Positioning
After the mat has been centred and the jack delivered, centre the jack with your hand (never use your foot).
Don’t hesitate to check a dubious jack length (for example, 23 metres for a delivered jack). Have the length checked using the 30-metre tape if necessary.
Your position on the rink is important for two reasons; you should not obstruct a player’s view of any pegs or indicators on the bank and you should also be in a position where you can see and act quickly upon anything that happens in the head. For these reasons, the ideal position is to stand approximately one metre (two paces) to the rear of and one metre to the side of the jack.
Do not move when a player is on the mat ready to deliver a bowl.
Remain on the green at all times if possible.
If the jack goes into the ditch, stand to one side of the rink (not on the bank).

Communication of Information
Mark with chalk all touchers as soon as they come to rest. Put marks on both sides so that the bowl does not have to be picked up to be checked if moved from its original position.
Use bowl and jack indicators to show their position in the ditch. Remove the indicators when the end is completed.
Make sure that you are alert at all times. Try to anticipate questions so that you have the answers ready. When a bowl is on its way up the rink, take a step forward and to the side of the head to check the distances of any key bowls already in the head and which bowls are shot. You will then be ready to answer the next question without having to re-visit the head.
Be as accurate as you can when giving distances. For example, if a bowl is 45 centimetres (18 inches) short do not say that it is 60 centimetres (two feet) short -players will quickly lose confidence in you if you do.
Only answer questions asked by the player in possession of the rink, remembering that possession of the rink passes to the opponent as soon as a bowl comes to rest, allowing time for marking that bowl as a toucher.
Only answer the question asked and be concise. For example, if you are asked “Am I holding shot” – then answer “Yes”.
In general, don’t provide information that has not been asked for! Equally, use common sense. For example: if you are asked “Am I holding shot” and the player is holding two shots, you should say;
“Yes, you are holding two”.
If you are unsure which is shot bowl, don’t be afraid to say that it is a measure. Don’t be forced into making a decision when you are unsure.
It is important to have an understanding of the type of questions which players are likely to ask and to be able to anticipate the information that they are looking for – you are their eyes at the head.
For example, if a player asks “Is that bowl jack high?” and the bowl is not exactly jack high, tell the player how far short or past jack high it actually is.
If a player asks you to show them the position of the jack, hold your hand directly above the jack for a second or two.

Basic Skills: Position on the Rink

Basic Skills: Dealing with Touchers

Basic Skills: Dealing with dead Jack & Bowls