Bowling News
I was impressed that a bowling club was prepared to take on the vacancy as the home of crown green bowling once the fate of the Waterloo BC at Blackpool had been sealed. Well done to Fleetwood Bowling Club on taking over the responsibility for emulating the Blackpool Waterloo experience and ensuring that the longevity of the prime competitions is preserved for the future.
It made me think about why any club would want to take on that responsibility. I then tried to relate it to where I am now. If my club had been offered and accepted the role of becoming the replacement home for all the highly prestigious Waterloo bowling competitions how would I feel about that as a member.
The Fleetwood Bowling Club has taken on that role and good luck to them in preserving a tradition that deserves to be recognised as one of the longest-running competitions in any sport in this country. But if it had been my club would I really welcome that change? Would it mean that my club wouldn't be able to compete in local leagues and competitions? With the heavy programme of national competitions associated with the Waterloo brand what time would be available to me on my club green.
The Spring, Summer and Autumn national competitions might attract tremendous attention and prestige to my club but on a practical basis would I, as a member get the opportunity to bowl on my home green whenever I feel like it as I have been used to for the past 30-40 years?
Would the club expect me to contribute to the workload of preparing facilities for competitions and then helping run events in some form right through the summer. I wonder how the Fleetwood BC members view this change to their standard practice over the years?
Am I being selfish thinking about myself, about my own game, about my exercise and about good use of my recreation time? I didn't join a bowling club to become a matchday steward overseeing gates of 500+. If the members of Fleetwood BC are firmly behind this change then well done to them and all credit to them for answering the call to resurrect the competitions after the pandemic.
I just wondered how club members have reacted to this new role that the Fleetwood BC has taken on and if it is a long-lasting arrangement. Nothing to do with me of course but I'm just thinking aloud really.
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