Veteran duo share their career journeys
New Zealand representative bowlers Val Smith and Jo Edwards visited Bowls Te Awamutu last Friday and spoke to about 30 bowlers from various local clubs.
They gave an insight into how they became bowlers from a young age, in what was generally regarded as an older person’s sport at the time.
The overall theme that came out clearly was that as well as skill, passion, and standards dedicated to one’s sporting life, these aspects balanced you as a person in the way your live your life in general.
Both athletes have travelled widely with the sport of bowls, representing New Zealand at many events throughout the world, as well as competing in other top-level events.
Val and Jo were keen sportspeople from an early age, playing up to eight sports, some to a high representative level, before becoming involved in lawn bowls.
Their versions of their careers throughout the past 20 years or so were interesting and quite often hilarious. Friends from school days, they have found their long friendship invaluable in all facets of their lives.
The future of lawn bowls in New Zealand was discussed, and it was generally agreed that changes to the way clubs approach the sport was inevitable if it were to survive —
especially the types of events and the age groups targeted.
The day was also an opportunity to say farewell to Bowls Waikato manager Julie White, who is now
moving on to work for Bowls New Zealand.
Julie was also New Zealand’s Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games bowls team and media manager.