INDOOR BOWLING

Chronicle (Levin), 13 April 1949, Page 7

INDOOR BOWLING

"Draw Shot")

Composition Of A Rink And Their Jobs

(By

Now that 'the indoor bowling season has started, it is fitting to consider some points of the game, particu arly as it affects beginners. ' Firstly, we will take the composition of a full rink* team, where there are four players on each side. Each player has a special job to do, but in this there appears to he some misunderstanding. Some players for instance seem to have the idea that the lead is the least important p. ayer, the second ihe next and jo on up to the skip. This is enoirely wrong, for every player in & good team is just as important as ohe other, even though his job may oe differenx. The Lead. The lead is a most essential iink .n the team, as the game is buht on the drawing of the shot. The tuccess or faiiure of a team rest^ on the posidon of the lead's bowls —get in first or, if you are not able ' .o do so, get ' as close as you can uO the jack, not in one or xwo head^ out al- the time. This is not eas^ ind requires real skill. Now don't iet this position of ifc'ad get you confrfsed. In club roL jps beginners are put in this posinon, not because tney have thgieatest skili but because, firstly, .he essential thmg to learn is to draw uO the jack, and, secondly, because the lead is the only oue in uiie team who can knock the jack off the mat without penalty, anu -onsequent y it gives . vhese new prayers a chance to learn the art vitnout the fear of losing poinrs oy penalty. Prayers should pe'rsevere at lead.ng and become proficient in draw.ng before going on xo other shots. Remember a first class lead wi-1 • rways get a game in a good team where a second rats two or three wilr not. The Second. The number two in a team is anJther most impoivant player, whose job is to play the positionai shots required by the skip if the lead nas succe'eded in drawing, or if not to draw the shot. Positionai shots require to come to rest as close as possible to where they are required. fhis takes great skill and versatiilty of p^ay. Concencration is necessary all the time. The two has also the important duty of keeping tlie score and when the cards are given out for scoring these must be correctly filled in. If you make mis-takes in the cards, your side may be recorded a loss instead of a win. The Third. This position calls for a most versatile player — one who can draw to the jack if necessary, draw to a position if necessary, or run a bowi out if required, without upsetting che head and also one who has had some experience on head building to be able to advise the skip ii asked. Tlie three may advise the skip, but must not control his play and should not offer any advice for the skip's first bowl unless asked, for the skip has been building the head and usually kilows what shot to play. The threes are the only ones who do the measuring and there should be no interference from any other members. Also, remember when you claiifi shots that your opponent must be satisfied the shots are yours. Don't shift the bowls out until your opponent is satisfied. If you do, the opponent will call the head dead. The Skip. The skip needs to be an experienced and versatile player able to build heads, control the team and to know what he wants and be able to- inspire his players to do it. He must inspire confidenee from his team and, for success, the team must have confidenee in him. The team should always be 100 per cent. with their skip and follow his instructions , without complaint, whether they are right or wrong. A team either sinks or swims by unity and there can never be unity if the players do not pull together as a team. There should be no arguments. No individualism. There should be no "I did so and so" — always "we." If you do thb and can p.ay in any position, and p'ay the game required for that position, you are on the road to success in indoor bowls.