
Tenpin Bowling Australia (TBA) is pleased to share exciting opportunities to pass the skill of tenpin bowling on to others. In addition to a range of free online learning opportunities, we are also encouraging coaches to work with their local centre to offer learn to bowl programs including Bowl Patrol, Bowl Abilities and Sporting Schools.
As well as these paid coaching programs, eligible Victorian coaches can apply for funding from Special Olympics Australia (SOA)’s Victorian office, to develop existing accredited coaches and trainee coaches who have autism or disability. The funding will provide support to interested coaches with the potential to expand their coaching knowledge and also grow the network of coaching staff around the country.
The capacity of the SOA funding will allow coaching and development initiatives such as:
- Practical (sessions, one on one, Bowl Patrol, Bowl Abilities, events)
- Online Training (Level 1, Lane Ranger, Sport AUS)
- Equipment (ramps, handle balls, support aids)
- Costs (linage in centre/lane hire, let us know what else!)

The training opportunities, many of them free, include access to several courses relevant to tenpin bowling such as:
- Our learn to bowl programs Bowl Patrol (kids) or Bowl Abilities (adults)
- The ‘coach’ element of this is called a ‘Lane Ranger’ training is mostly online but would be supported by a coach in-centre, utilising the sessions plans and carpet lanes that support this program. A paid position once training and checks are complete. Great for schools and all abilities, register and start your training here: www.bowlpatrol.com.au/lane-rangers or www.bowlabilities.com.au/lane-rangers
- Tenpin Bowling Australia’s Level 1 Coach
- This is probably more challenging than the above, but utilises the USBC learning alongside a range of other coach development units. A very affordable online course where you can learn at your own pace, read more about it here: https://www.tenpin.org.au/accreditation/coach/level-1
- Any of Special Olympics Australia’s online courses
- These are really great, including an ‘Intro to Autism’ and ‘Including People with Intellectual Disability’ in sport, see more at their Inclusive Sport Academy https://www.specialolympics.com.au/inclusive-sport-academy
- Any of Sport Australia’s Coach courses
- These are generic ‘coaching’ courses, so not specifically tenpin, but still very good: https://www.sportaus.gov.au/coaching
If you have any issues accessing these please let us know. If your local centre is happy to offer Bowl Patrol or Bowl Abilities – we can advertise your program online and support with promotion and recruitment. Our online registration systems capture participants enabling the coach to focus on delivering a high quality learning experience.
For Victorian coaches/trainee coaches wanting to take advantage of the fantastic opportunity from our friends at Special Olympics Victoria; send your mentor and trainee coaches names, along with what they want to complete and when, BEFORE the end of June to [email protected]
