JUNE 2020
What is
ring bowls? Flashback to1980
Maryborough’s magical makeover during COVID-19
YOUR COMMUNITY BOWLS MAGAZINE
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CONTENTS
JUNE 2020
Cover
What is
ring
Ring bowls from the late Rex Kimlin
bowls?
Flashback to1980 YOUR COMMUNITY
Volume 43 Issue 5
20 – Aussies uniting for Lifeline
10 – Ring bowls
22 – Club Musgrave renovations
7
Maryborough’s magica
makeover during COVID-1 l 9
BOWLS MAGAZINE
26 – Flashback
6 Getting to know us
VALE Joy Forster
The passing of former Commonwealth Games para-sport competitor
Meet BQ’s Joan Brotherton
9
18 It’s makeover time!
Bowls resources
Some useful resources available to your club
How Maryborough is making the most of COVID-19 restrictions
15 COVID-19
34 Coaching
BQ update on clubs reopening
Coach Dennis discusses etiquette on the green
Editor:
Editorial contact:
Jo Grey
E: media@bowlsqld.org
Editorial assistant: Justin Sayson
Ph: (07) 3354 0777 Advertising:
Sales:
E: ads@bowlsqld.org
Tom Sharman
Ph: (07) 3354 0777
Subscriptions: To subscribe, send your contact details, together with a cheque for $48 (inc gst) to: Queensland Bowler Subscriptions PO Box 476, Alderley, Qld 4051.
Copyright: All material appearing in this magazine is copyright. Reproduction in whole or part is not permitted without permission from the publishers. Notice: While every effort has been made to ensure the information in this magazine is accurate, no responsibility is accepted by the publishers for material supplied by an individual, company or organisation or for any typographical errors. The opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the view of the publisher.
Send an email to media@bowlsqld.org to be added to our email distribution list.
Bowls Queensland Patron: His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC, Governor of Queensland 4 queensland bowler June 2020
Update: EASING OF COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS
19 May 2020 - All previous exemptions have been superseded by this advice, dated 19 May 2020. This information is correct at the time of printing, however, please check our website for further updates bowlsqld.org as information can rapidly change.
Queensland Health have now retracted the document that Bowls Queensland sent out to all clubs on May 15. We were advised that the QLD Chief Health Officer’s (CHO) position has changed over the weekend in relation to this advice and revised their position. Unfortunately this is out of Bowls Queensland’s hands, this is a direction of Dr Jeannette Young (CHO). Thus, now the previous information in regard to roll ups has been suspended and replaced by the following: “Community facilities includes places such as recreation centres and lawn bowls, tennis and golf clubs. Community facilities does not include public spaces such as parklands or walking tracks. “Groups of up to 10 patrons can be present at community facilities. The total number of up to 10 patrons is for the entire premises or
venue, and the premises must be able to accommodate one person per 4 square metres and appropriate social distancing for patrons and any staff required to be present on site (for example to open the facility). “Some community facilities have large outdoor areas, with multiple fields, courts or greens that could accommodate more than 10 people on each court, field or green. However, please maintain up to 10 patrons for the entire premises.” This also extends to if the facility has an indoor and outdoor area, there should be no more than a total of 10 patrons across both indoor and outdoor areas. For example, an additional 10 patrons cannot be inside the club dining, if there are people outdoors rolling up. “Please see Bowls Queensland’s revised “Return to Roll Up Plan” below.” No competitions are permitted under stage 1. Any Club that breaches this may jeopardise the continuing alliance they have within the State membership. All previous exemptions have been superseded by this advice.
Bowls QLD Easing of COVID-19 Restrictions Return to Roll Up Plan Following the Federal and QLD State Government announcing “Easing of Restrictions” in regard to COVID-19, Bowls QLD have liaised with the QLD Government and now allow roll ups ONLY at QLD affiliated clubs under strict guidelines, from Saturday 16 May 2020. Clubs may, at their own risk and after satisfying their own legal and insurance responsibilities, allow roll ups on their outdoor greens (including open air covered greens). Clubs are under no obligation to open their greens but are welcome to if they can do so safely and with proper protocols in place. Bowls QLD strongly urge people to abide by the rules set out by each club or risk penalty from relevant authorities. Stage 1: 16 May – 11 June 2020 • • •
Up to 4 people can roll up on a rink. There must be a rink space (empty rink) between each rink in use. No more than 10 people are permitted to roll up or dine on a premises at any one time.
Stage 2: 12 June – 9 July 2020 •
Will be finalised once more information is received.
Stage 3: 10 July 2020 – TBA •
Will be finalised once more information is received.
Guidelines & Recommendations • • • • • • • • • • •
The responsibility lies with individual clubs to ensure that they are fully aware of and compliant with the QLD State Government advice and all guidelines are adhered to. Strict safety and health protocols must be in place. Engage any staffing/volunteers required as necessary to fulfil the guidelines. Up to four people can roll up together on a rink with a maximum of two people at each end using alternate sides of the rink while changing ends, the 1.5m social distancing rule is to be observed at all times. Clubs will need to implement a booking system to facilitate rink bookings, to conform with guidelines. A register of attendees will be kept. Bowls equipment cannot be shared between players (e.g. bowls, cloths etc), players should not touch other people’s bowls. Hand sanitiser is to be made available at the entrance to the club and beside each green in use. Disinfectant spray must be made available, all mats and jacks must be thoroughly cleaned by players between each session. Players should practice safe hygiene at all times, including washing hands for at least 20 seconds before and after bowls. Individuals must not congregate on the premises, arrive within 5 minutes of roll up starting time and leave the premises immediately after the conclusion of roll up and cleaning of equipment. Where possible, outdoor-accessible toilets should be open. At the very least, hand washing facilities should be available. Clubs must have a COVID SAFE plan in place for roll ups. *Please note all of the above only relates to roll ups and not operations within the club. Current as of 19 May 2020
June 2020 queensland bowler 5
The power of visualisation Letter written by Graham Hyslop (Club Robina)
From the President
with BQ’s Peter Williamson
Another month and we are still waiting for some relief to the unusual situation in which the bowls community now finds themselves. After spending the previous week in communication with various government departments, it was BQ’s understanding that being able to once again return to the greens, albeit in a reduced form, would be possible on May 15. After outlining how it could be achieved, on May 17 all our endeavours were dashed and the information given out retracted. BQ can only now await the outcome of further submissions and lobby for a return to some form of play, even if only roll ups on all our greens with some allowance to usage of club facilities in the form of bottle sales and where appropriate the service of meals. BQ has in the past sent and will continue to send, information on funding and grants to clubs and districts as it becomes available from the various government sources. A revised calendar of events is now in the pipeline and will be sent via normal means when completed.
Peter Williamson
6 queensland bowler June 2020
Thought I write into the bowler and share this with you! In these days of non-activity, this might help. Some of you will be aware of a Qantas captain Richard DeCrespigny who successfully landed QF32 an Airbus A380 that had suffered an engine explosion shortly after take-off from Singapore. He has written two books since then, the first is ‘QF32’ a blow-by-blow story of what went right when things went wrong and the second is called ‘Fly!’. In ‘Fly!’ it concentrates on how the mind can be developed in many ways and understanding its many responses to stress. One particular portion of the book refers to sport and tells the story of Steve Backley, a javelin thrower from the UK, who leading up to the Atlanta games in 1996 sustained a very serious ankle injury and was on crutches for six weeks. This, one would think, would be the death knell for his chances of a medal at the games, instead, he put his mind to work. He would close his eyes every day and go through the motions of holding the javelin, mentally taking every step of the runup and the release, he did this for the whole six weeks. He went on to win Silver at the Olympics! Now, what does this mean for you bowlers out there? I read this portion of the book on a weekend so each day until the following Friday when I next bowled, I closed my eyes each day and did exactly what Steve had done but visualising my bowls going down the green. Come the following Friday at the end of the game the praise came pouring in, I had never bowled better!
Vale: Joy Forster
Bowls Queensland would like to extend its sincere condolences to the family of former Commonwealth Games para-sport competitor Joy Forster, who sadly passed away after a battle with brain cancer. A beloved member of Chermside Bowls Club, Forster also enjoyed success at the International Blind Bowls Association’s World Championships, having secured a monumental threepeat in the blue-ribbon B2 women’s singles discipline, with gold medal victories in Melbourne 2009, England 2013 and South Africa 2017. Former state coach for the Queensland Blind Bowlers Association, Kerry Meehan, says Joy was a great bowler who loved the sport and will be missed by many. “She was a very cheery lady and a fiercely dedicated bowler,” Meehan said. “I first met Joy as the coach of the Queensland Blind Bowlers in 2006, during her career Joy was a multiple gold medal winner at the State and National Titles in the B2 category for Singles, Women’s Pairs and Mixed Pairs. “But perhaps the pinnacle of her bowling career was representing Australia at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow at the age of 64. “Joy combined with Tony Scott in the Bowlers with Disabilities B2/B3 Mixed Pairs for Vision Impaired and went on to win a Bronze medal. “Not bad considering they used borrowed bowls and bowled on greens running around 10 seconds. “It would be very remiss not to mention the role her lifelong director Bruce Jones played in her success. “As well as accompanying her in competition, Bruce selflessly spent hours practising with Joy and in no small part contributed greatly to Joy’s much-lauded accomplishments. “From a coaching perspective there is often one member of the team who somehow glues the side together and Joy was that member in the QBBA while I was their coach. “Joy was a kind, generous and caring person who leaves behind a huge legacy touching the lives of so many people.”
Despite only taking up the sport in her 50s, Forster claimed to be a lifelong fan of bowls, enjoying the television broadcasts long before realising her success on the world stage. At the club level, Joy won the ‘B’ Singles in 2017, the Club Championship Pairs with Anne Barnes in 2017 and the Club Championship Fours in 2011 where her competitors were all fully sighted bowlers. Forster was president of the club in 2016. Prior to her lawn bowls achievements, Joy had an illustrious career with Blind Cricket, where she was the first female to play with the men representing Queensland in 1983. Joy was a life member of the Queensland Blind Cricket Association and served on the board as treasurer for 20 years. As well as playing, she served behind the bar and always made sure the younger players could get to and from cricket safely. Joy joined the Queensland Blind Association in 1966 and in 2008 she was awarded life membership for her services and dedication to the association. Forster was recognised as the joint-winner of Bowls Queensland’s Bowler with a Disability of the Year award in 2013. Bowls Queensland CEO Brett Wilkie says he, like many others members of the bowling fraternity, is very sad to hear of the passing of Joy Forster. “She was such a nice lady who loved the game of bowls,” Wilkie said. “I was fortunate to be able to witness her win her Bronze Medal in the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, it was such an emotional day and she was over the moon along with her director Bruce. “Condolences to Joy’s family and close friends.”
June 2020 queensland bowler 7
CEO REPORT with BQ’s Brett Wilkie COVID-19 The Prime Minister announced the three stages of easing of restrictions on May 8, and then later that day the QLD State Government released their easing of restrictions roadmap. Bowls QLD has been working hard liaising with State Government Departments such as Health, Sport & Rec, OLGR, Premiers Cabinet and also Clubs QLD and QSport regarding Stage 1 of the easing of restrictions. We were advocating for our bowls clubs throughout the State and thought we had a clear directive until the QLD Chief Health Officer changed their directive within days. We continued to liaise with these departments including asking for exemptions. We are now working with all the above for Stage 2 with proposals in regard to bowls clubs in QLD and what they can do during Stage 2 and then Stage 3.
Bowls Australia Events Update – Following feedback from the majority of the STAs, Bowls Australia has agreed to cancel the state/territory representative components of the 2020 Nationals. These events include the Australian Under-18 Championships, Australian Sides Series and Australian Senior Sides Series, all of which include men’s and women’s Queensland teams. This will mean there will be no Queensland representative games for any age group in 2020 as the QLD versus NSW Test Series was cancelled for July. BA will still conduct the Australian Championships and Australian Champion of Champion Singles. They have detached these events from the 2020 Nationals and will now conduct the Australian Championships from November 30 – December 4, 2020 and the Australian Champion of Champions Singles on December 7 - 8, 2020.
I must thank Dan Nipperess (Acting CEO of Clubs QLD) who has also been advocating for bowls clubs in QLD. Also, to Peter Cummiskey and QSport who advocate for the sporting industry in QLD.
It is anticipated that this timeline will allow States adequate time to reopen and run their State events to source qualifiers, however, this timeline will still be heavily dependent on when the community can return to normality following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bowls QLD have been putting out regular updates with information as it comes to hand from various State Departments.
The Australian Multi-Disability National Championships has also been cancelled.
We are still waiting to hear from the QLD Sport and Recreation Department in regard to what assistance they can offer sports and clubs due to COVID-19.
Bowls QLD Online Database
RBM’s Wade, Micheal and Lesley are available to assist clubs and districts, please reach out if you need help or ideas.
Many clubs have utilised the COVID-19 break to get on the BQ Online Database, the feedback we have received has been great, thank you to all our new clubs. If your club is not “online”, contact roxanne@bowlsqld.org and she will help get you started.
BQ Events Update
YouTube
State Champion of Club Champion Singles – Currently we have set dates for the State Finals of Singles only to be played on November, 22 - 23 with group winners to be in to BQ by November 2, 2020.
We now have 40 videos online for people to watch including the 2019 State Championships and Champion of Champions, search “Bowls QLD” to find our page and hit “subscribe”. We will continue to add more games from our live streaming catalogue produced by the Bowls Gold Coast Tweed Media Team.
State Division 1 Pennant Finals – At this stage, this event will continue as planned with State Finals scheduled for November 7 - 8, 2020. Zone play offs need to be completed and BQ notified of the winner by October 12, 2020 . It is at each district’s discretion whether they run their Pennant competition when restrictions are lifted. Bowls QLD will continue to monitor this event. State Championships – We are looking at running this event in October if restrictions allow, more information including the re-opening of entries will be decided once we know more.
Facebook We now have over 9,600 people following our Facebook page. This number continues to grow, especially during COVID-19. Thank you to those who already follow this page, if you do not follow it please check it out and hit “like/follow”! We encourage you to share information and live streams from our page to help promote bowls to your non bowling friends and family.
State Multi Disability Championships & North vs South Challenge – A decision has yet to be made regarding these events, Bowls QLD will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation.
Proudly sponsored by Choice of Champions
8 queensland bowler June 2020
Brett Wilkie
Useful resources for your club Here’s the answer! Here are some answers to common questions BQ gets asked. Q: How can I order stock A: Complete the BQ stock form and email/send to BQ for processing Forms available at bowlsqld.org Q: How do I become a umpire, marker, measurer, A: Complete the form and return to BQ for processing Forms available at bowlsqld.org Q: How do I become a coach A: When a course is set in your District, complete the form and return to BQ. You will then be sent a manual to read before the course. Forms available at bowlsqld.org
Bowls Queensland have produced a new Handbook for Lawn Bowls Administration to improve the level and quality of administration at club and district level. This manual includes information on: •
Tier Administration
•
Zones
•
Guidelines for the District
•
District Constitution Rules
•
Guidelines for the Club
•
Club Rules
•
Constitutions
•
Coaching
•
Umpires
•
Age Badges, Bowls QLD Awards
•
Protocols
•
District Association Functions
The Handbook for Lawn Bowls Administration is a vital tool for all district and club secretaries. Please download the full manual from the Bowls Queensland website: bowlsqld.org/club-assist/club-district-manual
DID YOU KNOW? The Bowls Australia website includes some helpful resources such as downloadable poster templates to help you promote your club. The following flyers are available as a tool for clubs and individuals to use to promote upcoming events, tournaments and initiatives. If you are in planning mode and ready to generate more interest in your club once the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, then these posters might be an easy way to share any future events or open days.
Q: Do I need a blue card to become a umpire, marker, measurer, coach, selection and competition modules
•
Poster 1 – Green Full Casual Bowlers
A: Yes, as per BQ blue card policy
•
Poster 2 – Juniors Bowling
Q: I want to register my bowling arm and get an id card
•
Poster 3 – Young Casual Bowlers
A: No registrations are required now but you still need to adhere to the laws of the game and have an approved bowling arm.
•
Poster 4 – Casual Measurers
Q: What are the LUX Lighting Standards
Visit: bowls.com.au/club-support/ marketing-and-social-media to download these posters.
A: The level for Bowls green lighting is 100Lux with a uniformity of .7 and colour rendering of 2 and see the Bowls Australia green construction guidelines.
www.bowls.com.au
June 2020 queensland bowler 9
Ring Bowls:
Top points for getting the kitty inside the ring We all know and love our sport of lawn bowls, but what about ring bowls? This lesser-known game is just as thrilling and has a strong following of dedicated players. In a nutshell, players roll a timber ring, rather than a bowl, towards a small white wooden disc about 5cm in diameter, which is known as the jack or kitty. Played inside or outside, the green is significantly shorter than in lawn bowls, measuring just 10-13m. A rink lasts two bowls with points being awarded to whoever gets closest to the jack. Each game is played to 21. The ring bowls in the photographs belonged to the late Alexander “Rex” Kimlin from Point Lookout Bowls Club who passed away in 2017 at the age of 94 years. Hopefully this article will help honour Rex’s memory and introduce some people to the history of ring bowls.
Rex Kimlin Airforce
Rex joined the Point Lookout Bowls Club with his wife Charmian and had about 20 years of happy bowling there. He got his name on the honour boards five times, twice as veteran champion and once as pairs champion, once in a fours championship and in 2015 was named as a life member. He was Patron at the club for six years. Rex was born in Manly, Queensland on June, 3 1923. Rex led a full life prior to discovering bowls. His love of fishing began at Lytton where the mud flats and tidal creeks where fishing crabbing, prawning and swimming were great pastimes. The family eventually got an old Maxwell car (Maxwell was a brand of automobiles manufactured in the United States of America from about 1904 to 1925. The present-day successor to the Maxwell company is Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) and drove to the Gold Coast for holidays. They stayed at Burleigh as at that time Surfers Paradise was too small and only consisted of a few houses, a pub and a small zoo. Rex got a job as a “telegram boy” and in June 1942 was accepted as an aircrew trainee with the RAAF. 10 queensland bowler June 2020
Rex said that his father was in the first war and he knew practically nothing of his war service. He didn’t want it to be the same for his children and grandchildren. This prompted Rex to write a book about his war service in the RAAF bomber command called “How Lucky I Was”. He never spoke much about his war experiences or took part in Anzac Day marches for many years. It was only in the latter part of his life that he started to talk about it and began to write the story of his experiences in the war as a wireless operator in Bomber Command, the one area of the services that suffered more casualties than any other arm in all services of war. The average life expectancy of a bomber crew was approximately six missions. He flew 35 missions over Germany and seemingly managed to survive relatively unscathed physically, but his nerves were shot. His lungs were affected and coupled with his asthma, the damage caught up with him later in life. There are many stories from the war years documented in his book. From 1962 he had a reunion every year with five fellow veterans who became friends when they joined up. This continued until 2004 until the last of them passed away. When World War 2 finished in 1945, Rex became a telegraphist in Brisbane in October 1946, where his Morse code training came in handy.
Rex Kimlin’s book “How lucky I was”
After marrying Charmian and having children, one of the favourite family holidays was Amity. There was no power, no running water and the roads were non-existent at Amity so walking miles and miles to get anywhere was the norm. Sometimes you could walk right up to the freshwater and you wouldn’t see a soul the whole day. The trek home was a bit tough with Rex carrying a large bag of fish, rods and fishing gear in one hand, with his daughter Wendy on his back and other daughter Penny holding the other hand. Rex use to tell many fishing stories but this one stands out. He was fishing right at the point and the tide was on its way in. Normally he’d be wading in water up to his calves but a big swell came in almost to hip height and stayed that way for a while. Feeling a bit nervous, he started to wade back to the beach and there between land and him was a big shark, cruising along, no further than 20 metres from him. Luckily, the shark kept swimming leisurely up along the beach. When it was about 100 meters away, Rex said he ran across the top of the water like Jesus and didn’t go near the water for a week. Rex loved his sport and in the last few years other than drinking whiskey, watching sport on TV was his favourite activity. He played tennis and cricket in his younger years and later took up golf and lawn bowls. He also enjoyed and was a dab hand at snooker and billiards. Rex was a fighter up to the end and passed away peacefully sitting in his chair watching the golf. The only thing missing was the whiskey – in Rex’s words “those bloody nurses won’t let me have one just because I’m on anti-biotics”. Thank you to Rex’s family for providing the information about Rex for this article.
June 2020 queensland bowler 11
Holdfast
Ring bowls Club We wanted to find out more about ring bowls and caught up with Geoff Patching, secretary of Holdfast Ring Bowls Club in Adelaide. In a quiet street in Glenelg North, the faithful gather each Sunday to test themselves in ring bowls — a game that, according to local lore, has been relegated to history elsewhere in the world. Geoff said the reason for this comes down to contemporary life and all its distractions. “There’s so much for people to do these days,” said Patching, with some regret for the game he loves. The news is not all bad. As the last surviving club of its kind, Holdfast Ring Bowl Club, also known as Adelaide’s “secret little club”, lays claim each year to the Australian and international ring bowl titles. “We normally hold the World Cup during the first week in July, because our season follows the financial year, from July to June,” Geoff said. This year, of course, will be different due to the virus. How does ring bowls differ from lawn bowls? Players roll a timber ring, rather than a bowl, towards a small white wooden disc about 5cm in diameter, which is known as the jack or kitty. Played inside or outside, the green is significantly shorter than in lawn bowls, measuring just 10-13m. A rink lasts two bowls with points being awarded to whoever gets closest to the jack. Each game is played to 21. Geoff said the ring bowls, which should roll like any ring, are extremely difficult to manoeuvre because they contain brass weights along one side. The object is to land your ring bowl as close as possible to the kitty, or better still, to touch or lean on it, to earn extra points. The holy grail — and a near impossible feat — is to drop the ring bowl around it. Even better is landing a crown, which is stacking both rings on top of each other and the jack, which apparently hasn’t happened since 1949. Geoff says the technique to rolling a ring bowl is similar to lawn bowls and can be rolled forehand or backhand, but it does take a bit of getting used to. “The key is to hold it as upright as possible,” he says. “You need to point your feet and get down low as you can. “The idea of the game is to put the kitty where your opponent doesn’t like it.” Geoff said while the club currently had about 60 members, no one is entirely sure of the game’s origins. What’s the history of ring bowls? The games’ origins are unknown but there are two vastly different stories. The only agreed upon fact is that was created in the 1920s’. One story is that the sport was invented a hotel’s basement with workers rolling out tin lids across the floor towards a kitty. The other was that it was brought into Australia by Welsh coalminers. Whatever the origin, ring bowls took hold in Adelaide early last century. Holdfast became the state’s last remaining club when a Seaton club closed in the 1980s. A framed black and white photograph of a ring bowl group gathered at Colley Reserve in 1927 features prominently in its clubroom. Founded at the Pier Hotel a couple of years earlier, Holdfast Ring Bowl Club eventually moved to a Moseley Square cafe, where the decision was made to buy land in Queen St. 12 queensland bowler June 2020
BQ President Peter Williamson was introduced to the Holdfast Ring Bowls Club and received a club shirt when playing with the Master Builders Bowls association
By the time 1948 rolled around, members had planted the green and built the clubrooms. The club was incorporated in 1950, at its peak boasted more than 100 members. When he joined almost 20 years ago, Geoff took on the role of secretary to help address what was by then a declining membership. He went straight to the constitution. “Women weren’t allowed to participate at the time but I found nothing in the constitution that actually prevented them joining, so we opened the club up to everyone,” he said. He said the club currently had six women in its ranks. More would be welcome. Games, which run on average for half an hour, are played from 10am on Sundays. Volunteers help keep bar prices affordable and put on lunch. At $20, annual fees are reasonable. “Then it’s $2 to play on the day,” Geoff said. “If you have a go at it, you really will get hooked. It’s a good game, different to lawn bowls, and the people here are great company. I don’t think I’ve missed more than a couple of Sundays a year.”
The holy grail — and a near impossible feat — is to drop the ring bowl around the jack. Even better is landing a crown, which is stacking both rings on top of each other and the jack, which apparently hasn’t happened since 1949. June 2020 queensland bowler 13
BOWLS PREMIER LEAGUE:
MELBOURNE PULSE WELCOME TWO MASSIVE INCLUSIONS
By Lachlan Williams Bowls Premier League (BPL) license Melbourne Pulse have made two massive changes to its lineup, welcoming a current and former Australian representative to the team. Licensee Dandenong Club has announced that Bowls Australia Hall of Fame member Queenslander Mark Casey will take over from Rob Wilson as coach, while BCiB Australian Jackaroo Ellen Ryan comes in to replace international teammate Natasha Scott. Casey brings a raft of experience with him as the new coach, boasting more than 290 international caps, Commonwealth Games and World Championships gold medals, as well as BPL success. Casey was APL03 MVP and helped Brisbane Gold win the first-ever APL title in 2013.
14 queensland bowler June 2020
“I am really excited to be on board. It is important we have a team where every player makes an impact when it is their turn and I am confident that the Pulse has a lot to build on from its debut season,” Casey said. “I really enjoy the BPL event, and I look forward to helping the Pulse have success.” BPL12 is planned to take place at Brisbane’s Club Pine Rivers in November this year, with organisers continually assessing the viability of the competition due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic Article and image: Bowls Australia
We need you! Are you interested in learning to play lawn bowls? You can be coached at your preferred club or at Beenleigh Bowls Club. Current lawn bowlers who are deaf or hard of hearing are very welcome as we need new members (we need you now!). Whether you are a beginner wishing to learn to play the sport, or a current bowler wishing extend your opportunities for competition events that include State, interstate and international level, we would love to hear from you. Playing bowls with us is a way of offering support for all players of all abilities, plus there’s the enjoyment of meeting and socialising with new and existing members.
For further Information contact: Brian Taylor at: 0419 611 872 SMS or mobile.
Email: bryan.taylor1961@gmail.com
Contact: Caroline Price at: 0427 219 050 Email: pricevans3@bigpond.com June 2020 queensland bowler 15
Getting to know BQ The umpire committee’s Joan Brotherton is one of the hardworking volunteers that keep Bowls Queensland on track, her depth of knowledge on the laws of the sport is respected both around the state and internationally. Before Joan began bowling, she became an avid golfer after she was introduced to the sport at the age of eight by her father Cecile West who was a New South Wales golf champion, Joan went on to win numerous golfing tournaments. In 1969 her husband suggested that they should try bowls, being a fan of sport Joan decided to give it a go and they were put in contact with champion New South Wales bowler Albert Newton. “In those days you had to undergo 12 hours of professional coaching before you were able to join the club and play on the green,” Joan says. “It consisted of a total of six hours of on the green coaching and six hours off the green inside the clubhouse learning about etiquette, the laws and the technical aspects of the sport which were broken down into onehour classes.” Joan says even though modern bowlers may think that the etiquette lessons were archaic, she enjoyed them and liked that it was more formal. “There used to be someone with a ruler by the door to the green to make sure that your skirt was the correct length!” Joan said.
at the local newspaper in Tennant Creek and became a member of the bowls club. She then eventually moved to Queensland in 1984 and tried to become a member of Mermaid Beach Bowls Club with her husband, but they were told that they would have to join the long waiting list to become a member. Joan spent a few more years in Queensland and was a member of the QLBA for five years while she held a number of positions at Victoria Point Bowls Club, Joan eventually moved interstate once again. She finally settled back in Queensland in 2005 and became a member of Cleveland Bowls Club and now holds the position of secretary on the women’s committee. Joan says her love of the sport comes from the fact she has always been competitive, she also enjoys the camaraderie of fellow bowlers as well as the fact that bowls is a precision sport which is all about being consistent. Joan has been an umpire since 1996 and was finally accredited as an International Technical Official (ITO) in 2009, her accreditation and expertise as an umpire enabled her to work overseas at top-level events.
After the coaching sessions, Joan joined Corinthian Bowls Club and became hooked on the sport, as her husband was a teacher this meant she had to move frequently but no matter where she went she always joined the local bowls club.
In 2010 she was selected to be an umpire at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, she helped manage a team of officials and she said it was incredibly exciting as it was her first time outside of Australia, Joan has also been an official for a number of the Asia Pacific Championships and national events.
She moved from Corinthian to Ingleburn bowls club and relocated to the Northern Territory where Joan was hired as the secretary for the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory where she assisted the minister and helped out
As an umpire for BQ Joan has several responsibilities, she meets with the rest of the umpire committee once a month to discuss questions from around the state and advise bowlers on decisions.
16 queensland bowler June 2020
“We also help run seminars for umpires around the state, set up discussion groups, conduct demos on measuring and present courses,” Joan says. “We also assess umpires and provide feedback on their assessments.” Joan says the toughest part of her job is making sure she is always up-to-date on the laws of the game and she spends a lot of time reviewing the decisions made by World Bowls and understanding their explanation on the questions that have been asked from around the world. “I want to make sure I know the answers and want to ensure that I’ve got the right answers for people, the job is about trying to help as many people as possible,” Joan says. “The amount of work that is involved can take up a lot of time, but I’ve always been a workaholic and really like being able to help people.” Joan says she gets a lot out of the role and enjoys her work and the people she works with not just in the committee but around the state and abroad. “We have a really good committee and we get along well,” she says. Joan encourages others to volunteer for umpiring positions at any level. “Even if you don’t pursue umpiring any further you can still learn a lot about the rules of the game which will help you regardless,” Joan says. “I got into umpiring later in life and I couldn’t have imagined the opportunities it has given me, I would really recommend it as it can open a lot of doors to unique experiences.”
June 2020 queensland bowler 17
Maryborough
n o s e h s u P
Despite Australian normality being put on a brief hiatus, the bowlers at Maryborough bowls club have endeavoured to keep pushing their club forwards and have used the down time to continue to improve their club. The club has undergone a lot of work over the past few weeks with changes made both in and outside the club house. “We didn’t want to just sit on our hands during this time and we wanted to make the most of the time we have,” Maryborough’s Chairman Laurie Genrich said. “There’s been a bit happening, we’ve replaced the carpeted walkway by sanding it all back down and painting it with a non-slip epoxy paint, we’ve also repainted the seats and extended the roof and painted it to give our members extra sun protection.
“It doesn’t sound like it but it’s been a big job, we’ve also cleaned our carpeted playing surface as well as the general carpet in the club and we will be replacing our grass green to give us two outdoor synthetic surfaces.” The flurry of work has helped the 120-year-old club push towards its objectives, which it has set out in its five year strategic plan, however, Genrich says the club is not just looking at the next five years as it is strategically setting itself up to still be going strong in another 30 years time. 18 queensland bowler June 2020
The club is quickly becoming one of the role models for other clubs in the state to learn from. “We’ve got a real good committee and volunteers who are all hard workers as well,” Genrich said. “As long as you’ve got that positivity in the club, then your club is going to move in the right direction regardless.” It’s not just hard workers that the club has as the ace up its sleeve, the club is also incredibly resourceful and they currently have an arrangement with the Queensland Corrective Services who provide workers for up to 30 hours a month. The club has been using them to help with painting and gardening along with other jobs around the club. So far the scheme has worked out well with one of the placements proving to be a real asset for the club, they are now considering training her up on the bar, which will not only help the club but will assist her with gaining employment in the future. The scheme has had a double benefit for the club, as it has scored them extra brownie points with the council. The club has been proactive in managing their relationship with the council, who already look favourably on the club as it is now the home to a variety of other community clubs and not just the bowling contingent.
Genrich and the team at Maryborough understand the importance of ensuring the club is diversified financially and does not solely rely on the bowls portion of the business, which for nearly all clubs costs them more capital than it brings in. The push to make their club an inviting community club with a profitable bar and restaurant will help them to continue to grow, Genrich hopes that as the patronage increases so will the potential new bowling members. Maryborough looks set to be a club on the rise in 2021.
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June 2020 queensland bowler 19
Aussie Athletes
uniting for Lifeline in time of need BCiB Australian Jackaroo Natasha Van Eldik and recentlyretired international teammate Karen Murphy are amongst 22 current and former Australian athletes named AIS-Lifeline Community Custodians for 2020-21. Now in its second year, the partnership between AIS and Lifeline Australia will help deliver the impactful community engagement program, with athletes stepping up to help increase awareness around suicide prevention and encourage anyone who needs support to reach out and ask for help. The immediate focus for this year’s Custodian cohort will be lending their voices to Lifeline’s first-ever National Emergency Appeal, which is in direct response to the impact of COVID-19.
personal journeys and assure everyone that if you need support, there is someone ready to listen.”
The campaign ‘You’ve got 30 seconds to save a life’ is aiming to raise $5 million to fill the funding gap caused by the cancellation of key fundraising events, storefront closures and increasing demand for services.
Recently-retired Australian netballer and current Melbourne Vixens player Thwaites is one of the 15 new Custodians for 2020-21 and is grateful for the opportunity to give back to the community in a space she is very passionate about.
Australians are turning to Lifeline in greater numbers than ever before, with the organisation receiving almost 90,000 calls for help in March alone, the most in their 57-year history.
The 33-year old, who represented the Diamonds from 2012-2019, has been open on her struggles with depression and anxiety throughout her career, and hopes sharing her story will help others.
AIS Director of Athlete Wellbeing and Engagement Matti Clements says while the program will be delivered a little differently to originally planned (as a result of COVID-19), the key objectives have not changed.
“I have had my journey with my mental health over the years and through this, I learnt so much about managing my wellbeing and developed a number of coping strategies which I now use every day,” said Thwaites
“We want to remind Australians of the importance of reaching out and staying connected and to give a voice to the struggles that we know many people are facing, especially right now,” said Clements.
“Thank you to both the AIS and Lifeline for providing the opportunity to be a part of this important program.
“With travel and physical distancing restrictions currently in place, we will be looking at virtual engagement opportunities and utilising athlete’s digital presence to continue to share their 20 queensland bowler June 2020
“I have been open in sharing my story and struggles when I am out in the community because I believe assisting to reduce the stigma, and educate the community is vital to helping people going through their own personal battles.”
Lifeline Australia CEO Colin Seery said he was ‘delighted the Lifeline Community Custodians are supporting our Emergency Appeal’. “We know many athletes would be finding this time very difficult after the postponement of the Tokyo Games. So, it is a selfless act for them to help us ensure that every Australian has the opportunity to connect with Lifeline if they are struggling through COVID-19,” said Seery. “It is both a testament to their strength of character and Australian spirit, they are a great group of athletes. We are very grateful.” To find out more about the AIS and Lifeline Community Custodians program – visit https://ais.gov.au/custodians To donate to the Lifeline National Emergency Appeal – visit https://fundraise.lifeline.org.au/ emergency-appeal You can contact Lifeline by phone on: 13 11 14 (24 hours / 7 days) or chat to a Crisis Supporter via text on: 0477 13 11 14 (6 pm – midnight.) image: Bowls Australia
Development with Lesley, Wade and Micheal
Lesley
Wade
Micheal
Viva la Volunteers! These Innisfail Bowls Club women are just a few of the volunteers that made the 5D Shield a such a huge success last year. L-R: Margaret Hanna, Helen Paterson & Jan Edgerton.
By Lesley Bates During the current crisis, our volunteers have been keeping the wheels oiled at our clubs so that when most bans are lifted, we will be fully operational once again. With painting, cleaning, mending, building, planning, grant writing, green maintenance, book work and more tasks that usually get put on the back burner happening, this time has been well used. Work from our dedicated and selfless volunteers have saved their clubs thousands of dollars, which will help the bleed that all clubs have been experiencing. The “rainy day” kitty has been raided as clubs have gone through the equivalent of a financial hurricane. Thank you to all the clubs who participated in Bowls Australia’s survey which is being used to put Bowls Clubs’ position to the State and Federal Governments for grant assistance. In many clubs, our volunteers are overworked so it is important to have succession plans for the next generation of members. In a perfect world, job descriptions for each role is helpful, especially secretarial duties, technical notes for greens management, function bookings/planning and other tasks necessary for running successful clubs. Our clubs are businesses and if they are not financially viable, we no longer have a club. As the majority of clubs are run mainly by volunteers, we need to make new members aware of their responsibilities when belonging to a club. New membership applications should include a volunteer section where potential members are asked if they have time available to volunteer and what skills they can bring to the club. This way, new members are made aware that volunteering is an expectation of their club membership. National Volunteers Week was held recently in mid-May and because of the current situation, our unsung army of volunteers weren’t recognized as they should have been. Their efforts continue to be essential in keeping our clubs functioning during this crisis. Hopefully in 2021, we will give them extra praise. If Bowls Queensland and Bowls Australia have their annual awards in 2020 please show your appreciation and nominate a volunteer who you think is worthy of this accolade. RBM - NORTH QLD
Lesley Bates 0429 213 207 lbates@bowls.com.au
RBM - CENTRAL QLD Wade Mutzelburg 0429 442 818 wmutzelburg@bowls.com.au
RBM - SOUTH EAST QLD
Micheal Sorrensen 0447 507 040 msorrensen@bowls.com.au June 2020 queensland bowler 21
Club Musgrave’s
By Stephanie Retchless
Renovations
The $1.5 million renovation of the club’s kitchen, dining room and courtyard commenced on February 10, 2020. The original plan was to have the renovation completed in time for World Bowls 2020 in late May. Despite the impact of Covid-19, and now thanks to Government’s JobKeeper & Employer stimulus payments, the club can proceed with the renovation during the enforced shut-down period. The club now hopes to have the renovation fully completed by late May/early June, in time for when the club is able (no date yet provided) to re-open to the public. Everything in the dining area has been gutted from the carpet, walls, ceiling, and lighting. With new furniture to come, it will be a modern change to stimulate the senses and appeal to a wider range of patrons. Work continues on the bistro refurbishment & the dining room unhindered (sadly) by any patrons. The enforced Covid-19 shutdown clearly affected their financial position (and of course many other clubs) as such options were put to the board of management whether to continue with the next (kitchen) stage of the redevelopment during the shutdown period. After assessing their overall financial position encompassing cash-flow forecasts for the next few months Club Musgrave have pushed ahead with the kitchen stage, meaning that all being well they should have a finished dining/kitchen product when they are ready to open again. Club Musgrave are excited about the prospect of bringing you their new club dining experience.
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Umpire with Joan Brotherton Common questions answered I do hope that all members are well as we continue the journey through our new way of life. I know we are all looking forward to joining each other at the club and on the bowling green as I am sure we all miss the friendship, fun and competition we enjoy when playing this great game. Following on from last month, here are some more questions and answers for you to go through. I trust that they are of help to you all during this period that we are spending at home. QUESTION 1 A player delivers a fast drive and it hits a bowl at rest, which then splits into pieces. What action should be taken? ANSWER Refer to Laws: 31; 31.2; 31.3 and 31.5 The umpire would be called as the bowl has been split into pieces therefore Law 31 would be looked at and Law 31.2 would cover the situation: If a bowl that has been struck by another bowl during the course of play splits into pieces, the end must be declared dead. Law 31.3 would then apply: in the circumstances described in Laws 31.1 and 31.2 the damaged bowl must be replaced by another bowl from the same set before the start of the next or replayed end as appropriate. Law 31.5: Then if a damaged bowl cannot be replaced by another bowl from the same set, all bowls in the damaged set must be replaced with bowls from a different set. QUESTION 2 You have called the umpire however you do not agree with the umpire’s decision that a bowl is out of bounds. What can you do about the decision? ANSWER Refer to Law: 43.2.6 The Umpire’s decision is final in all circumstances except those relating to the meaning or interpretation of a Law, in which case there will be a right of appeal to the Controlling Body. Therefore, in this case the decision was to advise if the bowl was in or out using measuring equipment. QUESTION 3 You are marking a Singles Championship Event and a bowl from an adjacent rink is likely to collide with the jack. What action should you take?
ANSWER Refer to Laws: 4.1; 4.1.1; 4.1.2 and 4.1.3 Practice: If a player or team that has not yet played is due to meet a player or team that has already played on the same day, the player or team that has not yet played can practice as long as:
4.1.1
The Controlling Body gives approval.
4.1.2
There is enough time available without delaying the competition.
4.1.3
Another rink is available apart from that on which the player or team has been drawn to play later that day.
QUESTION 5: A substitute is playing in team “A” until the original player arrived at the rink and was ready to play. As the substitute was about to leave to go home a player in team “C” twisted an ankle and is unable to continue. May the substitute play as a substitute for team “C”? ANSWER Refer to Law: DR. 2.4.7 Yes. A player who has played as a substitute, is eligible to again play as a substitute in that team or another team in that competition. QUESTION 6 Play is in progress in a singles match when the green is closed due to bad weather. The match is continued the following day and one player decides, because the speed of the green has slowed, to play with a different set of bowls. Is this permitted? ANSWER Law: 29.3.2 Yes. If a game that has been stopped as described in Law 32 (Game Stoppages) is continued on another day, a player can use a different set of bowls to the set they used during the game that was stopped. All the best with your answers and remember – TAKE CARE and LOOK AFTER YOURSELF.
ANSWER Refer to Law 38.6 Jack displacement by a bowl from a neighbouring rink: If a jack at rest on the rink is in danger of being moved by a bowl from a neighbouring rink, any player at the head or the marker must stop the bowl. If the bowl were in its original course and was delivered on a bias that would have taken it back into its own rink, it must be replayed. QUESTION 4 In a competition in which there are two or more rounds in the one day, a team has a bye in the first round. The team that they are drawn to play has played in the first round. Can the team that has the bye practice prior to the second round?
CORRECT: Player/Marker at the head stops the bowl from the neighbouring rink that is on the correct bias and could disturb the head and jack.
June 2020 queensland bowler 23
1.What is the
name of the oldest affiliated bowls club in Queensland?
2.Which
Jackaroo has their own brand of wines?
Think you Know it all? We’ve put together a quiz to test your knowledge of the sport, its history and culture, see if you can correctly answer all of the questions below!
7.Which bowler
took off their shirt following their Commonwealth Games win in 2006?
3.Which famous
sailor was said to be playing bowls at the time of being informed of an impending attack?
8.What was
was originally known as what before it changed its name?
Australian bowls club has a gorilla as their mascot?
19.Which
14.The world’s
20.Which
oldest surviving bowling green is located in which city?
bowler has had the highest number of international appearances for Australia?
state or territory has the smallest number of bowls clubs?
14.Southampton, England
9. Ellen Ryan
13.Steve Glasson
8. The ‘Flipper’
12.Alex Marshall
7. Kelvin Kerkow
2. Barrie Lester
11.Five
6. Thursday Island Bowls Club
1. Doon Villa
the name of Australia’s most northern bowls club?
10.Bowls Australia
18.Which
3. Sir Francis Drake
6.What is
Golden Nugget competition is played at which bowls club?
13.Who was
Australia’s first bowler to be titled world number one in men’s singles?
the youngest Jackaroo on the current team?
17.The annual
4. Nathan Rice
minimum length a jack can be rolled?
has won the most World Indoor Championships titles?
directed by Mel Smith and released in 2003 is all about Lawn Bowls?
15.Natasha Scott
5.What is the
9.Who is
12.Which player
16.Which film
10. Australian Bowling Council
the nickname of which well known Australian bowler?
Commonwealth Games, how many gold medals did the Australian bowlers win?
2019 Australian Open Women’s Singles winner?
5. 21 metres
4.‘Lurch’ is
the name of Jack Simpson’s special move in the film Cracker Jack?
11.In the 2018
15.Who was the
20.Northern Territory 19.Karen Murphy 18.Warilla Bowls & Recreation Club 17.Tweed Heads Bowls Club 16.Blackball
ANSWERS:
24 queensland bowler June 2020
Mullins’ guide to effective sponsorships – part 1 – adding value for sponsors Sponsorship is a vital source of revenue for all sporting organisations, including bowls clubs. In these difficult times it is especially important that your clubs are able to obtain maximum value from sponsorship arrangements, which you can do by re-thinking the traditional approach of offering local businesses the opportunity to put their sign on your fence or their logo on your beer coasters. Across the next two editions of Bowler Magazine, I will offer some guidance to help you do just that. Part One will provide you with strategies to help your club attract and retain sponsors and Part Two will focus on specific issues to cover off in an effective sponsorship agreement. Re-thinking sports sponsorship What businesses come to mind when you think of traditional bowls club sponsors? Straight away I think of businesses in the real estate and building and construction industries, along with pubs and retailers – which are unfortunately some of the businesses that have been – or will be – hit hardest by the coronavirus. Therefore, it is more important than ever to think about new ways that your club can add value to sponsors, both in order to convince existing sponsors that they should continue to support you while their finances may be stretched, and also to attract new sponsors to help your bottom line. Some of the ways that we see clubs adding value to their sponsors, and some important considerations to bear in mind, are outlined below. 1. Providing access to your club’s database of members’ emails or contact details This can be an invaluable resource for your sponsor/s to expand their reach and build brand awareness, however it is important that you only provide the details of members who have consented to their information being used for direct marketing, or who would reasonably expect their information to be used for that purpose. Otherwise, your sponsors may face a backlash from members who did not expect to receive
marketing communication, in turn damaging your relationship with your sponsor. You also risk being in breach of the Australian Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act 1988. 2. Traditional advertisements As we know, customers are more likely to resonate with a brand if they already recognise the logo. Placing your sponsor’s name or logo in your newsletter and on signs around your bowls greens is another simple yet effective way of building brand awareness and adding value for your sponsors. Note, you may need to comply with rules set by competition organisers or governing bodies regarding certain types of sponsorship such as shirt sponsorship. For example, Bowls Queensland’s by-laws include that sponsors’ names or logos may only appear on shirts where: •
sleeve logos do not exceed 50 mm²;
•
names on a folded down collar or cuff of sleeve are less than 3cm high by 4cm wide; and
•
the top line of logos on the front midriff appear 4cm below the bottom line of the BA logo.
3. Naming rights Name your teams, competitions, greens or function rooms after your major sponsors. This not only increases their exposure, but also makes sponsors feel like an important partner, thus adding long-term value to your sponsorship relationship. When doing so, it is important that you follow up on this by encouraging staff, media, members and competition organisers to use the sponsor’s name so that they gain maximum exposure. 4. Offer networking opportunities This is an excellent way to add value that is often overlooked by clubs, and it can come in various forms. For example, you can create a “business network” and host events encouraging members and sponsors to meet each other and to do business with each other. You might offer tickets or
discounts for sponsors and their guests to attend events and use your facilities. Or, offer to organise and host a special barefoot bowls event for the sponsor’s customers and referrers, which can be a great opportunity for the sponsor to take pride in showing off their new signs around your greens. 5. Keep up the communication A good strategy is to appoint a Sponsorship Coordinator to your club’s board or management committee, charged with the specific duty of reaching out to sponsors and keeping them engaged and informed. This ensures a clear line of communication between your club and the businesses that support it – and also means that sponsors may be more inclined to renew their support next year, if they can see how much they are valued and how important they are to your club. Conclusion An effective strategy to help your bowls club attract and retain sponsors can make a world of difference by bringing in extra funding to enable you to provide better facilities and opportunities for your members. If you have any questions about how your club can attract and retain more sponsors, feel free to contact me on 07 3224 0353 – and remember to look out for my next article regarding the issues to cover off in your sponsorship agreements. If you have any questions relating to a bowls club merger or acquisition, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly on 07 3224 0353.
AUTHOR Matthew Bradford PARTNER
Fl ashback We take another dive into the bowler archive and revisit some stories from the past. There are plenty of well-known names featured, take a look and see how many names you recognise as we take a trip down memory lane!
cover Page from Year 1980
DID YOU
KNOW?
The Bowler used to cost 50C!
Country pairs The duo of Fred Lewis and Artie Booth proved to be a formidable one with the two securing their third Country Pairs title in 1980, the pair beat the Sunshine Coast pairing of Don Murphy and Peter Moles 25-9 in the final. While in the end Lewis and Booth took the victory, it was Ren Cantatore and Aldo Scarrone who had looked like they were in for the win from the beginning. The pair dominated the early play but were made to forfeit due to the surprising and somewhat unfortunate news that their club had not submitted their nomination!
26 queensland bowler June 2020
This Month 40 Years Ago 1980 Clive White picked up his second singles title White’s second title saw him become just the fourth person since World War II to win more than one title in the competition. Clive’s victory was somewhat of a redemption for him as he had been knocked back from state selection by one of the selectors he then went on to beat in the competition, however, he was ever the sportsman and told the bowler that the win gave him “no particular” satisfaction.
Barry Wegert’s fours team seizes victory Barry Wegert’s collective of Kedron bowlers Keith Alexander, Des Duller and Belmont Serivce’s Barry Robinson battled Mt Isa’s Jim Cullen, Neville Barnes, Keith Godbold and Ken McDermott in the final of the 1980 State Championship Fours competition. Des Duller proved to be the linchpin in the quartet coming through with the goods when needed to help push his team onto a 25-21 win over the scrappy Mt Isa side who had played well throughout the championship.
Sunshine Coast Unbeaten The Sunshine Coast District, with team captain Stan Coomber, won the 1980 District Association Championships and the Gold Coast District were the runners-up for the sixth time.
June 2020 queensland bowler 27
Fl ashback Let’s go back to year 2000...
cover Page from year
2000
Thurlow wins sensationally Manly’s Alan Thurlow as a man on fire at the 2000 BQ State Championships, Thurlow collected his first-ever state title in emphatic style beating Australia’s then number two bowler, Kelvin Kerkow, 25-21 after a nail biter of a game. The pair had traded blows throughout the final match, the safe money had been on Kerkow but Thurlow was unrelenting in his pursuit of victory. As the crowd had anticipated Kerkow held the lead for the majority of the match, Thurlow never gave up the chase and brought the game back to 21 shots apiece. Thurlow took a three on the next end to sit ahead 24-21, the next end saw Thurlow with just a toucher left still on the green and Kerkow holding shot, Kerkow picked up the jack with his third bowl and sat on it in the ditch. With his final bowl, Thurlow clipped his toucher and dropped it into the ditch between his opponent’s bowl and the jack to take the final 25-21.
28 queensland bowler June 2020
This Month 20 Years Ago 2000 Dramatic finish to State Pairs South Tweed’s Sean Roach and Nathan Rice saw them claim their first state title in a narrow victory that came down to their final bowl in a game for the ages against the Sunnybank duo and defending pairs champs Alan Elliot and Merv Lamb. By the end of the scheduled 21 ends of play, both contending parties were sat on 18-all forcing the game to be played over an additional end. Tensions were on high as the players made their final bowls, Rice held shot with his second to last bowl but Lamb snatched the shot after relocating the jack. Rice’s last bowl ran at the jack forcing it into the ditch and nestled his bowl next to it, this left Lamb with nowhere to go with his last handing the game 19-18 to Rice and Roach.
Aussies trounce the Scottish The Jackaroos proved to be an unstoppable force at the test match between Australia and Scotland held at Tweed Heads Bowls Club, the Aussies walked away with three test wins leaving nothing left behind for their Scottish counterparts. Legend of the game Steve Glasson thumped Alex Marshall to finish on top with a straightsets victory in the singles to close off the series, it was a rare occurrence from Marshall who even back then was regarded as one of the best.
June 2020 queensland bowler 29
Fl ashback Let’s go back to year 2010...
cover Page from year
2010
Waitai’s redemption It had been five years since Broadbeach’s Gail Waitai had her first taste of Queensland State Singles victory and in 2010 she was on a mission to reclaim her championship crown. However, it was never going to be an easy endeavour with a quality field of the state’s top female talent all vying for the top honour, despite that monumental challenge Waitai was able to fight her way through to the penultimate round. Waitai was pitted against former Australian international Maria Rigby, it was a scrappy match but Waitai managed to get the edge over her opponent to finish the match 25-18 in her favour. The final saw Waitai go up against Helensvale’s Brenda Thompson. Thompson looked to have the upper hand as the match played through the first few ends, Waitai remained unperturbed and as the match rolled on she started to hit her rhythm to bring the scores back to level on the 18th end. The next few ends saw both players trade shots but in the end, it was Waitai who was able to power home to a 25-21 victory.
30 queensland bowler June 2020
This Month 10 Years Ago 2010 Baker’s boys did it again The dynamic trio of Robbie Wild, Alex Murtagh and Sean Baker picked up their second consecutive state triples title overcoming the “Triple-J” outfit of Jason Carpenter, James Templeton and Jamie Nordolf 25-16 on the Sunshine Coast. It was an airtight game four ends out from its conclusion with both teams sitting on 16 shots, Baker’s team was able to break cover and surge over the final four ends to take the top honour.
Kerkow added to Queensland’s Hall of Fame Queensland’s living legend Kelvin Kerkow OAM became the state’s youngest-ever Hall of Fame inductee at the age of 40-years-old. More than 250 guests attended the event at Maroochy RSL to celebrate Kelvin Kerkow’s achievement among other award recipients at the 2009 Bowls Queensland Annual Awards. The award was a fitting tribute to one of Queensland’s greatest bowlers.
June 2020 queensland bowler 31
Fl ashback Let’s go back to year 2015...
cover Page from year
2015
Kiani kicks ass!
The 2015 cover shows the late Sammie Davis (nĂŠe Wilson) who passed away at the age of 30 in 2017. Sammie was a Queensland representative and is pictured here with Ian Law. RIP Sammie.
Kiani Anderson won the State Singles Champion title at the age of 22, after beating top player Julie Keegan 21-16. After being runner-up at many prior championships, Kiani was delighted with her win and said she was glad to finally get over the line. Gracious in defeat, Julie said that if she had to lose to someone, she was glad it was Kiana from the same club (Kawana).
Sister Act Sisters Rhonda Meng and Jenny Blundell won the Over-60s Pairs after multiple attempts over the years. The sisters are from an enthusiastic bowling family and used to play bowls with their Mum and aunt, plus play triples with their other sister Mel.
32 queensland bowler June 2020
This Month
5 Years Ago 2015
Dead man’s penny At the President’s XII ANZAC Test Series held at Manly Bowls Club, former Navy warrant officer Shakey Lake gave a moving tribute about the “Dead Man’s Penny”. The penny was for the next of kin of each serviceman or woman who died as a result of World War One. Approximately 1.3 million Dead Man’s Pennies were minted and approximately 60,000 were delivered to Australian families, including the next of kin of 21 women. Each penny was individually struck, named and signed by King George under the inscription “He/She died for Freedom”; they were also marked to show which campaign the person served in, for example, the digit 7 on the penny indicated Gallipoli.
ANZAC ambush! Marking 100 years’ of ANZAC, competition was fierce before players hit the green, with both sides wanting to win the title on this special occasion. Defence won 3-0, leaving the president’s chosen players determined to lift their game the following year. It’s interesting to note that BQ’s current CEO, Brett Wilkie, was Defence’s guest coach that year! BQ’s State Coach, Bill Cornehls coached the President’s side.
Clive White picked up his second singles title Three long-serving administrators, Brian Stewart, Carlo Campana and Kevin Goldie were awarded Bowls Queensland Distinguished Service Medals. These medals may be awarded to any bowler with a minimum of 15 years’ service at district and state level, in addition to any club service in bowls administration, which must also include elected committee level.
June 2020 queensland bowler 33
Coaching with BQ coaching committee
Dotty
Gibby
Ecka
Thorpy
Let’s look at etiquette
DOTTY’S TIP Etiquette is not a defined rule, it is practical common sense.
Etiquette on the green is just as important today
By Dennis O’Toole As a member of the State’s Coaching Committee I am often confronted by players concerned about the level of sportsmanship and common courtesy in our game. As a “Baby Boomer” I was taught etiquette by my parents and at school. Our coaches expected us to comment on opposition’s good play and expect it to be returned. Common decency and respect were, on the whole, “the norm”. Bowls is a sport that encourages social interaction and friendship. Individuals treat one another the way they expect to be treated. This can basically be done by applying common sense, honesty, fairness and consideration of others. Bowls Australia has supplied a Players Code of Behaviour – these are: 1. Play by the rules 2. Don’t argue with officials. Let your team captain or manager approach the official. 3. Control your temper. Verbal abuse of officials, sledging of other players or deliberately distracting or provoking an opponent are not permitted behaviours in any sport. 4. Work equally hard for yourself and your team. Accept your position in the team and restrict comments and opinions that undermine the compatibility in that team’s environment. 5. Be a good sport. Applaud all good shots, whether made by your side or the other. Accept that lucky shots occur and will eventually even out. 6. Treat all participants as you expect to be treated. Do not bully or take advantage of another competitor. 7. Co-operate with the coach, team mates, opponents and officials. Without them there wouldn’t be a sports competition. 8. Respect the rights, dignity and worth of all participants regardless of their gender, ability, cultural background or religion. 9. Spectators also need to display good sportsmanship so that players and other supporters are not distracted or offended. We all want our team to win but there are acceptable and unacceptable ways to show support. 10. Clapping and cheering should be encouraged but should not be done whilst a player is on the mat. 34 queensland bowler June 2020
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