Veterans League News
From Bill Blackburn
Lindley BC member and former Yorkshire and Huddersfield committee man and competition secretary for both the Veterans and Saturday leagues.
The search for Committee and Officials at our clubs and various leagues is nothing new. But the Huddersfield Veterans league, one of the most successful and probably one of the largest in Yorkshire is in dire need of both committee men and officials.
Both the president and vice-president have intimated they no longer wish to serve another term and the competition secretary is also retiring from his post. There are also vacancies on the committee.
Not many years ago the league allowed players who had reached the age of 60 to be able to bowl in the veteran’s league (previously 65), one of the reasons given was that many men were now retiring early and many were working part-time only.
It was very noticeable at the half-yearly meeting at Paddock that the vast majority of delegates present were in their seventies and eighties. Where are all these younger bowlers who wished to bowl in the veteran’s league because they had spare time on their hands? It is high time that some of these ‘younger’ bowlers put a bit back into the game they play and enjoy.
Bill Blackburn October 2021
If you would like to add to Bill's plea or make a fresh plea on any topic bowling-related then we would be really pleased to hear from you. Maybe you have an opinion on why it is such a problem to recruit people to run local leagues. Just use the form below to get your views in print or alternatively email us at jefftheref2000@yahoo.co.uk.
I fully agree with Bill. We now live in a world where bowlers will turn up to play but will not do anything for their Club no matter how small
The attitude of some is ‘ get someone in to do the work and pay them and if that results in subs going up then that’s ok’. Clearly these bowlers can afford the increase - some may not.
I find this attitude very selfish as thinking more widely and using Lindley BC. as an example where our subs are higher than many at £45 , then the Club will find it harder to compete with local Clubs in attracting new members - in our case Lindley Libs.
Further down the…