Northern Cape Bowls (NCB) is on a recruitment drive aimed at ensuring a multi-racial presence and the growth of lawn bowls as a sport. NCB’s development officer Jacques Swanepoel said efforts are being undertaken “in changing the image of lawn bowls from old white men’s sport to one which is open to all.”
“We need to target all communities to get more players from all areas to be involved in the sport,” explained Swanepoel who also serves in Bowls South Africa’s (BSA) standing-committee on membership and marketing.
NCB govern the affairs of over 20 lawn bowling clubs in the province under the auspices of BSA.
Their push for enhanced membership has also been boosted by its recent national and international successes. Swanepoel believes communicating their sporting achievements might attract multitudes to the sport played in the outdoors on manicured green grass.
“NCB had a great year with one disabled player Wimpie Viljoen winning bronze at Commonwealth and then mother-son combination of Anneline and CP Matthewson wining National Mixed Pairs title. The same player (son) competed in a four-a-side that won the national under-30 title at the Inter-Districts tournament.”
In marketing the sport of lawn bowls to all and sundry, Swanepoel shared the website link www.1sport4life.co.za which promotes the sport of lawn bowls as one which allows for anyone to play no matter age, gender, disability and with everyone being able to compete on the same field of play.
The website also bears the segment Find A Club which leads to information on clubs such as Beaconfields Park Bowling Club and its activities in the hosting of open days for members of the public to experience bowls. Also worthy of being noted is that the club is wheelchair friendly.
Bowling clubs for aspirant new bowlers in the Northern Cape District: Ammosal Bowling Club (Beeshoek), Andalusia Bowling Club (Jan Kempdorp), Britstown Bowling Club, Carnarvon Bowling Club, Die Hopetown Kopklappers, Excelsior Park Bowling Club (De Aar), Hanover Bowling Club, Hartswater Bowling Club, Kimberley Town Bowling Club, KEW Bowling Club, Kuruman Bowling Club, Lime Acres Bowling Club, Richmond Bowling Club, Prieska Bowling Club, Sol Plaatje West End Bowling Club, Sishen Bowling Club, Upington Bowling Club, Victoria West Bowling Club, Van Der Kloof Bowling Club and Warrenton Bowling Club.
Christiana Bowling Club, Vryburg Bowling Club, Schweizer-Reneke Bowling Club and Bloemhof Bowling Club are also affiliated to the Northern Cape District.
Contact your nearby bowling club, sign-up to be a member and do get involved in this marvelous sport.
