YARRA Glen Bowls Club is on a winning streak both on the greens and in terms of building the club’s profile in the community.
The club has been successful in the metropolitan competition over the years, and is now looking to expand its membership and build on that foundation to attract members of all ages.
The club currently has more than 50 members with their ‘barefoot bowls’ events in March aimed at introducing the sport to local non-players.
Age is not an issue – the club’s youngest player Mathew O’Brien is 18 and the oldest is Ron Patterson at 73.
Steve Crossland, at 38, is holding the middle ground. He joined the club for the social aspect about eight years ago and has developed a love of the game and the competition element as well.
He says the club has a family-friendly approach which makes it very attractive to the many families who have moved into the area in the past decade.
“I have three kids and each week one of the kids will come along,” he said. “We’ve made a lot of friends and are very much part of the bowls club now.”
The club plays in the Metropolitan Division of the RVBA and, despite some reservations by the RVBA as to the club’s ability to compete with the more resourceful clubs, it has won promotion every year through the lower sections to field teams in Division 1 for almost a decade.
Coach Troy Stafford puts the success of the club down to the commitment of its members and a good mix of determination and talent.
“Every one just plays for the love of the game and the love of the club,” he says.
“We have some very experienced players mixed with more youthful players and everyone is very competitive and loves to win,” he said.
He says there is no doubt that a perception that bowls is a game to be played in retirement is long gone.
“Bowls used to be an old person’s sport, now it’s a sport that can be played by old people.”
