I suppose I was destined to play  Lawn Bowls because as a school boy at Harrisville, one Sunday afternoon before the bowling green was laid, the founding members of that club used to play bowls on an underfelt in the local School of Arts. A mate, whose father was a member, and myself assisted in laying out the underfelt and allowed a rollup.

I first started playing bowls at Eidsvold in the Central Burnett district when I was transferred there in my employment in 1968.

In 1970 I was transferred on promotion to Capella in the Central Highlands and continued my involvement there. Sunday was their play day.As with all country towns the crown employees usually end up on committees and when the incumbent  Treasurer was transferred I took on that position.

Whilst at Capella I won my first competition. They called it the handicap singles but it was a game of consistency. I also featured in the winning Capella triples team that won the Central Highlands Triples in 1972. Also in that year I was in the team that won the Talbot Trophy, the equivalent of the Harrup Cup in Rockhampton.

   

I was again transferred in 1974 to Oxley and started work the Monday before the floods hit. After settling in I joined Oxley Bowls Club for a few years but let my membership lapse owing to what all good parents do, that is follow their children’s sporting events.

After our children finished their schooling my wife Betty joined the Corinda Ladies Bowling Club and insisted that I join the Club also.

This year brings up 20 years since I joined our beloved Club. I was a social player for years because of shift work and other commitments.

When I left Capella I said that I would not become involved in the committees of another bowls club. But after a lot of arm twisting by that great stalwart Frank Clarke and being at a loose end at the time, I agreed to become involved in the management of the club serving as Junior Vice President, Senior Vice President culminating  as President  for 2004/2005. I served as Assistant Treasurer and now occupy the position of Treasurer since September, 2008.

Being just an average bowler , I have been fortunate to have had success in some of the club competitions:

    Won Mixed Pairs with my wife Betty in 2003/2004

    Won Handicap Singles in 2004/2005

    Won “B” Pairs [lead] 2003

    Won Triples [second] 2007

And have twice been the runner-up in the “B” Singles.

I am also a member of the Queensland Railway Institute Social Bowls Club and look forward to their annual state carnivals which are played at various venues throughout the state. In 2008 I was selected to represent Queensland in the Intersystem Railways carnival at Rotorua in New Zealand against New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia and New Zealand. In the afternoon Fours competition the team, in which I played Second,went through the competition undefeated.

In my younger days I played social cricket but for many years because of work commitments it was very irregular.

Freemasonry is my other interest of which I am very involved, being Secretary and Treasurer of some of the Orders that I belong to. In the past I have been privileged to have been entrusted to supervision of districts encompassing Lodges etc. within those districts allocated to me and am still called upon to assist in the ceremonies on special occasions. These duties incurred travel to places as far as Roma and Charleville and were always of a weekend.

It was never a matter of whether or not I would play bowls but when. Both my parents were good club bowlers. Also I worked in the same area as Win Jarrott for about 20 years. Win was a State player, newspaper columnist for bowls for the Courier Mail and the Sunday Mail as well as being very active in RQBA affairs. If Win's desk was vacant you always knew where he was - playing bowls.

I was well indoctrinated in bowls before even putting down a bowl. Talk around the water fountain, the lunch room and on the train coming home always turned to bowls.

Both my wife and I joined Corinda Bowls Club towards the end of 1983. Family commitments prevented me from starting before then despite urging from Win.

Without a doubt it was Win Jarrott. Having said that, however, I must also acknowledge the help and encouragement given to me by people such as Hal Love and Frank Clarke. Unfortunately none of the trio is still with us. Win was my coach and mentor from the start.

It is difficult to isolate one particular event as being the most memorable. Over the past 25 years I have encountered a number of experiences that have been memorable. In chronological order the main ones were -

·        Winning my first major competition - the A Pairs in 1986/7

·        My first A singles Club Championship in 1995/6

·        Being granted life membership of the club

Without a doubt it was Win Jarrott. He represented the State on numerous occasions and was one of the leading bowlers in the Metropolitan area. His achievements within the club are a matter of record. I doubt if anyone will ever equal his feat for winning the number of Corinda Club Championships that he did. My only win against him was in the Mixed Pairs final in 1988/9 with my wife. Win was trying out a new type of bowl in that game and had some troubles handing them. Normally he was a magnificent draw player as well as a deadly driver.

At this stage in my career all I can say is that age is a great leveller. My only aspirations now are to keep playing as long as I can and to pass on what knowledge I have to the new generation of bowlers.

If you just want to be a social bowler - good for you. Get out there and enjoy yourself. That's what the game is all about - having fun.

However, if you want to be a competitive bowler then you have to do the hard work just as you would in any other game. Don't think all you have to do is play as often as possible. There is no substitute for practice. When you think you have had enough practice then get out and practice some more. Also, don't forget to work with a coach.

One of the benefits of belonging to a good small club is that you know everyone. I played in a large club in NSW on a holiday a few years ago and players were still introducing themselves to other players although they had been in the club for some five years.

Of course, for the club to survive everyone must do their bit to keep the club functioning. Some of us older ones have done their bit now it's up to the new generation to step forward. Volunteers are the lifeblood of all small clubs. Volunteer or perish.

Having played for 25 years I could fill a page if I included "runners up" as well as wins. Therefore I will confine the list to wins together with some important "other" events.

1986 - Selected for 1st Divn Pennants

1986/7 - won A Pairs

1988/9 - won Consistency Singles

1988/9 - won Mixed Pairs with my wife Marge

1989/9 - won Championship Fours

1991/2 - won B Singles

1993 - won Corinda Prestige Mixed Fours

1993 - won 2nd Division Pennant

1993 - runner up S E Qld 2nd Divn Interdistrict Pennants

1993/4 - won Championship Triples

1995/6 - won A Singles

1996/7 - won Championship Fours

1996/7 - semi final Cunningham Champion of Club Champion Fours

1997/8 - won Championship Fours

1997/8 - won Championship Triples

1998/9 - won Championship Fours

1998/9 - won Championship Pairs

1998/9 - won A Singles

1988/9 - runner up Cunningham Champion or Club Champion Singles

1999/2000 - won Championship Pairs

2000/1 - won Handicap Singles

2001/2 - won Championship Fours

2001/2 - won Mixed Pairs with Jan Clemson

2002/3 - won Championship Fours

2002/3 - won Championship Triples

2002/3 - won A Singles

2003/4 - won A singles

2003/4 - won Championship Fours

2003/4 - won Championship Pairs

2005/6 - won Championship Triples

2005/6 - won Championship Fours

2006/7 - won Championship Fours

I became active in club affairs after I retired in 1987.

1987/8 - Committee member

1988/1994 - Greens Director

1994/5 & 2000/2 - Assistant Secretary

1995/2003 - DBA Delegate

1995/6 - Jnr Vice President

1996/7 - Snr Vice President

1997/8 - President

1998/9 - Immediate Past President

2000 & 2003 - Selector

1987/2003 - Editor and producer of club newsletter "Without Bias"

2004 & 2005 Cunningham Junior Development Committee

1995 to present - Level 1 coach

I joined the Postal Institute Rifle Club in 1947 when the rifle movement started up again after the war. I shot for about 10 years until the range was moved from Enoggera to Belmont. I was a member of the winning "C" grade Pennant team. I also represented Queensland in the Australian Postal Institute Interstate Carnival in Melbourne in 1948. Being able to read wind changes was vital in rifle shooting. This has helped me in bowls but unfortunately conditions change rapidly during the 15/16 seconds it takes a bowl to reach the jack not the split second for a bullet to reach the target.

I played Sunday Rugby League for a couple of years back in 1949/51 until injuries put me out of the game. In those days all QRL games were played on Saturday but many A and Reserve grade players lined up again for Sunday games. I was a big log of a front row forward. The only try I scored my team mates pushed me over the line.

I played some social cricket but mainly social tennis and some squash until I started bowls.

Nothing remarkable to report in the hobbies field. I like reading, do a bit of very amateur wood turning and also make model aircraft for the grandchildren. I suppose you could include coaching lawn bowls as a hobby. It's certainly not a paid activity. I also play contract bridge. I was a foundation member of the Corinda Bridge Club. However, I no longer play competitive bridge but still enjoy a round or two of "kitchen" bridge.

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