Our club has had considerable success in promoting Youth Bowls within the local community dating back to small beginnings in the late 1980’s. With the establishment of the Youth Bowls Academy in 1999 more regular links with the two local colleges were established. Enthusiastic Physical Education staff, especially Sheona Hogg and Brian Paquin from Horowhenua College and Jim Buchanan from Waiopehu College, saw the possibilities of introducing their students to a new sport and later students were able to gain N.C.E.A credits from skills-based programmes, Club members such as David Lowndes and Ian Wenham were always keen to help the students and in addition Barry Cross and others ran evening bowls programmes on Moday nights under lights.
Students from nearby Horowhenua College have been particularly keen to take part in events organized for them at a regional or national level. From 1999 to 2007 there were a number of notable performances at the national secondary schools championships:
1999 Corey Bruhns and Michael Maney were runners-up in the Boy’s Pairs
2002 Graeme Ritchie and David Farmer were semi-finalists in the Boy’s Pairs
2003 Chantel Lyons and Kathryn Ritchie were 3rd in the Girl’s Pairs
2004 Margaret Burns was the Girl’s Singles plate winner
2007 Jesse-Ana Harris and Laura Playford were the winners of the Girl’s Pairs.
Since that time there has been less enthusiasm in the Kapiti Coast Centre to promote bowls as a sport for students and we have had few students go on to compete at a national level though the contact with the local colleges remains quite strong. It is a reflection on the nature of our local community that most school leavers have to leave the district to study or find employment so the immediate spinoff in terms of gaining club members is very slight. Over the past two years Barry Cross has also run skills sessions for students of intermediate school age.
Horowhenua College bowlers (from L to R) Thomas Watson,
Graeme Ritchie and David Farmer with Neville Turnbull and
the college Principal Brenda Burns and Vice Principal
Murray Lucas in 2002.
Horowhenua College teachers Ken Hayward and Barry Cross with
student bowlers Thomas Watson, Graeme Ritchie and David Farmer.
Jesse-Ana Harris and Laura Playford winners of the national
secondary schools Girl’s Pairs title in 2007.