Page 9 - Winter 2012

Ladies Success 1:Layout 1 06/01/2013 11:12 Page 1

WHY ARE s omeone somewhere really needs to answer the 9
WHY ARE
question if we are to develop our ladies game
LADIES NOT AS to a higher level. I have asked the success question
LADIES NOT AS
SUCCESSFUL many times without anyone coming up with a real answer,
SUCCESSFUL
AS MEN IN except getting an Ostrich moment. This where many
AS MEN IN
ladies stick their heads in the sand (and their supporters)
SHORT MAT
SHORT MAT getting prickly and defensive but it is a genuine question.
BOWLS? So if they really are good enough, why have Ladies
BOWLS?
never won a major title on their own? In the ESMBA Na-
tional Singles, Bronagh Malone got very close this year
making the National Singles final but from memory, I can-
not remember any other lady making the last 16 let alone
the last 32. The Irish have been going longest with cham-
pionships since the 1960’s and no lady has ever won their
main singles.
I managed to have a very brief chat with Bronagh
during a Devon tournament. She is a PE and Geography
teacher. In sport she played Gaelic Football and ordinary Football (Soccer) and started playing
short mat from her early teens.
In the Pairs its same result never in the final unless accompanied by a man and ditto with
the Triples and Fours. So before anyone writes in a letter of protest, firstly answer the question
I asked. In a sport that is skill based and not strength based, ladies can be just as skilled as
men at the very top, hence my question.
I am certainly not anti-female in any way whatsoever but the moment I raised this question
I was attacked as anti-femaIe. Basically to some it’s a question they don’t want to face, so the
ignorant tell me I’m a chauvinist or anti-ladies but I believe very strongly in a completely open
sport and do not think it should be split in any significant way whatsoever.
When I was England Manager I felt denied that around 50% of the people who play short
mat bowls were effectively not showing through for England selection. I could have taken ladies
as representative tokens but I do not believe in such tokenism.
When we started Short Mat Bowls our very strong ethos and beliefs were based on having
an open sport played equally by everyone. Thus we refused one counties unofficial men only
approach and they accepted we would not take them. When they applied officially they were
open to all. Similarly, one club in the West Midlands was also refused.
Some have suggested we give ladies their own events to keep them happy but to me, giv-
ing ladies separate events is tantamount to saying that they are simply not good enough to
compete with men. However, Short Mat bowls is all about skill and strength doesn’t come into
it, so why are ladies not as successful?
After considering and watch for many years, I believe some or even all of the answer is
down to a state of mind and not being assertive enough. A few ladies are of course but not
many. I didn’t say aggressive I said assertive there is a significant difference between the two
with the latter being a very positive attitude.
Let’s hear you being vocal more often, let’s see you play more assertively. I often quote a
situation I have seen twice in my holiday singles competitions. A lady bowled the final bowl,
came down to the head and said to her opposition “one to you”, the reply came back “are you
sure, wouldn’t you like a measure?”
That most positively would not have happened between two men. So let us try to answer
the question I asked and try to unlock the skills of our many lady players and see them push
their way forward on their own two feet.