Bowls Ahead

President’s Message

President’s Christmas Message

Because this is the last bulletin for 2008, I will take opportunity, of wishing all of our members, “A Happy & Memorable Christmas”, with the year 2009 fulfilling all your wishes for the future.

The year 2008 has been a rewarding year for our club, with three grades of our pennant team qualifying to play in the state finals and one grade being runner up in the Zone finals.

We are a happy group of people, who enjoy our bowls and fellowship and this is most evident throughout the club Your membership committee and all of the members who have accepted the responsibility of working towards the success of our club have been a contributing factor in bringing about the pleasure of being a member of the Asquith B.C.

With premier league players eligible to participate in the 2009 State Pennants this brings a new dimension to the competition. When the full compliment of the Asquith pennant players is known, I expect our club to be very competitive and hopefully honour our club by qualifying for the State Finals and winning State Pennants to grace our flagpoles.

The enthusiasm engendered by our bowlers, at this stage, is stimulating and will provide a challenge for our selectors when selecting the team for the seven grades.

I urge all bowlers contemplating playing pennants next year to respect the Guidelines for Selectors, as recorded in the “Calendar of Events”, which reads in part, “No individual member shall interfere in any way with selectors in carrying out his/their duties under the constitution of these guidelines”.

Some bowlers may be disappointed with their selection, believing that they should have been selected in a higher grade. All of our selectors were elected by the members and without fear or favour, select teams, whom they believe are the best players for the position selected. The selection process is carefully programmed, with each selector expressing his observations. I have been most impressed with their method of selecting teams and the weight that is given to each selector’s contribution.

I believe that we have an excellent panel of selectors. We must support their deliberations and respect their selections. They are all experienced bowlers with an in depth knowledge of the sport and keen for Asquith to field winning teams.

Thank you gentlemen for returning the sunshades to their original position at the close of each days play, and for putting the mats and jacks away. Your efforts are appreciated.

We will have limited green space until the end of January 2009, due to the lowering of “B” green and rejuvenation of “C” green. Because the limited space will disappoint a number of bowlers I suggest that those who cannot get a game on Thursday, play on Wednesdays. In any case, the inconvenience will only be for a short period and is necessary if we are to have quality greens for the pennant season and throughout the year.

So as not to overload “A” green, roll-ups on this green have been curtailed until further notice. The Notice Board outside the club, under the clock, will state the times and greens where roll-ups can take place. Please respect this sign which is controlled by the greenkeeper.

Before a gathering of bowlers and in the presence of principal sponsor, John Windybanks Seafoods our Sec. Manager, Mary Houghton, chairman Warwick Rogers and president, Don Wall, presented a cheque for $6000 raised on our “Asquith Windy Charity Day” to two representatives from the Spastic Centre, Mish Turner, Event Co-ordinator and Janine Jones, Marketing Manager.

The presentation was enthusiastically applauded by everybody present and graciously received by Janine Jones, who spoke about the work being done by the Spastic Centre and how the money raised would benefit this work.

John Windybank, who conceived the idea of presenting the special day, expressed his enthusiasm about sponsoring a similar day next year for a deserving organisation.

Stalwart Bill Blackman, now residing in Perth, with his wife Helen, gave us a surprise visit last Thursday for a game of bowls and say hello to his many friends. He has just spent a week on Lord Howe Island with a team of bowlers from Asquith and Hornsby B.C’s. From all accounts they had a wonderful time, playing bowls and doing all of the things they do on Lord Howe Island.

Vic Hall is in Hornsby Hospital and not enjoying the best of health. He is a fighter and making steady progress. If you call to visit him, make it relatively short because he tires quickly, despite enjoying the pleasure of having his friends company.

Mother and son, Jan and Bill Kachel, defeated Dianne Bavaro and Lee Trethowan 22-18, to become the club’s new mixed pairs champions. To my knowledge, this is the first time in the history of our club that mother and son have won this event. Congratulations. It was a hard fought and exciting final. Di and Lee have played in the mixed pairs final for the last four years and true to form, accepted defeat graciously.

Happy Bowling,

Don Wall