Today, in mid March most of the snow is gone but the greens here in Eastern Canada are still snow burned and yellow. As usual, I visited the club this week to get an idea how long it will be before opening day. And of course, I will start exercise and bowl roll exercise next week. I have a university running track where I will roll on an artificial surface to develop balance and rhythm of my delivery.
What has all this got to do with " Bowl Video Viewing"?? After the long winter months (our off season in Canada), we should look for a source of Mental Exercise in preparation for the Bowls season. There is physical exercise which we should be getting as we get ready for our opening of the Bowls season,( especially if age is catching up to your joints)
and a valuable spring and mental exercise is to take time to watch online Video or Streaming Bowls and study various aspects of the game.
This next few days the World Bowls 2016 is underway and I am advised that Bowls Australia will be streaming the Last few games of play on BowlsAustralia.com.
When we are watching a local competition we are usually interested in the teams and are just watching the roll of the bowl and "Did it make shot?". But there is more mental development that can be given on watching Videos of Bowls. Because you can rewind the Video and watch ends over and over you can work mental Bowls Exercises. We in Canada are proud of our World Bowls finalist Pricilla Westlake who will be playing in these Streaming games. Photo right was build to help others find the time at home for viewing these games. Hope they eventually end up on YouTube. Livestreaming or Bowls Australia Warilla Bowls for viewing
As a lead we usually do not have much responsibility except to place good shots on the jack. But as you become more of a competition "Lead", your skip and teammates may demand more analysis and study of the bowls, during your idle time between your last bowl and the last bowl of the skip and the end of that end of play.
"Does the opponent "Lead " prefer Forehand or Backhand ?" " Does the opponents roll their bowls up the green Forehand and return Backhand to use the same side of the green ?" "Why? " Can you remember after the 2nd end of play, as the bowls return to the same directions as the first end; Can you remember which distance the jack was or if the opponents were using a side of the green more in that first end. There are a lot of questions you can ask as you watch the video. And if you expected to study strategy you may want to rewind the video to see how the lead preformed the last time they bowls this direction of the greens.
Was watching the Indoor Scottish World Bowls when I heard the commentator say about the bowler " He performed well on the previous two occasions when he played that direction". I also remember a game where the opponent skip said to me " Your team collects points going toward the clubhouse and we collect them back going away in the opposite direction". You can also see this in the score board pattern of zeros as teams mark their ends. You will be surprise how often as a left-handed bowler, I discover that the skips did not know to see if the bowler on the mat was left or right-handed. Or, maybe we all as a lead or mate think that that sort of information it is the responsibility of the skip.
In the photos to left of leads (left side) and Skips (right side) is there a longer step for the leads. Was the shorter step a heavy bowl or just a different in style. (Remember some coaches suggest that to add a little just do a longer step) In the first ends both leads had trouble getting to the jack and bowls were in front. (these screen captures were taken then)
Lawn Bowls is made even more interesting by the fact we go two directions (up and down) during play on our green. But this change in direction causes us to forgot what we did the last time we played that direction. "Why ?" Do we get so involved in our delivery routine we forgot to learn from our previous bowls or ends of play. If a lead in placing the mat is expected to verify that his team has a good "receiving area" for their delivery, do they watch how their team mate delivery their bowls. (Receiving area is that part of the green where the bowl is laid lightly in starting it roll. And best results come from an area without debits or damaged to the green. (moving the mat a foot may be the different in winning or losing a game. Never give your skip a bad "Receiving Area" when you place the mat.) During this one video The 2015 Hong Kong International Classic Women's Pairs, we see Karen Murphy go out to repair a Receiving Area on several occasions. This change in Mat routine, does it change her performance. Out of rhythm ?
The Lawnbowls.com streaming of World Bowls Games (left photo) by Periscopetv.com but requires FireFox or Google to watch.
An interesting point and question. If your team has just won the points and the jack, you have probably chosen a jack distance which is to your teams' advantage. By watching video you can go back and ask this question. If the distance of the jack chosen was the same, was it a good "Against the Opponents" jack distance, or was it "Your team Best" jack Distance.? If your skips' decision was right then when your team lost the end with the opponents making points, "Why?"
In the old days when the end winning skip could decide to give away the mat or keep it, we used the rule of "If the opponent are throwing the jack to our distance, then give them the mat and Jack." This give two advantages. The jack at the desired distance and the last bowl to draw or clean up with a runner.
Mental Exercises for you as skip, second or lead during watching Videos.
1 - Know your opponents. With video You are watching two teams.. Some time during a game of play I find watching one team is hard enough. See the percentage of Forehand/Backhand See the precision leads or skip have on opposite hand delivery. (most bowlers have a different natural (relax) delivery distance for Forehand and Backhand). See the choice of green. Do they use the same side.. thus going and coming with bowls up and back on the same side.
2 - Develop ability to remember to look and see. Is the bowlers all right-hand bowlers and all using Forehands. Is the Bowlers using left or right or center of the mat? Does the Bowler re position on the mat to find a good Delivery Receiving Spot ? (the area of the green in front of mat which receives the bowl on first contact)
3 - Develop ability to remember several ends of information. If one considers that a game has three section of play.. Fore-game to know opponents and green, Mid-Game to build point spread and know strategy is right, and End-game (all are now at perfection of skill) keep the advantage, recapture or find opportunities to get a big counting end.
Watch videos you can remember the jack distance and how the teams did at those distances. You can expand your ability to remember direction of play information in 2, 4, 6 ends. (remember 6 ends of direction play is 12 ends of play in two directions)
I can look at a photo of 8 bowls and remember where each teams bowls are located by thinking of a clock. "10 - 2 o'lock" are frontal bowls while "12 - 6 o'clock" means players are having problems getting bowls speed as line is good..(center line) but different distances. Now apply this to a balance of the head. "Back is Balance" (I see their 2 bowls and my one bowl)
How do you as mate or skip remember the bowls in the head as you leave for the mat to bowl ? I just use a trick of seeing the head as a Clock and develop a mental habit to look and gather a "Clock Picture" of the head. Using this with a Balance (study) of the opponents/ Our Bowls I remember.
In a previous Video viewing analysis blog "Bowls Video Viewing 2/5" there was a "9 - 12 o'clock" gathering of all bowls in the 2nd end of play. I suggested the frontal bowls and to the left were a small hill or "Green Pimple". So also the above 12 - 6 o'clock gathering would suggest the question "Back wind, Fore Wind ??" These view of bowls and your ability to see hem as memories of information we develop only with practice and with video viewing you can work at it and even if need be.. you can rewind the video and see what you missed. Others may only be seeing the bowl which became shot and not the pattern which may be important next time you bowl this direction.
Imagine knowing a skip throws a great runner but only throws "Forehand Runners" One lead bowl at 11:30 is enough to stop runners or force to use Backhand which is not as accurate. And if the lead throws a little heavy, while placing a frontal bowl, it is a nice toucher or shot bowl.
What has all this got to do with " Bowl Video Viewing"?? After the long winter months (our off season in Canada), we should look for a source of Mental Exercise in preparation for the Bowls season. There is physical exercise which we should be getting as we get ready for our opening of the Bowls season,( especially if age is catching up to your joints)
 |
| World Bowls 2016 (Lawnbowls.com) |
As a lead we usually do not have much responsibility except to place good shots on the jack. But as you become more of a competition "Lead", your skip and teammates may demand more analysis and study of the bowls, during your idle time between your last bowl and the last bowl of the skip and the end of that end of play.
"Does the opponent "Lead " prefer Forehand or Backhand ?" " Does the opponents roll their bowls up the green Forehand and return Backhand to use the same side of the green ?" "Why? " Can you remember after the 2nd end of play, as the bowls return to the same directions as the first end; Can you remember which distance the jack was or if the opponents were using a side of the green more in that first end. There are a lot of questions you can ask as you watch the video. And if you expected to study strategy you may want to rewind the video to see how the lead preformed the last time they bowls this direction of the greens.
Was watching the Indoor Scottish World Bowls when I heard the commentator say about the bowler " He performed well on the previous two occasions when he played that direction". I also remember a game where the opponent skip said to me " Your team collects points going toward the clubhouse and we collect them back going away in the opposite direction". You can also see this in the score board pattern of zeros as teams mark their ends. You will be surprise how often as a left-handed bowler, I discover that the skips did not know to see if the bowler on the mat was left or right-handed. Or, maybe we all as a lead or mate think that that sort of information it is the responsibility of the skip.
 |
| Bowling Style of Lead and Skips |
Lawn Bowls is made even more interesting by the fact we go two directions (up and down) during play on our green. But this change in direction causes us to forgot what we did the last time we played that direction. "Why ?" Do we get so involved in our delivery routine we forgot to learn from our previous bowls or ends of play. If a lead in placing the mat is expected to verify that his team has a good "receiving area" for their delivery, do they watch how their team mate delivery their bowls. (Receiving area is that part of the green where the bowl is laid lightly in starting it roll. And best results come from an area without debits or damaged to the green. (moving the mat a foot may be the different in winning or losing a game. Never give your skip a bad "Receiving Area" when you place the mat.) During this one video The 2015 Hong Kong International Classic Women's Pairs, we see Karen Murphy go out to repair a Receiving Area on several occasions. This change in Mat routine, does it change her performance. Out of rhythm ?
An interesting point and question. If your team has just won the points and the jack, you have probably chosen a jack distance which is to your teams' advantage. By watching video you can go back and ask this question. If the distance of the jack chosen was the same, was it a good "Against the Opponents" jack distance, or was it "Your team Best" jack Distance.? If your skips' decision was right then when your team lost the end with the opponents making points, "Why?"
In the old days when the end winning skip could decide to give away the mat or keep it, we used the rule of "If the opponent are throwing the jack to our distance, then give them the mat and Jack." This give two advantages. The jack at the desired distance and the last bowl to draw or clean up with a runner.
Mental Exercises for you as skip, second or lead during watching Videos.
1 - Know your opponents. With video You are watching two teams.. Some time during a game of play I find watching one team is hard enough. See the percentage of Forehand/Backhand See the precision leads or skip have on opposite hand delivery. (most bowlers have a different natural (relax) delivery distance for Forehand and Backhand). See the choice of green. Do they use the same side.. thus going and coming with bowls up and back on the same side.
2 - Develop ability to remember to look and see. Is the bowlers all right-hand bowlers and all using Forehands. Is the Bowlers using left or right or center of the mat? Does the Bowler re position on the mat to find a good Delivery Receiving Spot ? (the area of the green in front of mat which receives the bowl on first contact)
3 - Develop ability to remember several ends of information. If one considers that a game has three section of play.. Fore-game to know opponents and green, Mid-Game to build point spread and know strategy is right, and End-game (all are now at perfection of skill) keep the advantage, recapture or find opportunities to get a big counting end.
Watch videos you can remember the jack distance and how the teams did at those distances. You can expand your ability to remember direction of play information in 2, 4, 6 ends. (remember 6 ends of direction play is 12 ends of play in two directions)
I can look at a photo of 8 bowls and remember where each teams bowls are located by thinking of a clock. "10 - 2 o'lock" are frontal bowls while "12 - 6 o'clock" means players are having problems getting bowls speed as line is good..(center line) but different distances. Now apply this to a balance of the head. "Back is Balance" (I see their 2 bowls and my one bowl)
How do you as mate or skip remember the bowls in the head as you leave for the mat to bowl ? I just use a trick of seeing the head as a Clock and develop a mental habit to look and gather a "Clock Picture" of the head. Using this with a Balance (study) of the opponents/ Our Bowls I remember.
 |
| Bowls in Clock pattern 12-6 o'clock |
Imagine knowing a skip throws a great runner but only throws "Forehand Runners" One lead bowl at 11:30 is enough to stop runners or force to use Backhand which is not as accurate. And if the lead throws a little heavy, while placing a frontal bowl, it is a nice toucher or shot bowl.
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