Who said Im too young to play bowls? | Taranaki Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Taranaki

LAWN bowls is fast becoming a sport for the young and the Stratford Avon Bowling Club is capitalising on the developing interest.

In Australia, the average age of bowlers is now 27, and New Zealand is going the same way, with the finalists in the New Zealand championships being in their twenties.

The growth in youth bowls in the main centres has taken off with large numbers of both boys and girls participating in organised bowling at secondary school - many students from around Taranaki are currently playing in a youth bowls programme.

Such a change in the demography of the base of players has been warmly welcomed by the Stratford-Avon Bowling Club, who continue to go from strength to strength with recruitment drives like their casual twilight bowling.

It was involvement in twilight bowls, and the encouragement of his father-in-law, that first piqued the interest of 33-year-old Chris Hall.

"I was right into sports when I was younger, playing rugby for Stratford," said Chris, "but with work and having kids, it just got harder to keep it up."

Opting to give bowls a go four years ago proved to be a wise move for Chris, as he has since realised just how much fun involvement in the sport can be.

"Playing bowls is great, you can pick and choose when you play. You could play every day of the week if you wanted, but, you know, if you can't make it into play, it doesn't matter, it's so flexible."

"As a game, people think it's easy, but it's really challenging you have to work out strategies involving weights and angles, and it's definitely competitive which is great."

Chris has also realised the great number of social benefits of being involved in the club and is enjoying getting to meet new people.

"The social side is a great thing. The people in the club tell really funny stories and, well, the alcohol is pretty cheap too! Also, it's been a great place to network for my job with RD1."

With more competitions and training being put in place for bowling at secondary schools, there is a new pool of talented youngsters emerging and Chris is really pleased to see it.

"Although it is still mainly older people involved at my club, with all the secondary school championships and new tournament formats coming through, the sport is changing for the better."

Developing the sport is an ongoing process and although the push in high schools has garnered a greater level of involvement from the young, there is still a long way to go in sustaining newly created interest in the sport.

"I joined the committee this year. The president was after new blood and new thinking with ideas on how to challenge the preconceptions about the sport."

Chris is really keen to push the social benefits of the game, and the flexibility that the game offers to working people.

"Bowls doesn't have to be serious. You have to wear your whites for competitions, but basically you can rock up in your jandals to play twilight games."

As a family sport, there are as many casual bowlers playing in twilight family competitions, as there are competitive bowlers and because of the success of last year's casual bowls twilight competition, the Stratford-Avon Bowling Club is planning to do the same this year.

Up to 40 non-bowlers can take part at the two-hour Monday night sessions and bowls are provided - all people need to do is turn up in a pair of flat-soled shoes, slippers or bare feet and bring the $3 entry fee.

For more competitive bowlers, the club offers several levels of competition.

Full membership is $100 and entitles you to play in any club, or Taranaki centre competition while a $50 casual bowler sub entitles people to play in Wednesday competitions and Saturday club days when no trophies are being competed for.

A youth bowls sub is $5 and goes straight to Bowls New Zealand.

Because of the flexibility that bowls provides, joining the Stratford-Avon Bowling Club means members are entitled to come along in their own time and use the greens for practice or fun family games.

For further information about joining the Stratford-Avon Bowling Club, call Paul Sunman on 765 4300, or John Sextus on 762 2875.