Bowls clinics come and go

DESPITE the recent weather, bowls season is doing it’s best to ramp up for the summer, with a recent coaching clinic focused on female participation and a future event all about umpiring.

Mid-November saw a women’s coaching day with 26 clubs from the region sending 80 participants to take part.

Organised by Change Our Game committee member Sandra Chapman, the session was meant for Buninyong but moved to the synthetic surface at Ballarat Memorial Sports due to rains impacting the grass green.

Well known coaches Lachlan Tighe and Danny Simmons lead the group through a coaching and information session with each player also receiving a booklet covering drills to support the in-person training.

Clubs were invited to register two women so they could take back information from the day to share among members in the hope of encouraging more women to take part in the game and learn new training strategies.

The day’s program was funded under the State Government’s Change our Game Community Activations Grants Program.

Meanwhile, an upcoming session will focus on umpiring.

The Ballarat-Highlands Bowls Region will use a Sport and Recreation Victoria grant to fund the training for umpire, measurer and marker accreditation.

It’s hopped the effort will see qualified bowlers take on those responsibilities in their clubs and offset a number of recent retirements.

The initiative is aimed at providing a greater number of officials trained up throughout the region and assure all clubs have the necessary umpires available to officiate at regular pennant matches.

Clubs wishing to take up the opportunity to improve the pool of qualified officials are asked to register with BHBR secretary Wayne Morgan on 0419 595 610 by Friday, 2 December.