ISSUE 20 JULY 2011
THE OFFICIAL BOWLS NZ eMAGAZINE issn 2230-2085
Caps for Canterbury
Earthquake Appeal Page 15
50 Year Snapshot Mates in Bowls Listen to the Bowls NZ Podcasts High Performance Pathway
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ISSUE 20 JULY 2011
FROM THE CEO Welcome to the July issue of UPSHOT, the official e-Magazine for Bowls NZ. Another cruel blow was dealt to our Canterbury bowling clubs on June 13 with yet another major earthquake. Our clubs and Bowls Canterbury are still working through the impact of the first two earthquakes so our support is vital. Bowls NZ has financially assisted Bowls Canterbury with their restructuring exercise and has committed the time of the Community Development Officer in Christchurch, Vince Roper, to work closely with Bowls Canterbury as part of the recovery project group. That assistance will be ongoing. We have also launched the CAPS for CANTERBURY Bowls Earthquake Appeal. I encourage you to show your support and buy a “WE ARE ONE� cap to assist our bowling clubs in getting back on their feet. We have already had several orders, and we urge you to continue to get these in as your support is much needed in Christchurch. I also acknowledge the assistance provided directly to Canterbury Bowling Clubs by many Clubs in New Zealand. The support from our community has been most welcome and I know it will continue. Over the next few issues of Upshot we are going to discuss what new participants expect from sport today. The first article in this series focuses on the major environmental and social changes
which have taken place over the last 50 years and the resulting impact on bowls and sport in general. This series is aimed at highlighting what has changed, and what we need to do as a community to attract new participants to our sport. We recently launched our FUTURE LEADERS Programme, which is designed to develop leaders who can take the sport of bowls into a new era. We have received a pleasing amount of applications, and look forward to commencing the training sessions. We have also recently launched our new High Performance Pathway, which has introduced a Black Jacks Development Squad. This squad consists of those players that are seen to be next in line for a Black Jacks Squad call up. The new pathway and squad will be another step forward in ensuring continued international success for our teams. I recently attended the NZ Turf Conference and Trade Show. The conference is a great opportunity for greenkeepers along with their Club and Centre Leaders to discuss new developments and to learn just what is happening in the sports turf environment. The Conference, as advertised, was not just for Greenkeepers but had a great programme for those in Club and Centre governance and management roles as well. It was great to see an attendance of 65 delegates at the Bowls programme but it is very disappointing to record that very few came from Club or Centre Leadership. The programme was not just technically structured and I believe that an opportunity was missed by Club and Centre decision makers to not only develop a better understanding of this vital area, but also to get a better understanding of the importance of ensuring that when setting budgets and strategic direction high priority is given to the maintenance and improvement of the playing surface. Skilled Greenkeepers and good greens are vital to our community. The commitment to continued education needs to be supported. Attendance at Conferences such as this are part of that process. Enjoy your magazine! Kerry Clark OBE, Chief Executive Bowls NZ life member Jean Ashby proudly supporting Canterbury
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issue Snapshot of the Last 50 Years Listen to the BowlsNZ Podcast
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New Database to Improve Communication and Save Time 9 What Can Mates in Bowls Do for your Club?
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CDO Contacts
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Christmas Bowls
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Club Scene
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Caps for Canterbury Bowls Earthquake Appeal
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Burnside Pure Gold
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Have You Signed Up for Have A Go Day 2011 17 Focus on Umpiring: Technical Official Exams Underway 18 Focus on Greenkeeping: 2011 Turf Conference 19 Blind Bowls Trans Tasman Test Series
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New Zealand Places Third at the International Deaf Lawn Bowls Championships 21 Myth Busting
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Bowls NZ Introduces the Black Jacks Development Squad 24 Coaching is the Key
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Player Profile: Greg Ruaporo
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ISSUE 20 JULY 2011
SNAPSHOT OF THE LAST 50 YEARS • • • • •
How relevant is the traditional sports membership model? Why is it difficult to attract new members to bowls? Where are all the volunteers? Why are sports clubs struggling? What do we need to do? These are just some of the questions we’ll cover in this series of articles which investigates what people expect from sport today. This is aimed at highlighting out what has changed, and identifying what people want from sport today and what we need to do as a community to attract new participants to our sport. Our first article takes a look at the last 50 years – a snapshot of the major social, economic, technological, political and environmental
1960s Key Events: • Vietnam War • Martin Luther King Jnr’s “I have a dream” speech • Freedom movements • Feminism • Escalation of the Cold War • Moon landing Key Technology: • Audio Cassettes • First heart transplant • First ATM • Satellite broadcasts • Home video recorders New Zealand: • Wahine Ferry disaster • New Zealand’s first official TV transmission 1960 • NZ Dollar replaces the pound 1967 • Women started to enter the workplace • No Seven Day Trading
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changes that have taken place in the world and in New Zealand. In line with this we reflect on what was taking place in bowling clubs around NZ through the decades. To keep up with the trends it is vital that we seek to fully understand the changing times. To prepare for the future we need to acknowledge the technological changes as they are defining the world, but focus on the sociological and demographical changes as they have profound implications on the manner in which participants want to engage in sport in the future. We need to understand these social trends and attitude changes, so that we can understand the mindset of the sports “customer” and future proof bowls.
The bowling community in the 1960s saw a huge growth in participation with the game being viewed as a great recreational outlet. Because there was no seven day trading and limited non sporting entertainment options, all sport codes saw huge increases in participation rates as weekends were seen primarily as time for sport. Many people came to play bowls from other sports like rugby and cricket, which meant that clubs did not have to work to attract members. Young people were frowned upon in bowling clubs. Clubs did not have liquor licenses as they apply today, with “booth” licenses only
available during specific events. This led to use of the “locker system” (in some male clubs) where members would store liquor in their lockers for consumption after games. Club volunteers were plentiful. Traditions, rules and regulations were integral to the sport. Women had to wear skirts of an acceptable length, all bowlers had to wear whites, hats could not be worn in clubrooms, and men and women could not belong to the same club with separate governing bodies. The traditional family unit was common in the sixties, with many women married by the age of 21 and men by 24. The fertility rate was 4.3, and life expectancies were 68.4 for men and 73.8 for women. Women started to engage in tertiary education as extramural studies became more widely available. There were very few amalgamated clubs. Separate men’s and women’s clubs operated at most locations where bowls were played. Men had almost sole use of the facilities at weekends and women were restricted to play during the week. New Zealand men competed at the first world bowls championship held in Australia, where the fours team won a gold medal. Pictured from far left, by J. Howard Miller; Photo by Frank Wolfe.
ISSUE 20 JULY 2011
1970s Key Events: • Growth of feminism: women entering the workplace • Margaret Thatcher becomes Prime Minister of the UK • The 1970s oil crisis led to the environmentalist movement • Recession following the oil crisis in the Western World Key Technology: • First general microprocessor • Pocket calculators • Video Games • Microwaves • VCRs • Colour TV • Walkmans
Lawn bowls continued to grow as a sport, with participation increasing in both the men’s and the women’s games – although these were still kept completely separate from each other. Clubs still did not have liquor licenses. Traditions, rules and regulations remained integral to the sport. The 70s saw a growth in competitive bowling, with younger bowlers (30s-50s) joining the game. These bowlers wanted more competitive opportunities, so centres started to introduce open centre competitions. The National Men’s body introduced the Intercentre Sevens competition, which still exists today. Competitions for bowlers that had been in the game for less than five years were also introduced.
New Zealand: • The Waitangi Tribunal established • No seven day trading • To counteract the oil shortage, the Muldoon government introduced the carless days scheme
In the 70s the median age that women had their first child was 25. Marriage age was still low, with 32% of all brides in their teens in 1971. The divorce rate started to climb, and the domestic purposes benefit was introduced to assist single parents. New Zealand women entered the World Bowls Championships for the first time in 1973 when the tournament was held in Wellington. The team took out the gold medals in the singles, triples, and pairs, to win the Taylor Trophy for overall performance. Christchurch hosted the Commonwealth Games in 1974, where the fours team won a gold medal, and the pairs won a bronze.
Pictured from far left: Commonwealth Games 1974; The results of the oil crisis.
1980s Key Events: • Chernobyl Disaster • Start of the AIDS Pandemic • 1987 Stock Market Crash • Businesses started to relocate manufacturing facilities to developing countries Key Technology: • Computers became widely used • Space exploration • CDs • Arcade Games New Zealand: • Introduction of GST • Seven day trading • NZ wins inaugural Rugby World Cup 1987, hosted by New Zealand and Australia • US cuts all military ties with New Zealand after nuclear warships are refused entry to New Zealand • Rainbow Warrior sunk 1985
Pictured above, the 1982 Women’s Commonwealth Games team; right, the fall of the Berlin Wall, photo by Raphael Theimard.
The world of recreation opened up in the late 80s, with the introduction of many more leisure options – including seven day trading. This meant that sports had to compete with each other far more than in the past to attract participants. In the late 80s liquor licenses for clubs were introduced, leading to huge social problems for some clubs. Gaming licenses were also introduced, with more sports grants being available. The 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane were the first to include a women’s
bowls event. NZ’s Joyce Osborne, Jennie Simpson, and Pearl Dymond won a silver medal in the Triples event. Differing governing bodies still existed for men & women and our traditions, rules & regulations remained. There was a big push for changes in legislation that lead to gender equality in the workplace and in education levels. There was a peak in divorce rates, and the general marriage rate decreased. Birth rates increased towards the end of the decade, and the future aging of the population came to the attention of the general community.
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1990s Key Events: • Dawn of the information age • Huge economic growth • Formation of the European Union Key Technology: • Cellphones • Internet • MP3 Players • Digital Cameras • DVDs New Zealand: • Student Loans introduced • Sky Tower opened 1997 • 1995 Team New Zealand wins Americas Cup
2000s Key Events: • 9/11 • 2004 Indonesian Ocean Boxing Day Tsunami • Late 2000s Recession • 2005 London Underground Bombings Key Technology: • Broadband and wireless internet • USB Flash Drives • Digital Cameras & Camera phones • Texting • High Definition TV • Social media: Twitter and Facebook
The 90s saw more bowls competitions created, while participation age groups stagnated. There were still significant barriers for women to participate. But in 1996 the men’s and women’s national bodies amalgamated, and the bowling world changed forever. Many clubs started to amalgamate, and this process is still ongoing today. Traditions were still entrenched across all bowling clubs. Club events remained the same. The changes to the recreation options available that had begun in the 80s continued, with far less time dedicated to playing sport. By the 90s women had reached the same levels of education as men, with a particular rise in tertiary education. Marriages generally were not lasting as long, with high divorce rates for marriages of less than 15 years. The biggest change to bowls in the 2000s was the change to the high performance culture for the higher levels of competition. Coaching has been emphasised, as the focus is no longer just on getting great results, but also on the process of getting to that result. For those in technical roles, there is a greater emphasis on getting the best international opportunities available through a best practice model. The 2000s saw the continuation of the trends of the past two decades. Sport is just one of many entertainment options available for the majority of people. People are time poor, so a sport that takes all day or all weekend is unattractive to many people.
Pictured above, Auckland Sky Tower, photo by Backpacker New Zealand; below, 1998 Commonwealth Games.
The leaders in clubs had not changed, and many had a kind of “tunnel vision” about the way bowls used to be. Best practice, skill based governance was emphasised in the hopes of changing this. There was also a big drive towards getting young people involved in the sport, which was not always popular with traditionalists. The traditional family unit was no longer as common as it once was. The fertility rate was just 2.18, and the median age of mothers was 29.9. Life expectancies rose to 78 for men, and 82.2 for women, with the median age rising to 36. Generally people have become far more highly educated, staying at school for longer and attending tertiary education.
Pictured below, the Twin Towers, photo by Michael Foran; right, Mates in Bowls.
New Zealand: • New Zealand welcomes the new Millennium • Lord of the Rings Trilogy • Student Loans became interest free • The recession causes high unemployment and financial strife for many Kiwis
How do we ensure bowls adapts and remains relevant? This 50 year snapshot has provided the backdrop for our next feature which will explore why different generations think and act the way they do and the implications for our sport. This article features information from Statistics New Zealand and McCrindle Research.
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ISSUE 20 JULY 2011
LISTEN TO THE BOWLS NZ PODCAST The Bowls NZ Podcast gives you an opportunity to listen to everyone in the bowling world that you want to hear from. A podcast is like a radio show, where you can listen to interviews, but instead of being broadcast on the radio you need to download the podcast on the internet. There are interviews with some of New Zealand’s top bowling stars like Jo Edwards, Val Smith, Shannon McIlroy and Ali Forsyth, or you can listen to up and coming young bowlers like Matt Gallop and Mandy Boyd. Or find out about what coaching can do for your game with Dave Edwards and Terry Scott. You can also listen to some of the people who have made Mates in Bowls happen in their clubs, and learn what the programme has done to revitalise their clubs – and the club’s bank balance! Go to http://feeds.feedburner.com/LiveSPORT-PodcastsBowlsNZ or the Bowls NZ website homepage for your exclusive opportunity to listen to all these people, and more!
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ISSUE 20 JULY 2011
NEW DATABASE to Improve Communication and Save TIme The Bowls NZ Board has approved investing in a database solution as it has the potential to add significant value to our sport by improving communication and reducing the time burden on our volunteers. Funded out of the sports development reserve, the new system will be made freely available to our clubs so that all of our bowls community can use it – at no additional costs to clubs. A pilot is scheduled to run later this year. Bowls NZ will be engaging a system which is used by many commercial organisations to manage their memberships, loyalty programmes, websites, and communication requirements. The system is extremely user-friendly and efficient. It is a tool that enables clubs, centres, and Bowls NZ to improve communication to members, to engage with our community, to entice people back to clubs more often, and to grow participation/membership through direct marketing initiatives. Ultimately it will give clubs the ability to create strategies that will grow and enhance their participation and member base by enabling them to manage their database and communicate with their members/participants in both a cost and time effective manner. The added advantage is club secretaries and club volunteers will be able to do all of this easily – saving precious time. We are excited by the possibilities of the system and being able to offer a tangible solution to clubs and centres that gives time back to your executive and volunteers. Updates on the database pilot will be posted on the Bowls NZ website and through Bowls Talk and the Circular email notice.
The system will give bowling clubs the ability to: l Have a free club website minimising costs l Manage their member/ participant database online saving time l Manage and email newsletters to their members/participants saving time and money as only one system is required, as well as improving communication flows l Have participants/members register for club events or club tournaments online, minimising time delays and mistakes l Do member/participant returns online saving time l Store documents online for their members/participants to access improving the communication process l Save time maintaining their club database and improve the process of communication to their members due to the ease of use
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SOCIAL SUMMER LEAGUE
WHAT CAN MATES IN BOWLS DO FOR YOUR CLUB? Mates in Bowls is the national brand behind casual bowls. The concept is to attract a target market of 20-45 year olds to a fun, ‘after work’ session of casual bowls, over a 4-6 week series. What makes MIB different from other casual bowls programmes is that MIB is for new participants to the sport. The rules are relaxed and the emphasis is on having fun and that means for your club volunteers as well! Mates in Bowls is designed to benefit your club through generating a revenue stream and cash flow, increasing bar and refreshments
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ISSUE 20 JULY 2011
revenue, and increasing casual membership. This season has seen a number of MIB clubs hosting over 80 participants having fun on the green every week. Taieri’s Club Manager Robert Gibson comments “We embraced it, and our community has taken it on board, and it’s been extremely successful for our club both as an opportunity to play bowls and introduce the game but also as an income stream”. Taieri saw about 90 people turning up every week. Even rural clubs like Otatara have enjoyed success with 50 MIB participants every week, the club’s MIB leader Robin Shanks says MIB is “the best thing that we’ve ever done.” But what does it take to get that many people coming to your club? One of the key aspects is using the marketing support that Bowls NZ gives you. Clubs receive post cards, teaser cards, posters, key rings, as well as having mail drops and fax attacks organised for you. Planning what to do with this marketing support is vital so that you can maximise awareness of your programme without any extra cost. Put up the posters in the community around your club – try libraries, shopping malls etc. Wilton’s MIB Leader Brian Fisher says “they (Bowls NZ) send down flyers which we try and distribute to as many businesses as we can. We do mail box drops to the neighbourhood and to the local area.” And once you’ve got those people to the club, make sure they have fun! At Wilton they give their MIB players coaching for the first couple of weeks, but once they’ve mastered the basics they sit back and let the players get on with having fun. They have a barbecue, and have some music going in the background to get the right atmosphere. Once you’ve got those people in your club enjoying a game of bowls you can start to see the benefits. Brian says “Simply put it brings new people into the club. After the season is finished we encourage them to come down
and play a game of bowls at the weekend, or whatever they want to. Come down and enjoy the facilities, including the indoor facilities.” Taieri have even seen their club being targeted by local businesses who want to get involved, because of what MIB can offer. “The opportunity is there in the community for people who might want to experience the social aspect of the game, and identify bowls as an opportunity where both males and females can come along together and do something together. So whether it be workmates, partners or next door neighbours, they have come along and embraced the game from that perspective.” The reason MIB works so well is that it offers people the chance to give bowls a go without making any long term commitment – because in this day with the busy lifestyles that we lead people don’t want to become full members. Robin Shanks says “They don’t want to get involved with a bowling club at this stage of their life and they just want to give it a try and enjoy themselves. They find it a good way to unwind after a week’s work.” The most important thing to remember is that people don’t mind paying to play bowls – so use that to maximise the revenue you earn from MIB. Robin describes MIB as a “very good money spinner.” Robert Gibson sums up the importance of trying new things and bringing bowls to the community, “I don’t care where people are playing bowls, if they’re playing bowls and enjoying the game then that’s a benefit to bowls. It doesn’t matter if they’re playing at my club; it’s the game that’s important at the end of the day. It’s the game that maintains our club as well.”
If you would like to start MIB at your club please contact your local Community Development Officer.
CDO
CONTACTS REGION 1 Steve Smith steves@bowlsnz.co.nz Mobile 021 966 016 Bowls Far North Bowls Northland Bowls North Harbour Auckland Bowls
REGION 2 Steve Beel steve@bowlsnz.co.nz Mobile 021 966 017 Counties/Manukau Bowls Waikato Thames Valley Bowls Bay of Plenty Bowls Gisborne/East Coast Bowls Hawkes Bay
REGION 3&4 Paul Cavanagh paul@bowlsnz.co.nz Mobile 021 966 177 Bowls Taranaki Bowls Wanganui Bowls Manawatu Bowls Wairarapa Bowls Wellington Bowls Kapiti Coast
REGION 5 Vince Roper vince@bowlsnz.co.nz Mobile 021 966 263 Bowls Nelson Bowls Marlborough Bowls Canterbury Bowls Buller Bowls West Coast
REGION 6 Jim Scott jim@bowlsnz.co.nz Mobile 021 966 010 Bowls South Canterbury Bowls Dunedin Bowls North Otago South Otago Bowling Centre Central Otago Bowls Bowls Southland.
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ISSUE 20 JULY 2011
Do you want to raise the profile of your club, introduce new people to the sport, and make some money for your club? Then consider offering Christmas Bowls at your club this year The PURPOSE of offering CHRISTMAS BOWLS is to raise CASH-FLOW for your club and to give people the opportunity to trial the sport of bowls in a fun and relaxed environment.
Organisations willingly invest money each year into their staff Christmas Functions. Bowls is a perfect option as it is affordable (especially in light of the economic climate), a lot of fun, we have clubs nationwide and all the staff can play regardless of their age, gender and athletic ability. With a little bit of effort, Christmas Bowls can be a fantastic way to make money for your club. If you make sure you have great catering available, good service on the bar, and someone to help get people into the game out on the green, you can make a great profit. Christmas Bowls is also a great way to introduce more people in the community to the sport, and if you get contact details from all the people that attend events at your club, you can invite them back to play Mates in Bowls, attend your Have-A-Go day, or to book another function at the club. To help you get started with marketing for your club, when you register for Christmas Bowls we’ll give you: l l l l
One 1200 x 800 Sign A promotional email template An A4 flyer template A logo
l Handy Hints & Tips for A Successful Function l Website listing
To find out more about getting started with Christmas Bowls contact your local Community Development Officer. To register go to www.bowlsnz.co.nz/club/ christmas-bowls. Registrations close on July 31st.
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ISSUE 20 JULY 2011
club scene Canterbury Update June 13 Quakes
Auckland Bowls Coaching and High Performance Manager Howard Sandler presents Janice Paap with her certificate.
Janice Paap becomes a Bowls NZ Coach Trainer Janice attended the Annual Bowls NZ Coach Trainer Workshop in Wellington and is now able to present the Bowls NZ Coaching Accreditations (Introductory Coach and Bowls NZ Coach) within the Auckland region.
Takapuna Bowling Club ClubPlan
CHCH Richmond’s greens are soaked in liquefaction. Many Christchurch bowling clubs are facing tough times, as is Bowls Canterbury as it attempts to plan next season’s programme and coordinate the recovery of quake affected clubs. Many clubs which were significantly affected by liquefaction in September and February got another unwelcome dose on June 13. Up to 8 greens may not be available this coming season and another 12 greens are likely to see delayed starts. The worst affected areas were again in the Edgeware, Shirley, Richmond and Parklands areas with Mount Pleasant, Redcliffs, and Sumner also feeling the impact. The implications from the series of quakes are expected to be significant. The immediate and long term viability of a number of clubs has come into question and clubs are having to make some hard decisions about their futures. With an already dwindling membership, clubs face more losses from people either leaving the city or moving across town. Clubs are having to weigh up
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their options now that they are faced with few administrators for upcoming AGM’s, little prospect of trust funding, and many members are facing major damage to their homes. Choices have to be made between using limited resources and financial reserves for green repairs costs (with estimates up to $50,000 per green) and reinsurance levies, or bailing out and taking whatever equity they may have to another location to form a stronger more sustainable club. These are difficult times, sport has been a lesser insurance priority which has made it harder for clubs to access technical staff and obtain timely cost estimates so that quality decisions can be made. With the loss of many community sports facilities in the city the council is keen to ensure efficient sports utilisation of any allocated council land and is working with Bowls Canterbury and clubs towards this end. To support the affected clubs see www.bowlscanterbury.co.nz or support the Caps for Canterbury campaign.
President Liz Stephens and chairman Murray Mathieson present the ‘Book of Memories’ - part of the ‘Takapuna Memories’ corner in the club house. Takapuna Bowling Club has been going through the Club Plan Process with their CDO, Steve Smith. Club Chairman Murray Mathieson comments “I think that getting it (Club Plan) in place, and getting it accepted has been our biggest achievement of the last couple of years. I’m pleased to say that the plan now underpins all board activities and perhaps its greatest benefit is that it has turned Takapuna into a much more proactive club - we’re actually going out to try and meet the challenges (of which there are many) rather than muddling along to see what life is going to dish out to us.” Murray comments that the CDO visits and Bowls NZ templates were very valuable, and contributed greatly to the club’s success.
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CAPS FOR CANTERBURY Bowls Earthquake Appeal 19 clubs in Canterbury have been devastated by the regional earthquakes, with many reporting that opening for next season is highly unlikely due to the repair work required on clubhouses and greens. Rebuilding the affected bowling clubs to their former glory is a key priority, but it will be a lengthy process. With this in mind, Bowls NZ together with GRD Marketing have put together the “CAPS for CANTERBURY” campaign – a nationwide earthquake appeal specifically designed for the Canterbury bowling clubs. For just $12.95 (including postage and packaging), bowlers can purchase a “WE ARE ONE” cap, with $6.55 from every cap sold going to the appeal. All money collected will then be forwarded to Bowls Canterbury, who will distribute the funds to affected bowling clubs in the region. The caps are made from quality canvas, with “WE ARE ONE” embroidered onto the front. They are unisex, have an adjustable strap, and are available in either black or white.
HOW TO ORDER: An order form has been sent to all bowling clubs (or can be downloaded from www.bowlsnz.co.nz). We would appreciate if your club could collect all the orders from your supportive bowlers, fill in the order form and send through to Amy Williams (Marketing & Communications Assistant) at Bowls New Zealand by no later than 31 August 2011 via post, fax or email (details are on the order form). The caps will be delivered directly to clubs mid-October with an invoice.
Now is the time to draw together as a community and show our support for our southern bowling friends. If you are require more information, please contact Amy at Bowls NZ via email amy@ bowlsnz.co.nz or phone 09 571 9959. Show your support for Canterbury bowlers and order a cap today! Pictured from top to bottom: Mt Pleasant; Christchurch Richmond; St Martins.
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ISSUE 20 JULY 2011
ClubCheck
BURNSIDE PURE GOLD Burnside reinforced its position as one of New Zealand’s top bowling clubs when it recently scored very close to the maximum possible points to win GOLD in its ClubCheck best practice assessment. Burnside’s President Neil Cornelius attributes the award to the club focusing on excellence as the standard for the club, and using the club plan to channel energies. “This year we put a lot of effort into a detailed club plan, we allocated responsibilities to people to make it happen, and challenged ourselves with
short timeframes to get things done”. “Members got in behind what we are trying to do - everyone at Burnside wants this club to be as good as it can be. We’ve got exceptional depth in quality conveners who look after every aspect of the club and the volunteer contribution by members is, as it has always been, outstanding”. Community Development Officer Vince Roper says Burnside continues to set the standard for club excellence. “Burnside ticks all the boxes, so many great things in one club - very good leadership, great clubhouse facilities,
brilliant greenkeeper, the most successful recruitment programme, best website, MIB, active school bowls, tight financial and admin systems, very good sponsor management, excellent documented procedures, superb events management, silicon coaching software, and on it goes”. Burnside was the Bowls NZ Club of the Year in 2008 when it successfully hosted World Bowls and will again be Headquarters for World Bowls in 2016.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING The 16th Annual Meeting of Bowls New Zealand will be held on
4th September 2011 at Carlton Cornwall Bowling Club 126 Market Road, Epsom, Auckland commencing at 10.00am
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www.lawnbowlsonline.com.au Your One Stop Online Bowls Shop for all things Lawn Bowls
ISSUE 20 JULY 2011
HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR HAVE A GO DAY 2011 9 OCTOBER 2011
The PURPOSE of a HAVE A GO DAY is for people – the public – to try the sport of lawn bowls at their local bowling club. It is also an opportunity for you to introduce the local community to your bowling club – and best of all…it’s free!
Have a Go offers a chance for you to showcase your club to the community, and entice new people through the doors! Bowls is a sport that anyone can play – so take this opportunity to introduce your local community to the sport and your club. Bowls NZ will provide you with marketing support, and all you have to do is register. Last year 186 clubs joined in the fun, with clubs describing the day as a huge success with the greens full of new people giving bowls a go. Clubs also reported gaining new members and filling several MIB teams as a result of the day. Jenny Jones of Pt Chevalier Bowling Club notes the best thing about bowls is “there’s no age to it. You don’t have to be physically fit, strong, or the greatest athlete. You just have to turn up and get an idea of what the bowl is going to do; then just practice”. Once you’ve got those people into the club having a go at bowls, and having fun, make sure you get their contact details. After the day you’ll be able to get in contact with them – invite them to play Mates in Bowls, book your staff Christmas Party, join in club events, or even hire your club as a function/party venue. Wilton Bowling Club Secretary Brian Fisher comments “We made people aware of the existence of the club as well as
introducing them to the game of bowls – however, getting them to enroll as members is a challenge not only facing our club. We try and make them as welcome as possible, which I know we succeed in doing.” The KEY to a successful HAVE A GO DAY is to: 1. Give them a great experience at your club – create a fun and relaxed environment. 2. Collect their contact details. 3. Invite them back to your club with appropriate offer(s) so that you can earn revenue for your club. Offers like hiring the club for Christmas Staff Parties, weddings etc, playing Mates in Bowls, or becoming a member. Marketing Support - What do you get from Bowls NZ when you sign up? l One 1200 x 800 Sign l A promotional email template l An A5 flyer template l A logo (which can be downloaded below) l Handy Hints & Tips for A Successful Day For more information please contact your local Community Development Officer. To register see www.bowlsnz. co.nz/club/have-a-go Registration Deadline is: 31st July 2011
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ISSUE 20 JULY 2011
FOCUS ON UMPIRING
TECHNICAL OFFICIAL EXAMS UNDERWAY 19 Accredited Full Umpires and 4 Measurers have started on the Umpires pathway with recent exams in Waikato, Hawkes Bay and Auckland. More exams will be held in the various Centres as the year progresses. Remember if you are an umpire you may need to undertake the reaccreditation. The exams are conducted by members of the Bowls NZ Umpires Committee to ensure a consistently high standard of umpiring is achieved throughout New Zealand. New umpires will be presented with their certificate and badges at upcoming umpire meetings and will be mentored by an experienced umpire at their first appointments. Of the exams, Bowls NZ Umpires Committee Chair, Helen Stallard says “The standard attained by the candidates has been very high with three already this season scoring perfect 100% records for both the oral and practical. Fears previously expressed from the umpiring fraternity that the required 90% pass rate was unrealistic have proved more than groundless”. A big THANK YOU and congratulations to the volunteer Umpire Tutors who have dedicated weeks and months, towards the successful preparation of candidates. Also, thank you to the experienced Umpires who have volunteered their time to assist with mock exams and measuring assessments. Pictured: Candidates completing some of the measuring exercises on the wet greens of Remuera Bowling Club, Auckland, including Bowls NZ’s own National Programmes Manager Rob Pidgeon. Photos courtesy of Sheryl Johnston.
Plural Membership Reglation 5 – Revoked Just to make everyone aware the Plural Membership Regulation (Domestic Regulation Five) is revoked- the impact
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of this that a player who is a full playing member of more than one Club can now play for any Club he/she is a Member of in any competition. He/she can also be selected to represent any Centre in representative play that he/she is a member of. The restrictions that previously applied under this regulation no longer apply to Competitions at any level unless specifically identified in the Conditions of Play for the Event. All Competition Regulations will be updated to reflect this change. Please note that it is over to the Controlling Bodies to stipulate entry conditions and restrictions for their events if they so desire. Note: It is suggested that you remove this regulation from your copy of the lawbook or cross it out and add the word ‘revoked’.
New Laws – Laws of the Sport of Bowls Crystal Mark Second Edition The new laws came into effect on 1 April. A reminder that all competitions are to be to be played under Crystal Mark Second Edition. Every bowling club should have a copy of the Law Book which has been printed and is available for purchase. To order copies of the new Law Book please contact Pauline Rowland at Bowls New Zealand national office pauline@bowlsnz.co.nz
Have you read the Vision for Umpiring document? A key part of this document is the creation of REGIONAL UMPIRES DEVELOPMENT TEAMS in each of the Regional Service Centre areas. Download the full document from http://www. bowlsnz.co.nz/umpire/technical-officialresources/ along with other resources for umpires and take part in an online quiz to test your knowledge of the laws.
FOCUS ON GREENKEEPING 2011 turf conference • Can you identify Cotula maniototo, Pearlwort, Colobanthus or Onehunga Weed? • Do you know the effects of soil reaction on availability of soil nutrients to plants? • Could you identify diseases on your green and then even more importantly, apply the correct treatment? • Is your irrigation system flow rate effective?
If you can answer “yes” to all of the above, then chances are that you were one of the 60+ people from our bowls community who attended the biennial 2011 Turf Conference and Trade Show, held at Claudelands Event Centre in Hamilton. The conference was comprised of four streams for the sectors within the turf sector, and included plenary speakers who discussed a range of topics from Volunteers and the value of the turf industry; to a debate on will the All Blacks win the Rugby World Cup. Bowls NZ CEO (and NZSTI Board Member) Kerry Clark opened the Bowls conference and set the scene for the programme which included the following presentations:
• Bowls Greenkeeping in New Zealand – Planning for the Future: Kevin Oldham (NZSTI) • Impact of a Natural Disaster on Parks Recreation Capability: Grant MacLeod (Christchurch City Council) • Workshops: – Seeds Fertiliser Identification: Bruce Lowe (Prebble Seeds) – Weed Identification: David Howard (NZSTI) – Bowling Green Diseases: Megan Cushnahan (NZSTI) • Strategic Plan and E-Learning: Peter Dale and Kellie Rose (NZSTITO) • Herbicide Trials on a Leptinella Maniototo Bowling Green: Bill Walmsley • Preparing a Quality Bowling Surface: David Ormsby (NZSTI)
Jamie Batchelor from NZSTI provided a devastatingly graphic report about the impact of earthquakes to the clubs and greens of Christchurch, affected by subsidence and liquefaction. Of particular value was an Open Forum held to address particular problems faced by greenkeepers and a Field Trip, where delegates received a demonstration on Mower settings. Greens play an extremely important part of our sport and whilst attendance at the Conference by greenkeepers was good, support from the wider bowls community is needed and it is encouraged that clubs consider delegating key Club and Centre leaders and administrators to attend future Turf and/or Greenkeeping Conferences. An opportunity was missed by Club and Centre decision makers to not only develop a better understanding of this vital area, but also to get a better understanding of the importance of ensuring that when setting budgets and strategic direction, high priority is given to the maintenance and improvement of the playing surface. The continued education of Greenkeepers is important and cannot be achieved without the support of Club and Centre decision makers. Thank you to Maurice Symes and the Executive of the Bowls NZ Greenkeeping Association for the behind the scenes help to ensure that bowls enjoyed a full
Weed Identification with David Howard (NZSTI) and informative programme. Also thank you to those who attended, especially the volunteers. The bowls delegates would like to thank TOWER for the conference registration subsidy provided through the TOWER Bowls Development Fund. For information on the Bowls Development Programme offered by NZSTITO for your greenkeeper, please see http://www.nzstito.org.nz/trainingcourses-and-qualifications
Greenkeepers recognised at PGG Wrightson Turf Awards Don Carter from Nelson was recognised with a Merit Award from the Bowls NZ Greenkeeping Association. “Don has contributed over four decades of greenkeeping, not just to his local club, but to all of Nelson”, said Greenkeeping Association President Ron Sabin. Martin Christensen from Tolaga Bay was presented with the NZSTI Award for Services to the Turf Industry by Kevin Oldham from NZSTI for his tireless efforts to greenkeeping.
Conference delegates on Field Trip at Te Awamutu Bowling Club.
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ISSUE 20 JULY 2011
BLIND BOWLS TRANS TASMAN TEST SERIES The New Zealand Blind Lawn Bowls Team failed to beat Australia in the recent 6th Trans Tasman Blind Bowls International at the Rosehill Bowling Club in Sydney, but came away from the competition with some vital lessons learnt. Tony Marinkovich, the team Selector/ Coach, reports that some of the key lessons gained from the event were learning to adjust to the slower greens, physical exercises prior to play, the need for individual training programmes, weekly
coaching sessions, the need to play on the greens prior to the competition, and the need for increased competition opportunities for all blind bowlers. Of the 36 matches played during the four days play the NZ team won only six matches and drew two. Several were very close losses and could easily have gone either way, with great improvement being made over the course of the tournament. Marinkovich commented that to assist NZ Blind Bowling to become more successful in international competition
efforts need to be made to attract more participants to the game throughout the country and more competitions need to be developed locally. One of the great delights for the New Zealand team was when New Zealand international stars Rowan Brassey and Andrew Todd came along to watch and support them. Both Rowan and Andrew were in awe at the skill level and application of the NZ players, and the players appreciated their support.
NEW ZEALAND PLACES THIRD AT THE INTERNATIONAL DEAF LAWN BOWLS CHAMPIONSHIPS The New Zealand team had to contend with 35 degree temperatures in Perth, but managed to power on for some fantastic results. The women’s team won the silver medal overall, only just missing out on the gold through one loss to Scotland in the triples. In the singles Patricia Hansen missed out on gold by a differential of 5 points, while in the pairs Hansen and Joan Richards were clear winners after beating the opposition in every game. The triples team (N Doherty, R McKie and B Herrick)
had mixed fortunes, coming out with a win against Wales, a loss to Australia, and a draw with Scotland to put them in third place. The four’s team (J Richards, B Herrick, N Doherty and R McKie) enjoyed two wins out of three to gain four points and get the silver. The men’s team didn’t have quite the same luck, finishing in fourth place overall. Both the singles and pairs placed 5th, but the triples team made up of B Gernhoefer, P Gillespie and J Lavell got the silver after winning three of four
games – they just lost out to Australia for the gold by three differential points. The fours team (D Herrick, J Lavell, P Gillespie and B Gernhoefer) came third after beating Scotland and Wales. Joan Richards comments “our men worked so hard but all efforts were driven off as fast as they drew shots”. The men’s team finished fourth overall. The National Team placed third overall in the tournament, to take home the bronze.
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ISSUE 20 JULY 2011
MYTH BUSTING Myth #7: Subs are too expensive. Region 5 Community Development Officer, Vince Roper, investigates this commonly held belief. Look at the costs of some other recreation options: Croquet Swimming Gym fees Golf Tennis Squash Skiing
$200 $4.50 per session 3 times per week = $700 per year $350 - $1000+ Ranging from approximately $455 for a summer membership, to $1095 for a full membership. $145 - $299 $250 Joining fee, annual fee and lift pass starting from $675
Bowls for 6.5 cents an hour “Subs are too expensive” is a view often expressed by bowlers – without any substantiation to back it up. When subs do go up, even just to keep up with inflation, there is often a negative reaction. Compared with these amounts, $136 (the average fee) for a bowling club membership is not that expensive after all. Consider a summer bowling club that opens around mid September and closes around mid April, which means the club is open for 30 weeks (or 210 days). If a club is open from 9am till 7pm (10 hours) it means a club is available for bowler’s use, weather permitting, for 2100 hours with the cost working out at just 6.47 cents per
hour. If the club also had artificial surfaces it would mean the club is available year round for just 3.7 cents per hour. Not bad value considering that includes having the greens groomed and the clubrooms heated, cleaned and serviced. Looking at the national capitation fees, at $27.54 + GST, we see bowls is in the low-mid range (see graph below). Another point to note is that bowls coaching is usually free. Compare that to swimming lessons for $190 per term or six golf lessons for $220. The level of subs is influenced by revenue from existing club investments, the number of members, the effort clubs put into generating revenue (e.g. social bowls, corporate and Christmas bowls, clubrooms hire, tournament schedule and pricing), how well the club manages its costs, the ability to access available external funding (trust funding, sponsorship packages), and centre and national affiliation fees. Some of these things a club can control, others they cannot. Gaming trust funding has been in decline in recent times and there is more competition for such funding. Better performing clubs focus on what they can control and have people working together on every aspect to improve the club’s viability. If you think your club is not doing all it can to help keeps subs down contact your local Community Development Officer for help getting your club started on the road to financial security.
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ISSUE 20 JULY 2011
BOWLS NZ INTRODUCES the Black Jacks Development Squad After a full review of Bowls New Zealand’s Talent Development and High Performance programmes, some changes to the structure have been made – the most notable change being the introduction of a Black Jacks Development Squad of players that are seen to be the next in line for a Black Jacks Squad call up. Bowls NZ National coach Dave Edwards said the introduction of the Black Jacks Development Squad was the next logical step in the High Performance pathway. “We have seen some significant advances in standards since the introduction of our Regional Talent Development squads some four years ago, and what has happened now is we have a group of players who have outgrown the regional squads, and they are now seriously pushing for higher honours. We were very keen to continue the development of this group of players who are knocking on the door of the Black Jacks squad and therefore it became logical
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for us to introduce the Development Squad concept.” The Black Jacks Development Squad can contain up to 12 players, however for the initial season just 7 players have been selected. These players will work under the watchful eyes of the Bowls NZ National Assistant Coaches Raelene Peters and Terry Scott and it is hoped that the squad will undertake an internal tour for a series of matches during the coming season. The Bowls NZ Regional Talent Development Squads will be retained, however these squads will become more targeted and therefore the maximum numbers in these squads has been reduced from 20 to 12. The review of the programme also identified the need for bowling centres to introduce Talent Development Squads at centre level. Bowls NZ, in conjunction with the Regional Service Centres, will assist centres in the setting up of these squads. One major benefit of this new structure
is that player and coach development will go hand in hand. There are clear pathways to the top of the game for both players and coaches, as per the below flow chart. It is a prerequisite that all of the Talent Development squads are coach led. Please contact National Coach, Dave Edwards if you have any questions. Email dave@bowlsnz.co.nz, phone 03 923 2326.
The initial Black Jacks Development Squad will consist of: Dale Lang – Tawa, Wellington Kaaren Guilford – Johnsonville, Wellington Serena Matthews – Elmwood, Canterbury Angela Boyd – Taradale, Hawkes Bay Blake Signal – Stokes Valley, Wellington Chris Le Lievre – Onehunga, Auckland Mark Watt – North East Valley, Dunedin
ISSUE 20 JULY 2011
COACHING is the key • Raising Awareness • Building Responsibility • Building Self Belief
Introducing your Bowls NZ Coach Trainers who are endorsed to deliver coach development throughout New Zealand. The two courses which Coach Trainers deliver are: Introductory Coach and Bowls NZ Coach. Updating is required every two years to maintain a current Coach status and if your coaches have not had an Update since 2009 a Coach Trainer can run an
Regional Service Centre 1
Updating Course. Courses are arranged in consultation with the Regional Service Centre, Centre and the Coach Trainer based on the needs of the club. (Note: not every Centre has a dedicated Coach Trainer, however a Coach Trainer will also cover the nearby Centres)
Regional Service Centre 2
Regional Service Centre 3
Northland
Manawatu
Marlborough
Ann Muir 09 437 6257 ann_muir@xtra.co.nz (Regional Coach Trainer)
Sharon Sims 06 356 9402 ken.sims@clear.net.nz (Regional Coach Trainer)
Josie Uren 03 319 7470 josieu@xtra.co.nz (Regional Coach Trainer)
North Harbour
Gisborne East Coast
Canterbury
Tony Marinkovich 09 427 4013 tonymarinkovich @yahoo.com
Lorna Reeve 06 867 7433 lornareeve@xtra.co.nz
Ruth Roberts 03 388 1792 ruth.ron@inet.co.nz
Auckland
Napier
Dunedin
Howard Sandler 09 623 3555 howard @aucklandbowls.co.nz
Vickie McNamara 06 835 5028 vickiemc@xtra.co.nz
Anne Craik 03 488 5039 craikie@hotmail.com
Auckland
Taranaki
Central Otago
Janice Paap 09 372 5543 paap@clear.net.nz
Stephen Brophy 06 759 0930 x 724 stephen @sporttaranaki.org.nz
Ric Hunt 03 444 9069 ric.hunt@clear.net.nz
Bay of Plenty
Wellington
Lennie Simons 07 577 6885 lennie.john@hotmail.com
Kerry Geertson 04 589 6628 coach@internet.co.nz
Waikato Rodger Brouwer 07 838 2311 sathamilton@clear.net.nz
For Coaching Enquiries:
Rob Pidgeon Bowls NZ National Programmes Manager 09 571 9954, rob@bowlsnz.co.nz
For coaching support and resources visit www.bowlsnz.co.nz/coaching
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Bowls Bias Trajectory
Alpha
BOWLS BIAS TRAJECTORY
Alpha ABT-evo Tiger II Classic II
Choice of Champions
Val Smith World Number 1 Winner singles & pairs World Champs 2008
Approved 15/09/09 Alpha is a full fit bowl with a unique non-slip grip to provide bowlers with superior hand Bias chart is a relative guide only. comfort. Alpha has a Performance holdingcharacteristics line forwill‘up shots’ and an even draw to the jack, especially vary due to different surfaces and playing conditions for dead draws, allowing it to perform to perfection on weighted shots. A combination of precision engineering and advanced design has given Alpha its superior stability in windy conditions.
Tiger II
A mid biased bowl with an even and predictable trajectory. The predictable line of the Tiger II makes it very easy to adjust to for experienced and new bowlers alike. The Tiger II provides comfort in the hand, control on the delivery, and consistency in results.
Classic II
The well established, traditional and popular wider drawing bowl, with a “hook” finish, well suited on greens with a speed of 12-16 seconds
ABT Evo
A full bodied bowl providing on green stability, giving maximum performance on fast running greens. A true holding line to maximise accuracy and results on run shots.
For information on Henselite Lawn Bowls, Clothing, Footwear, and Accessories Vist:
www.henselite.co.nz
ISSUE 20 JULY 2011
player profile Greg Ruaporo Blockhouse Bay’s Greg Ruaporo was named in the 2011 Black Jacks Squad – achieving what he describes as his proudest moment, and “long term goal”. Now that his first goal is out of the way Greg has a new one – to represent New Zealand at the Commonwealth Games and become “world number one”. The young bowling star was introduced to bowls through his godparents; “I became a member at Grey Lynn Bowling Club where they played and my first ever game of bowls I played was indoor which I won.” His parents are also a huge support. Greg first arrived on the national scene at the National Secondary Schools Championships in 2006, where he took out the singles title. Following this up with a second title at the 2007 tournament, he established himself as one to watch in the future. His first call up to a New Zealand team was in 2009, where he represented
Quick Facts: l Favourite Movie: The Express: The Ernie Davis Story l Time in Bowls: 11 years l Favourite Food: Chicken fried rice l Dream Job: Police Officer l Dream Destination: Las Vegas
NZ in the U18 Trans Tasman Test Series, which he followed up with an U25 call up in 2010. The 2010-2011 season saw the young Aucklander really come into his own on the green, starting with a win in the prestigious Burnside Pairs tournament alongside Shaun Scott in what was described as the “best final in years”. Greg then went on to win the Auckland Centre Men’s Singles Title, and after winning the regional play off in Kerikeri was rewarded with a place at the NZCT National Club Championships where he narrowly missed out on first place. In the final round he faced Black Jack Shannon McIlroy, defeating him 21-15 – a huge achievement in anyone’s books. Greg credits his success on the green to his commitment to coaching and personal development; particularly through giving him “the ability to manage time with training, work, and social life” as well as helping “with ability to have shot selections on the green and increased my skill level a lot.” When he’s not on the green Greg enjoys playing touch and basketball, as well as computer games and watching cartoons. He comments that working with a mentor helps him to keep up to date with regulation changes, but also teaches him about other NZ players’ achievements – showing him just how high a level it is possible to aspire to. And with an aim to become world number one, Greg will definitely be one to watch in the future.
At the 2009 U18 Trans Tasman Test Series.
2011 NZCT National Club Championships.
Winning the 2006 National Secondary Schools Championships.
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