Meet the World Bowls Coaching Advisory Panel

Kia ora! My name is Graeme Rees, and I am the coach development lead for Bowls New Zealand and a performance coach. In addition, I am honored to serve in the inaugural chair, the World Bowls Coaching Advisory Panel (CAP) a group of coaches from around the world to provide advice and guidance to the World Bowls board, CEO and member countries with respect to all aspects coaching.
As a collective group of coaches, we are passionate about bowls coaching and are driven by a desire to positively impact coaching in our sport.
We are committed to advancing coaching in our smaller MNA’S, building coaching information on the World Bowls website and Coach Development in all countries.
In association with Bowls International, we will be contributing on a regular basis to this magazine and the first article has a NZ perspective.

Over the last six months, 200 coaches have attended workshops from the far north of New Zealand to the far south.
Content covered for new coaches (Foundation) were the following three modules: the role of the coach and coaching context, basic bowling action and extras – fun games, rules, etiquette, health, and safety.
Coaches attending to become more experienced coaches (development): attend the two-day course, complete 20 hours of practical coaching, complete theory questions on how to coach and some laws and they are assessed by a coach developer in a practical session and also provided feedback.
These coaches keep up to date every three years.
Over the 14 workshops run throughout the country, top icons Sharon Sims, Peter Bellis and Mike Kernaghan have provided valuable assistance.

COACHING CONFERENCE
A very successful coaching conference was held in early October with 25 coaches throughout NZ attending. Presenters were from various sports and asked to address the theme
of Critical Thinking on the Bowling Green.
The conference was aligned to the NZ Under 26 conference providing coaches with the opportunity to work with athletes in the buildup to the event and observe them during competition.

Objectives pre-conference was to provide coaches with an:

1. Exceptional learning
   experience
2. Opportunity to network with other coaches and presenters
3. Awareness of what Critical Thinking on the Bowling Green may look like.
4. Exceptional learning experience.
   Some key learnings were:
   • Know yourself as a coach
   • Coach with positivity, energy which enhances players
   • Best coaches are meticulous planners, communicators, evident leadership qualities
   • We coach people, who bowl
   • Training to focus on quality not quantity (overload, excessive time)
   • Training is a safe environment, psychologically, where trust, caring, commitment, challenge, accepting mistakes, fun is all part of it, the environment
   • We never stop learning
5. Opportunity to network with other coaches and presenters.
   • Various coaches in attendance throughout New Zealand and fellow ‘CAP’ member Lachlan Tighe
   from Australia.
   • Dinner Saturday night was well received and gave everyone an opportunity to talk with others.
   • Presenters mingled with attendees and gave enormous insights.
   • Emails were exchanged which will lead to resources being shared.
   • Performance Coaches in the same accommodation provided additional learnings.
6. Awareness of what Critical Thinking on the Bowling Green may look like.
   • Culture = care (from Latin) is reflected in behaviour and requires individuals to take responsibility
   • Create a team for support.
   • With players a mix of empowerment and steering from the coach
   • Doing an annual documented plan with goals, plans, game plans, reviews or debriefs
   • Know your role play your role accept your role.
   • Trust in people, in process, in standards is critical
   • Mistakes are accepted, failures are going to occur.

Coaching Advisory Panel members

Graeme Rees (NZ), Rita Shek (Hong Kong China), Simon Botha (South Africa), Allen Harvey (Cyprus), Adam Martin (Scotland), Derek Dillon (Canada), Karen Murphy (Australia), Lachlan Tighe (Independent), Mal Evans (England)

Caption: Graeme Rees

Bowls International is the world’s most respected bowling magazine, available monthly in both digital and print formats.

• SUBSCRIBE to Bowls International
• Buy a PRINT COPY of Bowls International
• Buy a DIGITAL COPY of Bowls International

A six-month print subscription to Bowls International is priced at just £19.90, or a 12-month subscription is £35.99 – that’s less than £3 per month and includes FREE POSTAGE.