BOWLS NSW has opened membership to women bowlers.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Termed Open Gender Registration, it means women can now play in men's pennants (as well as their own) and in the men's club championships (as well as their own).
Zone 11 (formerly Manning Bowling Association) secretary Bruce Elliott understands three women have joined the men's clubs in this area. One is Tuncurry Beach's Sarah Boddington, who has played more than 100 matches for NSW. Boddington's Tuncurry Beach club-mate Sadie Dunn is thought to also have signed on.
"It is different in Sydney where at least two clubs have registered en-masse their women bowlers," Mr Elliott said.
Mr Elliott explained the rationale for the change is to help boost the membership numbers in smaller clubs.
"This will aid them in fielding pennant sides and will also increase the men's club memberships,'' he said.
"However, unless it changes, women can play either/or in championships. For example a female registered with Bowls NSW and Women's Bowls NSW cannot play in the equivalent discipline open championship and females only championship.
"Regarding representative selection, I believe there is a grey area when considering the 2020 conditions of play and the advice that Bowls NSW will not be selecting female representative sides. I presume that the BNSW match committee will address this apparent conflict."
Mr Elliott said the reaction from Zone 11 clubs to the change has been mixed.
"It will mean clubs will have to change their constitution/by laws to include female bowlers, not only to play but also to be eligible to be elected to the committees,'' he said.
Meanwhile at this stage it appears there will be no No. 1 pennant sides playing out of Zone 11 in 2020. Mr Elliott said the zone powerhouse, Tuncurry Beach, will not be entering the Northern Conference No 1 competition. Clubs from Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour make up the conference.
"Tuncurry Beach has indicated it won't be playing No. 1 pennants. Unless there's a change of mind by January when the nominations close, it would mean we won't have a No. 1 pennant team from this area,'' Mr Elliott said.
