March 2012

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UNDERDOG ARMITAGE goes it alone

the queen of teams bags Australia’s top singles title

AUSTRALIA’S PREMIER LAWN BOWLS MAGAZINE Volume 35/6

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Volume 35/ Issue No. 6

CONTENTS 06 Cover Story

14 Aus Premier League

Lynsey Armitage claims her maiden Australian Open singles title, as Queenslanders dominate the marquee event.

Hopes that new high-octane premier league format can reignite public interest in the sport of bowls.

08 BA Awards

32 Umpiring

Pat Mac flies the flag for Queensland at the Bowls Australia awards. Veteran broadcaster wins Story of the Year gong.

Find out all you need to know about measuring from one of the best in the business, Joan Brotherton.

12 AO Disability Titles

33 Qld Premier League

Queenslanders claimed a swag of medals at last month’s AO disability championships in Melbourne.

The competition is heating up as Queensland’s Premier League season draws to a climax.

4 | queensland bowler

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Feedback guides future direction of our sport In recent months the board has been reviewing the direction of Bowls Queensland, taking into account the feedback received from district meetings throughout 2011.

As a result a new strategic plan has been developed and was approved at the February board meeting. The Strategic plan will focus on nine areas.

Increase funding

This will look at ensuring that any funding available to our sport, through grants and other funding sources, is fully utilised. This is seen to be more pertinent now, as Bowls Queensland will no longer receive money from Bowls Australia’s National Merchandising Program.

Stabilize and grow membership

As we know there is an ongoing decline in membership right across the country. It is imperative that the decline is stopped and once stopped, we must look at what is necessary to attract new members to the sport. To achieve this we will require cooperation and assistance at all levels of the sport.

Strategic planning and corporate governance for clubs and districts

Bowls clubs are businesses and, as with any good business, strategic planning and good corporate governance are imperative to success. However, it is no secret that many of our clubs don’t operate as effectively as they could. It is with this in mind that Bowls Queensland will develop a resource that will assist clubs in these important areas.

Training and education for the board, committees and staff

With the new Occupational Health and Safety legislation, it is more important than ever that the appropriate induction is given to the BQ board, committees and staff. The roles and responsibilities for all areas of BQ will be reviewed to ensure they are appropriate for the position, with a full induction given to ensure team members understand all aspects of the role.

Succession planning

Due to a decline in the number of volunteers right across the sport, it is necessary to plan for the future so that positions on the board and committees continue to be filled in the future.

Assist clubs to implement programs to meet the needs of their community

The BQ development team has already been assisting clubs in this area, however, a more “hands on” approach will be investigated and implemented so that clubs have even greater assistance when running these programs. It is envisaged that this will also assist with membership increases.

New database

The existing BQ database is limited in its capacity to meet the needs of the sport. At present the states are working towards a national system that will enable all state bodies to gather the information they require to make informed decisions.

Communicate with members

The distribution of information is important for any organisation and this is no different for BQ. The state body will continue to investigate efficient and cost effective ways to distribute information to those that require it. This will include the Queensland Bowler magazine, memos and email, along with the adoption of any other technologies available.

Ownership of Coorparoo Bowls Club

The purchase of Coorparoo Bowls Club has some ongoing financial implications for BQ. However, to ensure that this no longer continues a SWOT analyses will be done that will see strategies developed and implemented.

Bowls Queensland’s strategic plan can be viewed in full on the BQ website.

Visit www.bowlsqld.org and click on the Important Documents button at the bottom of the page.

If you require any further information please feel free to forward any queries to Bowls Queensland at PO Box 476, Alderley Q4051 or via email at admin@bowlsqld.org.

Keith Fullerton, CEO Bowls Queensland

Editor: Wayne Griffin Editorial Assistant: Beth Newman Published by: Bowls Queensland ABN 17 231 978 960

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Editorial: Queensland Bowler PO Box 476, Alderley, Qld 4051 Phone: (07) 3355 9988 Fax: (07) 3855 0010 Email: news@bowls-queensland.org Advertising: Wayne Griffin Phone: (07) 3355 9988

your say Dear Editor,

In reply to Mr Bishop’s letter in the January issue of Queensland Bowler, regarding “the collector” for pushing up bowls on the green.

We at Dayboro Bowls Club have five, which we have had for years. They were made by Glen, one of our male players who is now retired.

We said he should have patented them when first made. Ours are made of wood.

Anyone is welcome to come and visit our club on a Wednesday (ladies day), have a game with us and use them.

Edna Wruck Dayboro Bowls Club

Dear Editor,

At a recent meeting of the Condamine Men’s DBA I was asked to write to congratulate you on the story about “The Boys from the Bush” in the November Queensland Bowler.

It gave us all a great lift and goes to show that given an even playing field we can match our city cousins a lot of the time and if we could play and train as often as our opponents we could improve on that.

Once again thank you for your story and maybe you can write it again someday with a slightly different outcome.

David E. Cunningham Acct. Secretary CMDBA

Letters to the Editor, Queensland Bowler, PO Box 476, Alderley, Q 4051 or via email news@bowls-queensland.org Letters must be short and may be edited to ensure appropriateness of content.

Fax: (07) 3855 0010 Email: advert@bowls-queensland.org Subscriptions: To subscribe, fill out the form on page 34 and post it, together with a cheque for $25 (inc gst) to: Queensland Bowler Subscriptions PO Box 476, Alderley, Qld 4051.

queensland bowler | 5

Underdog Armitage claims Australian Open title double Queensland ace defends triples crown before landing maiden singles title Underdog is not a tag generally associated with Australian captain, Lynsey Armitage.

And last month she proved why, battling her way through Australian Open Last Chance Qualifying on the way to triumphing in the women’s blue ribbon singles.

Armitage faced incredible competition over the fortnight that she competed and proved to Australia that she can play all forms of bowls.

The singles win completed Armitage’s set of Australian Open golds, having previously won the pairs and triples disciplines.

Gaining the elusive title was a fantastic moment for Armitage, who has experienced more success in team events over her career.

The Queenslander’s class became evident as the match went on and she rolled to a comfortable 9-6, 9-2 victory.

Armitage’s extensive experience in high stakes matches helped her to defeat Phillips.

“I’ve been playing in the Aussie Open for about eight or nine years, so I’ve got a little bit of experience. It’s a bit scary seeing all the young up and comers, like Lisa…I had to put it all on the line and I think my experience and my composure got me over the line in the final,” she said.

The 28-year-old said the extra time she spent on the green during qualifying may have given her an edge.

A similar game day approach proved the key to the team’s success, according to Armitage.

“We’ve got a really good friendship on and off the green,” she said.

“We see the game the same way. We’re all pretty positive and happy-go-lucky people.

“We don’t really take things too seriously.

When things are looking a bit dire, we always give ourselves a chance and stay positive and yeah it’s worked well.”

Despite having pretty much achieved all she can at the Australian Open, Armitage is still keen to return to the fray in 2013.

“My national and international career success has been in team events,” she said.

“I think it was a bit of an advantage in the end, going through qualifying because I got a bit used to the greens…it seemed the more days I played, the better I was getting,” she said.

“This time next year it’s going to be a different kettle of fish.

Armitage came up against 18 year-old defending champion, Lisa Phillips, in the final.

With their second consecutive win, they became the first team to go back-to-back in the Open since the event began in 2005.

Her golden open was the perfect start to a big year for Armitage, which will culminate with November’s World Championships.

“I have won the state singles and the golden nugget singles a couple of times, though.”

6 | queensland bowler

Her singles win followed an historic title defence in the women’s triples with good friends Kelsey Cottrell and Anne Johns.

“I was the underdog going into most of my singles matches this year.

“The pressure will be on me next year, but I’m sure I’ll be up for the challenge,” she said.

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Talented duo too good Aussie icons down young guns to clinch Australian Open pairs crown Helensvale’s Nathan Rice came home with two medals from two events at the Australian Open.

Rice teamed up with world number one and former Australian teammate, Leif Selby to win the top prize in the men’s pairs, before just missing out in the men’s singles final to Queensland teammate Mark Casey.

Selby and Rice comfortably defeated New South Welshmen Jesse Noronha and Aaron Teys in the pairs final, winning 12-5, 7-5.

The reasonably clear win topped off a fantastic tournament for the world-class pair, who won all of their matches in straight sets.

Selby and Rice as a team have proved successful over the years, winning a number of titles at both national and international level.

“I think we bounce off each other well. If Leif struggles, I pick up the slack or if I’m not playing well, Leif lifts.

“It’s a pleasure playing with him,” he said.

Rice congratulated runners-up Noronha and Teys, aged 20 and 17 respectively, after receiving the winner’s trophy.

“It was a great effort [from Jesse and Aaron]. You both played extremely well and you have a great future.”

Meanwhile, the high-profile combination of Wayne Turley, Aron Sherriff and Barrie Lester were relegated to runner-up status in their Australian Open we bounce triples tilt.

“I think off each other well. If Leif struggles, I pick up the slack or if I’m not playing well, Leif lifts.”

“It’s not a bad record Leif and I have got going together, it started for us at the 2007 Asia Pacific Championships, when we were undefeated and went on to win gold and we’ve come back after a few years apart, went through last year’s Queensland Open undefeated and now this,” Rice said.

Their ability to support one another in tough match situations gets them to the pointy ends of tournaments, according to Rice.

Victoria’s Ray Lawerson, James Pearce and Alan Dover were not fazed by their famous opponents, clawing their way to a 3-12, 8-7, 3-2 title win.

Commonwealth stars were also left behind in the women’s pairs competition, with locals Elise Cowan and Victoria Troster eliminating Queensland Open champions Karen Murphy and Kay Moran en route to the final.

The Victorian duo went on to defeat West Australia’s Kristina Krstic and Rechelle Cole in the title decider, 6-11, 9-8, 3-2.

Hammer strikes another blow for Queensland's powerhouse club Helensvale’s golden boy Mark Casey completed a treble for his Queensland club at last month’s Australian Open, winning the men’s singles title.

Casey’s triumph followed winning efforts by teammates Lynsey Armitage (women’s singles and triples) and Nathan Rice (men’s pairs) in a Queensland domination of the premier bowls event.

The final was a certain gold for Queensland, with Casey facing off against Rice.

Casey burst out of the blocks in the title showdown, picking up two shots in five consecutive ends to get out to a 10-shot lead.

Rice took his opportunity to whittle down the lead in the sixth end, earning three shots to kick-start a revival.

But Casey was strong enough to hold off Rice’s advances and closed out the set 10-5.

Casey continued a good run to start the second set with a 5-1 lead, but Rice hit back in the fourth end to square up the score.

From that point on the two champions were impossible to split, going shot for shot and finishing the set 7-7.

Getting to the final was a tough task for the Queenslanders, with both fighting through tiebreaker semifinals.

Casey dropped his only set for the tournament in his semi against Neil Crisp, which pushed him to the limit.

The Gold Coast star narrowly won the first set, 7-6, before Crisp returned the favour in the second.

The tiebreak went down to the wire, but eventually fell to Casey’s advantage, 2-1.

The challenging semi emphasised to Casey the importance of a good start, especially against a player as experienced as Rice. “[The final] was a lot different to the semi where I struggled a little bit. I knew I had to come out and play really well against Nathan. He is a class act and I knew he was going to stage a comeback, which he did in the second set,” he said.

Casey relished the opportunity to play against a friend in the final but knew he would be a tough opponent.

“Nathan obviously played really well all week, winning the pairs, but it was just great to play against a good mate,” he said.

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queensland bowler | 7

Pirates pair miss out at AER finals Queenslanders fail to make their mark amid tough competition Queensland’s Noelene Dutton and Paul Jopson had a tough initiation to the national AER mixed pairs competition last month.

NSW pair Ray Lawson and Helen Allomes were too good for the Pirates combination in their opening round match up, winning 9-2, 15-0.

and wife duo, Trent and Janet Healey, proved they are a perfect match on and off the green when they won the title.

The Biconna couple won the battle of the Territories in the final against NT’s Jade Groenewege and Karen Pickering, 14-2, 6-7, 3-1.

The teams battled for the trophy in scorching 35-degree heat at Melbourne’s Darebin Bowls Club.

The AER competition supports the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education and pairs can qualify through their clubs initially and move on to regional and state competitions.

Jopson and Dutton made a lot of ground in their second match, narrowly losing 6-7, 6-8.

Their final match gave them a chance to salvage some pride and they did just that, with a resounding defeat of South Australia’s Craig Treloar and Audrey Hefford, 16-3, 11-3.

Meanwhile, ACT husband

Karen Pickering, Jade Groenewege, Janet Healey, Trent Healey

BIG PAT FLIES THE FLAG FOR QUEENSLAND Veteran broadcaster and bowls columnist honoured at Bowls Australia Awards The Queensland Bowler’s very own Patrick McErlean was the only Queenslander to collect a gong at the 2012 Bowls Australia awards in Melbourne last month.

Big Pat took out the Story of the Year award for his tireless efforts promoting the sport as host of RadioTAB’s Lawn Bowls World.

McErlean has hosted and produced the Sunday morning show for two decades and is a well-known figure in Australia’s lawn bowling community.

Unfortunately Queensland’s top players were unable to emulate Pat’s success, missing out on the major awards of the night.

Helensvale’s Nathan Rice and Mark Casey, finalists for International Bowler of the Year and Male Bowler of the Year respectively, came the closest of any Queensland bowlers to lifting a trophy.

However, New South Wales star Aron Sherriff was the big winner on the night, going home with two of the three major accolades.

Sherriff was crowned BA Male Bowler of the Year and International Bowler of the year, after an incredibly successful 2011.

His NSW teammate, Natasha Van Eldik was awarded the Female Bowler of the Year award.

21-year-old Van Eldik won the award over Australian vice-captain Karen Murphy.

The junior bowler awards went to WA’s Kristina Krstic and NSW’s Sean Mawdsley.

The other winners on the night were Paul Barnes, who won Professional Administrator of the Year, Mark Cowan (Volunteer Administrator of the Year), Jack Hawkins ( Coach of the Year) , Peter Delaney (Official of the Year) and Valerie Savage (Volunteer of the Year).

Check out next month’s Queensland Bowler for an in-depth chat with Queensland bowls personality and national award winner Pat McErlean.

8 | queensland bowler

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Better year ahead for damaged clubs

AeroBowls get green light

With Bowls Queensland’s annual elections being held on Wednesday, March 28, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all current BQ officials for their support and input into the governance and operations of the state body in 2011.

The world‘s newest lawn bowls manufacturer, Sydney based Australian owned AeroBowls, has received official World Bowls certification.

To all outgoing office bearers, your assistance during the year was greatly appreciated.

AeroBowls are manufactured at a state of the art plant in Rosebery, Sydney and are part of the high profile Comfitpro group, a manufacturer and distributor of a wide range of market leading bowls accessories and clothing.

We can all look forward to 2012, confident of another successful year for bowls in Queensland and hopeful of some good results for our representative teams.

To all incoming officer bearers, I sincerely hope you will enjoy the experience of being part of the Bowls Queensland team.

STATE JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

The junior state championships will be held in Bundaberg later this month, with host clubs being Bargara, Burnett, and Tantitha.

This years events will be the first time that the championships have been held in a regional area.

Entries are very good, with a strong response from young bowlers from districts outside the southeast corner.

We thank the Bundaberg/Port Curtis District and the host clubs for their support and the use of their amenities.

Hopefully this year’s championships will be very successful, paving the way for future events being allocated to country districts.

World Bowls gives new Australian manufacturer its seal of approval

AeroBowls is in the process of launching three models of bowls types on the Australian market and has plans to be a major exporter of bowls once production has been ramped up.

AeroBowls Chief Executive Officer Walter Jacobs, together with AeroBowls Administrative Director Sharon Jacobs, and Chief Operating Officer Rod Heaton said in a joint statement, “We are delighted at the passing of this important milestone in our journey to bring a new level of

technology and performance to the game we all love so much.

“The advanced technology we have brought to the manufacturing process, which is already used in biomedical, defence and aerospace industries around the world, means for the first time in the history of the game ,bowlers can purchase a set of bowls secure in the knowledge that every bowl in their set will be identical in trajectory.

“This is a fundamental guarantee of AeroBowls.

“It’s a major breakthrough for the game and represents a technological ‘catch-up’ compared to many sports.

“AeroBowls is committed to remaining at the forefront of the sport and to a philosophy that ensures that all bowlers, regardless of their level of expertise, will have access to the same bowl. We do not and will not make special one-off sets for the professionals,” they said.

AUSTRALIAN SIDES CHAMPIONSHIPS

Bowls Australia’s Super Six and State Sides Championships will be held at Broadbeach Bowls Club from April 18-24.

As this year’s event is being held in Queensland, the opportunity arises for supporters to come along and cheer on our own state players as they battle it out with top bowlers from all other states and territories.

Your support and encouragement will be greatly appreciated by all the Queensland state squad members.

A win at these championships will be a very good start for this year’s representative season.

GOODWILL TOUR

The 2012 Goodwill Tour will be held from June 15-24.

This year’s tour travels north, with overnight stays at Gayndah, Rockhampton and Bundaberg.

A whole host of clubs will be visited along the way, where tour goers will enjoy some great games and camaraderie with the local bowlers.

For more information on this year’s tour check out the notice on this page or contact Roxanne at BQ on (07) 33559988.

Ron Chambers BQ Board Chair 10 | queensland bowler

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Joyous Occasion Queensland's Forster clinches gold at Australian Open Veteran blind bowler, Joy Forster, proved her reputation as one of the world’s best was well deserved, as she captured gold at the Australian Open in Melbourne last month.

After an opening round loss to South Australia’s Kath Murrell, Forster showed her ability to rebound, winning the rest of her matches.

Her second match was a seesawing affair against New South Wales’ Sharon Dunk, which the Queenslander won 13-1, 0-12, 3-1.

By her final pool match, Forster had obviously fully settled into the tournament, beating Lisa Condy from Victoria, 6-3, 9-0.

The final saw her up against Murrell again, but this time Forster turned the tables massively, only dropping one shot in her 12-0, 13-1 victory.

While Forster’s reputation is firmly etched in the minds of many in bowling circles, her teammate Jake Fehlberg is only just beginning to make waves.

18-year-old Fehlberg went to the Australian Open for the first time in 2012 and had a respectable showing as the Queensland contingent’s youngest player.

With so much of his career ahead of him, Fehlberg has got the talent and the time to make his mark in bowls.

And, from what 2012 winner Tony Scott said to Queensland coach Brett Murphy, Fehlberg has a massive future in the sport.

“Tony came up to me after playing Jake and said ‘this is the future of the sport’. He played really well,” Murphy said.

Pictured below: Golden girl Joy Forster with her championship sidekick and bowls director, Enoggera’s Bruce Jones.

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12 | queensland bowler

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z lit B n e ld o G ' rs le w o B d le Disab

Queensland’s disabled bowlers displayed their incredible talent in a 2012 Australian Open gold rush.

The maroon contingent made the medal deciders in all but two of the eight divisions, finishing with three gold and three silver.

After playing with the men last year due to insufficient entries, deaf bowler Gail Dellar proved her finish as the top-placed woman in 2011 was no fluke.

Dellar started slowly, with an incredibly tight first up loss to Robyn Larkin, 7-7, 8-9.

Her second round match went to a tiebreak, after a brilliant second set from Dellar against Toni Rose Robson, eventually winning 4-7, 16-4, 3-1.

Obviously feeling more comfortable as the week continued, Dellar cruised to an easier victory over WA’s Julie Cox, 8-6, 10-4.

The Queenslander capitalised on her opportunity for revenge in the gold medal playoff against Larkin, taking the top prize, 10-8, 7-7.

Her male counterpart, Richard Strong, also finished on top of the heap in the men’s deaf division.

Strong narrowly defeated Keith Mark in the final, 6-6, 9-8.

Queensland produced similarly successful returns in the competition for intellectually disabled bowlers. v35/6

2011 bronze medallist Gavin Worland went down to Victorian Ross Brown in the gold medal playoff.

Worland did not give up the title without a fight though, forcing the result to a tiebreaker, with the final score 4-11, 10-3, 0-5 to Brown.

Queensland’s disabled bowlers will vie for spots in the 2013 Australian Open at the MultiDisability State Championships later this year.

Pictured: Queensland squad back row (l-r) Brett Murphy

(team manager), Gavin Worland, Grant Fehlberg, Robert Strong, Steven Tong (BQ development officer), Joy Forster. Front row: Gail Dellar, Jake Fehlberg, Bernie Wolland, Kaytlyn Smith, Bruce Jones and Kaye Freeman.

Kaye Freeman also had to settle for silver after a tussle with Victoria’s Joanna Lomagno, 5-8, 9-2, 0-3.

Kaytlyn Smith got incredibly close to the top of the podium in the physical disability section, but was defeated in the final.

Bouncing back from a first set loss to NSW’s Lynne Smith, Kaytlyn managed to push the game to a tiebreaker, but could not quite get over the line, losing 6-10, 6-5, 3-5.

Smith’s teammate and previous Australian Open silver medallist, Bernie Wolland, missed out on the playoffs as Victoria’s Josh Barry romped to his second consecutive gold.

Wolland was left wondering what might have been, after two of his matches were decided by a tiebreak.

Team manager Brett Murphy said he was pleased, but not surprised by the Maroons’ sensational return this year.

“We always knew we had a strong side. Gavin did well last year and Joy and Kaytlyn have played at that level before,” he said. queensland bowler | 13

RULE CHANGES w w w w w w

No rolling the jack Five end sets Super sub Shot clock - to stop time Call it before you kill an end Ends early if one team falls too far behind

The revolution is coming Rugby union has sevens, cricket has T20 and now bowls has its very own fast-paced format.

The new game will be showcased in the Australian Premier League (APL), set to begin in October.

Bowls Australia expects eight teams to be involved, with five based in major metro cities Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth and three sides from regional areas, such as Newcastle or the Gold Coast Team licences will be owned either by a club, a region, a state association or a private owner.

Over four consecutive days, teams will play each other twice, with the top four qualifying for the semifinals.

One match per round will be broadcast on television, with the broadcaster yet to be decided.

Games of two-bowl pairs will be played in a shortened format of five-end sets with a one-end tiebreak.

The five-end sets could potentially finish earlier if a team reaches an unassailable lead before all ends are bowled.

As well as a drastically shorter playing structure, the APL will 14 | queensland bowler

consist of a number of measures to decrease match length and dial up the entertainment aspect of bowls.

Rule changes in the APL are clearly aimed at heightening the excitement factor, taking a leaf out of cricket’s book with additions such as a Power Play.

The Power Play can be used once each set as determined by the coach and will allow teams to double their shots in a particular end.

Coaches will also be able to draw on the specific skills of their charges, with the use of a new Super Sub rule.

Teams in the competition will consist of three players, but only two players may take to the green at any one time.

However, a Super Sub may be called upon to play one shot in an end, for example if the resting player is a particularly good driver and a shot calls for a drive.

The APL is the first stage of a ‘two-pronged’ introduction of the new game play, with the second stage being the establishment of competitions at club level, BA chief Neil Dalrymple said.

As the first stage of the lightning game’s introduction, the

APL will focus on match ups between the best in the world.

Teams are yet to be finalised, but Dalrymple is confident that top players will be keen to play in the fledgling game format.

“There’s interest from players overseas, there’s a lot of interest from Australian players and the bottom line is it’s the best versus the best,” he said.

Once the APL is completed, Dalrymple said the game would be rolled out across the country, most likely with demonstrations at particular clubs.

“Once we’ve run it and people can actually see it on TV and go and watch it then the aim is… to introduce the game format to clubs in certain areas. The specifics of this plan are yet to come but one way of doing that is to showcase it in clubs across the country so we can start to get some good case studies going,” he said.

Dalrymple hopes the new playing style will engage the public in a similar way to cricket’s Big Bash League, which was a massive hit over summer.

And like T20, BA will be hoping for the game to complement current competitions but open

bowls up to a whole new world of participants.

“A lot of the traditional bowlers won’t be that interested in it, it’s really about new bowlers. It’s also about providing a choice for existing bowlers as well. It’s not to replace the existing format.

It’s as an addition and another format of play, which gives people some choice,” he said.

Dalrymple believes the APL format could go a long way to bridging the gap between barefoot bowlers and serious club members, offering a shorter, more convenient way for casual players to get involved.

“It could act like a transition program between sampling the sport and taking the next step.

Now the logical next step would be to a more competitive format but one that is still fun and still short, sharp and appealing,” he said.

BA have already begun promoting the APL, with the release of a YouTube ad, featuring Kelsey Cottrell, Brett Wilkie and other top bowlers.

Over the long term BA believes the APL could be expanded to include UK and South East Asian versions, or even a world championship. v35/6

Shoey takes coaching reins at new-look Club Kawana Bowling legend Ian “Shoey” Schuback is teaming up with Club Kawana as it prepares to enter a new era.

Schuback’s role as an ABC commentator finished last year due to the axing of bowls coverage, and the Sunshine Coast club managed to secure his services for 2012.

Schuback will be aiding the club in its development of an indoor bowling facility, which Kawana hopes will boost the popularity of the club and attract new members.

As well, the four-time world champion will be drawing on his extensive coaching experience with the

establishment of a new Coaching Academy at the north coast club.

Schuback is eagerly anticipating his new role and spoke highly of the community spirit within the club.

“I believe the dynamic of the team is far more important than any individual, and I’m most impressed with the friendliness and team spirit that exists among the members, staff and management at Club Kawana,” he said.

The major personnel coup comes on the back of a fantastic 2011 for Club Kawana, which won the Clubs Queensland award for Best Bowls Club Venue In Queensland last year.

Club manager, Patrick King, said the impending changes at Kawana would have implications for more than just the bowling community.

“Shoey’s appointment will lead to an exciting future not only in bowls but for the entire Sunshine Coast and will bring economic benefit to the region with increased events and visitors.”

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Moorooka Matriarch Bowlers help Moorooka stalwart Ronnie celebrate a major milestone

Moorooka’s ladies got the chance to give something back to club stalwart Ronnie Rodger at a 90th birthday celebration recently.

Bowls Queensland director Tony Butler presented Mrs Rodger with her Matriarch badge at a club morning tea in honour of her milestone birthday.

Mrs Rodger is not only an integral part of the Moorooka Bowls Club, but woven into the fabric of the community itself.

In her time at the club she has worn many hats, including choir singer, newsletter editor and committee member.

Her clubmates paid tribute to the loyal member, with president Alison MacKenzie describing her as “one of those few people who on their walk through life leave so many patches brighter and better from her passing through them.”

“We salute her endeavours and recognise her worth and contribution especially within the Moorooka Bowling club,” Ms MacKenzie said.

“We know she will wear her matriarch badge with pride, she has truly earned it.”

Pictured: Moorooka Matriarch Ronnie with Bowls Queensland director, Tony Butler.

queensland bowler | 15

THANK YOU The AeroBowls team would like to thank the Australian bowls community for your overwhelming support.

As a 100% Australian owned and operated company we have been heartened, indeed overwhelmed, by the interest in our new digital age bowl.

Rest assured we are working around the clock to meet demand and please accept our apologies that we are not able to meet all orders immediately.

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The same line every time The prospect of playing with bowls with a guaranteed identical line has struck a chord with Australian bowlers, not only at the elite level but at every level.

Kelvin Kerkow is currently playing with Aero Dynamic MG in the Queensland Premier League.

New set… same line Each week Kelvin plays with a new set of AeroBowls to demonstrate the fact that line is the same with every AeroBowl of the same model.

Thank you again for your support for a brand new Australian enterprise, which we hope, is helping take our game to a new level.

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AeroBowls & ComfitPro P.O. Box 7117 Alexandria NSW 2015 Australia 1300 13 25 75 info@aerobowls.com www.comfitpro.com

Kelvin Kerkow Queensland Premier League Feb 2012

Comfort in the Hand In addition they will tell you that the Aero feels fantastic. ‘Comfort in the hand’ has been the first comment of virtually all of the more than 200 bowlers who have tried an AeroBowl for the first time.

A final word from Kelvin Kerkow:

TRUE TRAJECTORY ® THE SAME LINE EVERY TIME

For the first time in the history of the game we are manufacturing sets of bowls guaranteed to have the same line every time. This is a result of a highly advanced manufacturing process never before used to make bowls.

Other manufacturers make a range of claims regarding their sets being ‘matched in weight’ and/or ‘balance’ (whatever that means!).

However they cannot - and do not - guarantee that every bowl in a set will have the exact same line. This is because of the limitations of their manufacturing process.

‘Bowlers lament’ consigned to the dustbin of history Having a set of bowls that don’t have an identical line has long been the bain of professional bowlers and increasingly frustrating to the club bowler. How often have you heard the lament: "Same line, same weight, same conditions but different result!" Or, "This bowl is different”. Well you know what? It is. Because up till now no one has been able to produce guaranteed identical bowls.

The absolute certainty of bowling with bowls with an identical line is the unique feature of AeroBowls that has led to so many of the best bowlers in the world switching to Aero.

“ I have no hesitation in saying the AeroBowl is the best bowl I have ever played with.

The way it feels in the hand, combined with the certainty of True Trajectory puts it way out in a class of its own.

In the wind the Aero actually holds it’s line on the wide side and it finishes beautifully on the narrow side, turning back into the wind. ”

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Nick celebrates the century Nick Careedy celebrated a very full 100 years with a birthday bash at his beloved Wavell Heights Bowls Club earlier this month.

Mr Careedy, who has been bowling for almost 50 years, was presented with his 100 Year Medallion by Bowls Queensland Chairman, Ron Chambers.

Living just a stone’s throw away from the bowls club means the popular clubman can indulge his passion as often as he likes.

Living in Brisbane suburbia is a far cry from his childhood in Mylopotamos, a small village in the south of Greece.

At the age of 21, Mr Careedy entered the Greek Army to complete his compulsory national service.

He migrated to Australia in 1937 and spent time in the Air force during World War II, serving in Darwin and PNG.

He has partnered up with many friends and family members in a number of businesses and community organisations since settling in Brisbane, Mr Careedy ran a gift-selling business with his wife, Nina, for over twenty years, up until his retirement.

Not happy to take it slow once his working life was over, he continued to be heavily involved in Queensland’s Greek community, forming the Hellenic Branch of the RSL in 1987.

In 1997, Careedy’s philanthropic work was rewarded with a Multicultural Service Award, followed by an Order of Australia Medal in 2000.

Photo courtesy of Nick Kuhn, Quest Community Newspapers

It's your new best mate on the green

For years, many bowlers struggling with the physical demands of delivering a bowl, often troubled by back, knee or balance difficulties, have either soldiered on or attached rubber bases to walking sticks.

Now a Sydney based company has come up with the Bowlsmate, a new alternative that combines a shortened stick and rubber base with bowl and jack pickups.

According to the inventor of the Bowlsmate, Peter Kocsis, “the innovations in this product are the incorporation of pickups on a support stick, as well as the fold up design of the pickups to ensure the green is protected.”

The product was initially developed for the use of Peter’s father, who is a keen bowler.

There are seven height adjustments possible, which allow the Bowlsmate to be customised to suit every bowler.

The handle is a comfortable, sport compatible design, and there is a handy wrist strap. An engraving plate is also included to allow the Bowlsmate to be personalised.

Under the Laws of Bowls (Law 38-2) the Bowlsmate is considered to be a support. There is no requirement for anyone to obtain permission or a permit to use a walking stick or support when delivering a jack or a bowl.

For further information contact Therese Raso on 0467 322 779 or email therese@ coachmansproducts.com.au.

West Cairns Bowls club hasn’t been around for 1000 years, but combine the ages of a dozen of their members and the final tally crosses into the quadruple digits.

Cairns club throws down unusual challenge

These twelve bowlers, ranging in age from 82 years to 98 years old, have a combined age of a whopping 1046.

All of these bowlers are still active members of the club and involved in social bowls.

They may only play socially, but there is still plenty competition, both on and off the green.

Club treasurer, Ken Broughton, has laid down the gauntlet to the rest of the Queensland clubs, challenging them to beat the impressive birthday count.

“We issue a challenge to any other Queensland bowling club to surpass this achievement,” he said.

If you think your club can beat this impressive number, drop us a line.

20 | queensland bowler

Back Row: (L-R) Syd Gregory (89), Joyce Townsend (82), Fred Wilds (82), Allan Mulholland (83), Anna Hannan (87), Bill Hannan (87). Front Row: (L-R) Elaine Mullholland (85), Betty Hampton (85), Kath Browne (98), Phil Brown (87), Jack Burnell (92), Margaret Lindsay (89). v35/6

A star on the rise Sean Ingham confirmed his standing as one of Australia’s rising stars, clinching the Australian Open under-18 singles title in Melbourne last month.

The Broadbeach player defeated Tasmania’s Bradley Mabb in the final, 11-2, 9-8.

Mabb’s second-set fight back sent the nervous thrill through Ingham, but the level-headed 17-year-old managed to lift to another level to stay on top.

“Brad was unreal and gave me a real go in that second set. I thought he was going to beat me and we’d be in for a tiebreak but I managed to pull something out in the end,” Ingham said.

Ingham was in great form from the get go, opening championships with a 12-6, 10-6 win over Lachlan Jones.

the

His second match against Troy Mansbridge was harder, but again Ingham prevailed, 7-7, 7-6.

A third round win over Danyon Christie, 11-4, 13-4, gave Ingham passage straight through to the semifinals, where he beat Curtis Hanley in a tense tiebreaker, 13-5, 8-9, 3-1.

The Australian Open first-timer said conditions throughout the competition had been difficult to get used to.

“I’ve been happy with my form throughout the tournament. It has been tricky in the afternoon as the wind is stronger than in the morning, but today was the opposite.

“It was hot out there but the greens were good towards the end.

They really quickened and it was nice to play on,” he said.

Meanwhile, South Australian ace, Renee McPharlin, suffered a surprise loss to 14-year-old Ellen Ryan in the girls’ division.

Ryan, from New South Wales, didn’t let the intimidating opposition overwhelm her as she raced away to an 8-5 first set win.

McPharlin clawed her way back in the second and narrowly won 6-5.

But the tiebreak saw Ryan regain her momentum, going on to a commanding 5-1 win.

Bowler's brainwave set to revolutionise the way we measure When Beenleigh bowler, John Watson, woke up one morning with a brilliant idea, he never dreamed that two years later he would be on the verge of launching the biggest technological innovation that bowls has seen in a decade.

Watson’s brainwave, the BEMA laser measure, will revolutionise the way bowlers measure for shot.

The BEMA is similar in function to a box string measure, but uses a laser beam to measure a bowl’s distance from the jack.

No bigger than a mobile phone, bowlers simply place the BEMA in front of the bowl to measure and point the beam at the centre of the jack.

Then, once that measurement has been read, the BEMA is v35/6

placed in front of the competing bowl and with the touch of a button and a flash of red light, a shot can be decided.

Getting his idea off the ground took a lot of legwork, but after an exhaustive search Watson made contact with a team of Russian developers who were interested in building a prototype.

“They really liked it, I got some really positive feedback from them,” he said.

Watson anticipates there will be a huge market for the BEMA, which will most likely retail at around $100, and he is now

looking for financial backers to help put his invention into production.

“If it all goes well, we’re looking at making anywhere between six and 20 million from the BEMA,” he said.

While the timeline has blown out incredibly since the first correspondence, Watson says it has been worth the wait.

“Originally they said it would be three months. That was two and a half years ago,” he said.

Once the measuring time was cut down from 12.5 seconds to only one and a half seconds, Watson really felt like it was coming together and he took his idea to Bowls Australia.

BEMA prototype queensland bowler | 21

Umpiring

with joan brotherton

Fig 1

Measurement Require

A X

A-B is the shortest distan carried out on this line. X & teres of the bowl and jack

This month I would like to cover measuring techniques, equipment and the role of players and umpires in measuring.

the shots carry small wedges, as shown in photo one, as well as their measure during a match.

The rule sections that you should make time to read in relation to measuring are Section 9 – Result of an End and Laws 39 and 40.

This is particularly crucial when measuring a leaning bowl because if that bowl were to fall then Law 40.6.3 would apply.

PLAYER

In relation to whose responsibility it is to measure, it is important to read Law 37.2 Law 37.2 - The Third

37.2.1 - ‘The third can measure any and all disputed shots.’

37.2.2 - ‘The third can tell the skip the number of shots scored for or against their team as each end is completed.’

The third does not have to fulfil these duties if they have a physical problem and are unable to measure.

In that case, players should follow Law 37.4: ‘players can carry out any other duties assigned to them by their skips as described in law 37.1.9.’

I personally recommend that any player who will be measuring 22 | queensland bowler

This will allow bowls to be measured promptly and efficiently.

This law states: ‘if a bowl falls of its own accord, it should be left in its new position while deciding the number of shots scored continues and all the shots agreed before the bowl fell will count’.

When measuring, make sure to measure the flat bowl first as it is easier.

This will assist you in deciding the shot.

Measuring the shot is important, as it can be pivotal to the outcome of a match.

If you are not completely sure, always get down and measure as soon as you can.

Don’t simply walk around the head thinking about it and do not declare an end until you and your opponent are in agreement.

Also, make sure to watch your

opponent when advising the skips of the number of shots scored to ensure there is no disagreement.

All measurements shall be made to the nearest point of each object i.e. the nearest portion of the jack and bowl as shown in Figure 1 above.

If there is any disagreement, do not hesitate to call the umpire.

UMPIRE

Umpires obviously play an integral role in measuring in games and must know how and when to use the numerous measuring instruments required for bowls.

1. Wedges▼

Use wedges to secure a leaning bowl or bowls that are on their running surface before measuring and use the most appropriate number and size of wedges.

2. Feeler Gauges▼

It is essential that the equipment is used appropriately and that umpires are ready when called to go on the green.

I will not go into a great amount of detail about how to use each piece of equipment at this point as I could write a whole column on each one.

There are a number of different types of measuring tools, all of which have a specific use.

This list should hopefully help players and umpires remember which tool is used when.

These are ideal for situations where the distance between the jack and bowls is very small, between 0 and 10 millimetres.

The blades are different thicknesses and you can use them individually or in combination. Place reflective strips on the green between the jack and the bowls when using these. v35/6

ed Y B

nce. All measuring must be & Y are the horizontal cenk.

3. Callipers▼

5. Reflective strips▼

7. Long tape measure◄ Use this when the distance is beyond the range of a string measure and also when the jack or bowls are in the ditch.

The tape is a calibrated tape attached to an L-shaped frame.

These have two legs, fixed together at one end by a spring.

Callipers are ideal to use when the distance between the jack and bowls is fairly short, between 10 and 150 millimetres.

These are used in conjunction with feeler gauges and callipers to aid accuracy.

Note that when using this measure the tape base is placed against the bowl so that it touches the bowl.

It may also have a ditch sighting-plate attached.

9. 30m Tape Measure▼ Use this when checking whether the jack or a bowl is beyond the minimum distance and it should be measured from the front edge of the mat. It can be either rewound manually or automatically.

Place reflective strips on the green between the jack and the bowls when using these.

4. Box string measure ▼

6. Telescopic measure▲ This is an alternative to the box string measure.

The box string measure is a length of string with a pointer at one end and a reel at the other.

This is the simplest and most common measure and is perfect if the jack and bowls are more than 150 millimetres apart. v35/6

You can extend the rod to match the distance between the jack and bowls.

8. Liner-siter▲ These are used for determining whether a bowl or jack is within the boundaries of the rink of play.

The bowl or jack may either be on the green or in the ditch. (a) A liner-siter is an open rectangular frame with a pointer and angled mirror at one end and a sighting-frame at the other. (b) A boundary scope has a sighting mechanism mounted on a stand.

Letters

Thank you to all those people who have sent in letters and emails with umpiring questions.

I have tried to answer as many as possible and, space permitting, will include some of the more interesting questions in future articles.

If you have an umpiring question send it to Queensland Bowler, PO Box 476, Alderley Qld 4051 or alternatively email news@bowls-queensland.org. queensland bowler | 23

by Trevor Briese

With only three rounds to go, there are six clubs that could take out the Minor Premiership of arguably the toughest competition in Australia.

The powerful Helensvale Hawks outfit are still favourites to finish top of the table but it wouldn’t be unlikely if the Wynnum Manly Seagulls pip them in the final round.

The Seagulls have had some strong victories over recent weeks, including a win over the South Tweed Sharks.

The Seagulls are the only other team in the last six years of the tournament who have won the Premier League title and are looking the goods.

The club lost a few players from last year, but had faith in some young skips, with Jamie Smith and Jamie Nordlof taking the reins and playing superbly.

These two gifted bowlers are certainly making a name for themselves and they have the perfect teammates to draw plenty of experience from, in Trevor Broadbent and Bill Cornehls.

But current Australian Open champions Mark Casey, Lynsey Armitage and Nathan Rice, who along with fellow Australian squad member Brett Wilkie, will most likely take charge of proceedings before the finals play-offs.

The Hawks have had one slip up this year, going down to the Springwood Scorpions.

Since this defeat they have inflicted losses on the Seagulls and Sharks, who are no easy beats in this competition.

The level of competitiveness in the Aero Bowls Premier League is certainly at its strongest this year, with no team having a confident grab at the Minor Premiership.

The Sharks, who recruited well in the off-season, came back to 24 | queensland bowler

earth with a crash, losing two games in two days at the hands of the Seagulls and the Hawks.

These were close losses but losses all the same.

The Springwood Titans have had wins this year over the Hawks and Sharks, but are stumbling against the lower ranked teams.

This has affected their position on the ladder and could see them miss out on the finals if they can’t piece together some more wins.

They have established themselves as big game players but consistency will prove the key at the end of the year.

The Breakers are confident of some finals action again this year but will need to keep performing week-in, week-out.

The Pine Rivers Pirates aren’t quite capturing the form that led them to the State Pennant title last year.

The Pirates on paper should be even favourites along with the Hawks, but are yet to look the goods.

If they hit form at the end of the season, this could be the breakthrough year for the Pirates.

In the other half of the competition we have the Capalaba Comets making a late surge for the finals.

After a disastrous start to the season, they have turned the corner.

Big wins over the Tigers, Seagulls and Hamilton Power have pushed them close to breaking into the top six.

Greenslopes Geckos have had little to cheer about this season.

Close losses have proved instrumental in staying in the bottom half of the table but a couple of wins will put them in the top six.

The same could be said about the South Toowoomba Tigers.

Each game this year they have been in the hunt only for the game to slip between their fingers with only one or two ends to go.

The Tigers will ultimately miss the finals unless there is a massive turn around in the team’s performance and other results go their way.

The only highlight for the Tigers is the effervescent Steven Tong, who is a chance to take out the top skip award.

Ferny Grove, Hamilton and Salisbury have proved difficult to beat at times this year, but unfortunately they won’t be around come finals time.

Reserve Grade

In the Reserve Grade the Helensvale Hawks are taking a stranglehold on the trophy once again.

They did experience their first loss in 20 rounds last week but this won’t make any difference to the table.

The Breakers, Sharks and the Power will be looking to knock them off their perch.

The strength at the Helensvale club allows for both teams to be dominant in their respective competitions.

Top Skips

The skips table in the Premier Division has resulted in some unusual results so far.

There isn’t any undefeated skips that have played more than eight games, which is showing the strength of the overall competition.

There are 12 skips tied for 1st, with only margins and games played making the difference in positions on the ladder.

Steven Tong, at the time of press, was sitting fifth with two games up his sleeve.

The Tigers will want him to perform if they are to take anything out of this year.

Premier 7’s

The Premier 7’s competition will be nearly at a close by the time this goes to print.

The competition this year has been the biggest and toughest since its inception.

The finals for the Premier 7’s will be held at Chermside Bowls Club, with the elimination and qualifying final on Saturday, March 17 and concluding with the Grand Finals in their respective grades on Sunday, March 18, commencing at 1pm.

Finals

The Aero Bowls Premier League finals will be held at the South Tweed Sports Club, with the elimination and qualifying finals starting at 12 noon and 5.30pm respectively on March 24.

The Grand Final for both Premier and Reserves will kick off at 1pm on March 25.

South Tweed Sports Club is also holding a Grand Final Brunch starting at 9am on Grand Final morning, which will be hosted by Steve Glasson and Kelvin Kerkow.

Please contact the club on (07) 5524 3655 to reserve a table.

The finals weekend will see the best bowlers from Queensland playing off the biggest prize on the Queensland calendar.

Our sponsors will be on hand during the finals weekend, plus there will be a display set up from Kelvin Kerkow’s Aero Bowls World at both venues to purchase or demo any of the new range of Aero Bowls.

Thank you again to our sponsors Aero Bowls, BCIB, South Tweed Sports Club, Club Helensvale, Wynnum Manly Leagues Club and Hospitality Finance. v35/6

e m a g r u o y e v ro p im y a m t ...i g in h tc Stre Living in such a stressful, fast-paced world, relaxation time can be hard to find.

Even after retirement, a busy life can limit your ability to stop and smell the roses.

Stress can affect us both physically and mentally.

According to Fitday, stress can cause your muscles to contract and tense up.

Muscle tension can affect many areas of our body in an incredibly harmful way.

Stress and muscle tension can also make us feel tighter and could affect your approach to bowls.

The best thing in sport is to be relaxed but focused.

If you are too stressed and your muscles are tight, you may just find your performances slipping.

Luckily, there is an easy way to beat stress and loosen yourself up for bowls sessions – stretching.

Stress reduction is only one of the many benefits of stretching.

Last month, we talked about the injury prevention aspects but stretching can also increase your flexibility, boost your circulation, increase your range of motion and potentially alleviate pain.

Latissimus Dorsi stretch ▼

• Place your bowling hand behind your neck, reaching down your back.

• Pull on the elbow with the non-bowling hand.

• You can enhance this stretch by

bending your trunk towards your non bowling side.

Also, because stretching is a gentle form of exercise, it causes your body to release endorphins, which improve your mood.

Quadricep stretch • Stand facing a wall.

• Lift one foot off the ground.

• Place the opposite hand against the wall if needed for extra support.

• Grab your ankle and gently pull it towards your buttocks until your knees are lined up.

• You should feel a stretch in the front of your raised leg.

• Repeat for the other side.

Energy booster - by boosting your circulation, you will find that your energy levels are increased too.

Increased range of motion - the more you stretch, the more flexible you will become. This will help in bowls, as the range of motion required to deliver a bowl is quite large and supple, relaxed muscles will make the movement easier.

Side Lunge Stretch

• Stand with legs shoulder width apart.

• Lean towards one leg, bending the knee of that leg as you lean.

• Go as far as you can while still holding your balance.

• You should feel the stretch in the inner thigh of your straight leg.

• Repeat for the other side.

Finally, stretching has the capacity to boost your energy levels, making you less tired and potentially minimising your stress levels even more.

Think you haven’t got time to stretch everyday? Think again.

Stretches are usually held for about 15-20 seconds and you only really need to spend 10-15 minutes stretching at the most if you want to target some basic areas.

The stretches listed here are some of the best for alleviating that stress.

It’s important to remember to push your stretch far enough that you can feel it, but without going to the point of feeling pain. v35/6

Boosts circulation - stretching increases the movement of blood to the important areas of your body. This can potentially reduce the soreness of muscles after a game of bowls and helps you feel fresher in preparation for the next game.

◄ Calf stretch

• Face a wall and place your hands on the wall.

• Take one step backwards with your right foot.

• Bend your front knee and gently lean towards the wall.

• Make sure to keep your back leg

straight and the heel of your back foot on the ground • You should feel the stretch in the back of your right calf.

• Repeat for the other side.

queensland bowler | 25

Shortcuts to preparing championship greens Maurice Hinton President Gold Coast Greenkeepers Association

Greenkeepers should never underestimate the importance of cutting in the preparation of a championship green.

But there are many other factors that add up to provide that good playing surface required for championship games, especially finals.

Preparation for the day begins about a month before.

The fertilising and grooming of the surface must be worked out to within a few days to provide the best playing surface possible.

By fertilising about three weeks before important games, all signs of green growth will have settled down well before the day.

If fertilised correctly, the green should be even in colour and texture.

Grooming should be completed two weeks before the championships to allow the surface to recover and return to the perfect playing surface.

If you fertilise the week before, it will help the surface knit together with fresh leaf growth, which will provide a smooth playing surface.

Depending on the type of grass, grooming will vary from a light thin trim to a much heavier thatch removal.

The timing of grooming will depend on the amount of thatch present.

A week before the game, thought should be given to advance weather forecasts.

If water needs to be applied, it should be 6-7 days before the day, depending on the soil structure of your greens.

Automatic water systems will allow topping up of greens if required due to hot weather, but water management is important to even paced greens.

When the day approaches, the amount of cutting will become more important, because this will improve your playing surface before the start of a championship.

Shaving greens will not provide a good surface.

Careful water management is very important...keep an eye on the weather forecasts.

“

and use the grooming reel to reduce any thatch before the game approaches.

In the last days of a tournament, cutting is important to remove any new growth or loose grass that has accumulated during the championship.

The last important point is the rolling of the green, which should produce a

�

There is nothing worse during an important game than drawing to a jack in the ditch and not knowing whether your bowl will stop playing surface that is uniform when the game is over.

By this I mean the ends of your green must remain as close in pace to the middle of the green for as long as possible.

To do this, the ends must have plenty of moisture below surface level before the week starts.

This will change depending on weather conditions.

Therefore if you concentrate your rolling to the centre of the green this will ruin the pace of the green as the day progresses.

There is nothing worse in an important game than drawing to a jack in the ditch and not knowing whether your bowl will stop.

The last, but by no means least, important point is the condition of the surrounds, the edges of the greens and the sand in the ditches.

If all of these are looking immaculate, players generally have nothing to complain about, but there is always the exception.

Having trouble with your greens?

Are you having problems with your greens? Why not let the experts help you out. Send in your green keeping questions to: Queensland Bowler, Green Keeping Tips, PO Box 476, Alderley 4051.

Alternatively you can email you queries to news@bowls-queensland.org If possible, include a picture of the problem area and we’ll get back to you with some expert advice.

It is so much better to cut the green to a normal cut of approximately 20cm 26 | queensland bowler

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Development with Brett Murphy

Promotional Vans don’t be disappointed...check out bookings online

Last month I mentioned our new website and the ability it has given us to provide clubs with more information.

One new feature we have added is a schedule for usage of our promotional vans.

The vans are becoming increasingly popular with clubs and other organisations, leading to a dramatic increase in their use.

In 2010, when we had only one van, it was booked on 34 occasions throughout the year. Last year, with the addition of a second van mid-year, those bookings increased to over 50.

With a large number of bookings already placed for this year, I expect to surpass the 2011 figure by quite some way.

Already the vans have been booked by 10 different clubs and organisations, for use at 27 different venues including schools, sports days, expos, shopping centres and local shows.

This month will be our most hectic in memory, especially the last week, with the vans in use at Goondiwindi for a Deadly Sports Expo, followed by two No Limits Expos in Brisbane North and Ipswich and finishing with three days at the Toowoomba Royal Show.

28 | queensland bowler

The van booking schedule lists all venues where the vans will be utilised, event dates and who has made the booking.

Having this information available will allow clubs and organisations wishing to book a van to plan ahead and select a suitable date of availability.

It will also enable those clubs who have never used or seen one of the vans in action to get along and have a look at how they operate, see what is on offer and most importantly, get an idea of how the general public react to being given an opportunity to try lawn bowls in their own comfort zone.

I would encourage any interested club members and committees to go along and have a look if one of the vans is going to be nearby‌who knows, it may be just what you are looking for to promote your sport and club to the members of the local community.

To view the schedule go to www.bowlsqld. org and click on the Club Development button at the bottom of the page.

You will also find a booking form on this page, so if you think the van would be of benefit to your club, fill out the form and return it to Bowls Queensland.

With bookings so heavy we would like at

least four weeks notice for any intended bookings.

On most occasions we strive to provide a staff member to be in attendance with the van when it is out being used.

However, with all three development staff being bowlers, this is not always possible on weekends.

If this is the case we can arrange for the van to be delivered prior to the weekend and whoever is going to be operating it is given a full run down on what to do and how to do it.

We then return after the weekend to collect the van.

The vans themselves contain two carpet mats, which are two metres wide by 14 metres long. All the bowls needed for people of all ages and sizes to have a go are also provided, as are brochures, magazines, stickers and balloons and some chairs and a gazebo to make sure whoever is manning it is comfortable, particularly if they are stuck out in the middle of a sporting arena with no shade.

If you still require further information on the promotional vans please contact a member of the development team on (07) 33559988.

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Musgrave Hill Bowls Club Inc Cnr Musgrave & Kumbari Aves, Southport PO Box 49, Chirn Park, Qld 4215. Phone: (07) 5532 1277

2012 Easter Open Prestige Singles Easter Saturday fill April 7 (64) — Easter Sunday fill April 8 (64)

Concludes Easter Monday, April 9 (last 8)

$10,000 TOTAL PRIZE MONEY (INCLUDING BEST PERFORMED LADIES PRIZE $200)

PRIZE MONEY ALLOCATION Winner $3000

Defeated Q/F — $350

Runner-up $1600

Defeated Rnd of 16 — $200

Third $700 each

Defeated Rnd of 32 — $50

General conditions: Mens and Womens Open Knockout Singles — Open Draw on Day of Play — 9am start.

All games 21 up — No time limit — Dead ends to be replayed. Only nominations on official entry forms (or photocopies) will be accepted.

Entries close April 2 or when full (First 128 nominations accepted).

Nomination Entry Form: Musgrave Hill BC, 2012 Easter Open Prestige Singles Name

..............................................................................................Contact Ph:.....................................

Postal Address ..............................................................................................................................PC...................

Club

..........................................................email....................................................................................

Preferred Day (tick) Sat 7th

.......

Either

.......

Sun 8th

.......

Post with $30 fee to Musgrave Hill BC, PO Box 49, Chirn Park, Qld 4215 or pay online via B-Point; go to www.musgravebowls.com

v35/6

queensland bowler | 29

Club law

with Curt Schatz

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF AN OLGR INSPECTION OCCURS AT YOUR CLUB?

“”

Since the amendments to the Liquor Act in 2009, which had a strong priority to have licensees comply with responsible service and to try to avoid the abusive use or misuse of alcohol, the probity section of OLGR have been very keen to visit licensed venues with a view to making them more safe.

This means that from time to time you will receive visits from OLGR inspectors looking at the premises and/or operations.

It is very important that you deal with these visits in a professional manner, and have the material at your fingertips to handover to them should they request it.

It is also a very good idea to ensure that your staff are all trained up as to the importance of these issues and also how to deal with the OLGR inspector should he or she arrive.

In the bigger clubs it is a good idea to have one particular employee responsible for speaking with any inspector from OLGR or the police should they arrive.

All the documents should be kept in a file and be ready to be handed over, and please ensure they are all current.

In doing this the employee will be confident and comfortable with all of the questions from the OLGR, and the OLGR will be comfortable that the licensee is fully complying with the Act. It is also important from time to time to ensure that your operations comply with your own Risk Assessed Management Plan (RAMP).

It is a good idea to have a solicitor present so that the statement given is not self incriminatory

It is prudent for all licensed venues to have a RAMP, and I would strongly urge and encourage to any of you that don’t have one to obtain one and lodge it.

A RAMP is a document that subjectively looks at the operations of a particular

licensed venue and is tailored and drawn to provide the best practice conditions for the licensed premises.

Importantly the RAMP is personal to each particular licensee and does not transfer with the licence when it transfers.

Of course the conditions that exist on any liquor licence do transfer with the licence, but RAMPs are personal and need to be lodged each time a liquor licence is transferred.

In order words a new RAMP would be lodged by an applicant for the transfer of liquor licence when that application has lodged.

Finally if you have an incident at your premises which requires any involvement of either the OLGR or the police, then think very carefully about who is giving statements.

In the event that statements are requested, it is a good idea to have a solicitor present so that the statement given is not self incriminatory.

In the event that any of these things occur then you should contact us at your early convenience.

Key documents you may require should an OLGR inspector come calling: 1

Original Liquor Licence;

3

Copies of Food and Hygiene Licences;

2

4 5 6

Original Gaming Licence;

Copy of current Registration of Business Name from the Office of Fair Trading; Copy of any Incident Register;

Copy of any Asbestos Register;

7 8 9

10 11

Copy of Certificate of Classification if you have done recent works on the premises; Copy of layout plan as lodged with Liquor Licensing; Copies of registrations of all approved managers;

Copy of all certificates of RSA and RMLV for employees; Copies of employment contracts.

Hospitality law requires the best heads in the business.

When it comes to legal advice for a club, you need more than just legal advice you need lawyers who know your industry.

With specialist divisions in hospitality and business services, we understand your industry and all its legal requirements.

We minimise your risk and help grow your business.

For more information contact: Curt Schatz, Partner

Level 21, Riverside Centre 123 Eagle Street, Brisbane Qld 4000 Telephone 07 3224 0230 cschatz@mullinslaw.com.au

30 | queensland bowler

v35/6

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Dear readers, our advertisers help bring you all the latest bowls news and views from Queensland and across the nation each and every month. Without their continued support it would be impossible to produce the Queensland Bowler. Please show your appreciation by supporting their business whenever you can. And, when you do use their services, be sure to tell them that your saw their advert here, in the Queensland Bowler.

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2 Points per win plus ends. If scores are tied for first place a three end tie breaker will be played.

NOMINATIONS CLOSE MONDAY 23/04/12 Games Director Les Sanders 0431 968 515 Bowls Office 07 3208 4366 Email logancitybowls@bigpond.com Cheques to Logan City Rec & Sporting Club

32 | queensland bowler

v35/6

Welcome to the Queensland Bowler March edition of Henselite’s Spot the Jack competition.

Simply put an X where you think the missing jack was located in this picture, fill in your details below and send this page to:

Queensland Bowler March Spot the Jack PO Box 476, Alderley 4051 The first correct entry drawn will receive a free set of Henselite bowls.

Winners can choose from a selection of bowls, colours and sizes.

Name........................................................................

Address.................................................................... .................................................................................

State........................................Postcode..................

Entries must be received by March 31. Winner will be announced in the May issue. Multiple entries allowed.

Original entry forms only, no photocopies accepted.

Daytime telephone.................................................... *email........................................................................

This month’s winner Congratulations to: Barry Paterson from McDowall You will receive a free set of Henselite bowls of your choice from a selection of bowls, colours and sizes. * By supplying your email address you agree to receive a copy of the next Henselite eNewsletter containing details of discounts, specials, new products and bowls information.

You can unsubscribe at any time.

HATBANDS Made from fade-resistant polyester grosgrain and embroidered with your club name From $4.96ea + gst Available in maroon, white, gold, navy or royal blue www.doree.com.au (07) 3391 6044 v35/6

Green Rollers for Sale

For sale – Green Rollers 1 x PSM roller, hydraulic drive Honda GX160 motor 5.5hp ONLY $1200 1 x Turftec, belt drive Honda GX 160 motor 5.5hp ONLY $1500 BOTH GOOD CONDITION Pialba SM Bowls Club Phone 07 4128 1432 Mobile 0437 430 789

Mackay clubs showcase sport Over 6,000 people turned out for the recent Sports Expo at the Mackay Convention Centre, where bowls was one of 54 different sports represented.

North Mackay and Souths Suburban bowls clubs put their best foot forward, with an array of club photos, banners, and pamphlets on display.

Also on show was a collection of bowls, ranging in age from 1936 to 2011, while a display of bowling aids for the disabled and elderly bowlers attracted a lot of interest.

Both clubs had members on hand to answer questions about the sport, their clubs and up coming events. queensland bowler | 33

Coaching

with Mick Cherry

Your top players have a wealth of experience...why not use it!

One of the biggest problems a coach encounters in team training is lack of enthusiasm for the training session from many senior players.

Generally the ambitious players are pretty keen, but it is those players that have been around many years who often feel that a team training session is nothing more than a time filler.

They would usually be happy to have a game at training with their team, but to actually train seems to them like a waste of time.

I like to involve these players in planning a coaching session. They have a wealth of knowledge and that alone makes them valuable team members.

They will readily admit they are not as good as they used to be, but if you watch them play, you soon realise that they rarely make bad decisions regarding shot selection and they have so much to offer to the younger team members.

A smart coach will use that knowledge by asking these players to show how they achieved their success and what they did when they were practicing seriously.

As we all know, there are one or two bowlers around who actually enjoy talking about there own successes, so if you approach them correctly you will find in most cases they will suddenly become mentors for the rest of the team and you can get them involved in your training sessions.

Several years ago, in my early coaching days when I thought I knew everything, I was running a circuit training session for pennant teams.

I have to admit that it was very boring and the level of enthusiasm from the group was decreasing by the minute.

One of the senior players came up to me and made the polite enquiry as to when I was going to liven the group up before they actually nodded off through sheer boredom (that wasn’t quite what he said, but I knew what he meant).

I was getting pretty desperate so I asked him for suggestions.

This next little exercise was what he came up with, and the enthusiasm for training increased several 100 per cent within minutes.

THE RACE

You have four players (a pennant team) to each rink, but each player has their four bowls. The skip is at the head and the other three players are at the mat end.

We had 12 teams out there that day so they were spread across two greens – six rinks per green.

Mats are placed on the T across the green and jacks are placed in exactly the same position on each rink.

Each of the three players delivers his bowl to the jack...if it finishes within one metre it is a scoring bowl and is placed on the bank...if not, it is returned for redelivery.

One at a time each bowler delivers a bowl until one of the players has completed his four successful bowls, he then changes places with the skip and looks after the head and the skip joins the rest of his hapless team in trying to achieve four scoring shots.

Only one bowl on each rink can be in motion at any time and as soon as it stops the next player delivers.

For all the best news, views and comps make sure you get your copy of the

The winner, of course, is the first team to complete the task of all 16 bowls finishing within one metre of the jack.

The winning team on each green then played each other in a final.

There was a lot of noise, with players shouting encouragement to their teammates, and of course a lot of jeers when players on the other rinks missed and had their bowls returned.

Also a lot of calls to “measure that” when it was a close call.

Everybody seemed to be having a great time and all of a sudden everybody was involved in the matches.

Players were congratulating each other and laughing and I must admit I was feeling pretty pleased with myself.

What I hadn’t realised was that the senior player who suggested this lively little exercise had also suggested to the group that each player put in a dollar, to make it interesting, and the winning team picked up the prize money which amounted to half a dozen pots to each of the winning team members at the end of the training session.

Never underestimate what your senior players can give to your team.

These players started off the day as a bunch of individual bowlers trying to make their way into a team and ended up as teams who supported each other.

They did pretty well in Pennant that season too, winning all five flags in our district.

Training doesn’t always have to be a serious issue. Introduce a bit of fun, invent a few games.

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