ISSUE 17 FEBRUARY 2011
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ISSUE 17 FEBRUARY 2011
this
issue Development Programmes Paying Dividends for New National Champions By Crispin Anderlini It’s not always the most experienced bowlers that get the glory, it’s also the best prepared and trained; a fact that has been proven recently on the national stage at the Hyundai New Zealand National Open Championships in Dunedin. Benefiting from the High Performance and Talent Development Programmes and setting a new standard for bowling champions, 19-year-old Mandy Boyd became the youngest woman to win a national title after her composite Fours team won out over veteran bowler Bev Morel’s team 16-10 in the final on Taieri greens. Bev Morel skipped the winning Fours in 2007, and was looking to do it all again this year but unfortunately for her highly experienced team, they weren’t able to contend with the skill SLAM (the acronym used by the winning Fours team) displayed. Boyd’s 24-year-old sister Angela, also a member of the high performance and development programmes, joined Mandy, Leanne Curry and skip Sue Burnand to form the team SLAM. Angela Boyd will add this title to the Singles title she won in the NZ National Secondary School Championships (2001), while Mandy will add it to the growing treasure chest of tournament gold she has won, including two National Secondary School Singles titles and a Kittyhawks Under-20 trophy. Amy Brenton (19) took the tournament by surprise, with some superior play that landed her in the finals against the highly competitive world Singles number one, Jo Edwards. Despite being schooled by the top international player 21-3, Brenton defeated top bowlers like Wynette McLachlan and Clare McCaul in her rise to the top of the competition and Jo Edwards believes that the experience will just make the talented Amy Brenton a stronger bowler in years to come. 25-year-old Chris Le Lievre and skip Ryan Bester outclassed all challengers in their bid for the Pairs trophy beating legends like Phillip Skoglund 19-3 to fight their way into the finals match against Ali Forsyth and Matt Gallop (23). Le Lievre was in fine form throughout, and didn’t miss a beat in his
drawing game in the final at Taieri. Forsyth and Gallop took an early lead in the final (3-0 on the first end), but were put down from then on by Le Lievre and Bester, with the final score 20-9. Ali Forsyth stepped up in this tournament as a skip and showed his undeniable skills as a bowler after skipping his team to the final of the men’s pairs, and victory in the fours (for his third National Title). The victorious fours team was made up of Ali Forsyth, Matt Gallop, Gallop’s father Lloyd (1998 Fours winner) and Graham Hood. The composite team took on the Scott family combination from Dunedin’s North East Valley club – brothers Terry (skip) and Jim, cousin Shaun, and Jim and Terry’s brother in law Stephen O’Driscoll – and came out ahead with an 18-9 victory that crowned an outstanding run. The dream team of Jo Edwards (world number 1) and Val Smith (world number 3) beat Wynette McLachlan and Marilyn Paterson 17-11 to win the Women’s Pairs trophy, and gave Edwards her double victory. Throughout the tournament the pair scythed through their opposition, exceeding the high expectations placed on them. One opponent called them ‘the smiling assassins’, one moment laughing, joking, and smiling with you, and the next crushing the life out of the game with extraordinary skill. Adding more weight to the local Scott family bowling legacy, Shaun Scott joined his illustrious cousins Terry and Jim Scott with a Singles victory over multiple national title-holder Petar Sain, 21-13. The defeat thwarted Sain’s dreams of a gold star for what would have been his fifth national title, but insured that the Scott family bowling pedigree continued on through another generation. Shaun’s handle bar moustache, and character on and off the green, has left an indelible mark on those who witnessed the transformation of his game from a man with potential, to a bowler of renown. Hailing from the Talent Development Programme and the Academy of Sport in Dunedin, Shaun Scott has credited much of his success to the skills learned during the past two years in the programme.
Pictured below, from left: Pairs Winners: Jo Edwards, Val Smith, Chris Le Lievre and Ryan Bester; Jo Edwards celebrates her win in the Singles; Men’s Singles winner, Shaun Scott; and the winning Fours teams.
Nationals Prove that Bowls is a Game for Life
04
History Made and Traditions Continued at Dunedin Nationals
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Legendz of Bowls – Scott Family Bowling Tradition Rolls On
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Taking the Title – The Road to Winning a National Championship 09 High Rollers Storm Dunedin at National Secondary School Champs
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The Bowls NZ Challenge Trophy – An Elite Tournament with a Difference 11 Andrew Kelly Brings Home the Silver from The Hong Kong Classic
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Coaching is the Key
14
Bill Parsons
14
Photo Gallery
15
CDO Contacts
15
Upcoming Events
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Club Scene
17
Blind & Disabled Bowlers Roll Out Their Skills 19 What It Takes To Run A Successful MIB Programme
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Focus on Greenkeeping 23 NZ’s Youngest Umpire – Bridging the Generation Gap
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Where Our Focus Lies 26-27 Sponsorship is Dead
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ISSUE 17 FEBRUARY 2011
nationals PROVE THAT BOWLS IS A GAME FOR LIFE
By Crispin Anderlini
BEV MOREL For almost 30 years Bev Morel has been rolling up and winning titles around the country. In the Elmwood player’s most recent competitive outing, the talented bowler once again made it into the finals of the fours at Nationals. Although she missed out on a national title 16-10 to team SLAM, the veteran bowler already holds three national titles, two National Open Fours titles (1995 and 2007) and a NZ Pathways Pairs trophy (2005) - and has played in many more finals besides. But Morel isn’t in the habit of trumpeting her success, and attributes her 3 national and 30 Centre titles to the “wonderful teams” she’s played in. “I’ve been lucky to play with some great bowlers: like Marie Watson, Raelene Peters and Denise Page. I had a lot of success with those girls, and they gave
me a great grounding in the sport.” With her bowling career still rolling along at a cracking pace, what are some of the highlights that come to mind for the experienced bowler? In Morel’s mind, the most significant victory was back in 2007 when she won the national title in the Fours with the help of her sister Theresa Woodham and club mates Pam Phair and Lois Grey. Ordinarily a time for celebration, the win was tinged with sadness as their brother passed away before the team had made the finals. Before he passed though, he made the two women promise to bring back a trophy. “We had no option but to win,” says Morel, “somehow we focused and got through it. It was a really emotional victory and I felt we couldn’t lose. It felt great to win because we’d done right by him and kept our promise. It was
amazing really.” Fate, fortune or skill, Morel is too busy rolling through more competitions to worry about the reasons for past successes. There are always more ends to be played. “I’d rather be on the green than at home cleaning, or in the garden. Dad played bowls, my sister plays bowls. We’re a sporting family and it’s in the blood.”
the finals we all played shots when we needed to. I just followed what Sue [Burnand] told me to do though,” Boyd says with a modest laugh. Currently studying fine art at Massey University, the young artist is proud of her bowling achievements, yet doesn’t like to brag – especially about this latest trophy. Playing three in the winning SLAM team seems to have given her a different perspective, and her love of bowling is incorporating more of a team direction than in the past. “I’m liking Fours a lot more now. It’s good having people with you to support you and pick you up, and you can get involved with other players. It’s more interesting.” So how did a teenager of 14 catch the bowling bug? Through her sister Angela Boyd, who she followed around
to events that included a winning Singles campaign at the 2001 National Secondary School Championships. Her sister’s win made up her mind that she wanted to win the same title some day, and the rest is history. “I started playing bowls because of her, and I think I will play forever. Or as long as I can,” she says with conviction.
MANDY BOYD Having recently made history as the youngest woman to win a national title, 19-year-old Mandy Boyd is riding a wave of success that began a mere five seasons ago in Napier. Now a member of the Johnsonville Bowling Club, the successful young bowler has represented NZ as part of last year’s winning Junior Trans-Tasman team, and recently in Merdeka, Malaysia where she came third in the Pairs with Matt Gallop; won four Centre titles and a Kittyhawks trophy (2010); and two Singles Golds in the National Secondary School Championships. Winning the National Fours title with team SLAM at this year’s tournament is just more proof that Boyd is coming of age on the bowling scene. “It was my third nationals and it was really good to play with SLAM. There was a lot of great competition, but in
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ISSUE 17 FEBRUARY 2011
HISTORY MADE and Traditions Continued AT DUNEDIN NATIONALS By Crispin Anderlini New Zealand’s largest and most prestigious bowling tournament may have started inauspiciously with a day of solid rain, but the 1400 bowlers that had travelled from all corners of the nation to play on Dunedin greens were there to stay. After all, the Hyundai New Zealand National Open Championships represents the pinnacle of domestic competition, and offers bowlers from all demographics the unique chance to compete against players from other areas. For NZ’s bowling elite, the event applies plenty of pressure to perform as results at the nationals are a major indicator for national team selection. And perform they did. But it was the lesser-known bowlers that really left their mark on the competition. North East Valley bowler Shaun Scott became a local hero overnight when he won the Men’s Singles trophy against multiple national title-holder Petar Sain (21-13). In performing this athletic feat in front of a capacity crowd at the Taieri headquarters, Scott not only earned national recognition, but also paid tribute to the family name by continuing the Scott family bowling legacy. Cousins Jim and Terry Scott won the same title in 1982 and 1990, respectively. “It’s bloody great to win. I’m extremely happy,” Scott says with conviction, “I wanted to keep the family name going, and I’ve been working with the Talent Development squad here for a long time to prepare for big event like this.” Making a name for herself in the Fours, not to mention making history, 19-year-old Mandy Boyd became the youngest woman bowler to win a national title when she helped her team SLAM out-
roll Bev Morel’s Fours 16-10. An acronym composed of the first letters of each player’s name, from oldest to youngest, SLAM skip Sue Burnand wowed all in attendance with some stunning ends that were set up by Mandy, her sister Angela Boyd and Leanne Curry. Although “very proud” of her recordbreaking feat, Boyd is more excited by the trophy and the victory for SLAM. A defense of their new title has already been confirmed for the next National Open Championships. “It’s really great, but I’m more pleased with how we played as a team – and won,” Boyd says modestly, “I just did what Sue [Burnand] told me to do.” Joining a select few bowlers in NZ history, world Singles number one Jo Edwards came out on top twice in one day – in the Pairs and the Singles. Winning both the Pairs and Singles titles back to back on the same day is a mammoth task for any bowler, and one that was last performed by the great Millie Khan a decade ago. Starting out in the morning, side by side with best mate Val Smith in the Pairs, Edwards defeated old friend Wynette McLachlan and Marilyn Paterson (17-11), then turned her attention to 19-year-old Amy Brenton in the Singles. Brenton fought hard, but couldn’t match a warmed up Edwards, who took the title with a 21-3 victory. Finals aside, it was a tournament that brought out the best in NZ’s bowlers and displayed a level of play that challenged, and sometimes defeated, the finest athletes NZ has unleashed on the greens. Heading to the other end of the country next year, the National Open Championships will be held in Auckland.
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ISSUE 17 FEBRUARY 2011
LEGENDZ OF BOWLS Scott Family Bowling Tradition Rolls On By Crispin Anderlini The Scott family’s history of bowls may stretch further back in time, but 1964 is the earliest bowling success that anyone can remember. This was the year that Bill Scott (Cromwell) won the New Zealand Pairs title with G P Ogilvie in their own backyard. Noeleen Scott (Cromwell) won two World Titles in 1973, and then went onto win the national Singles Title in 1977, starting the family penchant for this coveted trophy. Following in their aunt’s footsteps, brothers Jim and Terry Scott kept the family name on the national scene with their own Singles titles in 1982 and 1990, respectively. Kevin Scott also represented New Zealand in a Trans Tasman in 1980. Both Jim and Terry have been successful in the Fours as well, Terry preempted his Singles victory with the national title in 1977 (alongside Bowls NZ CEO Kerry Clark), and older brother Jim took it in 1980. Jim didn’t stop there though, the North East Valley bowler went on to win silver at the Commonwealth Games two years later, and then another Fours silver and a Triples bronze at the World Bowls Championship in Scotland, 1984. “Bowls has been part of our family for many years,” says Jim Scott matter-offactly, “dad and mum played bowls and
Jim Scott.
got us into it, and our uncles played as well. It’s a family tradition.” The Scott Legend continued in the wake of another Scott victory in the National Open Singles- Shaun Scott, Jim and Terry’s cousin, and Kevin Scott’s son, won on home ground earlier this month and the Scott family combination reached the finals yet again in the Men’s Fours. “I wanted to keep the family name going,” says Shaun with pride, “It’s bloody great to win, but it was also awesome to play with Jim, Terry and Stephen [O’Driscoll] as a family Fours. We all get on well together and know each other’s play. It’s good playing with Jim and Terry as well because they’ve been there and done that, having won national and international titles. They helped me quite a bit four years ago in Dunedin [Nationals], and Terry has been great in his role as coach of the Talent Development Programme which I’m part of.” Terry agrees that it is “great to play in a family scenario,” but plays down his role in the latest Scott success. It’s more about Shaun taking on board practices taught in the Talent Development Squad than being trained by his cousin. The advice is given freely, and not just to family either. With successful bowling careers established, Jim and Terry are equally focused on the administrative and coaching side of bowls. Giving something back to the sport that has been such a large part of the Scott family’s life, in their roles as national selector and Talent Development Programme coach (Terry) and Community Development Officer for Region Six (Jim). Although the inevitable “yarns about bowls” between relatives can’t be underestimated, Terry has also taken on commentary roles to ensure both TV and radio coverage of our sport has a voice of an experienced and successful bowler
The Scott Family.
The Scott Family Fours Team at Nationals.
Terry Scott in his role as coach of the Talent Development Programme. helping promote the game. Leading the family down a new bowling path, the Scott brothers appear to have influenced Shaun as well. The recently crowned national champion admits to considering coaching in the near future. But like his relatives, he won’t stay off the competitive greens for long. After all, it’s in the blood and traditions must be kept, and maybe, just maybe, Shaun has bigger goals still in his sights, a berth in the BlackJacks.
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ISSUE 17 FEBRUARY 2011
TAKING THE TITLE
Kerry Heffer and Georgia McGee.
THE ROAD TO WINNING A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP By Crispin Anderlini Tears, unbridled smiles, sighs of relief, whoops of delight and nervous giggles of elation poured forth in equal measure as the National Secondary School champions found their way to the final jack, and started up the steps to the victorious top tier. Wong, Hocking, Heffer and McGee, Eminson and defending Pairs champion Cameron Higgins, all made their way to the top with a winning smile, a lot of hard work, and stunning results against fierce competition. For three days they played, rolling end after end against the best teenaged bowlers the country could muster. And in the end it came down to a matter of centimetres – particularly for Tessa Hocking (Napier Girls High School) and Euan Wong (Hutt Valley High School). Recognised by Bowls NZ National Selector and Talent Development Programme Coach Terry Scott as “players with credentials,” there was still no room for error as they took on Connie Rowland from Linwood College (in the Girls Singles) and Kaitaia College’s Monte Pawa (Boys Singles) in the epic finals. Hocking started strong, but lost her way in the middle of the match, and succumbed to a fit of nervous giggling before finding her way back to the scoreboard for a final dash in the dying minutes of the game. Rowland took the opportunity to even the score, and in the end it came down to a paltry handful of centimetres, carefully measured out by the umpire, to decide the winner (13-12). “It was a close game with Connie,”
says the quietly confident Hocking, “I lost my concentration for a bit and wasn’t scoring. Connie played really well to even the score, but the last bowl was a measure and I won by a couple of centimetres. It was pretty cool to end on that high note as I didn’t think I would win; just getting a top placing was my plan.” Smiling in a slightly overwhelmed manner, the newly graduated high school student reveals that it is also her first NZ title. Once that’s out though, it seems to sink in a bit deeper, and beaming all over the 18-year-old admits that it’s “the biggest thing I’ve ever won.” A first for Wong as well, the national title match against Pawa that earned him the gold was riveting enough to be televised. “This is real spectator bowls,” 17-year-old Wong said proudly in the midst of play, as the umpire called for an extra end to decide the gripping final. Looking dominant throughout the match, Wong gave some ground as Pawa clawed his way back to the draw. Staying consistent and never losing his cool, Wong then rolled a beautiful draw on the extra end that Pawa just couldn’t get close to (11-10). This secured gold for the Hutt Valley High School student, and took him closer to his goal of a 2014 Commonwealth Games opportunity. Kerry Heffer and Georgia McGee’s Girls Pairs victory was even sweeter, against Katelyn Inch and Brittany Tyson (8-7). It marked the end of a dramatic journey for Heffer, and lent a happy ending to the Southland Girls High School students’ courageous story. Meanwhile, in the Boys Pairs there was a repeat performance by Cameron
Girls Singles Winner Tessa Hocking.
Cameron Higgins and Thomas Eminson.
Boys Singles Winners.
Higgins and a first victory for new partner Thomas Eminson (Tauranga Boys College) over Jordan Linn and Joseph Doyle (Coastal Taranaki School), 9-7. And those that left with the Plates were Malia Begley (Napier Girls High School) and Johnathon Ridden (Mountainview High School) in the Singles, and Selina Goddard/Siobhan Archer (Howick College) and Elliot Mason/Oliver Mason (Otago Boys High School) in the Pairs.
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ISSUE 17 FEBRUARY 2011
HIGH ROLLERS STORM DUNEDIN AT NATIONAL SECONDARY SCHOOL CHAMPS By Crispin Anderlini In a whirlwind of colour, laughter and intensive greens action, the Bowls NZ National Secondary School Championships touched down on Dunedin’s North East Valley and St Clair greens for a debut appearance in the country’s oldest city. And with the talented teenagers filling the historic greens to the brim, a bright future for the sport of bowls looked apparent to all. From the 12th to the 14th of December, 2010, 72 students from all over the country rolled up against each other in what has become one of the biggest and most enjoyable youth bowls events in New Zealand. With a mere decade of history behind it, the successful tournament has come to be seen as a reliable indicator of future talent, and a “launching pad for an international bowling career,” according to New Zealand National Head Coach Dave Edwards. “It’s a fantastic breeding ground for talented bowlers, and we certainly keep an eye on it. If you look at the current Black Jacks you can see the proof of this,” Edwards says - and he’s right. Looking back at the past winners of the event, names like Genevieve Baildon (BlackJack), Shannon McIlroy (Black Jack), Mandy Boyd (NZ representative and youngest woman to win a national title), Raika Gregory (NZ Open winner, Men’s Singles), Amy Brenton (NZ representative and National Singles finalist) and Chris Le Lievre (NZ representative and national title winner in the Pairs) stand out as examples of class bowlers that have gone on to earn top honours at the senior level.
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With a close eye on the proceedings, Bowls NZ National Selector and Talent Development Programme Coach, Terry Scott, summed it up nicely: “It was the first time we’ve seen the event down here before, and it was something really interesting for the bowling community. We do also have a national under-18 team, and this event is especially important for choosing players for that side. It’s a great starter for serious young bowlers because you receive national recognition, but there’s a social side as well because most of them know each other.” In the Girls Pairs an amazing story of courage and friendship found a happy ending in the courageous victory of Kerry Heffer and Georgia McGee (Southland Girls High School). Sixteen-year-old Kerry came out of surgery to treat thyroid cancer on December 1st, and only a mere ten days later she went into the tournament with her mind set on victory. The Southland girls relied on teamwork, communication and a lot of love for each other to earn the national title. “Support from our families and friends got us through and really helped us out,” both girls agree, “we talked more this time and we really had each other’s backs.” This new approach saw them cut a swathe through the assembled competition, some of whom had bested them at last year’s event. Their title win is an awe inspiring story of courage, friendship, and determination. For those who attended this year’s event the overwhelming feedback has been that this event was inspiring to be a part of. The level of play was exceptional,
the attitude of the players overwhelming, and the atmosphere breathtaking. Encompassing the very best aspects of this growing sport - the social and the seriously competitive side of bowls – the National Secondary School Championships is often the first great introduction to a new addiction and lifetime of bowls.
Monte Pawa and Mrs Wong.
Euan Wong and below, Georgia McGee and Kerry Heffer
ISSUE 17 FEBRUARY 2011
THE BOWLS NZ CHALLENGE TROPHY AN ELITE TOURNAMENT WITH A DIFFERENCE By Crispin Anderlini You may have heard the name mentioned on the Bowls website, talked about excitedly by coaches and casually thrown into conversation on the greens by developing bowlers. But what is the Challenge Trophy? It is a tournament designed to offer players who are striving to reach top level competitive bowls a chance to be exposed to intensively competitive conditions, to test their abilities and train them for the rigors that face an elite bowler. Rewarding the best team with the trophy helps foster a further sense of competition among the bowlers, it’s about testing yourself against the best local talent, and proving you can ‘get your green’ under pressure. Played in a uniquely fluid format, where players can switch positions and teams change from game to game, the 48 players representing the cream of the national crop are divided into four teams that correspond to four general areas around the country: Northern, Central, Mainland and Southern. Each team consists of six men and six women that play each discipline: Triples on the first day, Pairs the next and Singles on the final day. In this way the players in the Talent
Development Programmes can roll up next to and against some of the country’s successful international bowlers. At the same time, the Black Jacks in attendance are able to keep their game sharp for the next international encounter, impart some knowledge, educate the new players, and develop their own skills. “They need tough experiences to improve,” says High Performance Programme Leader Lyn Johnston of the development players and Black Jacks alike. “The Challenge Trophy is aimed at providing top-level competition, and to expose players to the level of pressure and ability they will find at the international level. That’s what this is about.” The competition is an attempt to reduce the gap between domestic and international competition, so that developing players have greater understanding of the performance expectations at elite level. Among the youngest players at this year’s event, and those with a burning ambition to wear the silver fern, were players like Euan Wong (2010 Bowls NZ National Secondary School Champion, Boy’s Singles), Emma Le Lievre and Monte Pawa (NZ representatives in this year’s historically- victorious Junior Trans-
Tasman team). All have come up through the ranks of the High Performance and Talent Development Programmes, and all were given the chance to test their skills against the likes of Val Smith and Shannon McIlroy. In the end though, it was the players from the Mainland team that took the trophy. With 140 points at the end of the weekend, Mainland was head and shoulders above the Northern (90 points) and Southern (74 points) teams, but closely followed by the Central team (128 points) which included the likes of Black Jacks Dale Lang, Shannon McIlroy and Kaaren Guildford, as well as “young guns” Ryan Khan, Kirsten Griffin, and the Boyd sisters Mandy and Angela. However, the big names fronting the Central side weren’t enough to overcome the Mainland onslaught of victories, headed by Commonwealth games silver medalist Val Smith, who was joined by proven performers such as Jan Shirley, Shayne Sincock and Darren Redway, and backed by a stellar cast of young stars such as Amy Brenton, Misty Arnold, James Pugh, and Ryan McTaggart. The Mainland Team were able to gel as a unit, and in the face of fierce competition held their own, kept their nerve, and showed a mental strength to ensure they could always grind out a victory. With the “unreasonable” vision “to dominate the world in bowls” the chance to measure and improve performances at the highest level of competition, to test yourself against New Zealand’s growing talent base is not an opportunity to be passed up.
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ISSUE 17 FEBRUARY 2011
ANDREW KELLY BRINGS HOME THE SILVER FROM THE HONG KONG CLASSIC By Amy Williams Following in the footsteps of his 2010 Junior World Cup victory, Kelly has once again shown that he is one to watch in the future. Rising star Kelly has added to his trophy cabinet with a stellar showing at the Hong Kong Classic Invitational event. First organized in 1981, the Hong Kong International Bowls Classic is recognized as one of the best outdoor bowls tournaments in the world. The tournament attracted big crowds, where a polite festival atmosphere imbued the venues. Kelly’s rise to silver included victories over Wales’ Stephen Harris and England’s Sam Tolchard, before Tolchard’s fellow Englishman Robert Newman avenged his teammate in the Final. Kowloon Bowling Green played host to an entertaining final match with many brilliant shots from both parties with a 7:7 tie in the first set. In the second set, Kelly took four shots in the first two ends but lost the next five ends in a row. The match ended 11:5 and Newman regained the title for England. Kelly’s New Zealand team mate Richard Girvan was an unfortunate casualty in Newman’s title race, going down 10:4, 10:1 in the quarter finals. Sam Tolchard said there was no disgrace in his semi final loss, and described Kelly as “top class”. In the Women’s Singles Genevieve Baildon was unlucky to lose to Malaysia’s Nor Hashimah Ismail in a highly competitive quarter final, Ismail went on to defeat fellow Malaysian representative Siti Zarina Ahmad in the final. Jo Edwards went out in the first round to CCC’s Irene Chow. In the women’s pairs Genevieve Baildon and Jo Edwards romped through the preliminary rounds with several impressive wins finishing top of the table, before losing to eventual winners Australia 17:18 in the quarter finals. The Men’s Pairs fared similarly, winning 9 out of 11 games in the preliminary rounds before losing to Wales in the Quarter finals 14:16.
Andrew Kelly receives his silver medal.
The NZ Team: Andrew Kelly, Richard Girvan, Jo Edwards and Genevieve Baildon.
Genevieve Baildon and Jo Edwards. Pictured far left: Andrew Kelly; left, Richard Girvan.
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ISSUE 17 FEBRUARY 2011
COACHING is the key
Raising Awareness • Building Responsibility • Building Self Belief
Rob Pidgeon National Programmes Manager Phone 09 571 9954 Email rob@bowlsnz.co.nz
I thought it would be appropriate to kick off 2011 by reintroducing myself. I’ve been with Bowls NZ for over 4 years however, I now undertake a very different and exciting role as National Programmes Manager. It’s important to let you know that as well as Coaching, I am the point of contact for Technical Officials (Umpires), Greenkeeping and Youth Bowls. With Sharon Sims stepping down from the National Coaching Coordinators role, this has eventuated in a slightly new structure in Bowls NZ, namely 3 specialists (one in each Regional Service Centre - RSC) have been contracted to support the Regional delivery of the Coach Development Programme.
• Ann Muir (Northland) in RSC 1 • Sharon Sims (Manawatu) in RSC 2 • Josie Uren (Marlborough) in RSC 3 In addition, 8 volunteer Coach Trainers are already in operation and are trained to deliver ‘Introductory’ and ‘Bowls NZ Coach’ courses at a consistently high level throughout the country. Coach Trainers are also responsible for organising practical sessions for coaches to update their accreditation. For contact details of all the coach trainers see www.bowlsnz.co.nz/ coaching This issue’s Training Games for Understanding (TGfU) is “Nine Ball” which can be downloaded under the Drills and Games heading on the Coaching section of www.bowlsnz.co.nz – we welcome feedback for anything that you would like to see here.
bill parsons Turangi Bowling Club’s Opening Day of the new season saw a remarkable achievement – Bill Parsons, Patron of the club, was given the honour of laying the first jack and bowl of the season, at the age of 102. Parsons only chose to retire from competitive bowls last year which makes him one of the oldest bowlers ever to compete in New Zealand. Since his retirement from competitive bowls Parsons has continued to roll up with the ladies. Turangi Club President Rusty Petterson comments “Bill is the dearest old fellow, always helping out and having fun.” And Bill’s secret of a long life? “Goodness knows. I’m reasonably healthy although I lost some of my hearing but I’m still able to read without glasses.” His longevity runs in the family - his mother lived to 99, three of his aunts lived to 104 and one of his aunts 105. He lives alone, divides his leisure time between a red wine at the RSA and bowls, and was still driving until a year ago. “I do think I was very lucky – I’m still around. And I reckon on staying around for a little longer yet.”
upshot www.bowlsnz.co.nz
14
From Left: Ray Rogers, Bowls Bay of Plenty Board Member, 15 year old Cameron Crawford, Turangi’s youngest member, and Bill Parsons.
ISSUE 17 FEBRUARY 2011
CDO
CONTACTS REGION 1 Steve Smith steves@bowlsnz.co.nz Mobile 021 966 016 Bowls Far North Bowls Northland Bowls North Harbour Auckland Bowls
REGION 2 Steve Beel steve@bowlsnz.co.nz Mobile 021 966 017 Counties/Manukau Bowls Waikato Thames Valley Bowls Bay of Plenty Bowls Gisborne/East Coast Bowls Hawkes Bay
REGION 3&4 Paul Cavanagh paul@bowlsnz.co.nz Mobile 021 966 177 Bowls Taranaki Bowls Wanganui Bowls Manawatu Bowls Wairarapa Bowls Wellington Bowls Kapiti Coast
REGION 5 Vince Roper vince@bowlsnz.co.nz Mobile 021 966 263 Bowls Nelson Bowls Marlborough Bowls Canterbury Bowls Buller Bowls West Coast
REGION 6 Jim Scott jim@bowlsnz.co.nz Mobile 021 966 010 Bowls South Canterbury Bowls Dunedin Bowls North Otago South Otago Bowling Centre Central Otago Bowls Bowls Southland.
upshot www.bowlsnz.co.nz
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ISSUE 17 FEBRUARY 2011
upCOMING EVENTS DATE
2011-2012
VENUE
Sat 5 Feb - Sun 6 Feb
Aotearoa Maori Bowls
Wellington –Wainuiomata BC
Mon 7 Feb - Thurs10 Feb
Clubs New Zealand Men’s Fours Outdoors Bowls Tournament
Northland – Kamo Club HQ
Tues 8 Feb - Mon 14 Feb
Australian Open
Melbourne
Sat 26 Feb - Sun 27 Feb
Bowls New Zealand National Intercentre Regional Playoffs
Sun 27 Feb – Sat 5 Mar
Trans Tasman
Southland – Waihopai BC
Sat 5 Mar - Sun 6 Mar
Bowls New Zealand National Interclub Regional Playoffs
Within Regions
Wed 9 Mar - Wed 16 Mar
All Regional Playoffs National Club Championships
Within Regions
Thurs 24 Mar - Fri 25 Mar
Bowls New Zealand National Interclub Finals - Division 1 and 2
Wellington – Naenae BC
Sat 26 Mar - Sun 27 Mar
Bowls New Zealand National Intercentre Finals
Wellington – Naenae BC
Sat 9 Apr - Sun 10 Apr
National Club Championship Singles
Wellington – Naenae BC
Mon 11 Apr - Tues 12 Apr
National Club Championship Pairs
Wellington – Naenae BC
Tues 12 Apr – Wed 20 Apr
World Cup and World Junior Cup
Warilla, Australia
Wed 13 - Thurs 14 Apr
National Club Championship Triples
Wellington – Naenae BC
Fri 15 Apr - Sat 16 Apr
National Club Championship Fours
Wellington – Naenae BC
Fri 22 Apr - Sun 25 Apr
Kittyhawk National Under 20 Singles
Auckland – Pakuranga BC
Fri 21 Oct – Mon 23 Oct
North East Valley Singles
Dunedin - North East Valley
Fri 11 Nov – Sun 13 Nov
Stoke Invitation Singles
Nelson - Stoke
Thurs 17 Nov – Fri 25 Nov
Trusts New Zealand Open
Auckland
Sun 11 Dec – Tues 13 Dec
National Secondary Schools Championships
Christchurch – Bowls Papanui
Wed 28 Dec – Tues 10 Jan
Hyundai National Open Championships – Men and Women
Auckland – HQ Carlton Cornwall
upshot www.bowlsnz.co.nz
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ISSUE 17 FEBRUARY 2011
club scene Tower Photo Competition
Send us your best bowling photos and be in to win $500 cash, or two nights at a Millennium Hotel. Please send photos to practicum@bowlsnz.co.nz before March 28th. Images must be digital files, and email subject must be “Photo Competition”. Winners will be announced in the April issue of Upshot. Judges decision is final.
Winners of Facebook Bowls Sets Competition
Congratulations to Kelly Brenton and Kevin Mackay who have won bowls sets in our Facebook competition. Check out our pages for photos and a chance to chat with other bowlers around the country.
Silverstream Awarded Gold Club Check Award
Congratulations to Silverstream who have been awarded a Gold Club Check Award. The award represents the highest level of operations, planning and sustainable management that clubs should aspire to achieve. The efforts of members of Silverstream to gain this award is remarkable.
Riccarton Racecourse wins Silver Club Check Award
“Club Plan helped us to put structure around a lot of things we were doing pretty well, and it filled in a few gaps where we saw we could improve” says President Alistair Smith. “It is great to see the club being independently recognised as one of the better managed bowling clubs in NZ and this gives us confidence for the future of the club during difficult times”. Development Officer Vince Roper says, “Good on them for being proactive. When it is now harder to attract people and money Bowls NZ’s ‘Club Plan’ approach gives clubs a better chance of moving forward. Many other clubs are now finally realising that they have been slipping backwards with declining membership and reserves, because they have not adapted or changed, and made use of the resources and help that has been available”.
Queensland Floods
By Charles T Cowman, Life Member Bowls Nelson We the Cowman’s live in a small village named Lockrose which was about 15m above the flood waters which arose from the Lockyer Creek one lkm from our back door. It rose by 20 m to a previous high [around 100 years ago] then again rose by a further 5m to spread across the paddocks by 8 kilometres across. Tuesday we had hundreds of soldiers and volunteers shoulder to shoulder in what we call the Lettuce Patch, sized around 50 Rugby fields, aided by three Military Helicopters using laser equipment to attempt to find the missing persons mainly from Grantham which is around 20 minutes away. We go through there twice a week, a very small village, which now has not very much left, the damage being astronomical. I belong to the Bowling Club at Tara, about 250km from our home which has been totally isolated for 12 days. In the seven years I have been a member there has been no flooding out there, more often virtually in drought. I have not ever seen so many people in shock and disarray from what must be Australia’s greatest tragedy. Thank you to all whom have contacted us and shown so much concern to our welfare.
Waipawa Open Pairs
Hawke’s Bay’s oldest Pairs Bowling tournament, the Waipawa Men’s Open Pairs was played on Waipawa’s all-weather green on 4/5 January 2011. The final for the F M Tickner Cup saw Peter Hickman (S) and Vern Hirsch from Havelock North defeat Ian Mason (S) and Michael Brown from Waipawa.
upshot www.bowlsnz.co.nz
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ISSUE 17 FEBRUARY 2011
BLIND & DISABLED BOWLERS ROLL OUT THEIR SKILLS By Amy Williams The New Zealand Blind Lawn Bowling Association National Championships were held at Gate Pa Bowling Club, Tauranga, in November. Many of the players require guides or coaches working on the green to assist them in their game. Players are told how far the jack is in front of the mat, so they can gauge the length, and the weight they have to play their bowl. Full-sighted, Mr Marinkovich NZ Blind Lawn Bowling Association Selector was in awe of what he saw. “We’ve run a couple of blind tournaments to raise money and had to be blindfolded ourselves. It was a challenge, an absolute challenge and it just makes you realise what these people go through every day. They have a gift, an inbuilt homing device if you like, and it just makes you appreciate the daily grind they have to go through. I think they’re amazing. A lot of able-bodied people can’t bowl as good as this.” The B1 Mixed Singles (for totally blind participants) was taken out by David Monk, who also took out the B1 Mixed Pairs title with M Savage. Other title winners were J Abernathy, D Stallard, A Graves, L Jones and B Currin. By Colin Frude The 2010 NZ Disabled Bowls Championships were held at Papatoetoe Hunters Corner Bowling Club from the 19th to the 21st of November. A wide range of disabilities was represented including amputees, wheelchair bowlers, and the visually impaired. The championships began with qualifying for the singles and the first three rounds of pairs play. The singles was particularly hotly contested with Snow Reardon, Alan Carson, Joan Ware, and Clem Richards earning places in the semi finals. The high standard of play throughout the day was remarked on by club members who were amazed at the accuracy the disabled bowlers attained. The grass green played very truly and showed no wear at all from the use of wheelchairs. All chairs used in the championships complied with regulations which require wide tyres to avoid damage to the greens. Saturday saw the first rounds of the triples round robin competition played with the team of Clem Richards, Lynda Bennett, and Mark Mitchell getting off to a great start and finishing the day undefeated. A thrilling singles final on the last day saw veteran Snow Reardon defeat Alan Carson very narrowly in a close match punctuated by bowling of the highest quality. Third in the singles was Joan Ware. The pairs title was won by Ron Cockburn and Graham Shaw and in the Triples, Richards, Bennett, and Mitchell held on for first place. As always, such an amazing event could not have happened without the help of a lot of selfless volunteers and huge thanks goes to everyone at Hunters Corner. New Zealand Disabled Bowls provides support for any bowler with a disability, as well as providing a pathway to competing in our nationals and in international events. For more information see http://www.nzdisabledbowls.110mb.com/index.html
upshot www.bowlsnz.co.nz
19
WHAT IT TAKES TO As an orange summer sun sinks lower
participants to the program, to the extent
over the Te Atatu Peninsula, the
of having to turn people away as they
rush and clack of bowls punctuates
simply cannot cater for everyone. While
the laughter and shouts of delight
their location has certainly played a part
rolling
Bowling
in their success, it’s also a success story of
Club’s greens. It’s Wednesday around
the specialised marketing that the club has
6:30pm, and rookie bowlers have
undertaken.
around
Ponsonby
come together on the neatly prepared
The club focused on local businesses,
greens for the latest session of Mates
and past groups who had used the club for
in Bowls.
their Xmas and corporate functions. Over
Joining workmates, friends and family,
the years Ponsonby had built up a massive
the somewhat eclectic crowd that fills the
email database from all their corporate
greens has traded ties for t-shirts and cell phones for bowls; jandals and sunglasses also appear to be commonplace on the twilight green. This is what casual bowling is all about: enjoying the final hours of a working day by rolling up with friends on a couple of well-tended greens. And it’s what continues to attract people to the inner-city club for an evening of bowls and a barbecue. But they don’t just show up uninvited, unaware and uninformed. A lot of hard work goes into publicising the event and getting the word out there. And that’s what sets Ponsonby apart. The club has excelled at attracting new
events, and saw MIB as the perfect product to get those individuals back into the club on a regular basis. This market wants to be able to find out what’s happening, and sign up, online – so Ponsonby set up a registration form on their website and emailed all their past contacts the link and details. This cuts out large amounts of time and paperwork for both players and volunteers as the online process keeps it simple, accessible, and easy to track. For clubs looking to set up a successful MIB programme the first port of call needs to be your club website. You can set up a site for free using variety of providers such as Allteams or Sportsground. Next, make sure you use all of the marketing support that Bowls NZ makes available. Deliver postcards and teaser cards; send out the email template to your database, put posters up in your local community (in places like the supermarket). It’s critical for a successful MIB program to make the branding visible. Bowls NZ also organises a fax attack and postal drop for MIB clubs, which happen at no extra cost for your club and helps to support the work and effort the club is putting in locally. Then you can think about your own
upshot www.bowlsnz.co.nz
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ISSUE 17 FEBRUARY 2011
RUN A SUCCESSFUL MIB PROGRAMME marketing initiatives – is there a local
are colour coded, numbered, and stored
newspaper you could advertise in? What
in the same area. The teams collect their
about radio? This doesn’t have to be paid
own bowls and put them back, each team
advertising, talk to your local stations and
always get the same set of bowls so they
papers, find out about their community
know where they are stored, and each
bulletins, these can make the difference
week it’s a simple matter for the players to
from having a good program - to a great one. “We’ve put a lot of work into this,” says Ponsonby club president John Ivory with pride. “We put the word out on the radio, dropped flyers around the neighbourhood and got a lot of interest just through word of mouth. That’s the best way to do it. It works very well, as you can see,” Ivory says, gesturing expansively at the two sunny greens packed with smiling bowlers. Beyond marketing, the most important part of keeping players coming back is making sure your club has the right personality. Upon arrival at Ponsonby
check in, get their bowls and get into the game. At the end of the night, they pack up happily and head to the club rooms. To make sure your Mates in Bowls players enjoy their experience try to follow some of these key points. l Keep any registration or organising at the beginning of the night as streamlined as possible. l Make sure you get every player’s email address so you can contact them in the future. l Promote the programme as much as you can. l Keep
the
format
of
the
night
players fill out a quick form, and get
standardised so that old hands can
straight into the game. Many MIB players
lead by example.
are old hands – they have been doing MIB at Ponsonby ever since its inception. These players make the whole process of learning the game a lot more streamlined for those who are first timers. The volunteers have mastered the art of being there when help is needed, but standing back and letting the bowlers get
l Stand back and let the players get on with it. Let them discover the joy of bowling. l Always make sure volunteers are available for help when they are needed. l Keep it fun, entertaining, and social.
on with the game once they know what to do. The volunteers make the club, make it inviting – what has made this program so successful is the volunteers engage the MIB players, they laugh, have a joke, they keep the night informal. It’s about making the club, fun, welcoming, and a place that allows people to simply enjoy the social aspect of the game. The final ingredient is to make the process of getting on the green as easy and simple as possible, in Ponsonby’s case teams are allocated their own bowls which
upshot www.bowlsnz.co.nz
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ISSUE 17 FEBRUARY 2011
FOCUS ON GREENKEEPING WHAT TOP BOWLERS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT GREENS By Maurice Symes
running evenly, achieve full cover or have
Clubs and green staff do receive
greens running at a consistent speed.
criticism from top players, much of
Greens should be prepared with a
which is completely underserved and
general consistency of green cover to
ill informed and only a few players
avoid contentious issues with top bowlers.
have any idea what clubs face to
The inability of being able to finish the
maintain greens to the same level for
delivered bowl to the centre line of the
the whole of a bowling season.
rink on inconsistently covered surface is
From opening day through to the end
what gets top players frustrated. It is for
of April we pass through three seasonal
those reasons alone that greens become
changes, spring, summer and autumn,
difficult to play for the person who thinks
and they all need different greenkeeping
about line, speed with each bowl that is
skills to keep the greens running the same
played.
speed and fully covered. Another factor is
Players
need
to
remember
that many of our greenkeepers are now
greenkeeping is a science and very
getting on in age, are often volunteers, and
difficult to try and understand. Remember
receive little or no remuneration for their
the greenkeeper can only produce a
hard work. We lack skilled greenkeepers
surface depending on what the clubs
and clubs are reluctant to pay professional
are prepared to support in the way of
greenkeepers, or cannot afford them.
chemicals, fertilisers and equipment. The
If clubs do not carry out renovation
greenkeeper is trying to give you better
work at the end of each season and go into
greens on which to play and they worry
winter with good cover, often come spring
about them more than any player.
the greens lack full cover and even growth. If weather conditions through spring are
In Summary
either wet or very cold that also reduces the chances of greens being in good
1. Top
bowlers
should
realise
the
condition when the season commences.
preparation of greens, having the
Greens in the South Island are generally
same texture all over without fast
superior to those of the North Island due
and slow patches may be caused by
to both climatic and soil conditions. The
climatic conditions in a particular area
fact that Maniototo weed is susceptible
or by the lack of growth.
to disease in the humid conditions of the
2. Green speeds of 15 to 18 seconds
far north of the country only allows either
are the standard set throughout the
Dioica or Starweed, or a combination of
country.
both, to be the main surface used by most
3. Runoff into ditches can only be
clubs. Good greens are hard to come by
eliminated each year at renovation
under these conditions and greenkeepers
time.
can only wait for conditions to suit before
4. Ditch composition can be pebbles,
they can try to give bowlers the surfaces
sand or grass so long as the bowls and
they want to be able to play consistently
jack at entry point settle on a prepared
well. To have greens running between
holding surface.
15 – 18 seconds with even cover depends
5. Rink set out movement is so that from
on many factors and some of these are
day to day you do not get tracking
not
from having to run over footmarks
greenkeeper
dependant.
A
lazy
greenkeeper will generally not have greens
etc.
upshot www.bowlsnz.co.nz
23
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ISSUE 17 FEBRUARY 2011
NZ’S YOUNGEST UMPIRE BRIDGING THE GENERATION GAP By Crispin Anderlini One of the unique things about bowls is that it’s become almost commonplace to find a senior citizen and a minor rolling up together, or against each other, on greens around the country. But what about those that officiate the games? Teenager Michael Johnson donned the official outfit and took the lead in this area five years ago, and at 19 is still the youngest International Technical Official (ITO) in NZ.
It was his grandad Keith Johnson (a former member of the NZ Umpires Committee) that introduced the young Wellington bowler to the game, and like so many others thriving in the sport it was that first roll up with him that got 14-yearold Johnson hooked. “My grandad got me into bowls, and after going to the club with him when I was in year nine I got interested in playing,” Johnson explains. “I joined the bowling group at Tawa College and then joined the Tawa Bowling Club – my granddad still plays at the club and umpires. He fostered the umpire aspect of my interest in bowls.” In fact, Johnson was so interested in this aspect that he also became an umpire (one of the youngest in NZ) the same year, at age 14. Despite some “strange looks” from older players not used to the sight of a teenaged umpire, he persevered and went on to pass his ITO exam in 2006 – making him the youngest ITO in New Zealand at 15-years-old. With this new title came new responsibilities and
challenges for the youthful umpire, who faced initial uncertainty from older markers uncomfortable with being told the rules by a teenager. “I was uncertain when I first started to go in and brief markers, and they were asking “who is this kid telling us what to do?” I was even tested by some greenkeepers, who moved markers and things to see if I would notice. But my confidence was boosted by the experience, and now it’s not an issue at all,” the Victoria University student of Criminology says with a confident smile. No stranger to the other side of bowls, Johnson has played his fair share of competitions and earned honours for his efforts. The most important of these accolades is a national title in the Pairs at the 2006 National Secondary School Championships with Nathanael Lucas, but one which he expresses some surprise about receiving. “It was unbelievable that we won. Our naivete may have helped because we went in not knowing who the big-name bowlers were to watch out for. We didn’t know anyone’s reputation and we just decided we didn’t want to come last.” Although he still bowls most weekends, the experienced umpire’s bowling plans are aimed squarely at the official side of the game. “You start enjoying the game once you start playing, that’s why you keep on playing. I play centre and club matches these days but umpiring at World Bowls and the Commonwealth Games are my two main goals.”
upshot www.bowlsnz.co.nz
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ISSUE 17 FEBRUARY 2011
WHERE OUR By Michael O’Keefe,
agreements to deliver regional services
Bowls NZ Marketing &
commencing
Communications Manager
actions were clearly specified to ensure
The
following
are
the
in
2009/2010.
Key
key
consistent service delivery across New
challenges facing the sport that were
Zealand of coach, talent development,
identified at the planning session
umpire, youth, and green keeping
held in December. The session
plans. A role for centres in line with
involved the management staff and
their strengths has been agreed and
board of Bowls New Zealand and
regional service centres will provide
the Chairs and managers from the
centralised administration where this is
Regional Service Centres.
required. A strong emphasis will be put
During the two planning days the
on providing targeted services to ensure
representatives worked through and
stronger, more sustainable clubs. A
discussed what it would take to become
need to leverage regional resources to
the “Best Bowling Nation in the World,�
supplement the funding provided by
out of these discussions 6 critical issues
Bowls NZ to regional service centres has
facing our sport became apparent as
been identified.
priority areas we as an organisation needed to address during the term of
(b) Leadership and Resourcing
the current Strategic Plan.
One Bowls: One Vision
Improving leadership capability is essential to ensuring strong, sustainable
The One Bowls: One Vision philosophy of alignment across the sport underpins all of the challenges and opportunities to be faced over the next few years. The aim of the project is to build strong and successful clubs and regional service centres supported by a network of centres delivering regional competitions and representative team programmes; to get more people playing bowls more often; and to provide pathways so people can participate and progress from club to international levels. The One Bowls: One Vision project was endorsed by the 2009 annual general meeting and has the support of the majority of the membership. The One Bowls: One Vision philosophy requires a commitment to the following:
centres and clubs. A bowls leadership programme
will
be
developed
in
consultation with stakeholders to address current sport capability. The leadership training programme will be linked to the work of the Community Development Officers and will incorporate club plan and other capability tools.
(c) New Markets and Participants Nationally
branded
products
including MIB, Squad6, Have a GO, and Xmas Bowls have been developed to
provide
a
quality,
enjoyable
experience for players and to provide a fun experience for volunteers, and these have proved popular. These
(a) Regional Service Delivery
will be subject to ongoing review as new markets are identified and new products are developed and aligned to
Auckland, Wellington and Canterbury
upshot www.bowlsnz.co.nz
26
bowls
centres
entered
into
match those needs of all participants. Youth and casual bowlers represent
ISSUE 17 FEBRUARY 2011
FOCUS LIES a very important market for the sport
athletes and teams is imperative, as is
and this means providing offerings
adherence to a Code of Conduct and a
that are fun, accessible and relevant,
set of values.
and communicating in ways that will attract new participants to the sport. The challenge for Bowls is to continually provide
appropriate
products
that
(f) Values-Based Organisation
contribute to the cost of supporting the Bowls NZ values are based around
infrastructure of Bowls.
continuous
improvement,
integrity,
enjoyment, personal leadership and
(d) Sport Image
service. These values need to be
For bowls to flourish it is vitally
constantly demonstrated and reinforced
important that the sport is viewed
at every level of the sport to ensure a
positively by the members, the public,
successful future as a fully aligned and
and the media. A communications and
integrated sport. We will work to build
stakeholder engagement strategy will be
trust across the membership and both
developed. This will focus on ensuring
support and challenge leaders within
a
the sport at centre and club level to
proactive
approach
to
building
beneficial relationships with the media and a positive image of bowls as a sport that is accessible and attractive to young people, as well as a game for life for other participants. The strategy will incorporate the four faces of bowls, as
continually improve, to demonstrate integrity, to enjoy the game of bowls, to provide leadership and to provide a service for all participants. The planning days highlighted the
well as promoting young and successful
need for a concerted approach under
Black Jack representatives demonstrating
the One Bowls: One Vision banner. At
pathways for young people to achieve
every level our plans for the future need
national and international sporting
to align so that change is embedded
success.
from grass roots upwards resulting in more people playing and enjoying
(e) High Performance
the sport in friendly and welcoming surroundings.
In order to achieve success at international
level,
a
The Bowls NZ Board, staff and the
performance
Regional Service Centres will be working
based culture must be developed with
over the coming months to build the
pathways from club level through
plans and processes that address the key
to selection in the Black Jacks team including coach led representative teams
issues identified at the planning days.
at club and centre level. Selection at club, centre and national levels must be open and transparent to ensure talented individuals can access pathways through representative
teams,
development
squads, and ultimately to earn selection for national honours. A coach led approach
for
all
talent
identified
upshot www.bowlsnz.co.nz
27
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ISSUE 17 FEBRUARY 2011
SPONSORSHIP IS DEAD What has to change is that we get the idea of sponsorship out of our heads; we have to start thinking about PARTNERSHIPS. We have to stop being Sportised, meaning we have to go back to what we have all learned in our professional lives. We have to start reviewing, researching, engaging, and acting professionally if we want people to believe in us enough to start putting funds our way. So what do I say to people who ask By Michael O’Keefe I am taking the chance to write this piece as a result of many individuals on executives at clubs and centres who I have had the chance to meet in recent months asking the same question:
How do I increase or at least maintain sponsorship revenue for our Club/Centre? The first thing we have to do is realise that sponsorship has gone past the days where companies are happy to hand out money. I had the chance to meet with some key individuals on this topic recently and one of the points they talked about was the beggar mentality - how would you react if some unknown person walked up to you and said, “you look like you have money, can you give me $100 dollars so I can go out for dinner?”. This hand out mentality is turning many organisations
this question? Like most things there is no magic easy solution.
Start with looking at your strengths: • What does your organisation have that others don’t? • What do you do well? What is it you are great at? • What are the strengths of your local community and businesses? What does your region excel at, e.g. if its food and wine, could you get a vineyard to host a fundraising event and provide the wine instead of funds? Could you do a wine and food tournament that attracts bowlers who are also foodies? Play on what’s around you, use the resources of your community, understand your community’s place in the world.
and businesses away from that traditional sponsorship model. What we have found is that all businesses, no matter how large
Then you have to know who your participant base is
or small, have begun to look for tangible returns for their investment - past signage or naming rights.
Get some real data; find out the demographics, age, location, occupation,
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ISSUE 17 FEBRUARY 2011
SPONSORSHIP and purchasing habits of your club or centre’s
common nontraditional sponsorship model is
members. The more information you can
the commercialisation of a relationship where
get the easier it is to build a story about
the business provides a club a commission on
why organisations should interact and build
any business sent their way from your club or
partnerships with you.
centre. These are all things that can be used to add value to your club, and your access
Look at the services your traditional member utilises and begin to target businesses who may want to be associated with those factors Don’t go to every man and their dog for money, understand who and why you are approaching someone. You have to take a perspective of “what’s in it for them”. What can a partnership with us do in terms of linking the business to our members and by default, what they buy and consume?
to these opportunities is only limited by the scope of your imagination (and your ability to present the opportunity to your members).
How to start approaching businesses The key thing to do is to talk to the businesses and their people, sit down and find out what they’re looking for, what they need, and their budget. This is not about pitching the sponsorship, just ask to meet, say you are looking into how to build proposals that suit business needs. Most people are happy to give advice. Tell them who you are, what you’re trying to achieve - but don’t put
Look at non-traditional partnership (sponsorship) options The world has forever changed, and more and more you will see businesses prepared to offer alternative options towards building a relationship with you: you have to be open to the potential of these opportunities. The trick to building successful partnerships is to have both parties engaged with each other and working in a mutually beneficial way. When you look at opportunities also look at factors such as in kind contributions - man power, buying groups, access to resources. For example; a large market gardener may be happy to purchase fertilizer on your behalf at the discounted rate they get due to their size. A small business may be willing to get their accounts people to do your GST returns. Your local bank manager
the hard sell on, most of this time should be about asking them questions. Once you have done this with a few businesses you should have an idea of who might be interested and what each might have to offer. Consider before approaching a business with a formal proposal, not what is your need, but what do they want out of a partnership, i.e. a new business may want exposure; whereas an existing business may want sell through. Some may want to build a community identity; others are all about the sale. Once you have this understanding you can then present aspects of your club or centre that best fit the need of the business. Look at presenting commercial arrangements to companies whose focus is sales. What often works well is a base upfront fee plus a clip the ticket on any sales generated. This shows a tangible return to businesses and they write the initial amount off as advertising.
can’t hand over funds, but could be more than happy to have some of their staff help
What’s your biggest asset?
run one of your tournaments or help out in
upshot www.bowlsnz.co.nz
30
a working bee to clean up the club. The local
Your membership base is your biggest
mechanic may be prepared to service your
asset. You have to get email addresses; this
motorised green keeper equipment. The most
has to be the first priority of any club or
ISSUE 17 FEBRUARY 2011
IS DEAD executive. Sending out material via email
It’s really important to follow up, to
is the best cost effective option available to
include sponsors once they are signed up,
organisations. Fundamentally a database of
send out updates, meet regularly, invite them
all your participants’ emails will be a stronger
to events, ask them to hand out trophies.
tool than anything else you have.
This makes them feel some tangible personal
For example, for a mechanic you ask for a $1000 upfront fee, which covers the costs
interaction, return, and link to your club or centre.
of signage, an advert in your handbook/ newsletter, and a monthly email to your database. As part of the arrangement 5% of any business generated is returned to you as a commission type arrangement. The email and print includes a voucher that the participant base can print off and take so there is evidence of the transaction and where they have come from.
more people you bring in the more concepts and leads you will get. One of the key changes from the years has been “What’s in it for me?” The economic climate we face has been such a
When you put a proposal in front of someone keep it simple, break it down into key points. Your objective, costs, partner benefits,
Seek help! Ask your community, ask your executive and board, ask your banker - the
business perspective on sponsorship in recent
The proposal
returns,
The last bit of advice
community
benefits,
sponsorship term etc. If you can stretch the term of the agreement, it’s better to get a
defining factor in business success that every organisation has to look at the return they get for every dollar they invest. The trick for clubs and centres is to be able to answer that question, “for being a partner with us you get this specific opportunity”.
modest amount over 4 years than a large amount one year and nothing the next. When writing proposals you have to focus on what is important to them, speak their language and align the proposal with their values. Some of the best results come when you start looking at things from different angles, when someone says “No not interested in sponsorship”, what they are saying is one of three things: the price it too high, you haven’t sold me enough (I am not convinced), or it’s a road block (I don’t want to think about it). This gives you an opportunity. Ask if they would be interested in donating their services, invite them to an event, or to present a business perspective to a delegates or executives meeting. This gives you the opportunity to change tact and probe their response. It’s always a good strategy to get potential sponsors involved with the club: the more involved they are with the community, the more likely they are to change their response to a yes and become a long term partner.
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31
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