Connecting Students to Bowling Centres
By Emily Rennes
Tenpin Bowling Australia (TBA) is driving the connection of school participants to the sport through Sport Australia’s Sporting School initiative.
By now we’re fairly familiar with Sport Australia’s Sporting Schools initiative, where thousands of Australian students have enjoyed learning to bowl in school or in their local centre. Sporting Schools has recently introduced a new Find a Club initiative, that will help students and their families find their local centres, leagues and programs.
“Growing the sport of tenpin bowling here in Australia is vital for the sport’s future and with learn to bowl programs like Bowl Patrol, an influx of juniors is already well on their way,” stated Emily Rennes, Sport Development & Programs Manager for TBA.
“While Sporting Schools can help deliver students into centres, it’s development programs like Bowl Patrol that offer pathways into league and a lifelong love of the sport.”
A key outcome from a recent in-depth external review of the TBA Sporting Schools initiative was a need to continue to drive the next generation of tenpin bowlers to local centres across the country. Sporting Schools ‘Find a Club’ initiative pleasingly aligns with TBA’s focus for this to occur.
“Having learn to bowl opportunities with Sporting Schools funding, sports are encouraged to ensure students and their parents know ‘what’s next’ on the tenpin bowling journey. We have been delivering this message and where practical, ensuring the school has a minimum one week of a four-week program in the local centre” explained Rennes.
“From the participants perspective, the opportunity to spend at least one week learning to bowl at a TBA registered centre is exciting. We are the only sport that can provide the fun and excitement of a trip to the local centre with the lights, sounds, digital displays and fun of bowling!”.
The ‘Find a Club’ initiative provides the ability for participants to browse registered TBA centres within their local area offering opportunities for students to consider in extending their bowling pathway journey.
Of course, the concern for many parents in signing their kids up to after-school sport is, “how will we afford it?!”. For the first time, every state and territory (except ACT) will offer sport vouchers from Term 2 2021. With Victoria’s Get Active program the most recent to join the other states, the cost of bowling is no longer a barrier for many participants.
With Bowl Patrol just $99 the first time and $79 thereafter, our students-come-Patrollers will be ready for your junior leagues in no time. Tenpin Bowling Australia’s Junior Membership is just $27 online, meaning the remaining voucher value could go towards the cost of bowling league, uniform or in some states, equipment.
Check details in your state/territory for more sport voucher information and visit the Sporting Schools Find a Club page for more details. https://www.sportaus.gov.au/schools/find-a-club
