How to shatter a bowlers ambition

[mannah]

Let them be "part" of a Rachuig team and then sit them on the bench.

How do you help a bowler whose dreams and hopes are totally shattered at the moment?

For those of you who have experienced this please let me know how to help overcome their total devastation and desire to quit the game altogether.

Telling them they are part of the team and it is best for the team for them to sit out does not help. Giving them a medal (if the team gets one) only makes them feel worse as they dont feel they did anything to deserve it.

We are left to try to pick up the pieces. What can we do?

 

[jockey]

Let them be "part" of a Rachuig team and then sit them on the bench.

How do you help a bowler whose dreams and hopes are totally shattered at the moment?

For those of you who have experienced this please let me know how to help overcome their total devastation and desire to quit the game altogether.

Telling them they are part of the team and it is best for the team for them to sit out does not help. Giving them a medal (if the team gets one) only makes them feel worse as they dont feel they did anything to deserve it.

We are left to try to pick up the pieces. What can we do?

Having been on both sides of this situation I know there is little you can do at the time. If they are truly a bowler though they will eventually see the justification in the decisions that were made and be able to accept it for just what it was (the best decision for the team at the time).

Hopefully they will do what I did and use it to improve their bowling to a higher level. It also makes you a much better team person or at least I believe that is what it did for me.

 

[becka_girl]

I can't say I have been in there situation but I do know some girls that have.
The people sitting out are probably the most important thing in a team game because they are the ones who are supporting you and cheering their guts out.
They are the ones who help left the team if they are having a bad game or have chucked a bad shot.

 

[Andrew S.]

If they're bowling badly its justified, and they should realise it.

If they're not in the line up because the Captain/Coach or whoever it is that decides the line up doesn't like them thats a different matter.
Many good and even a few great bowlers have been through this situation. Putting it behind you and moving on is the only way.

I have never been in this situation at Rachuig level however I have experienced it at the lower levels. And to view the other side of the coin, deciding on the right or best line up is just as stressful as being sat out.

The situation wont change unless the format changes.

 

[Gary]

East Coast @ Rachuig seen same thing nasty women mostly i better than you do any thing to stay above you :surrender:

Good luck if you get anonther game

 

[AdrianS]

Dont think women are involved in this one, it pretty much happens to at least one poor bugger every year though

 

[ms]

lyn,

i totally understand what you are saying, altho i have never actually been in that position myself, have dealt with situations that others have been in.

the way i see it is, rachuig is a TEAM sport and lets be honest, in any team sport, you ALWAYS try and put your BEST team forward. I feel for Chris I do, but there are a few factors that need to be looked at.

have you looked at other states results? i mean, some of these guys that have bowled in 10+ rachuigs have only bowled 5-8 games this year, why, coz they arent performing and rachuig is cut throat, unfortunately, unlike atbso and possibly holt, there are no minimum games for each bowler in this competition (maybe its something that should be brought in, i dont know) so therefore, putting your best team forward on the given condition is what has to happens.

the BIGGEST and most important factor is,i know from experience, is nationals results. if you cant find a consistant line or look or even feel comfortable then the bowler wont be much use when the big competition starts.

its about quality NOT quantity - unfortunately it does cost alot to represent our state in this sport, but what needs to be understood, that yes, no matter how many games you get, or how much YOU (the bowler) thinks they coulda done better, simply put, the coach/manager/captain has the final say.

what terry (jockey) has said is so true, work on your game and make yourself a better bowler, individually and team player. what doesnt kill us makes us stronger?? i know this is far from the justification that is needed for poor amount of games for the bowler concerned, but end of the day, they are still part of the team. 1 or 2 games or even the full 18...

like i said, i feel for him i do, but its about the team. answer me one thing, is it right or wrong to drop someone who is winning their games averaging 175-180 and contributing to the overall team point? or is it or wrong or right to drop someone who is bowling 190+ games and losing???

these are not easy questions to answer

hopefully this has made sense and given you an insight to rachuig from a former player.

cheers
martina

 

[mannah]

Dont think women are involved in this one, it pretty much happens to at least one poor bugger every year though

These are the people I would like to know how they got over it. Or whether they didn't.

As MS said I can understand if other bowlers are bowling well but when they aren't and still get games it is so hard to understand especially when you are told your national events dont matter as long as you can experiment and find alternative lines to use.

 

[GoTheCell]

I've done the manager side of things as well as the bowler side of it at country cup and it's hard.

We had a team all bowling well and beating other teams game after game. 2 of our guys sat on the bench most the weekend but they realised the situation and whilst not entirely happy about it, took it as part of the team. We have also approached it by giving everyone a chance for the first few games and then after that moved to simply the best team each game.

Personally I think the Emerson Shield format where every bowler has to bowl a certain number of games works well but even there some people bowl the minimum and no more and are on the bench the rest of the time.

There is no silver bullet for this one.

As someone stated above, hopefully it is a learning curve and the bowler concerned realises why these things happen and comes back better for it but it is never easy to endure if you are the one sitting on the bench.

 

[Gary]

But you made the team to bowl its ok get over it only 4 or 5 games its ok may have cost you $2k to get here but thats ok it's Rachuig


my 2 cents

 

[GoTheCell]

But you made the team to bowl its ok get over it only 4 or 5 games its ok may have cost you $2k to get here but thats ok it's Rachuig


my 2 cents

It isn't just Rachuig it happens in. It is most team situations.

 

[strop]

I don't miss this at all,

I hear some people's or persons attitudes are a little annoying, less positive, having a good spit at others for not performing.................

I'm surprised some people can lose 5 straight games and still be in ????

Oh well I'm not there to see the whole story, conditons sound tough and you have 7 players to player with.

They did there best I'm sure!! and had fun at the same time!!

 

[Gary]

I'm surprised some people can lose 5 straight games and still be in ????

now that is golden how many years has this gone on you can bowl **** but not dropped

 

[steve jones]

For some reason [memory slipping I'd guess] I was of the view that each bowler had to play a minimum number of games in Rachuig [it's been years so I'm not surprised I don't recall the specifics]. Clearly I'm wrong based on what I read here - so then would it not be something to consider - and wouldn't that add an extra dimension to the Manager and Team Captains roles and add something to the overall event?

Now I respect reasons against this given the event is about winning and pretty much anything else is a distant second - but maybe something to consider.

 

[strop]

No Minimum games for Rachuig, thats Seniors 10 games.
Speaking of that you must be old enough for seniors now Steve............
Will see you soon I might !! lol

Cheers

Tony

 

[Gary]

Oops better not post under Gary's username hehe

Ice

 

[steve jones]

....aaahhh seniors - thx Tony for setting me right. As for bowling in seniors events - well when I thought I COULD bowl the reality was I couldn't - now I KNOW I can't, so I don't!

Back on topic - transposing the "minimum" game count per player across to Rachuig could be a good thing.

Cheers,

Steve

 

[Ice]

I have never bowled Rachuig but I think every single bowler who ever bowled any comp has not only been dropped at some stage, but been dropped in their eyes unfairly or without justification. It hurts and no matter how hard you try it is hard not to take it personally. On the other side of the coin for most bowlers there are also times when you have been put in a line up when you expected to be dropped and quite possibly should have been dropped. I take my hat off to the people who have to make the decision about who is in and who is out. It must be very hard to make the call sometimes, there is so much to consider.
I recall once being dropped when I thought it was unreasonable and questioning the decision. I asked "Did I let you down?" And when the answer was "NO" I asked to be put back in and I was, and I bowled well the rest of the day. I have also been in the position of advising the Manager and Captain that I felt a minor niggling injury was possible going to affect my next game and that they should consider that when chosing the line up for the next game and I was sat out. I think at times people are sat out for personal reasons and unless that reason is because putting that one bowler in will drag the whole team down then it is just plain wrong, but not sure how that will ever be stopped.

I don't know you....is this your first Rachuig or have you bowled before? I think this often happens to people the first time they make the team for a particular comp. I see it a fair bit with handicap bowlers making the scratch team for the first time. Their first year they seem to be on the bench a bit, but mostly they come back bigger and better the following year. There is really nothing you can do about it except try to pick up the pieces and try to move on. Don't give up, fight back! Become more determined that next time you will bowl so well there is no way they will be able to consider dropping you. I think these things can only make you better and stronger, even though it is hard to cope with at the time you can and will get over it. Hope you feel better about the whole thing soon and good luck with your bowling.

 

[Andrew S.]

At this time the bowler concerned has finished Rachuig and can now sit down and catch up on Total Bowling threads.

He must be even more distressed to read this knowing that he has been highlighted and talked about, and had his emotions exposed to all of us. Hardly what he would have wanted or asked for

If the OP really wants suggestions of how to help, I would suggest he starts by contacting the owner of this site and asking to have this entire thread removed.

 

[strop]

I think it wouldn't hurt to have a 10 game minimum per person requirement for rachuig.

Might make it interesting.

Andrew, don't worry I see him monday night and asks his thoughts!!