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I'm caught in the middle

(The Citizen -January 13, 2006)

IT is difficult caught in the middle ground between bowlers, bowls officials and a hot-under-the-collar sponsor as I was this week. Separate instances made me wonder who is the guilty one and who is not in this 'war' that continues to bedevil the game.
One thing sure in my mind is that any earlier 'feuds' that may, or may not, have existed between the bowls media and the executive of Bowls South Africa are no more and there is a tacit agreement to work together.
So it was surprising to be taken to task - not at national level - about last week's comments, voiced by Emile Hoffman, about a possible player's union. These came mostly from officials and prove the truth has brought about a bit of confusion among them. However, please people do not shoot me; I was just the messenger, passing on thoughts now proved correct.
Especially, when I hear that during the quadrangular meeting in Pretoria at the weekend, there was much conversation and support for his plan of a Bowls Players Association.
Now that looks very positive.
The sponsor sent me an e-mail including these words: "The players are complaining, but they are not doing anything themselves to address issues. They do not put themselves up for election, but they always criticize."
And in another thought, he talks of players who always want, want and want, but are not prepared to give. "Infighting will not make it able for us to grow the game - in fact we are killing it."
These are some of the strongest thoughts I have seen about the attitude of players, and should be considered. The other side of the coin shows it needs some positive action by players to improve matters.
The other side is that players have a thing that they will be victimized if they speak up. They should rather think positively of taking charge of their own bowls lives and giving something back instead of taking.
However, players and the media can readily point fingers at the people who ran the recent quadrangular tournament for not supplying the media with the results, after a definite promise to do so. This is all part of the continued apathy from bowls officials that continues to cause players to pick up stones and throw them.

THERE are hopes though that bowls has a great future and the Bowls SA development committee is busy making sure of that. During 2005, as witness their December newsletter, much progress was made about getting the game into schools and Eastern Province, North West, Natal Inland, S Free Sate and Griqualand West were commended for their efforts.
This year, according to development convener, Leif Olsen, another six districts are to be involved and the youth drive into the townships will continue identifying players and coaches to assist them.
Another move is in the corporate world to find 23 to 42 year-old people to interest in the game and provide inter-action through the sport among the various divisions of large companies.
The bugbear of non-communication seems to be endemic among districts though as only seven of the 20 made reports to the development committee. Makes you wonder whether they did anything at all or were just too lazy to report what they did do.

A SAD little tale this one. A lady bowler out in the East, rang me in high dudgeon this week to complain about a senior official of her district who she alleges denigrated her by saying that she was too old to wear shorts to play bowls and that her legs were "ugly".
The bowler says she is to complain to her district (as she should) but a remark like that could be close to putting the game into disrepute. I am sure the president of the district will deal conclusively with the matter when he gets the complaint.

ANOTHER sad tale, but with some hope. Andre Basson, one of the country's most promising young players has cancer and is receiving chemotherapy. However, they tell me the youngster, who twice played as South Africa's representative in the World Indoor Championships, has taken to it well and is still playing bowls - and well. Sterkte Andre.
 

Younger players benefit by absence of stars

The Citizen - April 28, 2006

Several districts playing in the annual inter-districts tournament in Johannesburg were denuded by the unavailability of many players, but this has been to the benefit of many others who have the opportunity to further their own causes.
The absence of some players has definitely shown in the form of some teams, more particularly Western Province where they have lost four of their top players to retirement and lack of leave left for bowls has become obvious.
Without Neil Burkett, (in Australia), Eric Johannes (no longer available), Kevin Campbell (reportedly retired) and Shaun Addinall (no more leave) they are much less the team they have been.. However, this is not say that the team put together has not acquitted itself well and the younger players drafted into the side have coped admirably with the task.
Not least of these is 40-year-old Peter Harvey, son of one of South Africa’s greatest bowlers, Tommy Harvey, who passed away at the age of 42 in the prime of his bowls career. Just to watch the son play one sees the father in him and that recognizable push delivery is so evident in the son.
Western Province manager, Bobby Cron said Harvey would soon be skipping one of the WP teams in inter-district tournaments.
It was also fortuitous for Western Province that former international Alan Lofthouse was able to make himself available to skip one of the WP fours after it became obvious Neil Burkett would not be back from Australia in time . His experience at this and international level has been a definite factor in helping the WP younger players..
There is a lot of youth in this tournament not least of all from Bloemfontein where we have Clinton Roets, Wayne Perry – both already internationals – Handre Marais who made such an impressions in gaining a bronze medal in the SA Masters, together with Wayne York and Jarred Oracki. With this talent, the future of the game in Bloemfontein looks very alive and well, if not now, as they lead their section after the sixth of the nine rounds.

Talk of younger players brings us to thoughts about upcoming international events and the national selectors are expected to go for youth when they pick their sides for the African States tournament in August. They are due to announce their sides at the end of the inter-districts this evening (Friday).
When I say going for youth I apply that more to the men than the women for there is a definite lack of younger players of established caliber among the women, a matter that should receive the urgent consideration of national and district executives.

So with youth in mind what do you think – and I expect brickbats – of my side for the African States.
Men: Fours: Brian Dixon, Wayne Perry, Duane Abrahams and Handre Marais. Singles: Nic Rusling.
Women: Fours: Loraine Victor, Cheryl Cox, Colleen Webb and Esme Steyn, although I would like to see Leone Durand, recently returned to the game among those names. For the singles there is only Lorna Trigwell.

Men’s national tournament chair Nicky Parker has been at the inter-provincials as a spectator and tells me all is in readiness for the tournament that begins in Cape Town on May 13 with the pairs competition. Headquarters is at Constantia.

One thing the inter-provincials have brought out is that there are some better bowlers on the national executive. National president Piet Breitenbach skips one of the two North West fours while executive member Tys Pringle has the same job for Limpopo.