BOWL PATROL AWARDS – VIC
By Emily Rennes
Our programs Victoria were only viable in Term 1 due to the impacts of COVID-19, luckily we had a bumper start to the year with ZONE Frankston, ZONE Moorabin and Oz Tenpin Geelong getting programs off the ground in 2020. So our winners in Victoria are…
2020 VIC Lane Ranger of the Year went to Leanne Healey whose infectious love of tenpin bowling was available to the Patrollers who joined the ZONE Bowling Frankston program. With the support of the centre, Leanne promoted the program using flyers, talking to parents and offering ‘come and try’ opportunities. As a result she recruiting a great bunch of Patrollers who were keen to learn. We’re hopeful the program resumes just as strongly in 2021.
2020 VIC Centre of the Year is ZONE Bowling Frankston, staff including local and regional managers were 100% onboard with supporting the Bowl Patrol ambition; to provide children with the opportunity to learn how to bowl. Giving back to their community, the centre invested in promoting the program to recruit a strong registration base for their Term 1 program. In addition, ZONE ensures Patrollers have a pathway beyond learning into a junior league offered on a number of days of the week. Great work!
Whilst we encourage reward and recognition for each child regularly along their ‘learn to bowl’ journey (which will last a lifetime, just ask our ambassador Jason Belmonte!) there are rare opportunities to outshine the others on occasion. Here’s three Bowl Patrollers that were nominated for the 2020 Bowl Patrol Victorian Patroller of the Year…. it’s a very close call, see if you can guess who won!
Nominee 1; Michael Long. This young man was also a league bowler at another centre but wanted to go back to basic to learn new ways. Michael has Autism so each lesson was hard for him but each week he left with a smile and come back the next week with a smile. Michael was ending his delivery with the non-preferred foot so by the second week he had put together finishing on the right foot – something which improved his technique. Michael was a help with the others and supported the other guys to mix-in and make a lot of friends.
Nominee 2; Brodie Male. A very keen young man. Willing to help with the young kids at any time. He had a very high standard with everything he tried, so he had to be reminded that learning bowling technique takes time. With that, he helped out others who were having a hard time too and made a friend in Michael sharing ideas and encouragement.
Nominee 3; Dean Long‘s Lane Ranger noted… “Well, what can l say?! he was one of my younger ones. Never bowled before but wanted to join in to a sport with his brother.” This young man was on the go from the start, so we needed to slow him down a little. He had high targets, to be like all others, to his credit lots of question being asked on a weekly basis. One of the sessions he didn’t get a band, but next week he come in extra focused on getting the band he needed! He again made friends with the young ones and encouraged them on in every way he could displaying sportsmanship beyond his years. For this reason, Dean is Victoria’s Patroller of the Year in 2020.
Congratulations everyone, may have been just one term of Bowl Patrol in Victoria, but clearly had an impact on these young bowlers. Keen to join Victorian Bowl Patrol in 2021? Check out who’s offering a program at www.bowlpatrol.com.au/find-a-program or email [email protected] for specific questions.
