Under development July 14
Patience. Jack roll and Muscle Memory
The "Lead" in a Lawn bowls Team has three unique responsibilities. 1 - Place the Mat, 2- Roll and Center the Jack at the Skip's requested distance; and 3 begin to Build the next head. Although this building may be a game strategy of the skip, it is the bowls of the leads (both teams) which defines what successful efforts will prevail.
In the first part of this two part blog, we saw an experienced Lawn Bowl's Skip who was playing in the role of a " Lead' as being unable to roll a jack without it going "Out of Bounds". Several times in a single game.
In clubs where the coaching is too quickly trying to get the new club members on the green and playing the game; we find the basic instruction on the skills of a "Lead" are being skipped or incompletely presented. As you read this as a beginning Lawn Bowls player with only a few years of "Bowls" experience, it seems that it becomes your responsibility to develop these missed skills. Otherwise, like the first blog's lead, your instinctive performance will be slowed by performance failures caused by inconsistance of performance.
To grow better in your sport your progress must be build upon improved skills which lead to the development of unique abilities and and strategy.
1 - Placing the Mat - As the end of play is started the "Lead" takes the mat and places it on the green in a legal manner. To be Legal the mat must be beyond the "Mat Line" which is indicated by "Line Markers" on the side rink boards at 2 meter distance from the "Back Ditch". The "Front Ditch", which is up the green in front of the "Lead" at about 30 meters away and depending upon the placement of this mat in this 21 meter location; the jack may arrive between the distances of 21 meters to 29 meters when rolled and centered.The placing of the mat may be as simple as placing the proper up-side to the more complex task of being able to roll a short jack distance with the jack finally placed on the rink's "Respot" mark.
Starting with the need for the center of the mat to be on the "Center Line" of the rink if such a line has been drawn up the rink, one the mat has been placed and the jack rolled it cannot be moved forward or back form that location. If the rink does not have a "Center Line", the first task of the lead is to request the mat be identified as properly placed by the skip.
Standing behind the mat, the lead watches for the signal from the skip that the mat is properly placed on center line. If the "Correct" signal is given (usually both hand raised over head line a "Y" by the skip; The "Lead" steps to the mat and prepares to roll the jack. If the "Correct" signal is not given by the skip then the lead waits for instructions on the needed movement of the mat as it is centered. With hands at "face Level" and seperated the distance the mat must be moved, the skip moves both hands in the direction the mat must be moved. When the mat is properly centered the skip will give the "Y" signal to the lead.
The opponent "Lead" who is standing behind the lead placing the mat verifies the mat is Centered and Legal. At this point it is imformation collection that the opponent lead in responsible to collect. If after the jack has been thrown and centered the opponent "Lead" considers the "Mat is illegal placed" He should signal his skip. The common hand signal for a "Illegal Mat Placement" is a flat hand tapping on the top of the opponent's head. The Opponent Skip is not required to action this "Illegal Mat" and after the first bowl of the end of play is delivered it can not be contested.
I once had a lead tell me as I was playing "Vice" or "Second Player" on the team, that he had told the skip several time that the mat was illegal and that the skip did nothing. I later asked the skip if he saw the "Lead" indication the mat was illegal and he replied, "Yes, I will call for a measure if I need to take possession of the mat." He waited until several ends later and called for a measure and now with position of the mat, placed the "Mat" and "Jack" at the distance he wanted and went on to collect a big end of points and finally win the game.
A quick introduction here to the five parts of a delivery whether a jack or a bowl.
1- Pre-Mat - Before going to the mat prepare material and information. (in a jack roll you need the jack and to know who is to decide the location of the jack to be send that location. The skip, yourself or a plan of practice saying what to practice.
2- Pre-Delivery - Being on the mat you are creating a path of action. Looking at the jack in hand is what will be thrown and looking at the plan or person is where it is to delivered. Knowing the plan is like a written instructions for the mind.
3- Delivery - Like an object will not roll until it is pushed the mental pushing of the jack is a thought of "Jack",(looking at jack in hand), "There" (the location where the jack is to go), and "Trigger". (start of action, a false arm movement followed by the actual delivery)
4 - Post-Delivery - After the jack has been rolled or thrown, all the data in seeing it roll up the green. (if bounced, some distance lost, it should roll straight and if not a condition of the green which is data for a better bowl delivery on that same green.
5 - Post Mat - As the jack stops and you prepare to leave the mat the actions of centering the jack with the skip being told where center line is correctly placed. If there is no centering of the jack your thoughts on where the jack has stopped.
Actions: - These 5 actions are all a sequence of events from preparing (off the mat) to finish the centering of the jack (or not) and leaving the mat because you are finished
Pre-Mat Jack Roll - Standing behind the mat the lead should haved picked up the jack and now watching for communication from the skipé If the skip indicates the distance it should be identified as a number (25 for 25 meters) Now knowing the distance and how you are going to roll the jack to that expected distance. Knowing the distance, the lead prepares to roll the jack and like in a Bowl Roll decides his abilities and intentions. If as a new "Lead" you have weakness or difficulty with the Jack roll at certain distances, this is the time to do "Self-Talk". Example "I got to hold the jack between my three fingers and thumb" or "I often bounce the jack at that distance, it is better to bend my wrist and roll the jack with a wrist flick." (this is Pre-Delivery thoughts).
Because you want to have only your "Jack Roll" performance when you are on the mat; the various thoughts and actions before and after your instinctive Jack roll, are placed in what would be consisted as Pre-DJack Roll and Post-Jack Roll Routines.
Pre-Delivery Routine - Ready to roll the jack, Step to the Mat, the movement of delivery of the jack beginning. You should be hold the "Jack" in front of yourself, (as you start your "Jack Roll") look at the jack, look at the method of holding the jack, look up the green, look at the target "the foot of the skip", look back at the jack, do a false arm-swing and "Deliver the Jack up the green" as you look where you want to have it go.
Each person develops some habit of playing with the jack in their hand before doint the "Jack Roll". This "Trigger" action tells the mind that the "Muscle Memory" or instinctive performance is tohappen. You will have your habit of feeling the jack. each of us do. I actually had one skip tell me when she was "Lead" in a competition, she would moved the jack in her hand. so as to place the "writing" upward as part of her Pre-Jack roll routine Some people roll the jack between their fingers. These "Trigger" action or Routine are mpre for "Focus" and concentration on what you are doing is serious. But also is a point where the subconscious mind (Muscle Memory) starts the instinctive roll of the "Jack ".
Because, you have only the "Jack Roll" when on the mat and your grip of the jack was prepared before you when to the mat, your actual delivery of the jack over several times and practices will develop a "Muscle Memory". At this point your Jack Roll is finished.
Because when doing your Bowl Delivery you are only on the mat when completely ready to do your delivery and You leave the mat when finished it is now good to learn to leave the mat after the Jack has been centered. Yes, the jack should be centered with you on the mat.
This action routine is how a "Jack Rolling" instinctive abilities ("Muscle Memory") is developed. How much practice should be how good you want to be. Muscle memory often is based on the jack roll and your satifacation. Often the lead's reading of the Skips Body language as to the success.
Post-Mat and Pre-Mat combined - Because you will do your Bowl Delivery after you leave the mat from the "Jack Roll" the Post-Mat "Jack Roll" information will become your "Pre-Mat Delivery" information. example - the distance of jack (the number), any strange movements of the jack during it roll (even the speed as to what you though it should have gone and did not) are your Bowl Delivery information....
. With this information collection finished and you thinking ( and maybe analysising it); you have began what we call "Focus" which in reality is simple thinking of "What I want to do" and How am I going to do it".
Centering of the Jack - Standing with both feet on the mat and in the center of the mat. see the "Center Line" Marker at the "Back Ditch" and indicate with two open hand the distance the jack must be moved. Move the two hand in that direction. As the jack is moved, return the two hands again directly in front of your face and show the new distance the jack must be move and the direction. It that distance is very small you can also do a finger movement to indicate a "Roll of the Jack" and in what direction.nce placed on the green and the "Jack Rolled" it can not be moved ahead until the end of play. Once the jack is rolled the "Jack" can be declared illegal if. 1 - the jack is rolled into the "Rront Ditch or "Out of Bounds" (left or right side) 2 - the jack does not pass the mimunim distance of 21 meters from the front of the mat (indicated by a marker called the "Hog Line". 3= the Mat is placed on the green illegally (not beyond the 2 meters from the ditch) 4- the "Jack" is interrupted by a player, object or animal/bird.
In all cases of a illegal Jack Roll, the jack is returned to the Lead who will then passes it to the opponent "Lead". Because the opponent team now have "Control of the Mat" they can place the mat at a new location as long as it is in a legal placement. (This usually a decision of the skip who request the new distance or allows the mat to be left when it was originally placed.)
who can place the mat at any legal distance and roll the jack to a Legal distance. If both "Leads" roll illegal jack then the jack is spotted at the "Respot" which is also at 2 meters from the Front Ditch, Once the "Jack" is properly centered the "control of the mat is returned to the first Lead to have rolled the illegal jack. This "Lead
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