NEW EVENT BOOSTS BOWLS DEVELOPMENT
IN what could be termed The New Age Tournament, the inaugural Port Natal Junior Masters championship rolls out this weekend at Westville Bowling Club.
Proving that the game of lawn bowls presents an exciting and challenging outlet for youngsters, the 12 selected juniors have been drawn into two sections and will participate in five preliminary singles games and attempt to dominate in terms of line and weight control.
Their goal will be to win the section and qualify for the final that will determine the junior master champion.
At the end of the day it will be the bowler who is able to maintain their composure and confidence, while successfully analysing each opponent’s strengths and weaknesses and applying tactics to utilise this knowledge to advantage, who will take the top podium spot.
The brainchild of Port Natal selector, Sandy Miller, the aim of the new competition is to offer emerging talent an opportunity to compete at top level and contribute to the development of the game as more junior sportsmen and women realise that the sport offers an exciting challenge.
A tour of local clubs reveals that the demographic of the game is evolving as younger bowlers take to the greens to defy lawn bowls’ reputation as a genteel sport played at a sedate pace well-suited to elderly, white-clad participants.
The discipline is in a revolutionary state of change with the introduction of colourful dress codes and thrilling game formats that allow for quick, fun games to capture the attention of bowlers and spectators alike.
The curtain has fallen on the 2019 African States Tournament played in Kenya from August 21 to 24, and the Protea team have returned triumphant with a fivepoint win over second-placed Kenya and the gold for overall tournament winners.
Local bowlers Bronwyn Webber and Wayne Rittmuller contributed significantly to the team’s victory in an event in which some sections were decided by shot difference. Webber gained a gold medal for her role in the women’s pairs section and silver for the singles.
The Protea women’s team achieved an additional gold in the trips and silver in the fours. Rittmuller was awarded a gold medal for the part he played in the men’s trips and silver for the fours.
Further to this, the men gained a bronze in the pairs section.
The improvement in the level of bowls played by African countries was particularly noteworthy as some of the teams gave notice of serious emerging talent.
Worth mentioning is the achievement of the leaders of the Bowls Botswana Association, who five years ago embarked on a recruitment campaign with a strategy to develop future bowling stars. They saw the fruition of this crusade when their women’s team achieved gold in the fours, silver in the pairs and bronze in the trips sections.
Local clubs are reminded of the Port Natal under-30 fundraising tournament to be played at Lahee Park Bowling Club on Saturday, September 7.
An appeal is made to clubs affiliated to Port Natal Bowls to show solidarity and support for the youngsters competing in the Bowls South Africa national tournament by entering sides for the competition. Contact Matt Riggien on 062 727 6122.