‘Every coach should have a coaching philosophy’

Recently, I was appointed by World Bowls as a high performance coach advisor to the World Bowls Coaching Advisory Group which has recently been established (writes Lachlan Tighe).
Over the past two decades, I have had the pleasure and privilege to enjoy many national and international coaching roles at Commonwealth Games and World Bowls. As a consultant coach, I have influenced coaching around the world and coached multiple gold medallists.
I have also written a bowls book ‘Winning Becomes You in Lawn Bowls’ and I run a very popular website.

Why do I coach?
I see myself as a catalyst to those highly motivated people who can bowl and desire to learn more and acquire further skill development.
What I want of myself, my attitude or philosophy? I want my coaching to give me that sheer sense of inner fulfilment, and utter enjoyment, because – it means something.
To me, those I coach, others who see me coach, those who seek my advice, my peer coaches, my sport, and on occasion, professionals from other sport experience it.
I want players and coaches that I coach, to realise how good they can be. I want to be one of those who relentlessly chase perfection knowing I won’t catch it, but, if I or the people I coach, constantly chase it, we will end by achieving excellence. I cannot guarantee success, yet I believe in my approach and am totally committed to (enjoying) success with those I coach because I want to be the best (coach) I can possibly be.
Coaching internationally
When invited to conduct programmes for national squads, I establish objectives prior to attending the country to be able to compare performance and coaches like the bowlers, must perform against stated objectives. That allows a better debrief of a programme for reporting to the host nation. Here are a sample of such objectives for a coaching programme:
For the player:

1. A programme content that is challenging with relevant intensity and fun suited to the elite level performer.
2. Be able to show the player how good they could really be
3. To energise those highly motivated as he views himself as a catalyst to motivated people.
4. Nurture team leaders/skips to share leadership responsibility.
5. Renewed team spirit by the fostering the value of the front-end team factor.
6. Being innovative – goals, game plans, roles for players, tactical awareness, variety in training, intensity levels, novelty.
7. Gauge that the aptitude and attitude of the squad, of each of the members, moved forward to be better elite bowlers by this weekend experience.
   For the local coaches:
8. Practical insights into different instructional and logistical approaches for coaching.
9. Gauge the skills and mindset of the pertinent coaches.
10. Coaches like bowlers need to have personal goals.
11. Add to the knowledge for coaches as part of their ongoing development.
    For the national committee or HP committee:
12. Include everyone in any session review as it should assist shared ideas, contributions, that feeling of personal worth.
13. Have a comparison of this programme to previous squad training for consideration.
14. Conduct then review the relevance/ timing of the programme content for elite squads.
15. What more could be done for the nation with HP in future.
    What I hope to do in the HP advisor role?
    In conjunction with the coach advisory group, we will develop best practice for coaching worldwide adopting the best from nations current coaching practices.
    The World Bowls website will have a coaching section and information will be shared to member nations in this way.
    Year 2024 should be an exciting period for the coach advisory group as they aid bowling nations in coaching, be it development or high performance.

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