Why bowls for kids is proving a mini revolution!
Post date: Apr 13, 2015 1:43:12 PM
Left: Mike Ramsden with mini-bowlers, from the left: Robyn Warters, Owen Aspinall, Charlie Priestley and Annabelle Walker.
A NEW innovation at the Stamford Indoor Bowls Club finals weekend was the introduction of a mini-bowlers tournament organised by Lincs county delegate and management committee member Mike Ramsden - a consistent champion of the Under 18s cause in bowls, writes Bob Warters.
Mike regularly brings his grandson Charlie Priestley for coaching and play session on Thursday afternoon sessions during the winter months run by Keith Rippin, aided by junior member Louise Harris, and spotted an opportunity to add competition to the sessions climaxing with a mini tournament in finals weekend.
It proved a great success with each of the four players competing in a round-robin tournament against each other from which two finalists emerged.
Robyn Warters, grand-daughter of Bob and Carol Warters, showed great delivery style but was knocked out by defeats by Owen Aspinall and Annabelle Walker, great granddaughter of 92-year-old club member Arthur Chapman. Charlie , meanwhile exhibited great enthusiasm and no mean skill in his three matches.
However it left, Owen (son of Wayne and Ann Aspinall) taking on Annabelle (11) in the final and despite the age difference the Stamford St Gilberts School pupil proved that short jacks were already his speciality. He included several 'touchers' as he ran out a three-shots-to one winner over three ends against Annabelle, whom, watched proudly by her great grandad, showed great promise and delicacy of touch in her smooth delivery.
Said Mike: "The youngsters have shown great enthusiasm for bowls in their regular Thursday sessions and we felt it a great opportunity to show our members with the finals weekend tournament that it's a sport that can be played by a huge range of ages. Hopefully the publicity will attract more members' families to take part in our sessions next winter."
Regular junior team members Stephen Harris, Jay Travis-Jenner, Louise Harris and James Hebden also played a 5-end round robin tournament for the club's Junior title.And after some highly skilled matches, Stephen beat Jay in straight sets in the final. Pictured from the left: Louise Harris, Jay Travis-Jenner, Stephen Harris and James Hebden.
