Pre-Mat Routine Video

First, any video on Bowls is good and promotes the sport or an aspect of lawn bowls performance.  However, sometimes we cross a video which on first view seems to be nothing, or offer very little of interest to a active lawn bowler.

. The Coaches's Den episode 5 by Australia Bowls  is  prepared by Steve Glasson, the Australian national Coach and as a coaching educational video  in a short series is probably prepared  for a beginning Lawn Bowls audience. My blogs attempt to suggest to  readers how they can improve their bowls ability, and I attempt to show subject which will make the reader think about how to improve their sport.

 This Video, at first glance appears as if  this is an introduction to a few great  Australia's Jackaroos stars, as  as  Steve Glasson explained the video as it  " is all about pre-shot routines" and "here are some Australian Super Stars showing how it is done". First star is  Aron Sherriff  doing his one bowl juggle from hand to hand, we wonder if the subject matter is worst the watching.

First, I often refer to this part of the Bowl's delivery as "Pre-Mat Routine" although here we hear it referred to as "Pre-shot Routine". The difference is whether you prepare all your mental (Visualization) and physical preparation (Bias, grip etc) before going to the Mat. Yes, you do most of the  shot preparation before your actual delivery or "Shot". Australian refer to "Shot" as all the actual performance of the delivery components that have given those final result. (including bowl's weight and line)

In the detail explanation of the seven Australian athletics we first overlook their nervousness and off-the-cuff comments and look at each individual delivery for what they offer us in their analysis of their own style.  For example,having just finished a blog (4 parts) on "Walking the Mat" (Episode 5 of Coaches den), we find Lisa  Phillips actually explaining a bit of her Post-Mat analysis of her just finished delivery as she plans to " Walk the mat"  in the next shot ( if needed) instead of changing the line.

Aron Sherriff - Bowls Central Coast website writes " At just 25 years of age Aron Sherriff rewrote the Bowls Central Coast record books when he became the first player ever to take out all four Zone Championship titles in the one year.  ie Singles, Pairs, Triples and Fours. The “Grand Slam” is a unique achievement and in winning these four open titles he also became the most prolific winner of these Zone championship titles having captured an outstanding 19 titles 

First important fact.. as in the video he says "Once their bowl comes to rest, (the bowl of the just bowled player) I am already preparing myself",  Saying that the Pre-mat Routine is to prepare " yourself Mentally for the delivery. "Bowl in Hand, everything ok." "Know my line" " Point my feet" "Set my self" "Find my weight" and finally ... "Then just delivery the bowl"

Aron Sherriff checks bowl

 

 Remember a video is visual and auditive and we watch we are also incline to be distracted by the details as we listen.  But what did we miss on the visual ?.  Photo at right show his instinctive checking of his finger on the bowl and the verify the wanted bias. This habit, after many years is done so automatically tha he does not think to mention he is doing it in his  Pre-Mat Routine.

Secondly, His comment of "Set my self" "Find my weight" "Then just delivery the bowl" are all short remarks as he does them. They are for some new bowlers a very big job. The video is nice as one can see it is a distraction of his style and although to "getting his point of line"  (photo below) indicates what type of line he uses. (look up Point of Line) He even explains his self- analysis  of his line and weight.) His form  and style of delivery has the unique use of the left hand and fingers on Bowl (I believe this is a subconscious discipline of concentration). On a national Team and instructions of National Coaches is the development of "Mental Controls" and Disciplines. To be talking to the audiance as in a video means he is not in his zone of  "Mental Controls".  As part of leaving the Pre-Mat Routine is to go to the mat and "Get back into the Zone".

  So as you watch this video you must divide the actual pre-delivery and the distraction of the video on the individual bowler's style. You will see Aron do his pre-shot routine (two fingers of left hand on bowl) but we also see his distraction (raised hand to indicate his conversation) and then return to his self-discipline as he does his concentration on his delivery. Watch the face after the delivery for a reaction and you can be sure he is not extremely satisfied with the results... Making a video while bowling does not produce great bowls.

 If at this point of this blog you are reading and have not click on the link to the YouTube Video, please take time to watch the video. Or after reading the blog and watching the video go back and look closely at the fine points of the video.

Robbie Dobbins  won a gold medal in the fours at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane ( with Keith Poole, Bert Sharp and Don Sherman.

In a  2016 special edition of  the Australian "On the Greens"  he  wrote after the death of Keith Poole "Now there are only two of the original team left, Don Sherman and myself." and  "At this present time, I have been appointed the National Team assistant coach to Steve Glasson, where the two of us have once again teamed up to assist the Australian team in preparing for the World Bowls Championships to be held in Adelaide in November". 

Robbie has two important things mention in his Pre-mat routine.  "Wait until call" or instructed to Bowl: and Prepare "Bowl in hand" while his indication of Line is as to his "Reference Point". Interesting is he takes his reference point from 3 or 4 steps behind the mat and then to to the mat.  "From then on my whole concentration is what weight I want to use".

Again we see the left hand fingers to the delivery arm or hand.  Here in Canada we often see the hand on the knee during delivery. But even though the video is a distraction we see the concentration on line and weight which makes great athletics.

With the greatest of the Australia's Jackaroos stars Bowlers a lot can be found in this video if one looks closely. Look beyond the verbal explanation as these greats have habits of delivery which are not likely to be mention. Each clean their bowl, and each use a Post-Delivery Analysis but it is sometimes mixed in their detail.

We have only  looked at two athletics's contribution to this video and if you look at the career and  profile of any of these 6 individuals there are many years of bowls and medals. Some have special things to teach which can not be found in words, like Lynsey Clarke who being seven months pregnant took silver at the 2015 Australian Indoor Bowls Championships and still had a impressive positive attitude  about her performance (as told in the Gold Coast Bulletin.)
The purpose of this blog was to say "Don't look or listen to the obvious but look deeper and you will see small jewels of advice.

Matthew Flapper (and Aron in Background)

This photo capture of Matthew Flapper shows many things. First, no where in the video do we see the jack but I believe this photo of Matthew shows his long step as he deliver to a maximum distance jack.  Also, in the background is Aron Sherriff and his after delivery image certainly was not shown in his section of the above mention video.  I expect that after watching this video you as the viewer at a local competition will began to watch the Pre-mat and Pre-shot routines of the players.  Of course, you will also question your Pre-Mat routine and develop one if you realize that you do not put a lot of importance on it.

Also Matthew says "Feet are RIGHT on the mat" just before delivery.  I think he may have been concern about earlier calls on "Foot Faulting as we see by the photo at left. (very close to off the mat.)

  No... it is not Foot Faulting but the lesson is ... with a long jack and the extended step to increase body movement during delivery (which adds weight to the delivery)  you should be careful not to be too much near the front of the mat.
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