three session of coaching. The future of Bowls and the life of the club depends upon these new members who are interesting in Lawn Bowls.
The four blogs listed above are a reference to the type reader, The "Tina Meter" is a blog about the green speed changing 3 times over an hour and of interest to skilled athletic who are seeking a trick to save a bowl rolled badly and corrected afterward. The second blog "Measuring which bowl is shot" looks at various tricks vice (Mate) can use to decide which bowl is shot. The other two blogs are an opinion of a "Timeout Rule" which in a time game where the umpire has wasted time and it has prevented the team from getting that extra end of play completed. The "Successful Percentage" is being able to read the head and seeing an almost impossible to miss play. Of the 180 blogs almost everything is covered and discussed. (sometimes too long)
In the past 10 years. I have seen club coaching of new members move from a "Detail Course" to a "All in Three" Course. When I took my Coaching Instructor Course we were shown what was a "Detail Coaching" Course. At that time, in the late 90's, new coaches were given the layout of a 10 session introduction of Blowls for a new member. Everything from the delivery performance to the local and National Sport organizations. It was usually about 5 weeks and probably 2 sessions a week with each session having a guided practice session.
The guided practice session started with warm-up exercises and one-on-one coaching using club volunteers. Now, here in Canada East we find more of a "All in Three" Course given to new members. No way, in my opinion,will three short 2 hour sessions build within that new member a love of bowls which will prepare them for a meanful first year experience. Every spring, we recruit new members but it is only this one chance to created a life time Bowler and member. Our sport can only survive with a 75 percent long-time membership and 15 percent new members learning Bowls and returning the next few years. Also all clubs have a 10 percent visiting membership as activities and facilities draw from other clubs.
Yes, there is "Support Coaching" during practice or Game play, for many years club games had forbidden coaching during play. A new type of "Game Practice" has in recent years developed where "Team Coaching" is part of the game. The objective may have switched from detail teaching of the basic to a "Get them to the Green" with "Team Coaching" now offering new members the needed help while learning from actual play. The problem with this structure is now everyone with more than a few years experience is an expert and advising on the mistakes made by the new members. The old method was.. "Schooling" and "Play" as to now the whole two hours of game play is all the time having someone telling you what you are doing wrong. Not much fun if you have experience such a game.
Is this a better coaching ? No, I don't believe so because as an athlete advances to another level of ability they need qualified coaches for that type of support. I still see Coaches I know who were certified and even one or two "Level 2" coaches but for the other three level of coaches they are rare in local clubs here in Eastern Canada.
When Coach.ca, the Canadian multi-sport federation for coaching needs an instructor for a Level 2 or Level 3 instruction seminar they go to Soccer, Hockey, or Baseball to find their Level 4 instructors. (Level 2 is Correction Coach, Level 3 is Competitive Coach while Level 4 is International Coach, they are the most knowledgeable. A Level 5 coach or Sport Psychologist working with the Medical support staff exist in Australia and United Kingdom but certainly does not exist in Camadian Lawn Bowls. Actually, a few years back Bowls Canada brough from Australia their best coach Steve Glassor for the Canadian team training.
The life of our clubs which now are seldom able to celebrate a 50th year of Activity because they have lost the municipal control of their facilities and slowly move closer to the club's last year, The allociation of sport facilities end up being allocated to a new sports. These last few years the introduction and fast pace of advancement of "Pickle Ball" has been hard on Lawn bowls membership and Tennis courts are now being changed to municipal Pickle Ball courts and their membership are our often our lost Lawn Bowls members.
This new "All in Three" Coaching structure is actually more an "Item Teaching" where bowl grip or Delivery Line was an item explained in light detail with suggestion to check certain Youtube videos.. Today, often my blog have the coach will suggest that there are good YouTube videos and may even give a list to the new member.
In watching recebt "curling Videos", I was surprise to hear talk about "Muscle Memory" as part of "Introductory to Curling" to new members . Point being made ?... YouTube has become the Level 2 coach of clubs of several sports and most of the teaching to new members is left for the finer points to be explained online.
In the previous blog I suggested that clubs had to consider a "Post Novice" program of coaching to keep the second or third year member interested in their development. Yes, a learning club member can find good instruction video on Youtube but it is that one-on-one coaching that is missing with video learning. The major problem with game coaching is the quality of how to explain an error or fault by a volunteer coach may develop a bad delivery which will stay with the Lawn Bowler for many years to come.
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