Zone Bowling Noarlunga and Graeme Bennion Recognised in Bowl Patrol Awards

The national winners of Bowl Patrol’s awards were recently presented with the Centre of the Year and Lane Ranger of the Year titles for 2022.

After the announcement earlier this year of the State and Territory winners, the National Centre and Lane Rangers were chosen by an industry panel. The panel carefully considered the nominations, efforts, and accomplishments of the candidates throughout 2022, resulting in the selection of two deserving winners.

Centre of the Year

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Zone Bowling in Noarlunga, South Australia, for being awarded the winners of the Centre of the Year category.

Centre Manager Jarrad Lewis expressed his delight at this recognition.

“We’re grateful for the award, and the efforts TBA go to in helping us develop juniors here in Adelaide. The community values this program and are excited to use sport vouchers making it free for many participants”.

TBA’s CEO, Rohan O’Neill, presented him with the award at the recent National Disability Championship, where Lane Ranger Lyn Alexander, another dedicated ambassador of the Bowl Patrol program, was also in attendance. Jarrad, along with Lyn, has been instrumental in connecting numerous families in the local community to the sport of tenpin bowling by utilizing participants’ Sport Vouchers to cover the full cost of Bowl Patrol registration. Despite experiencing turnover in staff like in other locations across Australia, Jarrad ensures the delivery of high-quality programs by personally completing Lane Ranger training and becoming a Level 1 Tenpin Bowling Coach. He actively encourages every Sporting School and local school visiting the centre to give Bowl Patrol a try. As a result of his efforts, the Junior Leagues at Zone Bowling have experienced exciting growth, securing the future talent of tenpin bowlers in Adelaide.

Lane Ranger of the Year

Lane Rangers play a crucial role in guiding and supporting the young Patrollers, and their ability to cater to specific needs and create a fun environment is highly valued.

Few have excelled in this role more than Queensland’s Graeme Bennion.

Graeme embarked on Lane Ranger training in the early days of Bowl Patrol, before the COVID-19 pandemic when it was conducted face to face. He has been a passionate advocate for the program ever since. By visiting various centres in Queensland’s South East, he actively promotes the numerous benefits the program offers in welcoming juniors to the sport.

“Thanks again for all your help in training me as a lane ranger and being there for me in all the programs as they have come up” said Bennion.

“Through the Bowl Patrol programs the children learn how to become our future bowlers of our sport, and the program also offers the lane rangers joy and smiles on and off the lanes with each child showing different skills shine on each level of the program.

“As a lane ranger and coach, these awards have been a great surprise to me and I thank Bowl Patrol, TBA, and the Bowl Patrol participants for this acknowledgement,” added Bennion.

In 2022, Graeme played a pivotal role in establishing a Bowl Patrol program through a Sporting Schools Club Connect initiative. The students involved were captivated, leading them to participate in subsequent terms and eventually establishing a junior league at Zone Bowling Mount Gravatt.

Graeme’s contributions exemplify the positive impact that Bowl Patrol can have on a centre’s development. Today, Zone Bowling Mt Gravatt’s  Junior League boasts 20 dedicated weekly student bowlers, who eagerly claim their award pins at the earliest opportunity. The centre is thrilled to have young bowlers filling their lanes on Friday afternoons.

The awards were presented by Diversity, Inclusion & Program Manager, Emily Rennes, who commended the efforts of the winners.

“TBA is incredibly proud of Zone Bowling Mt Gravatt and Graeme Bennion. We understand the challenges in encouraging regular sports participation among children, and the impact of Bowl Patrol, facilitated by these Lane Rangers, has led to the growth of strong junior leagues. That’s the future of our sport!”

As part of our Playful Connections strategic pillar, our participation programs strive to engage casual bowlers, particularly children, and encourage them to bowl more frequently. Increasing the participation rate of junior bowlers serves as a key motivation for centres offering “learn to bowl” programs.

If you would like more information about implementing the Bowl Patrol program or any “learn to bowl” opportunities at your centre, please contact TBA’s Participation Manager, Sean O’Kane, at [email protected]

Registrations are now open for Term 3 Programs!

Head to https://bowlpatrol.com.au/find-a-program/ to find the closest program running around your area or contact [email protected] for further information.