He's back! Inspired by the Bulldogs win in the 2016 AFL Grand Final, World renowned Coach Lachlan Tighe has made a brief appearance out of retirement and penned another column for us. Read this month's colum below or access six years of monthly coaching columns via the links.
The ‘INVISIBLE’ team, bowls circa 2016
Players are the visible team - for our bowls club, our bowls association at state, provincial or national level.
My view is the INVISIBLE team is of equal importance to the success of the players.
One only has to look at the Western Bulldogs Football Club (Doggies, or the ‘scraggers as we used know them) and the victory secured in the AFL Grand Final.
In front of millions either at the MCG ground or watching live on television, the coach and his magical non-playing captain demonstrated the sheer weight of strength in character on that podium highlighting the significance of the contribution to the playing team by such members of an INVISIBLE team.
It was spine tingling to watch that moment of sheer character.
An overwhelming emotional post game experience.
The game, and then that momentous podium experience signifying the value of INVISIBLE team members, has been the topic of conversation in papers, on television, and even out and about in conversations in the community.
In bowls I would identify club executive, selectors and coaches as the INVISIBLE team members.
In Canada whilst coaching recently, and in the 5 weeks since back home, members of the INVISIBLE team at various clubs lament to me the lack lustre commitment of their players to the success of their clubs, or in Canada, their provincial / state teams.
I ask, so why choose these players!
In fact to me these players with flaws in commitment are little different to the flawed commitment of the INVISIBLE team, just different flaws.
As some of you know with my style, I am forever challenging the players commitment for them to aspire to be as good as they can be. However if players are doing all the slog to commit, how sure are we that our INVISIBLE team members are concurrently raising their level of commitment to take responsibility, to perform as well as possible in their chosen role in the organisation.
Selector, coach, committee member, it is not enough to have the title as a member of the INVISIBLE team.
You expect players to commit, do likewise being equally accountable and responsible as a vital cog in the INVISIBLE team.
And if not, why not!
Get up (to speed) or get out for the good of the combined teams, visible and INVISIBLE ones.
Let’s all in sport, heed the lesson writ large for all to see from the Doggies/ ‘scraggers
i.e. let’s set our collaborative sights goals and standards as a dual team;
let’s revel in our players successes, their journey;
let’s create a mood around the place of mutual respect whichever team we are in, playing or INVISIBLE;
let’s have the highest commitment from every member of each of our two teams;
let’s value what we saw with the Doggies, ultimate winners, and borrow from the best out West.
Lachlan Tighe, October 2016
Lachlan Tighe Website www.lachlantighebowls.com
Lachlan Tighe email l.a.tighe@bigpond.com mob.0409 532 953
2015
February 2015 Master Class Coach Workshop Lessons - Changing Hands, Lesson 2
January 2015 Master Class Coach Workshop Lessons - Changing Hands, Lesson 1
2014
November 2014 - Bowlers as Players, Attributes
October 2014 - Pressure, Training to Cope
September 2014 - Mental Toughness
August 2014 - Going, Going...Gone
July 2014 - Masterclass Coaching
June 2014 - Missing Opportunities
May 2014 - We Don't Need Coaches
March 2014 - Winners Win with Leadership
February 2014 - Keeping Your Cool
January 2014 - Player Self Appraisal
2013
December 2013 - Skill Intensity Program
October 2013 - Weight Control Delivery
September 2013 - Team Cohesion, Selection
August 2013 - Knowing the Options
July 2013 - Coaching is Communication
May 2013 - World Champions Reactions
March 2013 - Winning Pennant Finals
February 2013 - Training to win
January 2013 - ...Finally, Selectors
2012
December 2012 - Deliberate Practice
November 2012 - Weight Control Delivery Discipline
October 2012 - Using the Second in a Fours Team
September 2012 - Pennant Team Pep Talk
February 2012 - Stop watch decisions workshop
January 2012 - Lessons learnt from attending the BA Hall of Fame Inaugural Award Night
2011
October 2011 - Positivity, Self Belief, Mental Toughness
August/Septemeber 2011 - Alert
April 2011 - Sensory Awareness
March 2011 - Attitude in Teams
2010
December 2010 - Caterpillar Program
October - Lachlan was in Dehli for the Commonwealth Games
July - The Summit - Player Awareness
May - Mastering the Yard On Shot
2009
December - Tactical Skill Decisions
November - What Bowlers Need to Succeed
September - Training Skills for Thirds and Skips
August - Training Skills for Leads and Seconds