Triples - Let's get Serious

Today I watched a final game of qualifying triples for two teams to represent Quebec,my province and their Lawn Bowlers; at this Summer's Atlantic Games. All of the four  "Canadian Eastern" provinces (less Newfoundland) will send teams for a week long Lawn Bowling competition in St-John, New Brunswick.

Last month I blogged a problem which occurs when a skip "over thinks their game" and called it "Paula  factor" so I remember to be careful of this error. In the blog, I explained my disappointment in losing focus

 and not having collected or prepared personally for the endgame. When, I was leading 9 - 3 going into the seventh end of play, the opponent's strategy changed to long jacks which my ladies could not execute and over the next four end of play I lost the 6 point lead and eventually also lost the game.  

 This paper in the Library of Medicine is an interesting read on "Focus in Sports" as for the competitive athletic it is the research into the science of sports mental ability and performance. As for our coaches it is learning to help those we have so much hope in bring home their next gold.

This blog, I hope,  will show the value of a Team Coach as I look at the Quebec Atlantic Qualification Finals. This women's game as an analysis is not intended as a criticism, but the after game talk a Team coach would give their athletics. Intended to offer direction of improvement for all players and the team unity. I have even taken the liberty to suggest the skip "Rein in" the Lead which often attempted to perform the role of 2nd. Skips should delegate this freedom or control it with the team's understanding that the team strength is at maximum when there is only one 2nd on a team.

.  A lot of the information presented here is intended only to show how game analysis is performed at the local or provincial level by club skips or coaches. Where I have commented on the first 4 ends of play; please understand that a team coach will take the other 2 sections of play and certainly suggest  improvement. (2nd 4 ends are "Build your Point Lead", and 3rd and final 4 ends "Keep lead or Catch Lost points") Also in many clubs we find pick-up team for qualification competitions but such a last minute team building will never be as good as a team build over years and have during those years worked together to become a precision machine.

 As for the men's Qualification competition which was played on the neighbouring green; it was not closely watch or analysis as the winning team simply overpowered their opponents with each new end of play adding points to their total. At one point the men skip came to the women's green to explain to his wife (the opponent 2nd ) that the strategy should have been defensive.  Finally in the 11 end of play the opponents in the Men's game took their first end and points.

The above mention blog "Paula Factor" is same thing happened with this women's Atlantic Qualification final as they lead 8 to 3 going into the 9th end and lost a big a big 4 point end  and another point in the ninth; to tied at 8 —8 with 2 ends to play to go. Yes it was a hot day and both the team skip and players  lost focus. As one lady said to me, "It was a 'Fun game" as both teams go to the Atlantic" As the title of this Blog says "Let's get Serious" as paying inscription and reaching the "Finals", means "Total commitment to winning even in 30 degree heat. Being the best means never playing for "Fun" but giving 100 percent always. 

Before going on to the game analysis it was best to explain, "what is focus?" Focus is having an objective in  mind each time you step to the mat. Putting everything else, including the weather, and friendship aside and only having your mind  fixed on your perfect performance. We will see, at the end of the blog that game interruption should have been the skips expectation of the "Rules of Lawn Bowls". Especially at this level of competition. I hope in reading this blog the two skips go to their Atlantic competitions expecting less fun and more seriousness. Because Nova Scotia has Jackie Foster who was on the Canadian National Team for many years and New Brunswick has Pat which is not a easy skip to out play. Good luck Ladies.

Each player, coming to the mat should have done their personal pre-mat routine and with it had prepared everything ( their decisions correction or change) for a perfect delivery and a better  performance. Often during this pre-mat preparation, the information from the last bowl rolled (yours and the opponent) will be used as "Post-Mat analysis"  information improves your performance.  "Focus" is a state of mind which competitive athletics use to remain completely attached to a perfect performance.

So let’s analyze this "Women's Triples" game. First 4 ends of play. "Gather information needed"  and the first action is "A close look at the bowls used" and the "Condition fo play". As I walked close to the rink during the "Trial end" to collect this information I saw a very interesting game ahead of me. The bowls of the  "Home team" and opponents' team was of every bowl's bias. There were Wide (3) Normal (2) and Narrow (1), I seldom see or notice players checking this probably because it was possible to see the Bowls' bias with the many 'Bowl roll lines" up the green. It is easlier to look down at the bowls beside the mat but "Trial end" here are only on first game of  the day's play. So, as the "3" bowls ran almost to the "out-of-bound" line and  the "1" bias bowl ran only a couple feet of centre line I was expecting a hard game.   Later we will see how the "Off-center" mat error not called or corrected affected these various bowls during delivery.

Analysis of the two teams showed the lead Sherry on her home club green was the stronger lead, although the opponent's lead Helen of a visiting club was without delivery difficulties, rolling good Forehand and Backhand at any distance. Both teams went for long jacks which was the lead's force and the mat stayed at the "Mat Line" almost all ends of play. There was not a short jack until the last few ends of play.  The Home team Second was also stronger as Louise out drew her  opponent 2nd, Denise on most shots; however, Anna Claire of the Opponent's team was the strongest skip. With several tools in her array of delivery tricks (walking the mat and weight control) she showed her strength, although Susan was at her home club and knew her greens and did great shots.

The first 4 ends of play were document case play as after 4 end each team had given up only one point ends and score was 3-1. However, Susan as skip did not check or center her lead's mat and often a half mat off center line gave their team an advantage as Sherry's "Number one Bias" ran directly up the center of the green.

In the first 4 ends both skips showed an ability to recover shot as each drew tight or did a small tap-back for point.  The seconds's bowls was different. As Home team gained a few ends because of opponent's 2nd, Denise having a "Delivery balance' problem. 

At end of the fourth end of play the 3-1 score was because of the "Home Court Advantage" and the two skips having different bowl bias (3 and 2) but a good start. (Also the men's game and first 4 ends were single point ends.)

Although Denise, the opponent's 2nd continue to fight with her delivery the opponent's skip often recovered the weakness of the team with great shots. As the game came to mid-game both teams were working together with a few exception which increased in occurrence as the ends advance.

Another problem or weakness in the home team is common to may "Pick-up" teams. When I was playing in a "Fours" for the "Governor Generals" as lead we were explained the role of the Lead to get those first bowls on the jack and if the bowls were not what was expected the 2nd would be required to complete that task.  Each player should know how their task changes with the success or failure of their team mate. For example, this week I watched a triple game where the two skips did a lot of walking to the head to check their options.  In a timed game (2 hr 15min) it is the lead and the 2nd who make up the time that their skip need if they go to the head. Bowl well but do most tasks faster. (raking, mat placement, bowls in hand etc). Knowing you are a team and carry each other in hard times.

Very often the Home team's Lead Sherry would be in the head explaining a expected shot and one of her problems was she often repeated herself several times. This character trait occurs when one is forceful of their opinion and don't realize they only give their opinion to the skip, who eventually will make the decision. This also happens when the "Pick-up" team are all skips. It is hard to not skip when playing Lead or 2nd. This occurrence of opinion expressing was less of a problem when the skip had gone to the head as when the skip had returned to the mat she had found Sherry was quite and a  conditions that allowed her to collect her "Focus"

The following problem which I will explain in detail and what would happen if the Skip was to confront the opponent's Skip of the need to address her player's need to respect the rules when she is on the mat. It is only explained in detail to explain what would happen if the referee was to be requested to give the opponent's skip a warning.

However, when the Home team's skip did not go to the head and was on the mat, the Lead, Sherry, was still explaining (probably a second or third time) with hand movements as her skip, was doing her delivery.  I know Susan, who would say "that does not bother me" but "Focus" during delivery is everything. A hand movement catches the eye and the bowl goes off line toward that movement. Sherry, a very serious player and deeply involved, also has the problem of moving too much in the head during the time a skip is on the mat. 

The problem which I had seen earlier when Anna Claire was playing weeks earlier. She missed her final shot of a draw to 18 inches because of movement in the head. At the time Anna Claire opponent was in her line of delivery and wearing white shoes. I explained this to 3 different members of Anna Claire's club suggesting that the 2nd has a responsibility to keep movement or interference in the head in control when their skip is on the mat.

This problem was so bad in this game that Susan and Anna Claire in her last 2 ends of play, both skips missed way too many shots.  At one end (the 7th) Susan missed all three attempts at a "tap-back" or "Cut-down points" and gave up the 4 points which turned the game. In the 9th end when the score was 8-8 Anna Claire was at the head as Susan was on the mat and her 2nd Denise and her were discussion the head with Denise doing a lot of arm-swinging and pointing movement.  Because of the heat, Susan's Lead and 2nd were both sitting as their skip was on the mat doing her delivery. Susan missed the shot and they went into the final end with a 9-8 score.

How to address this problem. Forget "Friends" this is a serious problem as the rules require respect for the opponents having possession of the mat. First, the problem should not have gone all the way to the 9th end. The 2nd who is in the head should be controlling this for their skip on the mat.  If the 2nd can not address the other 2nd ot correct the problem it should be mention to the skip who addresses the opponent skip.  If the discussion is difficult or not successful correcting the problem then the skip should bring it to the attention of the referee who  will check the problem and give a warning to that skip to have her players respect the rules.

Now here is what is interesting in this problem.  If after the referee has given the warning the referee notices the infraction being repeated the referee will go to the skip who had the warning and tell them that they will lose their bowl.  If the skip who was trying to bowl and had possession of the mat has not bowled yet she would be allowed to bowl. After delivery of her bowl the referee will go the mat and remove the bowl which the offending skip was expecting to delivery.

This may seem rather strick but the rules and sportmanship requires that the player on the mat have quite and no interruptions for their delivery.  Of course, a good player will have developed  a habit of leaving the mat during these interruptions which is the first sign that they are concerned with what is happening. A player or skip seeing a player leave the mat only to return should question this rule and be ready to correct the problem.

Another part of this problem which occurs in this game is that the mat stayed at the "Mat Line" and when the Lead and 2nds were in possession of the mat often the next player to play was moving behind them. There should be no movement during the possession of the mat or delivery of the bowl. Also the movement of the bowls,by the next player to play can result in them being banged together and can be considered

interruption.  All athletics should have developed the ability to stop their delivery action and leave the mat until they have regained their focus.

Another suggestion for a hot day game like this, that the skip decide at mid game to accept a small few minute break for water if the referee has not organized it. Remember the rules require that no-one but players be behind the mat so spectators or staff handling water must be 2 meters behind the rink. This is where the referee will intervene and allow for time which might be needed on time games.

My Tina Meter and Changing Green speeds

 We all have our Pre-game Preparation and sometimes, with a very important competitionl our preparation starts several weeks before the competition. Normally for local competitions the preparation  is nothing more than an hour before the game is to start. Photo below of West Toronto Lawn Bowling Club in Canada

 The most common seen pre-game preparation is the players on the green rolling bowls in the opposite direction of game play to learn about the "green speed", I am sure that they wish there was a meter which one simply pointed and then able to read the green speed.  Well I now have my "Tina Meter" which is the lastest mental tool as part of Post-mat Routine. Better to know if I did a bad delivery or to be able too verify if  my error in delivery weight is because there  has been. a green speeds change.  Also now when starting a new direction of play I check for the green speed as part of my  Pre-mat Routine for my first bowl if I am lead or second player.

The "Tina Meter", my latest mental skill to be placed into my Lawn Bowls toolbox allow me to follow the changing speed of the green during game play by simply watching the bowl roll of others.

 A couple of weeks ago I was discourage as I watched a Provincial Qualification Singles Competition at our club with the best of our Montreal lawn Bowlers. After 6 ends of play it was obvious that no-one had yet adapted to the green speed. Why ? Because in that hour the greens had changed speed three different times and all the players were either very heavy or too light in their delivery. My club is under the Airport Flight Path and most heads looked like the bowls had just fallen out of some overhead passing airplane, rather than tight competition heads.

The day of the competition had been a hot day of about 30 degrees and there was no activity on the club greens until 6 o'clock when green"s committee members began preparing for the 7 p.m. competition. About 10 minutes before game time a few players began rolling bowls north-south to learn the green speed as the rinks for the competiton which were setup to be played east-west direction..

The previous week I had given to a club member my "Single 201" hour long course on several things needed to learn about your opponent before the start of your Single game. (This course is for 3rd or 4th bowlers who are preparing for a Single Competition). In explaining how green speed changes and giving my course in mid-afternoon at an empty club; I had had rhe student roll her natural distance bowls toward "east" and then rolled another natural distance toward "west". She discovered her natural distance at 26 meters (EAST) and 25 meter (WEST) although her normal Natural distance on the club greens is 25.5 meters.

 I explained that the sun in the east during most of the morning, had caused the grass to bend eastward, Showing with a bend finger hand how the grass  bent even though rather short I explained that  her 25.5 meter natural distance was now 18 inches (1/2 meter) more because of less resistance on the bent grass. Likewise, going west, her bowl had to rolled against bend-over grass which was offering more resistance thus losing  18 inches.(1/2meter of her natural 25.5 meter) 

This envirorment effect on the green speed and the different direction; which occurs every day and differently for different weather conditions; are an important aspect of "Delivery Weight". Every game you play has a different  envirorment conditions wheather it is the sun, mild or heavy rain or just a temperature changes during the game. And all serious lawn bowler know this as part of their Pre-game preparation. A unique situration occured last weekend as the Provincial Pairs was played in the rain. During the end of the 2nd game of three the rain stop and the sun came out as bright as a hot summer day.  Within 30 to 45 minutes as the 3rd game was started it was discovered that the grass has began bending toward the setting sun (in the west) and green speed had increased.

  Earlier in the day in that competion as I watched in a fairly heavy down pour of rain i  saw that when the players changed direction of play amd the rain stopped; that with the two or three minutes as the teams scored their end of play, cleared the bowls from the green and set up the protective screens and the mat for the next end of play the greens had quickly consumed the rain. But because no players had a Pre-mat routine which expected them to analysis the new conditions of play; when the players came to play their first bowl they were all two and three meters behind the jack. Maybe a good back bowl but not a good lead bowl. The leads were still rolling their bowls for the weight they had needed in the previous end of play with the fairly heavy rain and of 14 lead bowlers ( 7 games of pair competition) only 2 players had a near jack bowl.  The pre-mat routine, if it existed would have asked "Has anything changed since last bowling this direction?" and  the answer would be "No more rain" and expect the player to adjust delivery weight in accordance for this condition. 

As mention earlier about a competition where the Greens had change speed three times in the first  hour of play, one might ask "How can that be ?" This seem  a bit too much to believe; however in knowing and  explaining this situration it will help the reader to understand how the envirorment and conditions of play as they change will effect our game and performance.

First, the day of the competition the greens were fast because of the heat of the day. As players went to start their competition on an eastly direction rink they had a 18 inches or more distance weight for their bowl roll.  But because the game was at 7 pm and the sun setting, now the water surrounding Montreal which is within only a half a kilometer south of the clubhouse.

 Of course it is still a early june with a cold air arrived off the water  toward our club's green.. Players in the 3rd end of play began finding water on their bowls. (condensation of cold air and the hot day greens) which increased the speed of the green even more.(dew as a minor wetness which increases green speed) But as bowls rolled the green in line to the jack and players walked up the center of the green these water droplets became broken and dropped into the green creating a return to normal 'Dew green speed" for  the next 3 ends of play. So now halfway through the tournment the greens had returned to the speed of  when the players had had started their competition.  

You may say, "A lot to think about" but a serious bowler know this and expects these speed difference due to the envirorment. Hot days or Rain or Morning Dew are all apart of the game and we know to expect it. My pre-mat thinking for the first bowls to deliver as a lead would be (east +18, west - 18) as I think how the green speed effect of my delivery weight. Ofcours, I would not be  considering the month as June and how the St-Laurance is still cold water temperature and until I saw my bowls wet with concentration I certainly would not think to add a another 12 or 18 inches delivery weight.. But experience tells me that after three or 4 ends the speed would return to their original speed of the green. 

All players should practice at different part of the day because competitions can be morning, afternoon or evening games. Especially in early morning games where in Canada, the cold night leave a dew on the green and the green slowly gains speed as the day advances. So now I have my "Tina Meter" and I can watch any opponent bowls, or my team mates and make adjustment for the changes in green speed. Yes it is a reference, but it suggest to me corrections to my weight. Ofcourse, if we  see all of the bowls in front or behind the jack it is also likely a green speed has occured as not everyone on two team is going to make the same mistakes of over weight or under weight deliveries.

As they roll their bowl, I begin counting   (1,2,3,4,...22,23,24..) as their bowl leave their hand and is touching the green. My count is my fast school kid count and it only matters because I know my delivery weight per my count. At 20 I have my club green spead and a "Natural Distance" delivery needs nothing added.

Today, whe I see the opponent bowls behind the head and think that the opponent has a difficulty playing that distance; I now count the delivery and see if there is a change in green speed.  How ? On my home club green I know the speed as I have played enough to feel the speed as fast or slow.. My bowl took a count fo 20 before stopping. This is my "Tina Meter" and if I watch a bowl now on another club's green as it roll and start counting on the contact to the green and stop counting when the bowl has stopped I know how this club"s green speed is in relation to my club green and my Natural distance delivery. 

Went out to  a competition at Westmount this week and the greens had several two wheel cart marks up and down the green. We discovered that they had recently fertilized the green as our bowl now slowed down as it became covered with fertilizer.

 With the "Tina Meter" I was able to evaluate how much to adjust my delivery weight. Where previously I might have wasted a bowl or two to discover the needed change in weight I started heavy by two meters. Also I was able to discover if it was better to not clean my bowls after each end of play. My thought was that the bowl can only pick up so much fertilizer and then roll would be consistance. This was not true as more and more fertilizer was possible to be added to the bowls. It builded upon the previous fertilizer on the bowl. Actually the opponent skip had assigned to the lead to wipe and wash his bowls while she waited for the 2nd player to bowl.