I found Richards post very interesting and agree totally with his view on the attributes of a “Good” Skip.
Firstly, it must be said that not all bowlers will have the necessary character to become good skips, but even so, those that aspire to playing in that position still need to hone their skills in other positions.
It is essential that they first learn to “Draw” well, and to do this the best position is lead or two. I would suggest a new player would be more comfortable initially at two, as there is far more pressure to draw well at lead.
Once a player becomes a good lead ( drawer of the wood) then often they are happy staying at that position as it is said by many that a good lead often wins the game for you. Our Club have several excellent leads that are more than happy to make that position their own.
Those that want to play back end after learning to draw well must learn the skill of delivering weighted woods as well as positioned protective woods, and playing number three is great for learning these skills under the supervision of an experience Skip. In this position, the tactical and leadership qualities of the Skip can be observed and taken on board. It is essential a Skip is a good communicator that encourages with a positive and friendly attitude.
Richard asks about Club policies for promoting players skills. At our Club, we always try and give those that wish to play back end the opportunity to develop the necessary skills and personality before being selected I that position.
We have a weekly “Club Night” when teams are randomly picked by our Competition secretary and are selected to play in different positions each week. This gives players the opportunity to experience the problems associated with different positions and the chance to play the various shots required. It also helps players playing back end to learn about building / protecting / disturbing a head whilst giving them important experience in passing instructions to fellow players.
Would be interested to hear other views on this.
Roy
