So here we are again and almost the start of the new PWBA season, What preparations have gone into getting ready?

There has been a large mix of on lane, mental and fitness training. I would say this past year I have put a lot more focus on the mental side. It’s always been an aspect that I have worked on, but I hired a new sport psychologist have really dug deep with her.
Physically, I worked a lot on my ball roll and my trail leg. Becoming more comfortable with rolling it more. This is something I have fought for years and getting it consistent from shot to shot has been really tough for me. I found that changing the position of my trail leg has helped with it; allowing me to release the ball a pinch earlier, changing it has also put my hips in a better position.

A few seasons in and positives from each one, what are the goals this time round

The goal is to win. This is the first year that I have written winning down as a goal. I am still heavily focused on the process and I have four process goals for each event.

Looking at how far you have come until now, what would you say has changed the most in your game and how you prepare for a new season?

Compared to my first year on tour, I have a much better understanding of my equipment. I spend a lot of time in practice figuring out where the balls fit in my arsenal, what patterns they are good on etc. I really do have to thank John Janawicz for his knowledge and support on that. We bowl a lot on different patterns, discussing ball motion, drilling new balls and learning.

You have always gone into each season with a positive mindset and a gameplan. As the seasons have progressed did the game plans need to adapt?

Yes. I believe that as I learn and grow, I adapt. Experience does wonders and it’s true that knowledge is power.

Having played a lot on the PWBA, are there stops where you think, I have a good look in this centre?

We travel to quite a few different bowling centres and out of the eight bowling centres we go to this year, I haven’t bowled in four of them. So that is new and exciting!

You know we all follow your progress in the UK and we all know you very much appreciate that support. If there is one stop on the tour you would really like to win, which one is it?

Firstly, thank you all for the support. In regards to your question..all of them? This year, it’s Queens.

Finally, You know all the athletes on tour and ones coming through, which bowlers do you expect to be on form early in the season and who impresses you out on the lanes?

There is so much talent out on the women’s tour and I am excited to see some new faces. We have some bowlers from Europe coming to a few events this year and I don’t doubt they will have some success. I’m always impressed by the veterans, Kelly Kulick, Liz Johnson and Shannon O’Keefe to name a few. They continue to put themselves in the position to win. From the rookie side, I am not 100% sure who is bowling the whole tour, but I know Hope Gramly will be a name we hear a lot this year.

We are a few years into the English Sport Bowling project now and the future looks brighter than it did when you devised the idea. Obviously happy with it’s progress, is there anything you might have done differently looking back?

Yeah, the tours been fantastic this past year and half. It’s just been a buzz, I mean, for me, to be part of something like it is great and it makes me feel like over the years I’ve been about, I’m giving back, in a big much needed way!

Ooohh looking back, anything done differently… erm…. To be honest, I don’t think so. We started with the kinda idea that it has to be new, fresh, different, simple and most important at the time…. Sports conditions with none of this, 11pm Sunday night finish and a 3 hour ride home or long waits in the day. At the time, the PTBC wasn’t working, England trials were not really being participated by the numbers needed and well to be brutally honest, most of our players were losing interest of everything. So really whatever we did, was probably going to work, at least for a short time anyway!

We started with a bonus system to try and level the playing field between the likes of the legend that is Stevie T and well…. The likes of Me…. Or the up and coming players. It kinda worked, but didn’t really hit the spot needed. Bowlers wanted Scratch and NO handicap. We listened and there we go, changed it so the Ladies get 8 pins a game and that was it. Following the EBT really. It worked, can’t say everyone is a fan, but every member and everybody knows the score and not had a single complaint in 4 years now!! So we must have done something right?  Was it Listening?

Why do you think the tour has been so popular and continues to grow year on year now?

Ahhh, good question Dom!! Why….. why why why?!  A few reasons really. Quality. Openness. Trust. Fun & Learning. Competitiveness. There’s also a feeling of community and integration with all players of all ages.

Quality, I try and get the best venues that offer the best for us, lane conditions are always a sport pattern. Sometimes a little tweaked for extra pleasure but we stick to our guns on what we choose, how we choose and why!  Our website (www.sportbowling.uk) is updated as soon as I can possibly do it, with all info on there, and online entry’s to. Shout out to Mark Thompson for that one.

Openness – Well, it’s all there to see, you know what your getting!! I encourage all questions and comments…good or bad… and I’m there to answer! We’ve got nothing to hide.  So this encourages what I also mention….. TRUST.

This is important, a MAJOR!! When you have the trust of players. It builds all sorts. They put their money, time, effort and more in to playing a stop or the whole tour. Knowing that they can trust us, trust that we actually care,Try hard and deliver what we say we will. I’ve always said, it’s a tour for the players, not the button pushers!! (fact we bowl too is also a good thing) They also trust us that the prize money is in good hands… and returned as we say too… it’s this point where I’d like to quickly say… We pay 10’s of thousands out every year!!!! That also, is out there for people to look at!

Being a sport tour, people. Think “Oh it’s just hard patterns and low scores”. Well, sometimes yes!! Haha. The Education of it is massively important too, I mean, playing league you can turn up with 2 balls, a Hookey one and an old hookey one and score loads, learn nothing and go home like your the Dom Barrett of the Monday night handicap 4s. It’s simply NOT going to happen at a tour stop. You can bring 2/3/4/5/6/7/8 balls and use every one on oil and get that actual experience of what your equipment does!! Where else can you do this these days? You will get beat up and frustrated, you will miss easy single pins, you won’t have 8 strikes every game, you will want to chuck all your gear in the bin and buy new as you just seen Pete Stevenson have +200 and beat you by 400 pins…. This is because your inner bowler knows you love it. Knows your watching and trying things, soaking up more info for 8 games then you have had in the last few years. It re-lights that spark , it makes you think, but it also makes you realise that, the simple spares do really mean things. So many times after 8 games the top 5/6 places is literally only 2 spares difference, we challenge your mindset that’s for sure, oh, no matter what level you are or think you are!!

A big thing for me with the tour is bowlers actually seem to be accepting the reality of what it is. They laugh at 120’s as they realise they are certainly not the only ones in the same situation. The honesty that’s spoken is also good…. There’s no Bulls**it … well, not from me , but it’s all good clean fun! For me, seeing a lot of new players come and play is brilliant, from youth to senior… I mean, you get Izzy Fletcher chatting all sorts of “ interesting” things to Angie Brown…. Kim Johnson winding up , well, anyone that will listen…. Me getting all hassle and verbally abused all the time (that , I love) the integration is super important, it builds team spirit….relationships and helps commitment to the lanes and game! It feels like a little club, everyone knows everyone ( 90% I’d say ) and well, It’s a damn good thing to be part of as bowler or …. AWARD WINNING manager!

Yes, let’s talk about being an award winner. Well deserved not least for the things you mention above but recognition for the love and attention you put into the sport bowling project. You are not the type to now go all Hollywood are you? Any upcoming ideas you can share with us yet?

Yes Dom, I am the 2022 Chairman’s award winner, not that I like to mention it but you know what I don’t care!

I was a little shocked to be honest, as well. I’m not the shy quiet crack on type, I do like to voice my opinions and poke the bear a little When I think it’s needed. I’m not going to sit back and just let things pass. I’ve been involved with the sport for so long now, around 34 years so im entitled to say my piece but this is the important bit, the main reason I feel it’s ok for me to do so is because I’ve actually given back, played for the country, supported events  – home and around the world for years, started to run events and get more involved. Southern Scratch League, the Famous and much needed Bowlrite 6s and the ESBT. so it’s fair to say, I comment with back up!!

There are a lot of other very well deserving people hiding in the shadows. Dave Malpas and the Robsons also in the North East keep bowling alive up there. Jeff at Shipley has created like a little bowling World up there. Brian and Jill Parker continues to chew up the miles week in week out in the youth, all for the love of the game and how can I not mention the 17th best lefty in Dunstable, Basher Bonfield. He really did do a lot a few years back and bowling has suffered without him. I think he proved his point (can’t believe I said that) haha.  I can honestly say, it’s hard work… especially with a kid or two!!!

Future plans…. Oh Well,  I mean, I could let you in on a few little secrets…. BUT…. I’d have to kill you.

2023 looks good for the ESBT, Two new venues with Barnsley and Altrincham on the tour, looking forward to that… oh, on that note, the most southern tour stop is Stroud!!! How times have changed hey with venues and the “northern lot” always moaning!!!

I’d love to get a challenge match/event against the Dutch. Marco Landmann runs the sport tour there and I think we could take them on. Teach them a lesson or two and now we have the Swedish connection with Sweeeenglish Crosby… maybe even a top of the bill match against Stockholms AIK or Pergamon?!

I’m full of ideas, just the reality of the scale of them are slightly worrying! Ha… hey, I mean, we all love a weekend away so… they need to happen!!!

With the concept now proven and players getting true sport practice plus recognition by the national body now using the ESBT events for Team England Qualifying, Challenges against the Dutch and Swedish would be great and a natural progression to something like what was done in the old days. Maybe a Sport European team threeway?

Haha, a sport 3 way. I suppose that’s the most amount of fun you can have in a 3-way with your clothes on!! Yep, the TE Qualification in 2022 did open a few people’s eyes up as to how tricky the tour is. Also lowered a few ego’s too!!

It was a good move by TE to finally use the ESBT set up, I mean. we have the best venues, runs smooth, 8 games with likeminded players, patterns like you will face outside the uk, fully staffed and well, a very generous prize fund at each stop. So really, the only way to select a squad in my opinion. Though, I’d just like to say, I’ve not heard anything about 2023 and it’s the nearly Christmas as I type!!! “ cough cough “

With the good comes the , well… not so good. I got messages from quite a few Senior players asking “ why should we play” and stating ….. “ It’s not the vehicle for seniors”. Even a few that said “They only want our money and are not interested in the bowing” My god…. What a load of BullS**T.

Firstly, what they failed to understand was. The ESBT was not, is not and will not be any part of TE.  It’s a separate thing! They only used scores. Piggy backed on our tour. To create what they wanted!

I mean it is laughable that a few people believe that we want their money, or it’s not the right way. Haha come on. One even said, “ I’ve got no chance of cashing”, well, you probably don’t , and if that’s your attitude then stay at home, we don’t want you and the country shouldn’t want you if that’s what you think!  Who’s right is it to turn up at an event and expect to cash?! I mean that’s just silly. Some people amaze me. Not even thinking about how it might be, what you may learn, if you’re I’ll enjoy it … no no no …. All your interested in is….. “ I won’t cash” … ridiculous.

Just for the record. The seniors that do play and support the tour all enjoy it, they do cash , one way or another and I have messages of thanks from them.

I’d love to get the challenge matches going….. we used to have the Dutch visit for a game or two…. Going back to Pre 2000s…. And a few more!! But I’d do it in sections, for example…. Maybe top 8 male / female top few youth and seniors so we can show case a range of our players, not just one age group, think about how much integration that would be, mix it up and it will work!

Sports patterns are not going away, so the more we get used to them, the better and can compete against the best.

Yes Lee, You are not backwards in going forwards with your thoughts and comments on the sport. Let’s jump in then and ask, and trying to being balanced, what things are currently good in the sport in the UK and which things need a little work on?

Ooohh the 64 million dollar question!!! Or …. The “ how many people Can I upset question”?

Let’s start with The Good , in the UK, so not just england.

I mean, for a start… we’re all still here and bowling, so that’s good, albeit a smaller number of actual participants but the games still alive! We have a fair few really great centres, privately run all over the uk, these are usually owned by people who don’t have enough stress already in their lives. Kim Johnson, Jeff Taylor just to name the two. Most bowlers know! They need a clap…. They need supporting, they need us the bowlers to keep making the effort to hit the lanes therefore keeping the bowls alive!

People – Event organisers at all levels, volunteers, the willingness to help out , the uptake on coaching courses. The inner belief that one day, it’ll all be worth it and we can see bowling as an Olympic sport (long shot I know)

Bowlers – We’re bloody brilliant, spend loads on equipment and fuel and drive all over to bowl! We need a pat on the back for sure!!! I honestly think we could have finally , a strong national side at all levels! The senior men are looking very youthful now days and, in a few years the likes of Thurlby and maybe Cundy will be joining the ranks!!  We do have , dare I say it, strength in depth!!!

Now the not so good….I’ll keep it short to be fair, there is a bit I know nothing about… so I’ll play nice.

There seems to be a serious lack of trust or want to trust towards the BTBA. Members do not feel supported, listened to or valued. The communications are slow, getting slightly better but, it’s not where it needs to be.

There was a lot of talk a while back about being “transparent“ after a few turbulent years. Has this really been achieved? I mean, I get there’s things that should be kept,  in house, but the gap between “us and them” just keeps getting bigger. We are a small association, struggling association with dwindling numbers, here must be a way that the trust gap can be reduced.

Nobody really knows who’s doing what. The last few years I have to give credit to Paul Loberman for stepping into a position and really making a go of things. I mean, at the start he was dealing with all sorts of things. Far to much if you ask me!!! Now he’s making his mark on the events side. For those who isn’t really sure who he is, he’s one of the younger of the new seniors, always talking (nonsense) and throws it up 10th board with a 60 grit with a 1980’s spin!

Back to the topic…..I feel things are reactive and not proactive…… a lot of passing the buck in situations. A fair bit of , Ah it’ll all work out in the end kinda situations. Who is behind decisions? Who helps out?? Who actually takes responsibility for things? Is there a plan of action for the coming years? Who knows!!!!!

The IBF events. Caused a bit of a stir, was it a good move to send a team to play during covid? What’s the ideal end game with IBF? I’m glad we didn’t support the recent World Cup one, was there really a point in supporting it?!  Are we as a nation supporting the IBF? Is it a situ that we have to support?  I mean, all the hassle and the media fall out from the first event, I think i’d stay well clear! We’re not an affluent nation and with all the financial issues with the IBF, it’s even more of a reason to watch from outside, right?

I’d like to see a big “ re-think” happen….. and the powers that be produce an actual plan , published so all can see …. Like a 3 year plan….. with year on year targets. If targets are not met, well, position vacancies arise!  This may get us back on track, or on any track to be honest.

Should I mention the string Vs free fall debate? Did the btba put up a fight, or did they take the easy route and hope that the rest will follow??   Looking at all the larger countries in the game, they didn’t follow and our bowlers didn’t either.

See , I kept it short, there is only so much even I can write. Id just like to see some openness, some stability, some levelling up so to speak. Dare I say, even I’m available for some ideas or to lend a hand!!!

In terms of a three year plan, what sort of things do you think need to be done at first to put the sport on track?

Yep…. A plan, a plan of action, doing it or just talking and hoping someone will step up and do something!  There’s been far to many “ I’ll give it a go” And not enough “This is what I will do” Same old excuses always come out “ oh not enough time to commit or I just can’t get through to the decision makers”. Heard it all before. I honestly think people want to be involved with the btba just for their own ego sometimes.

The start of my plan would be to look at the YBC numbers, figure out why they have really dwindled in recent years and create some kinda of Buzz, maybe a Tiktok page, instagram, socials, get the numbers up. Oh, it’s also FREE to do! There is so much more than just approaching schools and hoping for a few Kids to turn up. Maybe each YBC could have a some kind of competition between them and see who can recruit the most through the year? Prize could be ….. something like, Playing against Team England or something like that, try and be cost effective at all times. I’d like to see what we can bring in with what we have first without just spending, cash we don’t have!

I’d also like to see like a leadership chart, I suppose like a BTBA family tree, for all to see so we actually know who’s who, and what their title is. This will open a window for members to relate more, a start to regain the lost relationship. Maybe a quarterly virtual meeting, or live event where the members get updates on what’s new, coming up, Ideas. From the chair or exec – ideally again, bridging the gap with members. We also need a clear vision, from a business point of view. I mean, what is happening in terms of income, making money? Spending money? Team England can be left mainly alone. That will always be there, good or bad, it’ll run.

We all just need more communication, to feel valued as members , to be listened to. We need to see things happen, reasons why they happen, good or bad.

A few years back at a county banquet, a certain BTBA stalwart got up and delivered a little speech. Now, the previous year wasn’t a good one, for a few reasons, but the speech went something like this “We will be better, we will look deeper into our issues and we will carry on fighting being more transparent and if you don’t believe me, you can all throw your bread rolls at me next year!!! “

Now……. I’ve got a whole collection of , now stale, bread rolls to throw…. Award winner or not, I can throw a bread roll as good as anyone!!! Come on BTBA, step up and open up!

There is of course a list of BTBA Officials on the website but as for seniors and we get older, we think we know what we like and want and do not always like change. A reality at International level is that you cannot just coast into events and old dogs CAN be taught new tricks. As you say, some seniors play and enjoy the Sport tour and gaining experience but some still cannot see it’s value. If enough of them play or a senior sponsor found, could you win them over yet?

Seniors and change. I mean, Two words hardly used together that’s for sure!

There’s always been a bit of a joke about the seniors, being old and moaning constantly about everything. When the reality actually is, most are not moaning old gits. It’s a small few that are. We are now in a great situation where the seniors are potentially our youngest ever seniors, pushing the older ones in to Well, not darkness yet, But a Super Senior category!

This year on the sports tour, it’s been brilliant to have more seniors then ever for a few reasons.  They want to learn, their attitude is great and the interaction with other players is top notch. ok ok, we all take the P**S out of 1 rev Johnson but it’s brilliant to see when they start giving it back and suddenly, start cashing!!! Yes, CASHING.  100000% these older guys and girls can be taught new tricks, but what we forget easily is they teach the younger ones how to just play frame by frame , spare and close out games. Oh, and we’re all still in awe of the newest senior on the block still, Stevie T…. Come on, this guy has been doing it for years, what an ambassador.

Could I win more over. Question should be, “ Do I want to win them over”?! Sort of but, it’s up to them. Our payouts are blooming good as they are! If I start changing things for seniors, do I do it for youths also? Then where does it stop? In the 2022 masters, we had a senior section as a thank you for the support throughout the season. Oh and a separate ladies section too. A little bonus.. £500 per section, free to bowl and a very lovely buffet lunch laid on. It did make me think that if the numbers work for the main tour, there may just be a little prize per stop for the seniors.

It did make me laugh when at the start of the season I was asked if there would be a separate seniors prize fund. I mean, how the hell would I do that when I’d have no idea how many would play! I’m very very very open on any new players for the tour. I must say though, full credit to Jack Smith and the Res Dev senior tour, I think he does a great job up there’ Good numbers, well supported and much needed! I love seeing the same names coming up in my news feeds as I used to when I was a kid…. Ronnie O and the Yorkshire mafia, Frosty (Mike) Halliwell, Big Nev Robinson….

Maybe we should do a Sport Vs Res Dev shoot out?!?  Ooohh do the public want that???

Big Nev Robinson? He’s about 5’5″ tall It does bring us though to your own time on the lanes and some of the greats you have crossed with and met socially. Who’s been the best you have faced and got to know?

When Nev was on form it felt like he was 7ft tall!!! Good question that is. I’ve been around for ages, seen , bowled with, partied with a few legends that’s for sure.

Way back after the junior days , I played a pro-am in Orlando at Jason Couch’s bowl. Was only by chance we were on holiday there so my dad said “Your playing”. I was a little nervous as soon as I caught sight of one particular player, Norm Duuuuuke. My god. Bloody loved Norm Duke, as pro am’s are, you stay on a lane and the pro’s move lane by lane so you get to bowl with a few, And Norm

Was on his way up to my lane. I mean, I can’t say it was hard , it was a US House shot, so as an English 16 year old, I had about 20 boards to hit to make the pocket, coming off the back of a 227 and a 234, I felt I could give him a game. I kept my cool , sprayed it all over the lane like usual , and poked a 240 odd at him, I mean, did he deliberately flat 10 in the 10th or was it it genuinely a loose one? Still, I took him to the cleaners! Ha. Still love watching him bowl, he’s a natural legend, uses his hand, creates angles and shapes like nobody, an original “ touch” player and just superb. Gotta quickly shout out to Major Thurlby here too, Euro Challenge, Thurlby threw everything at Norm in game 1 or Matchplay….. think Norm just didn’t know what to do, what a game and Thurlby went on to win the Euro Challenge too, unreal.

The EBTs back in the day were brilliant, 4/5 days of bowling, nights out. Hangovers, and cheap entries kept us busy for years, a few players stand out for me… Or Aviram, super guy, great player. Belmo was around at the time nicking a few Euros. He was decent, turned out we could wind him up and got on after that, pretty sure he still owes me and John Chew a pint too!!!

Major Mika – when he walked in to any bowl, it was like time stopped for a second. This guy had presence, amazing player, he means business and still plays and coaches out in Dubai.

Timmy Mack – Everyone knows Tim.. and they should!!! What a guy.

The late Great Tomas Leandersson. He was such a true gent, smooth as silk, fun, loved everything in bowling and everybody who bowled, very much missed.

In the UK, I’d have to go with a couple. Sir Phil Scammell , Big Wayne Greenall and Stevie Thornton. Playing against these was superb. Three different players, but same feel when you play them…. A-Game only!

I’ve been lucky to have been in the , what I believe, best era for EBTs so seen a lot. Partied a fair bit all over and made some really great friends. It’s been a pleasure to share lanes with these guys , share beers, shots and nights out.

Dom, you know about the Old Malta days, Martin Larsen on the famous footloose pole, swinging faster then his ball rotates and soo many more moments I can definitely not even think about mentioning. Good days for sure!! Everything and everyone was just equals after the bowling finished, that’s what we/I miss these days in the sport.

Stu Williams, Paul Moor and Dom Barrett. Come on, these three have led the way in recent years for sure. It is great to see them doing what they do and fighting the Americans on their soil. Who Knew that little Dom from the Pier would be so good? I mean, he used to ask me for tips, and I used to school him on the lanes!!!

Where did bowling start for you and what made you stick around in the sport for so long now?

I actually started at the famous old Streatham Bowl in the late 80s  God I’m old. Saturday afternoon bowling with my family and a lady came over and asked if we were interested in coming along the next week for the youth club (YBC) That was that really. Loved it from the start. Think also back then nobody I knew went bowling, it was only really football or rugby. (which I both played anyway). Was a great way of making new friends out of the school circle and to be honest, I think my parents did very much like the social side too. Streatham YBC moved to the newly opened David Lloyds at Raynes Park where I played for many years till I joined the Famous Lewisham YBC for the last few years of juniors. At Lewisham you really did learn to bowl. That place was different, it made you work for everything, every pin. We had a great team, won a fair few things. The three Giles Brothers all did well out of there too, great times, was like the Man Utd of the 90s that was!!!! Superb!

After 18 I just had to play more and more. Then jumped in my Golf GTI and headed to Holland to bowl, that was it. Hooked big time. Lads weekends away, again… the 3 B’s…. Bowling, Beer and Birds, was the simple reason. I mean, is there any better reason?!

Meeting friends for life to has been a major factor in staying with the game..So many people drift in and out now days but there is still a few “Lifers” around. I just love it, can’t lie.No better feeling when the ball leaves your hand and you know it’s a strike, bowlers know!

I’ve always wanted to give back for what I’ve got out of the sport, it’s amazing to have been able to do that on the level I want to do it. I think I’ve still got a good few years left in me on the lanes and behind the laptop so I’m not going anywhere soon. I mean, that’s if my new Wife let’s me, she has been very understanding this past few years and I can’t give her enough praise for that. I owe her a fair bit!!!! Haha.

Just wish she’d let me sell the house to open a bowl , that might take a bit of convincing!!!

Not like you to be shy though, tell us more about your successes on the lanes, plus of course the back to backs too.

People don’t want to hear about all my success. They want to hear about who’s doing what and all the gossip! But…. Seeing as though you asked….I’ll have a think.

As a junior. I mean basically won the lot, Nationals multiple medals, SOE multiple plus a few records. Jack n Jill, Southern bowlers club a few times, junior triple crown I won a few medals.

After Juniors, Well, I suppose a little less but a more diverse spectrum of events. Adult nationals, Doubles with Lol Ellis shooting an 821 may I add and team (last ever 5 man team winners if I’m correct). Sussex 6s, the famous Bowlrite  6s. A few 1 ball events with the Tropical Storm. My memory is going now but more recently the Swiss International Team event – bloody brilliant event this is, Team Camel have won it twice and the 2019 Generation Double with Paul Morris! Had a good showing at at the 2009 USBC Nationals to in Vegas. 747 in the singles, doesn’t sound a lot, but it was a flat pattern and well, I put in weeks of practice for that one, Steve Creasy was the head teach at Tolworth at the time and a few times a week he’d happily lay down the patterns for me to play on. This obviously is a major help but coming away with a fair few thousand dollars and ending up 67th in the singles, out of a field in the top division of just over 10,000…. I’d say that was a fair shout!

The Back 2 Back 300s were a laugh, 20 mins late for league on a cold November night, straight on the lanes with a rattley thumb hole, boom. Front 26 no practice! Was a bit of a joke after the first 300, and just kept on striking, it wasn’t until I had 600 for two I thought “This could be big here” …. 25….. 26….. then came 27, a baby split!!! The worst possible leave for your first spare attempt…. Nailed it followed by another strike!! Two 10pins a 7 pin and a 9 pin…. And it was only 202! It was brilliant but so strange too, out of the blue! Think I was the 3rd one to do it after Dave Parker (good old player he was and prob still is if he came back ) and Stu Williams!

Storm Vertigo was the ball, Drilled by Dan French , some whacky layout , legal I have to say .!! Frenchy did drill a good ball I have to say, being taught by Andy Penny helped for sure!

In recent years, I have to say, Jez Darvil has helped out a fair bit with his absolute professional ball drilling, every ball felt bang on, there’s no fuss, no hassle, he drills it you throw it and it feels good. It was a sad day to hear when the shop was going to be no longer. It’s even sadder walking in to the bowl and having an empty space there now, thinking of how many balls have come out of that shop and as a kid growing up, the excitement of just standing in the shop smelling that pro shop smell knowing and hoping my dad might get me a new ball. Very big loss to the game indeed.

Let’s return to the present and talk English Open now and you inherited an event with a good history and great winners but was waining a little and then came the pandemic. Back though and this year with a sponsor again, what does the future hold for our premier open event?

The EO is a great event really. From the super days at Nottingham with the British Open then the good days at Nuneaton with the English Open then it moved around a bit, settled in Stroud, once again with thanks to Kim Johnson. It was waining, your totally correct. I think it was caught in the trap of trying to be something it wasn’t.  It got to the stage of it wasn’t worth running, like most things in a way.

Covid helped , the break did it good. A little re-jig with the format, combining it with the ESBT I could guarantee the top prize and  pay down to all Qualified players, which I personally think it’s a major importance. I just can’t understand why other events make you get to finals day round 2/3/4 before you get anything back. It’s just not on. You play to make the cut – Fact, when you make the cut you deserve something back. I am a firm

Believer that the lowest you should win is your entry fee back.  This is what I stand by and will always do my best to stick to it. Turns out, the tweaks and my beliefs and my sparking personality has done the trick! . This year I have to say, I bloody loved running it, the buzz was there, as mentioned by a few people. Friday to Sunday. From 8:30 am – 9pm Saturday the bowl was full, every squad was full and the Desperado went to the final frame!! With a great sponsor too, Big Bear Bolts, Stu England ran some brackets, they were a real good addition, created even more buzz around the desk!!  Something that will stay in the 2023 event , I can say that now!!!

Leads me on to the EO 2023. Back to the September date and hopefully , with all things going our way straight after a potential Triple Crown so if a few of the participants from Scotland, Ireland , N.Ireland want to stay and play they can! Yes, I didn’t mention wales, as well, it’s basically up the road!!

Every year I push the prize fund up, so that will happen again and maybe a few little surprises in time too! Would be nice to get a few seniors involved, they do shy away from this one!! It’s events like these you can’t rush, 80+ players with a steady increase and we’re doing well.

Off the lanes now and a few changes lately, got married and started a family. You work hard and play hard. What things do you enjoy doing outside of the sport?

My god this year has really been nuts. When I look back at January facing a very unknown year so to speak, I don’t know how I’ve managed it to be honest. My Wife Catherine deserves a LOT of thanks, the things I’ve got away with this year, god knows how apart f,rom her being an absolute angel. Having Theo , getting used to that, then running the tour stops all at 98+ capacity. Arranging a wedding – abroad, then turning 40 (tho I still look 29) leading up to the wedding with more tour stops and hassle while still trying to be a dad and spend time with my two favourite people Yeah it’s been nuts, not to mention having my busiest and best year working,  sometimes 7 days a week!! What a year. Catherine deserves the chairman’s award more then me!!

Outside this highly addictive sport that I love. We love travelling, trips, full on holidays and drives out to the countryside. Pubs, I love a pub. Usually decent classy ones with a big Sunday lunch attached, we’re lucky to live very close to a few corking pubs. I can be found in the backstreet pubs in central london, mainly the west end , St James’s or Mayfair!!! DIY is also a passion, learnt a lot from my dad so I just fiddle with things now. Love a project and creating things to make a house a home!

Most recently I love being a dad and a husband and making time to evolve in our new environment together!

Finally Lee, We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year and a usual question to end with. Why should people try bowling?

Another 64 Million Dollar question. Why should people try bowling. Well they do. Why should they look at doing it more , well, Social side for adults, you meet so many people from so many walks of life it’s brilliant and it can take you places you have never though of going to.

For kids, it’s about opening up to new things, and being part of a team. Discipline, hand/eye coordination , Maths …. It’s all part of it. Plus it’s a hands on sport. No joy sticks or key pads in use!!

It’s kind of geeky, it’s not the thing you come out with on a first date but it’s so much better than tiddlywinks!!!

I have to start with a thank you on behalf of the sport for Badassbowling. I know you don’t like to talk about your successes but your dedication to that website has said a lot about you in the years since and your love for the sport. For those that don’t know, why did you start it?

Started badassbowling as a website in 2000 – The were a couple of reasons I started it up. GoTenpin was the bowling magazine of the time, but tournament news and results were often printed weeks/months after the event. And the results and scores would just be a basic list of the top 12 and the bowlers averages. All the humour and fun had slowly gone out of it. So I wanted to create a football like fanzine but for bowling. A place where bowlers could read a tournament report, full tournament results, and a place you could  find entry forms, print them off and enter tournaments… none of this was available in 2000 ! I wanted badassbowling to be a place that could store all the results for a whole year… so if you wanted to know who won a ranking event in January you could just click a link and bosh there they all were.  Also I kinda just wanted to learn more about websites… and thought a bowling website was a good idea, and when I get an idea I usual try and make it happen. Even if turns out be a bad idea, at least I know.

I really didn’t think anyone would visit the website or even find it funny – I Just did it for me really as I enjoyed doing it. But then I was at a tournament and I saw people had printed off some of the reports and were passing it around. They weren’t aware that I had written it. It was an article where I compared Jon Zadel’s head to that of a horse. The popularity of the site grew, especially on a Monday as I did my weekly upload on a Sunday night. It was weekly news, compared with the bowling magazine that was a once a month publication. Really my website was the beginning of the end of Go Tenpin, and it was then they should have embraced the internet. If they had it might still be around now.

Today we take things for granted and there’s an expectation that entry forms are easy to access, tournament squad lists are published, people know what lane pattern they are playing on. Scores are published as the tournament develops but just 20 years ago no one would have thought any of there were possible or even necessary. The speed in which technology and websites have evolved is amazing and a bit scary really. Back in the year 2000 in the “olden” days to enter a tournament you would fill in a paper entry form which you found perhaps in a pro shop, post it to the tournament manager with a cheque to cover the entry fee – then the tournament manager MIGHT email you back to tell you if you have been allocated the squad you wanted or they might ring you or even put confirmation in the post. Then you turn up figure out what the pattern was in your 5 minutes practice then bowl. If you were lucky the tournament manager would print off the scores and pin them to the wall… but more often than not they would announce what the cut score was, and if you weren’t in the cut you went home or to the bar… with no real idea where you had finished overall.

Despite all this, tournaments would still have 100 bowlers playing.

It seems now there is outrage if a lane graph isn’t publish and scores aren’t available to view online the day after the event.

Badassbowling as website no longer exists… everything the website used to do, is now possible on do on Social Media… so the badassbowling facebook group  carries UK and world tenpin bowling news and occasionally a few Basher “opinion” pieces..

I want to put on record my thanks to Andy “the dolly” James for his Technical support throughout the life of badassbowling. The Dolly really helped me and hosted badassbowling – so thanks to him.

You are right about what we expect today and what we put up with in the past. Social media did change everything though and made websites a little more obsolete. You wrote some funny stuff in the early days, did anyone one take offence or did you manage to get away with it? Which items still make you laugh today?

I forgot to mention from question 1… the original idea was keep my identity secret and it would like a “banksy” type thing. with people guessing who was writing this stuff. But the guy who helped me set it up, set it under the domain name of dbonfield.co.uk… so that kinda ruined that idea.  I did temporally upset a few yeah… and I’ll hold my hand up sometimes I overstepped the mark, but it was no real problem – they would usually ring me or email and I’ll ring them back and apologise and take down whatever had upset them. And there’s no real grudges held.. all water under the bridge, and there was never in malice in anything I wrote.

To be honest 99% of the time people took whatever I wrote the way it was meant to be taken, as a bit of light hearted fun or mickey taking. Most of the banter was aimed at people I knew quite well anyway, and I knew they could laugh at themselves.

I think I wouldn’t write now what I wrote then… and that’s because times have changed over the last 20 years and we’re more aware and we consider other people’s feelings and state of mind more. Perhaps we over think this…. Sometimes I may have written something that I thought was “close” to the mark… only to bump into that person the next week and for them to tell me they loved it and couldn’t stop laughing… and I’d think “phew that was a bit of luck”

One thing I loved doing and others seem to like was when I critiqued the carpet of the bowling centres I visited… young people reading this are probably thinking how could that ever be funny – but it was ! – different times !!

Different days for sure and changing again now in the UK as more string centres are installed. Do you think we will be all string on our shores or will enough freefall remain to play traditional. It’s the same sixty foot or slide and glide in reality but many have an issue and sometimes without even playing on them. Are you as shut out on String as you are on freefall?

Ah PINS ON STRINGS… or wires..

To answer your question… I’ve bowled on Strings a few times down at the Scareport – and personally I don’t think it helps me at all. My ball speed and rev rate is LOW ! and my ball meanders down the lane and goes through the pins like a wounded hedgehog – as Rob Thurlby once described it.  Personally, I think for the best results on the strings you have to throw it quick and hit the pocket flatter than you would on the freefall. It’s my opinion strings and freefall are two different codes of the same game… like the two codes of Rugby, but some might say more like golf and crazy golf – whatever.

On the bigger subject on String bowling… I’m not against it per-se, but the whole point of a centre going strings is to cut costs, and once you start cutting costs then you can get into a cycle. Is a centre going to oil the lanes? and do the maintenance even a string machine will need. Are they going to buy and maintain an expensive lane machine – or will that be another cost they seem unnecessary? It’s just a watering down of a sport.

If string keeps a centre open and keeps people in jobs and bowling in leagues then great.  And strings for a local tournament is fine. I don’t agree with National (ranking) and International tournaments being on string. In the future I’m sure will get to the point where perhaps there’s no option but to play these events in those centres. But I don’t think we are there yet. Even in this country.

Now we have the 2023 Nationals in a String Centre – which in my opinion is a wrong move. What sort message does that send out to our independent free fall centres that support the BTBA? – What’s the point of them sanctioning their lanes and holding sanctioned events and spending money on their bowling facilities if that’s not being rewarded.

I understand the 2023 Nationals is being sponsored by QubicAMF which great as long as that money is actually going into either the Prize Fund or reducing the cost to bowlers. Is the sponsorship part of the total package Qubica have agreed with the National Team. If it is, will any of it reach the Nationals. I suppose a bit of transparency is needed on this one. What is the total sponsorship packaging for the Nationals and how will that be spent – with this information it might an easier pill to swallow for bowlers.

Would have to agree with separate codes of the same game for sure and at the very least an (S) next to results, time will tell what the ratio of String to Freefall it will be in the future. As for Nationals on string, bold move for sure and a story we will probably need to come back to later. Is there a danger though that if String and Freefall had been separate World federations we might have seen something like the Golf split that’s happened if money had poured into String and players moved from one code to another?

I don’t know about any of that… International Politics isn’t really my forte to be honest… in fact I’m not what sure what my forte is… talking nonsense probably.

I would imagine the codes will fall under the one world organisation… and in the future there might two world championships…and two of every other major international championships. anything to make more money. I’m surprised it hasn’t happened already, or it has. I’m really not that close to it. It seems to me from afar that the IBF is all about putting as many events on as possible as they act as revenue drivers for them. So in the future you’ll have a world singles championships, world teams, world bakers, and then all these championships again but on strings.

Back to UK bowling then and let’s just go right at it. Where are things right and where can work be done?

I tell what is good…

Tournaments – we have loads in this country which is amazing considering how people bemoan about the lack of centres willing to hold tournaments and the fact membership is only around 1500ish (I guess). If you wanted, I’m sure you can find something to bowl in nearly every weekend. Whether it be a small local event, a National Junior, Adult or Senior Event, a Handicap event, a scratch event played on house / challenge pattern or for the best bowlers there’s a sports pattern tour – I really think there’s something for everyone out there.

We have a fantastic base of willing volunteers who keep all of the above happening. People who give up their weekends to put these events on so all of you reading this can go and play the sport you love. And don’t forget these people probably come home from work open their laptops and work on these events in the weeks leading up to them. And when you’ve all gone home and are sitting there and eating you’re dinner watching Antiques Roadshow, these volunteers are there still working on the event, putting together a report, publishing the scores, getting the prize fund distributed, doing the BTBA Admin.

Coaching – We have Mark Heathorn and Andy Penny delivering a fantastic EBF coaching courses which I’ve kinda almost done. Simon Taylor putting together what I think and what I found were some useful video’s. And we have people who are now trained to coach and are out there actually coaching. A good set of young coaches as well. People who are going out their way to coach and train bowlers to be better and get more enjoyment out the game. People that are really passionate about the sport of bowling.

Junior Bowling – Ok the number aren’t what they once were, but they have a great calendar of events and there are some really good YBC’s out there. One’s that spring to mind are Shipley and Lewisham, Coventry and of course the Dunstable Dragons. YBC’s that are structured properly and isn’t just about bunging a kid on a lane letting them bowl 3 games and see you next week. These YBCs have structured programs where if you just want to bowl and go you can, but if you want to get better, they offer you that chance through coaching and lane time and support. Youth bowling have just launched their sticker achievement books. The little kids love them! A really good initiative.

International Team – We didn’t have a great year in terms of medals and results. But I like the changes that have been put in place and it might take a while to see the rewards. I like that a team is being built not just for a year but for a couple of years and teams have training weekends and camps. I’m not saying it’s perfect, but its better then what went before

I tell you what is bad. In my opinion… for what it’s worth (nothing probably)

I felt that whole period while we were on lockdown with no one bowling, was the perfect opportunity to do a roots and branch review of the National Association, how it works, how it’s funded, what it’s priorities are and what it’s long term sustainability and growth strategy was going to be. And then come out of lockdown with a relaunch.

I think the levels of membership need to be reviewed. Long have I advocated a League, Tournament, International structure of membership.

I think the funding structure is upside down… all the money seems to be spent at the top of the pyramid with the elite bowlers and International teams. And very little at the grass roots of the game. There’s nothing spent on growing the sport from the bottom up, nothing spent on marketing bowling as a sport and increasing the awareness of bowling leagues and tournaments to attract new bowlers to the game. Not enough filtered down to local association level. I think it’s almost a waste of energy to convert lost members back to being members, instead it might be easier to attract completely new people to the game. Convert the social bowler into something more regular, like a league bowler who turns into a tournament bowler. The amount of times I speak to people and tell them I bowl and they say “oh I never knew there were leagues and tournaments”. If you can get the bottom layers of the pyramid right and grow the sport from the bottom up those at the top of pyramid can have everything they want in terms of funding and we get back to a stage where players aren’t personally out of pocket from playing for their country.  It seems the funding pyramid of the English game has been the same for decades and all we’ve seen over those decades is membership numbers dwindle… surely at some stage you have to try something new, change the plan.

I’m sure the BTBA work with and have dialogue with the proprietor’s association. But we need that organisation to understand that a healthy governing body is actually in their interest. And if they aren’t interested, then forget them and work exclusively with independents – perhaps if the “chains” see the independent sector flourishing from a closer working relationship with the BTBA they might want piece of that action. And in the work with proprietors, I think there needs to be some way of converting “open” bowlers to affiliate members free of charge. And a perk of that “affiliate” membership is monthly emails notifying them of leagues and tournaments in their area, proshop deals on ball shoes bag starter kits – stuff like that.  If you can get a small fraction of open bowlers signing up to be “affiliate” members, your then going to funding bodies with a much healthier membership number then say the 1500 we have now.

I mean I don’t know if these sorts of things are being looked at or worked on behind the scenes, they may very well be… and I’m aware not everyone would share my opinions on this, and that’s fine. We all have different opinions and ideas… and that’s cool. It’s what makes the world go round… well that and inertia formed by the planets creation. Just because you have different opinions as someone else it doesn’t make you right and them wrong – it just makes you different… and that’s fine.

I’ve tried to balance the good and  bad..

You are bang on the money with this need to just grow the membership numbers, free and paid versions. You identify there the need to unlock other forms of funding and turn the pyramid upside down. Should Team England become separate from the BTBA and fund itself, thus leaving BTBA to concentrate on grass roots?

I don’t see why they should be separate, I’m not sure what that achieves if I’m honest, I’m probably not clever enough… The BTBA have people dedicated running Team England – they have an Elite sport director, team managers and coaches – I don’t see how it should be a distraction from growing the sport at grass roots. It should “be here’s your budget for Team England work within it” and they work with the BTBA commercial director to explore increasing their revenue. If that means we as a Nation don’t support all the International events then we need to make those difficult decisions.

I suppose that’s a simplified view – and it’s probably more complex than that.

And from my previous answer, perhaps I need to make myself clearer… I’m not saying the BTBA shouldn’t fund Team England at all… it’s just the current funding model is heavily weighted at the top of the game, and very little at grass roots to grow the sport. For instance, at the moment Team England are sponsored by QubicaAMF and all the money should go to Team England…. But then surely that frees up money to invest in grass roots, in marketing, in helping Local Associations drive membership. A big driver for membership at the association level is the county bowling program, if the BTBA can subsidise the Inter County Championships, local associations can make their trials cheaper, which hopefully will drive up participation – and lots of people join the BTBA for the specific reason of trying out for their County.

Let’s discuss grassroots a little then and how the association can grow this. Are other things like club bowling the way forward now and starting local?

Club bowling…I honestly don’t know enough about the model to understand it’s potential to be honest. I know in Bedfordshire we try and make our county team, like a “club” rather than a team that only plays 1 tournament a year. So we have a County team that play in the Midland Scratch league, we play challenge matches and we organise coaching for the bowlers – all the bowlers who play the County trials are part of the “club” and are eligible for selection and everything we bowl in is subsidised by the local association. And that’s created a kinda club feel, rather 5 bowlers thrown together for a 1 off tournament.

I used to bowl at Jardines (Aylesbury) and I think to bowl in the league  you had to be part of a “club” and pay annual membership.

I just don’t know how a CLUB runs alongside the BTBA and how it helps the BTBA to be honest… I’m not saying it can’t, I just don’t have enough information to form a proper opinion.

What things do you feel could now be tried to grow the base more?

I’ve touched on a few things already…

And such a little question that can’t be answered fully as I’ll probably be here for ages.. These are only loose ideas. It’s easy to come up with ideas, the hard part is making them actually happen in the real world.

Marketing budget for social media – getting the idea of bowling as a sport and not just a social thing to do with friends or colleagues. I saw green bowling popping up all over my facebook feeds the other month, telling me to join a local club…

School league / competition program. It can be national, regional, or by county or town… organised by or with the help of the local association. I know from my time on the BTBA council this was discussed and was in the early stages of being planned out.  Similarly they can do the same with local scouts/cubs/brownies/girl guides groups – local comps, expanding to regional, expanding to national competitions. I happen to walk in and witness the boy Brigade’s bowling championships which they organised themselves – they had more kids competing in that then the BTBA do with their own National Championship.

Also perhaps there’s a similar plan we can action with Unions, like the Transport union, Postal workers union, … they might have plenty of time on their hands if they aren’t working much over christmas !!

Let’s give the YBC’s some money so they don’t have to rely on their own internal fund raising and perhaps they can use it to offer free weeks to new bowlers. At Dunstable we have a great owner and manager who supports our YBC and a kid can have 4 free weeks at YBC to see if they like it. After they get a shirt and made to feel like a proper club member.

Let’s make sure our website is fit for purpose, so all the information is up to date, that we have databases where a visitor can put in a post code find a centre with sanctioned leagues along with contact email address or the contact details for local association secretary.

Glad you mention the Dunstable Dragons, you stepped back from running the successful BTBA Back to bowling tour to spend more time with the YBC and your own kids. I think I speak for many when I say people love your reports and looks a fun part of the sport to be around?

It was meant to be FUN… the plan was for me to sit at the back, relax and watch my kids bowl… then before I knew it I’m doing pre bowl warm ups, coaching courses, handing out score sheets and making sure the kids fill them in, and now I’m “chief sticker hander outer”!

So is it FUN for me ? Erm… it’s stressful to be honest and really frustrating. Just ask Leon Devlin who’s boy Harrison also bowls in our YBC… Kids despite them knowing we bowl and we’ve bowled for years – do you think they listen to us? – Course they don’t ! (Harrison is a great little bowler as well. There’s just the right mix of Leon and Bek’s in him – but trust me you know when the Leon bit is coming out !)

The most frustrating thing I’ve ever experienced in my life is when one of the little kids finally gets a spare, then on the next shot throws it down the gutter ! MAN THAT GRINDS MY GEARS ! I think it’s harder for parents who bowl to watch their kids bowl! – we just have remember they are only young, and they are probably better than we were when we were that age – and to hide our frustrations.

On the flip side it’s great when they do well and beat their PB or win a tournament. Taylor for instance practiced and trained really hard ahead of last year’s Nationals – then tournament day, it was amazing she played so well, all those practice sessions came together perfectly at the right time and she played amazing.

It was kinda natural for our Kids (Taylor and Harriet) to start bowling. They used to throw shots after we played in a tournament and we had to drag them out the bowl. We’ve never pushed them, we just asked them if they wanted to join the junior club and it was resounding YES… every week we ask if they’ve enjoyed it and if they want to go next week – every time it’s a YES.

YBC is brilliant it teaches kids so much – The bowling bit is almost secondary. They learn to listen, to concentrate, to win, to lose, to be part of a team, to support others, to interact with other kids and make friends. Oh and to play arcade games !

I hear some parents say they don’t want their kids to get into bowling as there’s no money in it… which is a bit mental. Who gets their kids to play a sport so that they can potentially one day be amazingly lucky and make a decent living from it.  Why wouldn’t we want our kids to just to get into bowling? If it weren’t for bowling they wouldn’t even be here ! Alison and myself have made so many friends and great memories from being involved in the sport, so of course we would like our kids to experience some of that as well. Some of the kids I played YBC with I’m still mates with now … Richie revs, Secker Bag, that liability Wilson, Lobbers, Westy to name just a few (memories of finishing YBC at Harrow and driving over to the Airport at break neck speed to play the YAC tournaments – collecting “naughty points” and being “amber gamblers” down Rayners Lane, then me and Paul Carter usually battling it out in the step ladder throwing blue hammers).. there’s loads of people I’ve been friends with for over 30 years… and I’m still in touch with them and see them at tournaments, whereas I don’t see anyone I went to school with, apart from Lynchie (who used to bowl, after he came to YBC with me one week)

At Dunstable YBC – we call the youngsters the “Hatchlings” – they really are a great bunch, they are all so happy for each other when one them gets a spare or strike. I tell you all, one to watch is little Ava Richardson (Lorna Scotts niece) – she’s 9 and she’s just gone two handed and she’s really grasped it. Once she gets bigger and stronger we’re going to have a great player on our hands ! On a Saturday there’s always one of them getting upset at some point.. but come the end they are all mucking about together running about and pestering us parents for £1’s for the arcades. It’s really nice to see – kids bowling for the sheer enjoyment of just bowling and cheering just because the balls hit the pins !

Shout out to Dunstable bowls owner Olle for supporting the YBC and Steve and Tina Leighfield, Simon & Karen Herbert and Andy Penny, oh and of course Alison !

You touch on your own time in the sport and how it shapes, guides or draws you to people. What have been your greatest memories and proudest moments?

When it comes to bowling, I’ve got a photographic memory… whereas I regularly forget my kids’ names, how to drive, and where I live…. All the important stuff.

My first team mate – Sheldon Rees – Hemel Bowl – team name chatterbox’s

My first Tournament win – Hemel House Championships

First centre I ever visited other then Hemel – Harrow, Junior Nationals 1984… FA Cup final day – Watford lost to Everton.. gutted !

First 200 – 214 at Hemel

First 600 – Acocks Green in the Midlands Junior Classic

First 700 – Tottenham Bowl

My favourite tournament wins – and there’s been sooooo many !

YAC Masters at Fareham – I was the youngest in the field, the day before I got a X-Calibur drilled up – and my parents actually came and watched – it was a really good prize fund as well If I remember

The Under 24 British Open – winning cheque back then was a £1000, the next year I came 2nd to Barry Foley. I like him, he is a tough competitor and he’s my sort of bowler. Obviously I didn’t like losing to him !

Making the Adult Team England – finishing the ranking season in 10th. I didn’t really want to bowl in anything… and I was a selector at the time, and at our selectors meeting I told Chris Buck I weren’t really bothered about bowling in anything.. He wouldn’t have it and told me I was playing the triple crown whether I wanted to or not – I had earned the right and he wanted me in the team. I’m so glad he made me bowl, because though I didn’t play well (it was at Norwich – I never play well there) I really enjoyed the experience. So I’m grateful to Chris and Leslie (Miranda, the other selector at the time) for talking me into it.

Another tournament win that sticks in my mind… was winning the BTBA Tour Doubles with Glen Richardson. We won by about 600 pins… and I like bowling with Glen, mainly for his handicap ! he is so miserable when he bowls but there’s always good banter.

Oh another thing I was proud of winning was the “COMWAKE” league at Dunstable…Your probably thinking so what… but I’m proud of this, because my Grandad won the league with his team in 1974 – and had the trophy at his house.

Every time my County Bedfordshire make the county finals – Were not a team of superstars or regular tournament bowlers, but we regularly punch above our weight in the County Championships.

I was really proud of the Medals the England team won, when I was selector ! There was some tough calls, and people raise eyebrows at the choices, but then they go out there and prove you right.

I think I’ve been very lucky to bowl league and tournaments with some of best bowlers this country has produced… Chris Buck, Kirsten Penny, Zara Giles (and to a MUCH lesser extent, her husband Matt) Alan Fawcett, Syd Simmonds, Simon Brown, Richard Hood – oh and how can I forget my mate Jamie O’Dwyer – the richest part time lorry driver in the world.

I’ve bowled with loads of great bowlers to be honest… really good skittlers. I like to bowl with people who really believe in their own talent and in themselves, have that sort arrogance you need to be a winner…– they are low maintenance… they’re not seeking re-assurance after every shot, they don’t need it. But at the same time they don’t mind a bit banter, and basically they laugh at my rubbish jokes.

Yes you have shared the lanes with a few generations of great bowlers both local heroes and national ones. You mention a few there. Which were the best you bowled with and which ones purely for enjoyment and banter?

I mean let’s be honest, there’s no argument who the greatest bowler this country has ever produced is… it’s Lee “Chatters” Chatfield… followed very closely by Dom Barrett ! – I mean the older generation will come up with lots of names of people who won this and that, and fair play to those that went before – But in my opinion there can be no debate – It’s Dom Barrett. And we take him for granted in this country. When I was younger I wrote to Jim’ll fix it asking to bowl with a PBA bowler – luckily for me Jim never did fix it for me ! phew. But we get the chance now to share a lane with a PBA legend in Dom and it’s a kinda no big deal.

The next two I think are obvious one from me. Chris Buck – what a competitor he was. I’ve seen him beat someone before a ball was even bowled, just by a little acidic comment here and there. For me, it was really tough seeing Chris get ill, but I saw him bowl his last 300 and that memory will stay with me. When he was manager at the Scareport, he always gave me some free lane time and always gave me plenty of advice… not all necessarily about bowling !

And this country has been blessed by the amazing quality of lady bowlers we’ve produced. I can rattle off 10 names right now, that if they picked up a ball and started bowling will probably get in the National team and could win an international medal within a year of being back into it. But because I’ve been friends with her since our early years, being both from Hertfordshire, it’s been an honour and quite scary to share a lane with Kirsten Penny. I just wish she would come back and bowl – but I totally get why her and the other ladies have put bowling on the back burner (I won’t say “given up” – these people never give up anything). How is KP going to get motivated to bowl league on a Monday night.. having won all that she’s won. And when you get to that level its hard to accept that unless you put the work in that you used to do, your levels aren’t there anymore. And these great bowlers are either all IN.. or they’re out. They don’t settle for half measures. It’s what made them great bowlers I suppose. These girls have all moved on with their life’s and on to the next challenge… whether that be successful careers, families or even involved in the governance of our game.

I love bowling with JOD (Jamie O’dwyer). He is the most lovely bloke, funny, and generous, and RICH ! He will talk to absolutely anyone, like he’s their best mate. And you say to him, “Jamie who was that ?” and he’ll go .. “no idea” – you’ve been talking to him for 45 minutes and you don’t know who he is ? – nah.

If I’m putting together a league team then first name on my list is Tyrone Duke – AKA as ICE MAN ! or the General Duke ! – ICE MAN has been bowling years, mainly down at Tolworth. But he is a fun guy and an international playboy and man of mystery. As he says himself.. if you need to someone to strike out in the 10th always bet on black !

Richie Lewis – he gets right on my nerves… but occasional he says something funny ! – his old man Dave Lewis was a character. What a lovely bloke he was. He invented Viagra ! When we were younger he used to ask if we were going out to the pub, and if we had no money, he’ll say “help yourself to £20 out the chocolate box” – and there was old fashioned chocolate tin stuffed full of cash.

But of course I love bowling with my girl Alison – though she hates bowling with me. She’s always tries her hardest and it’s not easy bowling when the kids have been up all night, you’ve had 2hrs sleep you feel run down and over whelmed by everything. She’s great to bowl with, she can dish out banter as well as take some herself. When the kids are older I’m really looking forward to us bowling together more and going on bowling trips.

Honestly, I bowled with so many characters, and with and against so many great bowlers. Even the kids coming through – Dan Harding, Austin Taylor, Ben Robinson, Jack Blyth,  George Jagger I can speak to them and impart a few life lessons, tell em a few funny stories (they politely laugh, which is very kind of them) Also they teach me some stuff as well… I’m currently learning about drill rap ! … I recently was giving Brandon Rodgers my parenting advice… he looked even more nervous at the prospect of becoming a dad after I’ve finished talking to him.

The Basher has spanned the generations !

You must be senior age by now or dangerously close. Will you play much in the future or more local? One last go at playing for Team England maybe?

I got another 2 years to go until I’m a young gun coffin dodger. I have played 1 or 2 Resdev’s where the age is 45. I made the final this year at Mansfield – then got my ass kicked by the silver twirlers.

I’m looking forward to bowling some Resdev’s in 2023 in centres I’ve never been to before, like Barnsley and Altrincham – the Resdev’s are like the sports tour for old people! The patterns are quite hard and the field is full of legends, bowlers I got the upmost respect for, and it’s a good vibe… Thanks to Jack Smith for running them. It’s good to see his son Mark at the events as well… proper moaning Yorkshireman he is ! hahaha.

Playing SSL next year, maybe a few guest appearances in the MSL, I’m running a BTBA Tour event– But my main focus will be my King Of the Hill – Challenger series at Dunstable, where I have 5 events planned. Oh and also my successful South East County Challenge is back in 2023 – a bit smaller than in previous years, but looking forward to that !

Senior Team England… I doubt it… the problem is the old un’s are better me, and when they get too old the next crop coming through are also better than me – I think what I’m just saying is “I’m rubbish” A couple of things put me off… Unlike many seniors, I’ve still got really young kids (8 and 6), and young kids want to do stuff ! Not like teenagers who just want to hide in their bedrooms or be up to no good. Kids have ruined me physically ! – I swear they think I’m some sort of climbing frame… I’m telling ya, I’m all stiff and achy.

Also Team England is pressure… I bowl for enjoyment. You got to be dedicated and train and work with a coach and get 48 million balls drilled up… or at least 3 purple hammers. You got to treat the sport and position in the team with respect and do it properly… you can’t just rock up with a spare ball that’s been plugged with blu tac!

So perhaps not playing but maybe managing them one day would be better.

I’m really hopeful for the success of the senior team in the upcoming European Championships think it’s a really good team – the only bowler I don’t know is Paul Cosgrove, but I see his results on the ISBT tour. Who would have thought Stevie T and Colin are seniors now… where’s the time gone… As long as Stevie T takes his two blue dots and Colin his AMF Sumo I’m sure they are going to win a medal. And big respect to Gordon Humphries… that guy puts some miles in and it’s great to see him rewarded with a place in the team. And the ladies are getting stronger. The ever present Angie Brown, then Gaye, and Carole and of course my favourite Janice Hodge ! – Love Jan.. especially when she disciplines me with her wrist strap !

Now there is a thought, Daniel Bonfield Senior Team England manager, maybe even a fly on the wall documentarySeriously though Daniel, you have proved over the years, whatever you put your mind on, you make it a success and put the time in to deliver things people enjoy. It’s not too late to go on a reality show and become proper famous?

I would love to do gogglebox with my mum Shazbot…. My mum and dad (Fatman) proper crack me up. My mum’s maternal instincts kinda stopped when I was about 3…and my dad is an old hippie who is one of these intellectual and really clever people but has zero street smarts…a deep thinker. He will be thinking about the design of Germanys WW2 Panzer T34 tank and not realise his arm is on fire ! or something like that. Also he’s as middle class as they come… and he often tries to pretend he is a working class socialist… and fails miserably. But since they’ve come back to the UK after living in Portugal for years, they have been amazing in looking after the kids whilst me and Alison go off bowling. It often means them getting up at the “crack of sparrows” and buying happy meals ! – I’m very grateful. And the girls love their Grandpa… and Nanny Shazbot, or Nanny Wine as they call her ! – They actually call my Dad “Grandead” coz he’s always asleep !

I’m going to go a bit deep here… I am actually quite a shy and anxious person. And I never look to be centre of attention, honestly. It just always happens… And I don’t mean it to. I think to myself I’ll go bowling get my boots on and bowl and go home… but before I know it, I’m running it out, mugging people off and bowling in just my pants, or doing karaoke in the bar at Nottingham – or something stupid like that.

I think being in a bowl gives me a load of self-confidence, kinda like my happy place…. It must be like that for lots of other bowlers, it’s the place they feel most comfortable in. Like walking in their home centre or any bowl is like putting on a pair of comfy slippers.

Just like Cheers, where everyone knows your name. I’d normally be wrapping up an interview by now but it’s world cup time ain’t it so extra time and probably penalties for not editing all this more. You have a great sense of humour that at many times has seen you in Facebook jail. Have you ever thought of taking some of this comedy gold of yours and trying to write comedy and gets paid?

Do you know I actually love writing… I mean I’m no good at it. If I was at school these days I’d have the full set of label’s stuck on me… dyslexic, AC/CD or what whatever it’s called, Hyper Active, Attention deficit … I probably have the full set. But when I write… it all comes to me so fast I can’t keep up… I can’t type the thoughts as they come out my head quick enough… I sometimes wake up in the night and an idea will pop into my head and I can’t concentrate on anything until I’ve written it down or done something with that idea.

Also I don’t think people understand what a bowling nerd I am… I look at scores on lane talk for a handicap doubles league at Lincoln. I don’t even know any of the bowlers, but there I am, looking at someone called “chris” shooting a 242 on lane 18 on Tuesday at Lincoln. I’m like the saddest person in the world. The other thing I waste a lot of time on is “championship manager” game. I’m actually on a year long ban… as it was taking over my life. But January 1st 2023 that bad boy is being loaded back up ! And Alison will have to put up with me swearing at the laptop as my championship manager team lose 1-0 to Barnet !

Oh and the other thing I have a “thing” for is … is bowling balls ! and Brunswick Viz-a-balls ! – I love them. We’re buying a new house just because we don’t have any more room for bowling balls… so I’m spending 550K on a house to use a ball park ! mental.

You must be next for the Watford managers job, Outside of bowling, is there much of that besides the day job?

Thanks to Graeme Wilson, whose mates with a season ticket holder who can’t always go – I’ve taken Taylor to a couple of Watford matches… which were cracking games. 4-1 win against Man Utd and 3-2 loss to QPR where we had a 90th minute goal ruled out. In my opinion going to a live game of football is the best ! seriously nothing beats it. When your team gets a good win, it leaves you buzzing for the rest of the week. Taylor absolutely loved going as well ! She’s not quite a proper Hornet yet – but you never ever forget the first live football match you see.

I do have non bowling friends !.. Basically I have a real tight group of mates that I grew up with on the dirty rough as old boots council estate in Hemel… We all went to primary school with each other, then they all went to nearest secondary school, I got sent to a posh school and my parents moved to a nice area of Hemel – it does have nice area’s !!. But I kept true to my roots… and because we have all known each other since we were 4, it means they are “no hassle mates” – ones where you don’t have to make any effort with and when you meet up you fall straight back into the usual banter from minute one. I could write a book on what went on back on that council estate…. Imagine an episode of Shameless but directed by Quentin Tarantino.

Alison and I, do a lot with the kids… love a Sunday walk ! – I think we try and give them opportunity to see and try lots of new things – so they can find what their passion in life will be – like me with bowling… but at the moment, their main thing is BOWLING ! – so I’m kinda wasting my money on them a bit – which makes me livid.

I also love gambling ! Saturday is Football gambling day… and I love a 5p bet ! .. Honestly I put £5 in my account at the start of the football season and that will just about last for the season, then in the summer I’m on horses with more 5p bets.

One of my biggest hobbies is basically winding up Alison ! – I love it ! then she snaps which makes me laugh to the point where I’m on a verge of an asthma attack.. I would probably say winding her up is my biggest pleasure in life and now Taylor and Harriet are starting to get involved in the wind ups as well. Obviously the by product of this is Alison is on a verge of nervous breakdown… but you know she get counselling. So it’s all good yeah.

I don’t really watch telly… people say that to perhaps make them sound all worldly and intellectual – obviously I’m neither of those things. I just think it’s a waste of time when I could I be working on bowling stuff… and I do love working on bowling stuff.

Of course it can be frustrating. And not everything that happens at the BTBA I agree with – as this interview highlights. But that’s no need to fall out with anyone. And everyone involved is it for the right reasons. Everyone one on the that National council has a passion for the game and they all work very hard and are trying to give something back to it. So we all have a common goal.

I’ve worked for the two of the biggest retailers in the country. In fact my current employer is one the biggest retailers in the world. The over ridding message both companies instil on it’s employee is all about the customer, thinking and putting them first and at the forefront of every decision they make – In my opinion a BTBA Member is a “customer” of the BTBA. And I think that sort of philosophy sometimes get lost.

What was the question again ? – hahaha.

One more question that I tend to end with. Why should people try ten pin bowling?

Why should people get into bowling…. Good question… Sort of question the BTBA should be answering in a Facebook marketing sponsored ad campaign perhaps ?

It’s cheaper to bowl in a league then it is to bowl as an open play bowler

One the most unique aspects of bowling league – we call it a USP in the old retail trade (Unique Selling Point) is unlike other sports the points you win during a season is converted to prize money at the end of the season. That don’t happen playing football, or Darts or Rugby or Tiddlywinks… whatever it might be. You still pay weekly subs in these sports – but you don’t get anything back in terms of prize money.

You get out the house and you meet new people – most of them are friendly !

I think that you can bowl in a team and whilst bowling in a team you can also rate your own individual performance by your scores… I suppose it has clear “measurables” of your own performance. And then you can use those measurables to stive for self-improvement.

With the handicapping system in bowling it allows beginners to bowl and beat bowlers that have higher averages. People are often scared to make the jump from regular open bowling to league bowling because they think they aren’t good enough… I explain how a bowlers handicap works and how that allows them to compete. And they won’t be out of their depth, and they will be welcomed by the other bowlers.

I think from total beginner to a 160/170 can be achieved quite quickly… then the next stage 170/190ish… takes time and patience… then 200+ takes more development – but all that can be achieved as we now have coaches who can help teach and guide a new bowler. They aren’t just left to get on with it themselves.

Bowling is a complex game… and no matter how long you’ve been bowling you’re still learning. I mean after my ETB coaching course it really opened my eyes to just how complex the game is. And like I said earlier I pick up little things all the time, just talking to young guns out there.

Bowling is one massive dysfunctional family really ! – there’s bowlers I’ve known since they were little tots in their prams… like the Evie and Elyse Giddens… and now they are 7ft and bowling for England. Ray and Richie Teece… little peewee’s in the Airport YBC.. now ones a PBA winner and the other is European Tour winner and a fantastic bowler.

And if nothing else… going bowling gives the car a good run out, and allows you to turn the heating off for a couple of hours ! – so pays for itself just on that.

No he’s not some cartoon character on kids TV, he is Russell Semple and a Youth Team England coach. Time to learn more and find out where the name came from?

We need to start at the beginning Russ, How did you find bowling and what made you fall in love with it?

So I bowled in my Youth through my Teens and into my twenties making a County Team in my mid twenties (Staffordshire). I bowled reverse hook (back-up) so I was never fantastic but I enjoyed it.

Then life got in the way and took me away from Bowling. I rejoined the sport in my early 40’s at Nuneaton and bowled for fun with friends and family and joined a Doubles League on Sunday nights…Until Lee Hart came over to us on a Family treat for my Niece Kara Zucca’s Birthday and asked her to try Nuneaton Vipers YBC. There the story of me and bowling reboots with Coaching…

Coaching has changed a lot over the years as new thoughts and theories have built a massive amount of information to learn. Why did this need to learn start for you. 

As I answered in Question 1 the reboot… The YBC had some great officials/parents and very talented coaches and athletes bowling at what I saw was incredible levels for their ages. Brandon Roberts/Aaron Faulconbridge/Emily and Issy Allen/Jay Goodwin. But they were quite a big YBC at the time with a small number of Coaches as good as the ones they had were. So originally I started as an official (cheerleader) and then with encouragement from people like Alex Hamilton, Richie Reece, Steve Allen and Sharon Faulconbridge took a Coaching Course.

The modern day EBF method with Gravity Led swing and its onus to keep our young athletes healthier with better Body Mechanics just grabbed me and my Coaching started from there. 2 Further Courses online and book education and many years of YBC/Competition/County and then Country Coaching have followed and I still love teaching the basics to new athletes to help them get their first Double or 100 game as well as the intricacies of Ball Movement and Lane Play at the higher levels. It gives me an amazing amount of joy and pleasure and renews my passion every time I coach at any level..

Picking up on back up. Some big name bowlers have recently proved the art is not dead and far from it. Is back up something you still encourage?

Encourage no.. To succeed in the modern game you need revs the more the better if you can repeat the shot. Reverse hook cannot compete at that point with thumb in… Thumb out and 2handed yes it can compete to a certain extent but it is still not as easy an action on the body fingers/wrist specifically as normal hook. Preservation of the health of our younger athletes is paramount. But I am also less resistant than most coaches I suspect and have an innate sense of lines as have rolled them for years.

Before we go much further, where does the name Coach Duddle come from?

So Duddle.
When my youngest niece Kara was very young she couldn’t say Russell so called me Duddle…
Weirdly as she got older my eldest niece and my sister started calling it me.
As all it does is remind me of the love of and for my family I now use it myself including having it on the shirts I used to bowl in…

Describe first finding out you would coach the National Team in an event then actually wearing the shirt?

Shock was the first reaction then a little disbelief and the why me question always… But also an incredible pride in being asked and humility that YTE trusted me with these fantastic athletes. Triple Crown 2019 Blanchardstown Ireland Under 16 Girls team, daunting but through Nationals/Counties I had got used to girls teams so I was sure of myself and my ability to be able to work with them well. Lots of Nerves leading up to it but when we hit the lanes during training and at the actual event the nerves vanished as i had a job to do…

Triple crown is unlike any other event, certainly at Youth level. How was the feeling after you completed that first one in Ireland?

Completely blown away by the event and especially the atmosphere, The Scots and the Irish made us feel welcome and I have great friends in both Countries due to this event and the Junior Irish Open. I have a few posts on FB on which I state Youth Triple Crown for life and I mean it. It was even better this year as I already knew a lot of the Athletes/Coaches and parents and they are fantastic people… I am really looking forward to the Scottish event in 2023 and the atmosphere there.

There are many schools of thought as to what is the most important aspect of coaching, be it the mental game, physical game or just general wellbeing. Which elements of coaching do you feel are the most important?

All of the above to a certain extent but well being above all. We have to take care of our athletes. The parents trust us with them and that is a great honour and a big responsibility.
I try my best to educate all of the athletes I work with at all levels and ages on why we do things and what that changes about the way they or the ball moves.
Positive self talk always I have therefore I can and I will. We win or we learn..
Respect… Athletes never disrespect your parents in front of me, they are the reason you are there. They chauffeur you, pay for you and live every ball you roll with you in the main… Or we will have a conversation 

You touch there on coaching Youth and respect for parents and others around them, It can be hard sometimes to guide to where you know they can be and now with added distractions like social media. What’s is a general piece of advice you give all up and coming Youth bowlers in the National squad?

I will put a few here.
Have Respect for yourself and show Respect to those around you.
Enjoy what you are doing and the journey of Bowling, make friends along the way.
You win or you learn both are important.
The one I like to quote comes from Norm Duke when I see a player struggling with emotions after a shot.
You can control only 2 things in the sport once you have released a shot. 1) Your reaction to what happens 2) Your next shot…

A changing sport means changing methods of training, String and Freefall pin action is just a new addition to a long list of factors to contend with on the playing surface and in the equipment. IS String and Freefall the exact same sport up till the ball hits the pins?

All things change, it is the way of the world, not just sport. As a Coach knowledge and practice is paramount to success but so is retaining the fun especially at Youth Level, no matter the level. Make friends enjoy the atmosphere, laugh at bad breaks and always stay positive as an athlete or Coach. It builds those around you…

Strings and Freefall: Is it the same sport before the ball hits the pins to a major extent yes. Swing/Steps/Timing nothing changes, Ball choice/Ball surface on oil pattern and lane surface still the same. But as our YBC is in a String centre at Coventry, I can say the fall and movement of the pins is massively different. Wrap 6 rarely leaves the 10 pin standing as the 6 pin string pulls it over, same with the Wrap 4-7. Messengers have a lot less movement and energy due to the string, some pins that would just fall dont and in general less movement in the entire pin deck. But it would appear to be the way the sport moves currently so we may have to adapt to survive. I hope the sport side stays on Free-fall but only time and the industry will show us that.

A busy year ahead and Youth Team England just releasing their criteria for selection. When watching young bowlers, what things are you looking for in a player?

For me many many things can catch my eye. Scores are rarely part of it, but for those I check consistency of results-Ranking lists- Increase in averages. Anyone can have a good game on any day…
Generally.. A Good Attitude on and off the lanes. Someone who can smile after a bad break. Supportive nature for those around them, Someone who works well within a team.
Bowling wise.. Good Basics and ease of movement almost like they are flowing, Easy Swing with Good Steps-timing, A Solid Foul Line and watching the ball all the way, Good Solid Sparing.

How different is coaching the national team compared to YBC?

The real difference is the level of Athlete and the period of time/pressure. I have some higher level athletes I coach at both YBC and 1-2-1 lessons but those are done after an hour or 2 till next lesson/YBC.

At YTE level at an International competition you are coaching your own athletes whilst they are on the lanes but watching others roll also to see if you can learn anything or support the other Coaches/Athletes.

Then in the evening there are discussions between Coaches and Management as a debrief for the day and a plan for the next. All the time keeping an eye on your team athletes making sure they get their meals at the same time normally with myself both in the evening and the next day Breakfast and that they are happy and okay. Then checking rooms after Curfew to ensure all are where they should be, at EYC these were 12 hour days over 8 days which takes a toll on both them and you.

Away from it all now Russ, what things do you like to do outside of the sport?

I like to Read mainly Authors like David Gemmel, Robert Jordan, Tolkien, High Fantasy genre.
Films of many different Genres from old Black and White To Kill a Mocking Bird to every Marvel movie.
I game on the PC whilst I have the TV or music on Empire Builders or games like Skyrim, Ark

It’s some long hours going to events, what songs and artists get played.

Now this is company dependent..
Solo Journeys Easier listening Adele, Rag and Bone Man, Evanescence
If my Niece and Sister are along anything from the 80’s to Rock Linkin Park, System of a Down, Disturbed, Chilli Peppers, Faith No More etc

Finally Russ, we all wish you well and hope to see more medals flow our way, Let’s leave with a question we ask many people. Why should people try bowling?

It’s fun first and foremost and should always remain something you enjoy doing, it’s easy to pick up the basics to continue to have fun with friends and family but get better. But, as in most things the further you want to go the more you will need to learn and have to push yourself. Challenging yourself is a personal growth thing and should always be done whether at home/work or in sport.

PS: Medals are always in my targets, But keeping my athletes centred/healthy and happy carries more weight to me than the shiny things, this normally leads to medals. Is that a positive or negative? I will let you all decide on that as I am happy with it…

With my utmost respect for your trust with our young athletes.
Coach Duddle (Russ)

Time to catch up with the award winner before she heads into the new Professional Womens Tour in 2023.

Congratulations on winning the BTBA Bowler of the year award for 2022. Obviously happy?

Thank you very much. I am extremely happy! I was not expecting the award, knowing that I’ve not bowled anything in the UK for a few years. So it’s amazing to see that what I’m doing over in the US is seen by everyone in England. Thank you to everyone who voted for me.

A good year on the PWBA tour, nine top 12 finishes and cashing ten times. How did you feel the season went for you?

It sounds pretty good when you look at it like that! It is often easy in the moment to want more and feel like it wasn’t good enough. But when I look at the bigger picture I realise how good of a season I had. Yes, I missed out on a few shows, I was very close. But that’s the takeaway, I was so close. I was really consistent week in and week out. I really enjoyed bowling and in the end that’s the most important thing. So it was a great season and I am excited for 2023.

New season coming up soon, what’s new in your game for 2023?

I feel like I’m always working on something, so in a few months my answer will probably be different! I did a thorough review of how my season went and created a list of things I believed I needed to work on. I’ve structured my practices to allow me to work on those things. Doing that really helps me stay focused and on task. Right now, I have been working on my angles and release. I often create too much left to right angle on the lane, due to my body angles. So my goal is to be better at that in 2023 as well as feeling more confident in rolling the ball.

Your social channels continue to grow and now an army or supporters, fans and students behind you in all events. Guessing this gives you a big boost?

It certainly does. There are days when I do not feel as motivated to workout or I don’t feel like posting on social media. But then I read a message or a comment from someone and I get this reminder of why I do what I do. I’m thankful to have created a special online community on Patreon to help people learn more about the sport and the behind the scenes of my life. I have found an array of people who have picked up a bowling ball again after a few years because they watched one of my videos and that honestly makes me so happy.

Top 10 now in the UK Tenpin Hall of Fame and certain to be inducted very soon, what would it mean to you to join the greats of the UK sport?

It would be an absolute honour. Not something I ever imagined would be possible. I just want to continue doing what I love!

You got to lace up for your country again in the IBF Super Worlds last year. Congratulations on being back in the England squad for 2023 also.

Thank you! There is no feeling like representing your country and I hope I get the opportunity to do so again soon.

Finally Verity, we all wish you well in the coming season as you continue to fly the flag for our country. Now you are finally an established professional bowler, Is this everything you thought it would be?

It’s more. I never imagined I would be doing this. As a young girl, I wasn’t very aware of professional bowling. All I used to say about my future is that ‘I want to keep bowling’. So to those of who your love the sport, stick with it, you have the possibility to take it to the highest level.

Starting with your first taste of the Bowling World Cup, this was in 1975 and at just 20 years old it’s a trip to The Philippines. How did you prepare for the first one and what expectations did you have?

My first appearance at the BWC in Manila was prefaced with my first appearance at the World FIQ in London. So in some regards, what better preparation could there be! The prospect of representing as an individual was daunting and I really had not expectations beyond doing as best I could. My placing in the top 8 was beyond my dreams and just made me hungry to try again.

A fantastic top 10 finish and a 7th place in your debut, did you enjoy the experience?

The total experience was quite overwhelming. Firstly, dealing with Marshall Law in The Phillippines and the restrictions this entailed. Also the isolation of the accommodation in a compound. However, this environment seemed to bring the competitors closer together as there was no where else to go. Singing sessions in the coffee shop, heaps of chatter and learning new languages. These factors made this a unique experience and created some great camaraderie amongst the bowlers.

Back seven years later the second attempt would prove to be pretty special in many ways. Did you approach the 1982 edition in The Netherlands any different to the first time?

Once again, prior to heading to Holland, we were competing in Asian FIQ in Manila. Perhaps that was a sign! This time I had to travel direct to The Netherlands to compete. My preparation was purely performance to encompass both events. However, I was hoping to improve my previous placing as I had exposure to the format and knew what to expect with the all the cuts.

Qualifying went well and up to the top seed at the end for the finals. How were you feeling at this point with the eyes of the World watching and about to bowl for the title?

Actually Inger Levhorn from Sweden was the top seed and I qualified number 2. My first match was against Pauline Smith from GB and once I conquered that win, the next match allowed me to come into the final more relaxed. After all I had achieved a higher placing than 1975 already.

212-166 and you win the World Cup, bursting into tears after the contest. “It’s wetter in here than a Dutch canal,” you joked. Even now, after all these years since that win, does it warm your heart thinking about it from time to time?

Thank you for reminding me of the scores!! I was so proud that Australia finally had a win in this prestigious event and it seemed to earmark the onset of many more successes. There are still times when I look at my memorabilia and reminisce on how it felt and how honoured I was to be an Australian first and a female second.

How did life change when you got back home to Australia? The win and a new job certainly made it a challenging year!

Life did take some massive changes pursuant to this win. My father had been my coach forever and he now felt it was time I endeavoured to gain more skills. In conjunction with the job opportunity to move to Sydney, Eric Jang now became my coach, mentor and den father. As a result my training regime was increased. Also, in my role at AMF and under the direction of Steve Mackie, I was able to promote our sport Australia wide through all media channels and helped to elevate public opinion of the game of tenpins.

Returning in 1983 in Mexico to try and do what no one had done before, back to back World Cup wins. You seemed to have prepared more for this one and very focussed for the defence of your title. Did your progress in the event go as expected and at what point did you feel the title was in reach?

Well this was a very “interesting” preparation. Starting with my non-selection in the Australian team for the World FIQ in Caracas, Venezuala that year. Upon successfully winning the Australian World Cup qualifying tournament, the Australian Congress declared me ineligible to represent. From there we lodged an appeal with World FIQ and fortunately, Paul Lane advised us only two (2) weeks prior to the Mexico World Cup, that I had been cleared to participate. In the interim training continued, assuming I would represent. It was a major relief to get to Mexico and the rest is history.

Defeating Gisela Lins of West Germany, 233-194, you make history. The first to ever win two in a row. It was a long time before the feat was matched again by Aumi Guerra in 2010 and 2011 showing just how hard it is to do. How did you feel about this win?

Unlike any previous representations, we adopted a strategy for this competition. All went to plan. Gisela was an amazing opponent and had credited herself remarkably all week. This final was not going to be easy and recognized I needed to “get out the blocks” fast and put her under pressure. Fortunately, the plan succeeded. Upon completion I was just numb. After all the political turmoil prior to participating, I was honoured that the faith others had placed in me was forthcoming. The back-to-back wins was a secondary issue and took some time for me to realise the impact.

You did not return in 1983 and the next time you participated was in 1995 in Brazil. We are now talking twenty years since your first World Cup to what turned out to be your last appearance. How had bowling changed for you in that time with equipment and in the level of competition in Bowling World Cups?

After being runner up at our BWC qualifier in 1984, life for me changed perspective. I got married in 1985 and bowling was placed a little lower on the priority scale. When that marriage ended I returned to Melbourne and re-focussed on my bowling. Only now we had reactive resin balls and the game took on a major change. When I competed in the 1995 World Cup qualifier, I had no expectations of winning, just to reassure myself I could be competitive again. What a pleasant surprise to win! Fortunately, I received some fantastic assistance from coaches such as Fred Borden whilst in Brazil and attribute my final standing to their help. Again, I left holding my head high and yet disappointed at not going that one step further.

Showing your obvious class, you place 4th in Brazil and the event won by a 17 Year old Gemma Burden from England. Did you prepare in the same way you always did and were you happy with another good showing?

When I competed in the 1995 World Cup qualifier, I had no expectations of winning, just to reassure myself I could be competitive again. What a pleasant surprise to win! Fortunately, I received some fantastic assistance from coaches such as Fred Borden whilst in Brazil and attribute my final standing to their help. Again, I left holding my head high and yet disappointed at not going that one step further.

Gemma had led for most of the week and admit that I observed the area of the lane she was playing and just tried to follow the leader.

What would you say are your fondest moments of the AMF Bowling World Cup.?

When I look through my memorabilia, my fondest memories are not of the wins, but the people I came to meet and befriend through the process. The gamut of people who touched my heart range from the tournament organisers such as Alison Driscoll and Anne Marie Board, the fellow competitors and the gracious media, particularly Mort Luby. When I attended the 2015 BWC in Las Vegas, being able to see both Aumi in action and witness Clara’s back to back win was a great thrill. More importantly was to rekindle so many friendships over four decades.

It has been said by many champions that this event opened doors for them in life and to this day is something very special on a bowling CV. What does the Bowling World Cup mean to you.?

My BWC wins allowed me to opportunity to gain exposure through the media to promote the sport, raise awareness and enthusiasm plus recognition that bowlers are athletes. The World Cup was a very special event and from a very young age, was deemed the most prestigious event both on the international and Australian calendars, particularly for individual performances. I am both grateful and humbled with what I was able to achieve for tenpin bowling in Australia during my reign as World Cup Champion.

Australia have proved to be very strong in the World cup over the years with multiple champions. Why are you Aussies so good at bowling?

Perhaps bowling is no different to so many other sports that we Aussies do well in. We have a culture that you “can’t win if you don’t have a go”! Our most successful ambassador for both the sport and Australia of recent times has been Jason Belmonte. After all, he didn’t win the BWC on his first attempt. However, it’s the ladies that followed me that make me feel proud.

We have talked a lot here about just one event and your career has been so much bigger. Of everything you have won and achieved, which mean the most to you?

I have had a very blessed career in the sport and have endevoured to give back by coaching players along the way. In my prime, the 1983 World Cup was the most memorable for so many reasons as it presented the greatest obstacles to get there. It also reinforced to me that 1982 wasn’t just luck. It was the only way I could say “thank you” to all the people behind the scenes, who opened the door for me to compete.

Retired now from ten pin bowling and taken up lawn bowling. Just for fun or is the competitive edge creeping in?

Interesting that you know about the lawn bowls! I set a date that I would retire and that was following the Seniors World Championships in 2019. The plan was to start lawn bowls in 2020 but covid hit and this was delayed a couple of years. However, I doubt you ever lose the competitive edge. On the greens, I still strive to learn, develop and improve at every opportunity.

When I spoke with Judy back at the BWC in Vegas, the most rewarding experience from my association with the event, was to be a part of the transitions with equipment throughout that time. Therefore, it is difficult to do a true comparison between the eras. It was wonderful to be taken back in time and reflecting on all the wonderful experiences, dramas and fantastic people whom I have crossed paths with over the years. I thank you for the opportunity to relive my time in the “sun”.

A special Thank you to Paul Lane for arranging our interview with Jeanette

Let’s start at the beginning and your first taste of Tenpin Bowling, Where was this and why did you take it up as a hobby?

It was actually my mum who got us all involved to be honest. She joined a House Wives league on a Wednesday morning and really enjoyed it. We, being myself and my siblings, went to watch during the school holidays and it really looked like fun….that’s where it all began.

I was very much into my gymnastics at the time, but my sister then joined the Junior League at our local centre, Bracken City in Alberton, Johannesburg, South Africa. Within 6 months she was off to Vegas. I had been doing hours and hours of training, injury after muscle strain after sprained ankle, the furthest I ever got to travel was to a city in South Africa called Bloemfontein……it was then that I decided, enough was enough. I then joined the same Junior league and never looked back.

Once this sport gets into your blood, that’s it! We all bowled and both my parents were involved in the sports administration at some or other time, we were a Bowling Family!

Who helped you improve in those early years?

Whilst South Africa was and probably still is lesser known for winning in Team Events over the years, individually the country has produced some phenomenal talent and I have been extremely lucky to have benefitted from knowing and being both formally and informally coached by a few of them. My sister Jody Ellis now Jody Scheerer a current PWBA bowler, World Masters Champion Guy Caminsky and AMF World Cup Champion Francois Louw to name a few and coach extraordinaire Paul Pisecny. They all had a major contribution to making me into the bowler I am today. I have made amazing, life long friends back in South Africa, who all contributed to my success in their own ways, I will never forget my beginnings.

What success did you have in your bowling career in South Africa?

I had many successes in South Africa, coming up through the various divisions from Juniors through to Adults. I won all of the major events we held within South Africa throughout my career and represented South Africa internationally several times. The World Team Championships in Abu Dhabi was such an achievement but being selected to represent South Africa at The World Games in Kaohsiung in 2008 was an honour and highlight. I got to share the lanes with some of the absolute best in the world. I think I spent most of the time Star struck and gawping all day long.

So, onto today and now living in England. You have settled in nicely and your bowling skills seen and harnessed by the national team already, How was it, putting the England shirt on for the first time?

Well now that is a question….I have been extremely blessed and count myself very lucky to have been able to play for not 1 but 2 countries, and whilst wearing the Green and Gold of South Africa was a huge honour putting on that England shirt for the first time was surreal and I find it difficult to put into words. It is something I just can’t quite adequately describe. Growing up in South Africa and only being able to read about the great British bowlers over the years was one thing, getting over here and being able to join them in the history books is something quite indescribable.

And to win your first medal European medal at the Vienna championships in Doubles, that must have been special?

Since bowling in the senior division, my love and passion for the game has grown. Being able to compete in the various European events and to see just how competitive this division is, has made me want it more, practice harder and devote as much of my time as I can to the sport. To see this reap the rewards and to have been selected to go to Vienna to compete in the first ever European Senior Championships, AWESOME! To have come away with the Silver in the doubles alongside my great friend and one of the best Kim Oakley, LIFE CHANGING! The way in which we won it too was something you dream about, going right down to the wire, with us both having to strike out in the last frame to take it… I may have slipped a Brooklyn in too just to make it even more interesting.

Standing on the podium receiving that medal was emotional, but cemented my intentions and my plans for the future were beginning to form……….then Covid hit!!

Indeed and for pretty much two years, we all were unable to mix, travel or even bowl, how did you deal with the pandemic and restrictions?

Those days during lockdown were tough, I missed the game so much, not just the physical part of it, but the opportunity to push myself, challenge myself, be better! To feel that connection with others, it was really very hard.

I work from home under normal circumstances so getting out onto the lanes was my form of socialising with others, connecting with the world, when that disappeared, home became quite a different place. I signed up to Les Mills and did home workouts to try and stay in shape and in the beginning I was really disciplined but with time my interest waned.

Luckily for me, my husband and daughter were around to do daily walks and keep me company. We watched lots of bowling on TV and my sister was bowling non-stop over in the states, so we watched her play quite a few PWBA events, so kept my head in the game, I think.

I tried to throw a few balls on the lawn but when one of my deliveries took out a pot plant, cracked it straight down the middle, I thought it was time to give that a skip, replacement pots are expensive.

I was also fortunate enough to have been signed on with H5G Sports Wear in the States, and spent time designing my various shirts which I love and am extremely proud to show off. Weekly Zoom calls with other bowlers also kept me sane. When restrictions started to lift and centres were allowed to open, I was in there, masked up and ready to go. I practiced and did drills every week until the Trials and continue with this same protocol.

Back in the National team you are just back from a successful trip to Ireland and the 2022 Masters Champion. Happy with the medal and performance in the championships I guess?

The Triple Crown in Dublin was fantastic. I had been told that it was a great event, competitive while at the same time, friendly and fun!! I was not disappointed!!! I got to know my teammates better, they are quite a fun bunch and got to meet some wonderful new people! The bowling was very competitive and I am happy that I managed to perform well and winning the Team Event Ladies Gold and Overall Team Gold was an amazing feeling. Something unforgettable about standing on a podium and singing the national anthem. Winning the Masters was just the icing on the top for me. I loved every minute of it and can’t wait for the next one.

What goals do you have in the Seniors and with the national team?

My goals are to participate in more European events, pitting myself against the best in Europe and being competitive. I’d like to enter the Queens event in the USA in 2023 but will have to see how things pan out. I know the Europeans are happening beginning of 2023 and the World Champs later on in the year, hopefully Team England will be sending teams to these events. I would also like to support my county seniors ladies team at the upcoming Senior County’s, I really do love team events, they seem to bring out the best in me and I enjoy them very much!.

Of all the bowlers you have faced over the years, which have impressed you most?’

That is such a tough question, as I have had the privilege of bowling against and with some of the best ever! As well as meeting many a pros over the years! I would have to say my sister is right up there, she is a talent second to none!

Sue Abela and I have crossed paths on many occasions and she is just amazing and continues to be supreme! I got to share the lanes with Carol Giannotti and Kelly Kulick too, I was in total awe!

But we have some very talented bowlers back here in the UK who I am now very honoured to say I am part of their team, and Zara Giles, wow what a talent. I watched and competed against her at the World Games in Taiwan, absolutely breathe taking! BUT one day, I will get to meet my idol Liz Johnson, until that day comes, I am happy to watch her on tour!

It is often said how friendly yet competitive the Senior division is. For those coming up to 50 or already of senior age, why should they consider a return or new start in bowling?

The senior division is seriously competitive. It is also the biggest division worldwide. The comradery and friendships span over many years and over many countries with that one major element in common, bowling!! Anyone who left as an adult and now eligible to compete in the senior division, I would say get new balls drilled and get out there, you won’t be sorry. I am more passionate about my bowling now than I have ever been. It’s a great way to get out there, stay active and travel with friends! Just do it, you won’t be sorry!

A new PWBA season about to start, Cannot wait to get going I imagine?

I’m excited. It’s always sad when a PWBA season ends, then it’s exciting to prepare for the next one and develop as a player. The next season comes back around so quickly! I thrive off competing, so it’s safe to say I’m looking forward to it.

What preparations have you made in the off season, Outside first arrow by the looks of recent videos, Has this years preparation been easier than last year?

I have focused a lot less on my physical game compared to the years past, this has allowed me to work more on my ball motion and versatility. At the end of every PWBA season, I analyse my strengths and weaknesses, in order to determine the best plan of action for my off season. A couple of the key elements I have worked on are; my launch angle and my speed.

Your progression over the last few PWBA seasons has been fantastic and you have stated in the past that you just want to enjoy the experience. Is this the season we see an almost complete Verity Crawley?

You’ll have to watch and find out!
In all honestly, I would love to say yes. However, I know there will be challenges and I’d be lying if I was to say it’ll be easy. There is so much talent out on the PWBA Tour, we bowl on some hard patterns and sometimes, as a bowler, you just get lost and can’t figure them out. I have the belief that I am prepared and have done all the work in practice, so within myself I feel complete and ready.

As each season comes now, does the types of work you put into your game change to adapt to the times or is everything a slow build up to peak performance?

This goes back to the analysis my strengths and weaknesses. Of course the game is ever changing, however I would say over the last few years it’s certainly been similar. As my weaknesses start to get better, I will find out something else that I struggle with. It will be never ending and I still have to work on my strengths and not lose my ‘a game’.
For me, ball motion will be a constant learning experience. Learning what to do in certain situations, what balls to throw. Figuring out what move to make. In the end, it’s all an educated guess and I am trying to learn as much as I can – to make better educated guesses!

As always, your fans and supporters will be right behind you over the season and beyond. I guess all the online love spurs you on somewhat?

Bowling is really special and I feel like social media has been a tool, to spread the love for bowling. I really appreciate all the support that I get and I love to share the good and the bad. I also have created my own online community that get a behind the scenes look at everything I do, they motivate me to be better!

Finally Verity, We all wish you luck again this season as you edge ever closer to a UK Tenpin Hall of Fame place, If there is one event on tour this season you would really like to win which one is it and why?

Thank you to you and to everyone who has read this.
Can I say all of them? Honestly no, as much as a major such as the USBC Queens would be amazing- I treat every event the same and I am just excited to go out and compete. We will see what happens!

How did you first get into bowling?

I was living in London in the early eighties one drunk evening I stumbled into the bowling alley in North Harrow with a group of friends, from my vague memory there was bowlers on the top deck and others on the lower. The people on the top deck seemed to be striking every throw so I thought I would watch and take what I had witnessed and beat my mates. I was hooked forgive the pun.

Where did it go from there?

I joined a league in North Harrow surrounded by current past and future internationals, I picked up a lot, got a few coaching sessions, went to America did a few courses, improved, moved leagues to Hemel Hempstead joined a team called the Admirals from my very bad memory it was captained by Gary Bulmer, learnt a lot. Great times travelled to competitions made people give me a second look.

From 1998 to 2018 you bowled in eleven Bowling World Cup’s for Northern Ireland and a high of 14th in 2003. Of all of them which stood out for you for either the way you bowled or the location visited?

It has been my privilege and pleasure to bowl all over the world representing Northern Ireland hopefully making other countries take Northern Ireland bowlers seriously, the one World Cup that stands out is the Honduras World Cup 2003, apart from bowling well I had a good run in the top 24 making serious moves to the top 8, during a break I noticed the AMF running around in circles realising that they did not have a Northern Ireland AMF shirt, a small thing but it still makes me smile.

Multiple NI Tour wins over the years and domestically you have always been a strong contender in events but have had success abroad. Do the Commonwealth medals won in Livingstone 2002 and Cyprus 2005 rank up there with your best memories?

My two Commonwealth silver medals stand out but to be very honest I was hanging onto Billy Nimick’s shirt tails for both of them. Another tournament that stands out is the ESBC 2017 in Dublin were I won a Gold in the doubles with Paul McCauley and went on to win the All Events Gold.

An easier question here Kevin would be to ask if there is anything you have not won in Northern Ireland and of all these domestic wins do any stand out for you?

I believe I have won everything in Northern Ireland and the one tournament that stands out is my first Ranking win in Ballymena, being a blow in local who spent a lot of time in there my expectations were high it gave me great satisfaction.

Into the 2000’s and beyond, you are racking up wins and points in the Hall of Fame, did you do additional training before big events during this time and what coaching or help were you now getting as an International bowler?

I am a great believer in coaching, during my early years in Northern Ireland I was coached my Marco Biondi from Scotland and then during my travels to the USA I found a Pro Shop called Buddies Pro Shop in Connecticut with an extremely helpful and knowledgeable operator called Chris Forry, he coached me during my stay allowed me to sub for his team in leagues and gave excellent advice about ball choice and how it is drilled for what I wanted, I continue to ring and seek advice on conditions, ball choices, and how to have it drilled, Donna and I have also had one or two coaching sessions with Bill Hall, quirky but very knowledgeable.

Northern Ireland is not a massive country but you and others have put it on the map over the years. Who would you say have been your toughest opponents in NI Tour events over the years?

As you say Northern Ireland is a small country but we have had and still do many gifted bowlers, during my early years in Northern Ireland I would say Kenny Donnelly was my toughest opponent and as he is a good friend there was an extra edge, then later on a young man called Billy Nimick who would just blow the pins apart very frustrating to bowl against.

Back to the World Cup and in that event it is fair to say you probably bowled with some of the greatest names to ever play the sport. Who did you enjoy sharing blocks and squads with and if you had to name one bowler as the best you ever bowled with, you would it be?

Having bowled in so many World Cups I have competed with so many greats of bowling but the one individual who stands out is Walter Ray Williams he was a gentleman, gifted and natural bowler who never got my dry sense of humour but he remained friendly every time I met him after that.

Looking back at a great career, is there still a drive for more or happy with how your sporting life has been?

My bowling career has lasted over 40 years and it has brought me great happiness and frustration, I am happy with my achievements in bowling, with time catching me up very fast, I am held together patches, tape and straps thus I have become very picky in which tournaments I take part. I remain competitive but I will be bowling for the enjoyment of the sport.

When not always bowling what things do you enjoy doing?

Well Donna would say watching TV, I would say my work, I had 2 years of with ill health (Heart Op) even I got bored with the TV so I went looking for a part time job to keep my brain ticking over and was lucky enough to get a job with the Housing Executive in Housing Benefit working Tuesday/Wednesday and Thursday allowing a long weekends for tournaments. Always thinking.

A question being asked to all seniors is whats the music choices when going to all these places. In your case, with so many World cup visits, what movies do you go for?

My music choices are mid to late 70`s early 80`s, Glam Rock era, The Sweet for example. My movie taste is typical male, Sci Fi the likes of Star Wars, Star Trek and Marvel movies.

Equipment, lane conditions and so much more has changed over the years, If you were to start again as a young man in today’s game, do you think you would do anything differently?

The only thing I would change is start being coached early on in my bowling career and be fussy in who you get to coach you.

You are now the 14th best bowler of all time in the UK. That’s every home nation included. When you read that truth back to yourself, how does it make you feel?

As for being the 14th best bowler of All time in the UK, I feel a great sense of pride in my achievements but there are 13 people ahead of me Hey Ho. Believe it or not bowling brought my relationship to my father much closer, he would stand behind me and watch me compete with a smile on his face, he did not understand the ins and outs of bowling but enjoyed me competing, something he missed in my early years.

Finally Kevin, Bowling has meant a lot to you for a long time now, what is it about the sport you love so much?

I am a very competitive person and as I have got older, I have learnt to set goals that are more realistic. Through bowling, I have made so many good friends with a sense of family within the bowling world and of course the memories.

You are another player like Alan Keddie who has burst onto the senior scene but little information on before 2014. Where did bowling start for you?

Started bowling at Tri City Bowl in broomfield Colorado USA in 1979. Born in Blackheath London, Moved to the US when i was 10 years old.

Did you get any help improving at first or were you mostly self taught?

All self taught

So from 2014 onwards, we have UK Hall of Fame records and the wins starting to come in but what made you lace up in the first place in senior events?

I have been bowling on and off my whole life, started up again at the age of 49 and was bowling in South East Asia before this from about 2002 to 2007 where I was living.

I met Mark Cox at Crawley bowl where he was drilling out my stuff as well as helping me with my game and he suggested at the age of 50 to start bowling some of the tournamants. My first evant was Malta seniors and enjoyed it so much, not just the tournamant but the bowlers there, and got hooked.

Team England singles a Poole win then out to Europe, That went well?

Two wins in Lomme and Nieuwegein. Had three wins in 2016 France Holland and Belgium in the ISBT.

How different is it playing in the UK and in European events?

I think there are just more tournaments over in Europe.

Back to our story and wins in Gibraltar and BTBA Nationals senior singles and all events in 2017. It’s obvious around that you are now a contender in most events. How did you feel about all these wins and your progression and at this point what were the future goals?

Just trying to be a better player.

Let’s talk about Malta now and 2019 you become senior champion then in 2021 you do the double and claim the adult title. That is not an easy thing to do. Does these rank in your top wins so far and what do you like about Malta?

My Mother was half Maltese so been going to Malta since I was very young on a yearly basis, so have a great love for Malta and yes they do rank as my best wins.

Another win in Gibraltar in 2021 with singles and doubles. For those who have not played there, what makes it a great place to visit and bowl?

Alan Keddie got me to play in Gibraltar one year and then I did very well in 2017 and been winning there ever since.

Pandemic kinda put a spanner in the works for many and certainly in bowling, how did you cope with the downtime?

Covid was hard being that everything had stopped, but also helped me recover from an injury in my arm from bowling.

When you are not bowling, what’s the day job to fund your hobby and what other hobbies or interests do you have?

I retired from BMW in 2017 and just over a year ago took up a part time job cleaning windows for some extra cash.

Of all the places visited so far which have been your favourites and are there any locations you still want to visit and bowl at?

Malta is still my Favorite place to visit and bowl

You do not win what you have without facing some formiddable opponents, which bowlers impress you or you know will give you a tough game?

There are so many great bowlers here and abroad. Some of the biggest winners in the ISBT are without doubt Herman Wimmer and Ron Oldfield when he was bowling also hoping he will be back to bowl soon, but have to say Herman the German is still the biggest winner.

How much practice do you do or does most of it come from just playing the events?

I practice at least twice a week and bowl league on Weds and Thursday nights.

Finally Steve, For people coming up to 50, why should they move into seniors or if past bowlers, make a return?

With the senior tour, it’s also a social event. We all have so much fun. Yes of course everybody wants to win. For me, my traveling partner Steve Carnall is also a great bowler and always making the finals.