Bowls devotion a labour of love for top administrator Bryce

IT’S fair to say no one was more surprised to see Lynette Bryce crowned the administrator of the year at this month’s Ballarat SAA Associates awards night than the Ballarat Memorial Sports Bowls Club stalwart herself.

That’s despite the fact she is a member of the Ballarat SAA Associates committee.

Bryce’s fellow committee members were sworn to secrecy while organising the annual awards night, creating an elaborate ruse involving a false winner.

It was only when the profile of the real winner was being read out that Bryce twigged she had been had and was overcome with shock.

“(The MC) Wes Cusworth started speaking about the winner and said this woman has been involved in the bowls fraternity for a long time in Ballarat, and I was sitting there thinking that the person I was led to believe was the winner doesn’t play bowls,” she said.

“I’m like, what is he talking about? I was sitting with my friends from BMS and it hit me that it was me. The girls just started staring at me.

“Considering I helped organise the night, I was absolutely stunned.

“I think my husband (Cameron) might had a fair bit to do with it (the secrecy), along with the committee.

“There’s a couple of videos going around of me with a shocked look on my face. They had a few operatives taking clandestine videos.

“But it’s a great honour to get recognised for something you have done for such a long time, without expecting anything for it.

“Most people that you talk to, who are administrators, they don’t do it for the glory, they do it because they love their club and want to make sure everything is right.

“And they enjoy it.”

Bryce was honoured for her long and distinguished service to bowls in Ballarat, and specifically, the Ballarat Memorial Sports Bowls Club since its inception in 2004.

She has held nearly every position on the club’s committee, including ladies president (2010-11 to 2016), secretary, treasurer, club vice president and bar manager, with the exception of club president.

Bryce has further served on several club committees, including the BMS relocation sub-committee, ladies/midweek pennant selection and social committee and spent five years as club sponsorship officer.

In 2021, she became one of the inaugural board members of the Ballarat Highlands Bowls Region.

 

Despite standing down from the committee last year, she has remained active behind the scenes.

Bowls has always been a part of Bryce’s life.

Her parents were members of the former Ballarat City Bowling Club and she quickly became a regular presence around the club, located on the corner of Ripon and Eyre Streets.

“I really grew up there; we used to have all our Christmas parties there and then gradually I started working behind the bar there and then I started bowling there,” she said.

“Eventually some people from our club and from the Serviceman’s Memorial Bowling Club got together and decided to merge.

“We moved up to Creswick Road (the SMBC’s) home for a couple of years before we decided we should look for something a bit better, with better access.

“It was sold to some people who built townhouses and council offered us the land at Alfredton next to the footy oval.

“With council’s help and the money from the sale, we built a who new bowling green and club.

“We ran out of the footy clubrooms for a few years and we finally got a grant from the council to help build a new facility.

“We’ve been there 22 years now, but the club has been part of my life in one form or another for closer to 60 years.”

The 73-year-old, who has served as the Alfredton Sports and Community Club’s secretary for the last 16 years, views her dedication to the bowls club as a labour of love.

“It’s been a very long journey, but extremely fulfilling,” said Bryce, who last year became the first BMS member to play 300 midweek pennant games.

“I’ve managed to clock up five club championships along the way and been runner-up quite a few times as well, so I’m content with that.

“But I’ve done the bar, been the secretary and treasurer, been on plenty of committees and was an umpire for many years.

“I have a few feathers in my cap, but I’ve loved every minute of it.

“This award was a lovely surprise.”