Coaching…. I truly believe in order to be a good coach, you need the understanding of what a coach really is. I stand behind my bowlers and cheer loudly; does this make me a good coach? I criticize every wrong move to point out what they are doing poorly, does this make me a good coach? Do I praise them on every shot they make, good or bad, does that make me a good coach? The answer to any of these questions is NO. Let us look at the definition of coach; “someone in charge of training an athlete or a team”. So while almost every person who cheers, criticizes and praises can be considered a form of coach, there is a long way to go to be considered a good coach. We need to start right from the beginning.

All leagues, youth, adult, Special Olympics, etc. are now in full swing and are all warmed up and bowling like crazy for their leagues. In most cases, other than YBC and Special O, coaching only happens for tournament play. Adults do not have the opportunity, nor do most want the opportunity, to have instruction or support while bowling during league play. This time is spent socializing, having fun and tempting your teammates to the friendly game of poker using your strikes and spares to the best advantage possible. There is nothing more satisfying than having the anchor on your team buying a round of refreshments because he/she was the only one not to get a strike. This side of bowling is the base and concrete for most leagues. The major leagues, or cash leagues, may be an exception where the more serious competitor wants to have the ability to concentrate more and constantly work on improving their game. Missing that strike is like missing that catch in the bottom of the ninth inning at the World Series. This type of bowler creates an exiting atmosphere for spectators should your desire be to watch near perfection and grit, along for the ride in the quest for the best you can be compared to everyone else.

Let’s look at those weekly leagues of youth bowlers and the thousands of volunteers who come out each week to assist. I have spent the past 7 years at the helm of Program Director for our local YBC program. I know what it takes to recruit coaches and the commitment required by these excellent individuals. Do you need to be a professional bowler to coach? Absolutely not! What you do need is a good understanding of human nature, the ability to always have an open mind, and the knowledge and comfort that the information and direction you provide is genuine and includes a very good understanding of the mechanics of the game of 5-pin bowling. (Or any sport that you are applying your skills to)

In groups where you have more than one coach, adds yet another challenge to the game. Too many times have I seen the situation where one coach helps one bowler and then moves to another, at the same time, another coach approaches the original bowler and uses different techniques and may even tell the bowler something contradictory that the first coach mentioned. In this type of environment, coaches need to co-ordinate, in advance, the teaching and training skills to be used throughout the entire league. Attitudes may differ depending on the age group, but techniques and skills should remain intact.

Another big problem I have witnessed over the years is the desire of the coach to change to bowlers’ style. While there are definite situations where it is necessary to change the style of the bowler in order to improve the outcome of the performance, coaches must have the ability to alter their coaching directives to match that of the bowlers’ style. If your bowler feels the need, and is only comfortable with throwing a hook style of ball, let them throw that style and adjust the technique to enhance that particular style. If all situations have been examined and the only option for improvement is change the bowlers’ style, then you are now ready to proceed. Prepare the bowler mentally for what will surely be a decline in performance until they are comfortable with the changes. Unless they are super human beings of another breed, style changes affect the entire game, unlike those small technique changes that hopefully will show some slight but immediate results.

Remember, when coaching during league play, your expertise and assistance must be extended to all participants. Do not use the “selected few” approach or you will soon loss the attention of the entire league. Of course this type of coaching usually only happens during YBC. Not too often have I witnessed an adult receiving on-lane coaching during league play. To be a successful coach, use not only your talent and experience, but also your understanding of the rules and regulations. You must understand the game completely to properly prepare your own players for the situations you will face. When coaching at the competitive level, such as The Open Championships or 4 Steps to Stardom, etc., you must be able to develop a game plan in advance of practice time, and then have the ability to follow your plan throughout. Keep control during practices and use every moment of your time wisely and for the benefit of technique development. I have witnessed too many practices where the bowlers are simply playing games against other practicing teams. Practice time is a time to develop your skill and fine tune areas requiring improvement. For you coaches trying to set up a practice, a good rule to remember is the same motto used by another organization “be prepared”. If you have a two-hour practice scheduled, then pre-plan your drills to fulfill the two-hour period. If you want to have a competitive match, save the last 15 minutes for your team to compete against each other, not someone else. This allows the opportunity for intervention of the coach when techniques and results go astray. If it is your desire to have a competitive match against a worthy opponent, then schedule a time for this purpose; do not use valuable coaching time.

On a final note, regardless of what age group you coach, each person will require his or her own style of coaching assistance. Be patient, have fun and know that your involvement and dedication to our great sport is helping someone else achieve their goals.

Len has been coaching since 1998 and has quickly become one of Manitoba's finest. In 2001, Len was selected to coach some of Manitoba's finest Youth Athletes at the YBC National Finals in Calgary Alberta. His coaching expertise doesn't stop at Bowling. His passion also takes him to the rink on a regular basis where his Level II training helps young Hockey players in Canada. To top it all off, Len has held every position on the Brandon 5 Pin Bowler's Association including the Position of President, which he held for 5 years.