Page 3 - Winter 2013

Page 3:Layout 1 09/02/2014 08:48 Page 1

3 COVER PHOTO up I thought it prudent to get was blocked by a number of
This Month’s top the issue out before I got bowls.
cover photo shows buried. All I needed to do was
Later this year I will to get near or nudge the jack
Louise Campbell the have been playing Short Mat over the line and we had
Sales Manager of the Bowls for 30 years, with won. Thus I needed to skim
Galway Bay Hotel pre- some gaps as I stopped the block on the backhand to
senting the sponsorship playing when I managed the come across the mat and of
cheque to Irish Club England team and then went course I duly hit the centre
Competition organiser on to run my Short Mat holi- block! My skip had two
Seamus Kyne. Under- days but I have been in- bowls after me and he didn’t
volved for all of those 30 do it either but my shot has
neath is a general view years and another 45 on out- haunted me for many years.
of the hotel. door Crown Greens. The one I played re-
This was done as a les- After one of my non- cently for Devon was actu-
son to show how to max- bowling gaps I came back to ally my worst ever in playing
imise publicity for a sponsor playing in 2012 but without terms but a National Champi-
and to encourage them to re- any of the form I showed onship was not at stake and
peat their sponsorship - take when I played for England it would not have made a dif-
note please! and I have had to adjust to ference to our match result
It is an example every- being a has been. Such is life with Essex - but it will still
one in our sport should learn but it has not settled well. haunt me for some time and
as it is my experience that It turns out I have what I really felt like giving up
everyone simply takes the appears to be a permanently there and then on the spot.
money (where you can get it) bad shoulder (yet to be diag- The following day as I
and puts no real effort into nosed) but I share such loaded my mats from
promoting their sponsors. problems with very many Cloakham’s “Trippples”
SHORT MAT CHAT bowlers as the years roll by. event I did struggle and it
I managed to get into would have to be my bowling
Can I open my chat by the Devon “A” team at the arm wouldn’t it!
Can I open my chat by
saying a really big and
saying a really big and end of last season (they I shall try an outdoor
huge thanks to everyone were short) and did OK to season of Crown Green
huge thanks to everyone
who added donations to hold my place this season. bowls but if I can’t free the
who added donations to
their renewals, including
their renewals, including In our losing game to shoulder up then I will go
some astonishing ones! Essex in the County prelims back into short mat retire-
some astonishing ones!
Every now and again I in January, I played the sec- ment except of course for
get somewhat down about ond worse bowl I have ever the magazine and the short
the magazine faced with the delivered in those 30 years; mat holidays I organise.
apathy of the National Gov- it was appallingly bad be- At least I know I share
erning bodies, who seem to lieve me. my aches and pains with
care little or nothing about The following day I was many other bowlers who
publicity and this applies to in agony with the shoulder have both new and old hips
a huge number of clubs and and Arthritis is a possibility and knees etc. etc. etc.!
individuals as well. but no excuses, on the day I IMPORTANT NOTE: This
IMPORTANT NOTE: This
Yet the donations you didn’t feel anything. issue has also been
issue has also been a a
make lift my spirits about the So you may ask my catch up with things on
catch up with things on
future of the magazine, de- worst shot ever? I had a shot hold or I admit I may have
hold or I admit I may have
spite my struggles to get it to win the National fours previously overlooked.
previously overlooked. If If
out - THANKS! some years ago. The jack I’ve missed something, of
I’ve missed something, of
Yep, I know this issue was on the forehand side of yours please let me know.
yours please let me know.
follows on reasonably soon the mat, just short of and Weaf
after the last but with a very close to the ditch line.
hugely busy March coming However, access on that side