Team Commitment! (or lack of it)

[jedi_bowler]

I thought I would pose this situation and see if
(a) Others felt like me
And
(b) It was happening to others

If people make a Team be it State Squad or Emerson Shield or Dunn Shield what sort of commitment are they putting in? Some bowlers strive a long time to make these teams and when they get there they end up with a group of people half of which seem to think there work is done when they make the team.
I'm currently part of a shield team where some almost half don't or can't seem to commit. I have always had the belief that if you do something you put in 100% or not do it at all. But some on our team choose not to be available for practice because of silly reason i.e.. Going out with friends, bowling in other SMALL tournaments. At the moment we can't even decided on 1 team practice day let alone 2.
This topic doesn't just apply to Shield or State teams, it also applies to league teams as well.

Maybe I am old fashioned or maybe I have lost touch. But I think this attitude and lack of commitment is a problem with the bowling in general. If we don't take it seriously how can we expect others to take it seriously.

Now that’s of my chest, what do other think?
And if it is a problem How can we fix it?

FROSTY

 

[tonx]

Frosty,

Interesting comments, and as always, id like to have my say...

Even though I love our game, the problem with bowling, is that it is not a sport that can only take up one night during the week. Most regular bowlers bowl at least 2 leagues a week. Add this to tournaments on the weekend, and practise once or twice a week, and there goes your family/social life.

Dunn Shield is something where bowlers get to have a great time in a team atmosphere, to bowl with/against people that they would otherwise never have the opportunity. It is not (and im probably going to get flamed by this comment, bring it on haters!!!) a totally serious meet, where the best bowlers from around come to compete. So it may not be possible for some to ditch their family/mates for just another session of throwing 3 games and going home.

If anyone can name 1 Dunn shield practise session where the team did anything other than bowl a few games, I will be very surprised. What teams should be doing is asking well known and accredited coaches to come by a practise session and do some actual training!!! One year I had the privelige during 1 jnr shield practise session to have 2 fantastic coaches/ very experienced bowlers; come down and give some great advice....

Now unlike the huge majority of other sports out there, bowling costs money every time you put your shoes on. Its not like footy; where you can pull the boots on and have a kick to kick and a couple of laps, or Basketball; where you are able to go down to the local ring (some even have in their backyard) and shoot some hoops. (i might go and try bowling in my backyard ) For most bowlers looking for the fun of Dunn Shield, this cost is unjustifiable, even if it is only an additional $20 or so a couple of times leading up to shield.

With regards to State teams, im not sure of anyone that I know that doesn't try their hardest to improve training wise in the many months leading up to the meet. If there was one or 2 bowlers slacking, they would more than likely be repremanded for their actions, and there would be other bowlers happy to take their places.

Anyone else have comments on this topic?

 

[jedi_bowler]

Tonx,
Great Reply!
I do agree with allot of what you say you make some great points. In regards to Family/Friend commitments I agree it can be hard to balance, but if you’re serious about it you will make the time. Look at all the great sports people and the sacrifices they had to make. I know not everyone wants to take it that seriously and that’s fine, but these are the same people that continue to enter serious events, it’s either one or the other make the choice. However if we want to take it seriously as a sport we need to fix some of these problems. But how can we fix them. That’s the great question.

Bowling is a unique sport because almost anyone can walk in off the street and do well at it. Allot of these problems are attitudes which are well entrenched in bowling. I feel (and this is my opinion only) there needs to be fare more direction and control from the TBA(our governing Body) they need to take a more hands on approach. I can only speak from my experience in VIC but there are to many chiefs not enough Indians. The TBA need to be the only Sanctioning body. Groups like the MTBA and CTBAM need to be disbanded or forced to join and be a branch of the TBA. Why have 2 groups who constantly compete against each other. We should be trying to unite the sport not divide it. Allot of this may come from the fact allot of these hard working people are Volunteers. Now all volunteers do a fantastic Job and our sport and many others would be lost without them. However Volunteers cant always put 100% in due to Work and family. If we could restructure the sport and have some of these top people Paid as full time people we could generate more structure more balance and maybe eliminate some of these problems in this game we love.

I know I have gone WAY off track but you get that. Now these are my views and opinion only from my experience in bowling. Everyone may disagree and that’s fine. But unless people discuss there opinions we can never progress and grow as a sport. I would love to hear what people think.

Frosty

 

[Buzzer]

Without trying to sound sarcastic!

Good Luck to you.

 

[grumpie]

without giving a long winded answer, to me the most important aspect of team bowling is bonding as a team. This can be achieved in many places outside of a bowling centre.


Liz

 

[chucker]

well said liz

 

[jedi_bowler]

Good to see comments coming in!

 

[jedi_bowler]

Bonding as a team is a good comment Liz and a gret way to build a strong team. What if you had team members who don't want to or can't outside of bowling?

 

[grumpie]

I'll let liz put her own comments in, but a well bonded team in most cases (this goes for any sport) will mostly be the team that finishes on top because they believe and trust each others game. the old saying is Trust is a must or your game is a bust.
If i was in a team that wasnt bonded to a point there would be no point bowling in this team because you would be there just to make up the numbers. You can try to bond any team but its upto the individual whether they become part of the team. How long this takes normaly depends on how each person feels about each other. If you want to be part of a team you must work together , there is no i in team. My opinion is if you want to be an i go bowl singles. It is possible for teams to bond overnight.(this doesnt mean they have to sleep together but each to there own)
The best bonded teams I have ever seen are
Vic Deveer team 1996 Finished 2nd
Vic Deveer team 2000 Finished 1st
Vic Deveer team 2004 Finished 1st
And in that order
I was involved in two of those teams and proud of it, a lot of people from these teams regually still stay in touch even from 1996 .I can only comment on teams i have seen im sure there is many more teams people can list.
If you want to bowl in a team you must become part of the team and sacrafices must be made to do this..

Gunther
This became longer than what i thought

 

[DJ Luko]

yeah bonding is the most important thing. I have been amameber of the tas rachuig team and from my experiences we have had a great time away at nationals. Not only in the bowling department but socialising. And from what ive heard others view our teams as having great times as well.

it all comes down to getting to know the group you are with

this can be done in and out of a bowling centre.

 

[Reusy]

Hello Frosty,

Having bowled dunn shield or junior shield since 1988 except for a couple of years (due to work or family commitments), team bonding is a great weapon and as discussed this can happen overnight or take some time, it depends on the individual/groups willingness to win the event even thought the individual might suffer at the time, eg being dropped but still supporting the team.

On the comment of supporting trials and training, I am not sure who "frosty" is, but I personally would love nothing less than our team to win both Mens and womens Dunn Shield, even though I missed the last game of training because I had family commitments!!! I am sure most people who have a real life outside of bowling cannot afford to spend as much time as "frosty" in the bowling center. I used to bowl 3 games a week and made the real state team, from there I thought I had better practise so I managed to fit in 1-2 games extra a week before night school, this only happened maybe every 2-3 weeks but our team still won Rauhuig 2004. So just because everyone is not the same as you does not mean they don't care about the result. You are 1 member of a team, maybe you should not make comments like this to alianante yourself from your other team members. Try encouragement rather than negative comments. All the best to your Dunn shield team, which is???

Regards

Reusy

 

[jedi_bowler]

Thanks for the post Paul you make some good comments and I agree with you family commitments are hard to get around and team bonding is important Although I am not sure about the "real life" comment If you not dreaming all day then why isn't everyone’s life just as real as everyone else’s?

As to my comments I was venting some frustration I felt as to getting the team together for anything, and I was posting the question does this happen for other teams. Just to get some feedback to see if it happens for other teams. The feed back has been great, which is the purpose of these forums.
The only thing I can’t work out is why people seem to get so negative and defensive in this place

Daniel (Forsty)
Foresthill
Melbourne
Victoria
Australia
Planet Earth
Milky Way

 

[Gary]

the real state team

Which is and which is not?
Gary.........

 

[HomerJay]

Hi Paul,

The problem we face at Forest Hill is that on paper we've had a solid team for a number of years and this year is no exception. However it takes time to get to know each other whether that be on or off the lane and despite all efforts to get our team together we still struggle to achieve this goal.

I understand that people have other commitments however if our captain can turn up to practise after working night shift with little more than 3 hours sleep then to me everyone else doesn't have an excuse. Furthermore I find it ironic that these same people can still find time to turn up to any tournament on the calender, wether that be in house or elsewhere, yet they can't find 2 hours once a month.

All of this discussion is based on priorities if you can't commit to the team 100% than don't try out in the first place. I agree with Frosty's comments which are sporn by pure frustrating on past opportunities lost and fear of repeating these mistakes.

Jay Bundy

 

[granat]

Hello All

Well last year when Graeme and myself made the Sheild team, there were practice if I remember every week. Graeme and myself made the trip to Forest Hill every Sunday when we weren't bowling elsewhere. We gave 100% to the team and to bonding and practicing. This year Graeme and myself decided on once a month would be good time to do some team bonding and also practice, but trying to find a date to suit all team members is rather hard. I can understand the frustrations for all who are committed but that doesn't take away from the bowlers who maybe bowling elsewhere as in other tournaments. Also finding out 3 days before a practice/bonding session is on is hard to change other committments that have been previously made. I can understand where Frosty and Jay is coming from though I know it is hard.
Does any other teams have the same problems?
Natalie

 

[chucker]

gary answer to your question RACHUIG is and everything else is not!is that the answer you were looking for?

 

[jedi_bowler]

"RACHUIG is and everything else is not!"

and who says bowling doesn't need a shake up!

 

[craig]

team commitment

simple, all the team requires is, everyone turn up to practise, everyone practise to the best of their ability, everyone co operate, everyone get along with the biggest common denominator being, you all have the same goal

you get 7 people with that in mind, and everything will be just fine

as soon as people start grading themselves as better (ego tripping) others get their noses out of joint and the whole thing comes apart at the seems.

i hear alot of yelling and cheering at team events, but don't think that is the recipe for success either, most people do it cause everyone else is doing it, making it fabricated emotion, and everyone sees thru it, theres a time to show it, and a time to bottle it.

at the end of the day, theres not a physical thing a team mate can do to make you throw a good shot, so all you can do as a team mate is show your support and faith for your fellow bowlers, sometimes when its not going your way, it can be refreshing to know that you are there supporting instead of wasting time sulking about your own performance. the best thing you can do for your team is make the best possible shot you possibly can, that is all that the team does require.

gees i could go on for hours, but i think i'll choose to pop in and comment every few days

 

[grumpie]

Rachuig is and everything else is not???????????????
So why is there a Senior Australian team. Maybe someone should tell them there not good enough to be. I know i wouldn't be that stupid.
Maybe we shouldn't go any futher on this and get back to the subject on hand.
You can have a team of champions but to have a champion team the team needs to be well bonded.
This means the team must work as one not as seven different bowlers,the only way to do this is to spend time together. The amount of time is not that important but the quality of time is. Thats what makes a team,not how good everybody is.To win tournaments you need a TEAM of good bowlers.

 

[Parso]

Hi people,
I have seen some very interesting comments,
and I agree alot with comments that where made by liz.
Anyhow I played at emerson shield at melton.
And we had a problem with a bowler that decide to go to the pub when his was not bowling.
Which then made him unable to bowl.
But we had to give him his 4 Games.
So in closing this is a lack of commitment in my eyes.