Victorians clean up at the 2019 Hall of Fame & Awards Night.
Wednesday evening saw Bowls Australia and Tweed Heads Bowling Club hosting the National 2019 Hall of Fame & Awards Night.
It was a stellar night for Victorians, winning almost every category each nominee was nominated in. The exceptions being Melbourne Bowling Club’s Barrie Lester narrowly missing out to Queensland’s Aron Sherriff for the Sport Australia International Bowler of the Year and Victorian Under-18 State Coach Matthew Flapper, runner-up to Alan Thorp of Bowls Queensland for the City of Gold Coast Coach of the Year.
Left to Right: Rhonda Edwards, Josh Barry, BV President Barbara Gilbert, Matt Flapper, Jarrd Davies, Neil Smilie and BV CEO Tony Sherwill.
Photo courtesy of Bowls Australia.
Essendon Bowls Club’s Jarryd Davies and recent former Ocean Grove Bowling Club’s Kira Bourke secured the BCiB Insurance Boys’ and Girl’s Under-18 Bowler of the Year.
Davies had an amazing 12 months, winning the Men’s Pairs Championship with Cooper Wescombe at the 2018 Victorian Open and earning the coveted Vic Medal. His charge didn’t finish there as he traveled to the Gold Coast to become the 2019 Australian Open Under-18 Singles Champion in June. Meanwhile Kira Bourke won her second successive singles title at the Australian Under-18 Championships and became the Girl’s Under-18 Champion at the Australian Open.
Deer Park Bowling Club’s and Disability Pairs and Fours State Champion Josh Barry won the Bolton Clarke Bowler with a Disability of the Year after a fantastic 2019 MultiBowl where he won every discipline.
Neil Smilie was recognised as the BLK Official of the Year, contributing to the latest edition of the Laws of the Sport, Crystal Mark 3rd Edition, Version 3.1, April 2019 and honouring his 35 years of officiating.
2018 Victorian Volunteer of the Year and 2018 Women’s Sports Awards recipient Rhonda Edwards of Werribee Bowls Club took her achievements nationally after becoming the Australian MakMax Volunteer of the Year.
Don Sherman of South Bendigo Bowling Club was posthumously inducted into the Bowls Australia Hall of Fame.
Don Sherman:
- 58 international appearances from 1982 to 1985
- Victorian representative on more than 300 occasions
- Trans-Tasman Test, World Bowls Championships and Asia Pacific Championships representative
- First ever Commonwealth Games Gold medalist as a part of the Men’s Fours in 1982 on debut
- National Coach 1996 to 1999
Last but certainly not least, Norma Massey OAM and John Dobbie AM were posthumously inducted as Legends of the sport after being included in the inaugural Hall of Fame in 2011.
Norma Massey OAM:
- Member of inaugural Women’s Australian Representative Team
- Australian Representative on 101 occasions
- World Bowls Championships Representative – 1969, 1977, 1985
- National Fours Champion – 1969
- National Singles Silver Medalist – 1973
- Victorian State Representative for 34 years, 31 year consecutive.
- Order of Australia – 2007.
John Dobbie AM
- Life Member World Bowls Board & Australian Bowls Council
- Hon. Secretary/Treasurer Australian Bowls Council
- Life Member Royal Victorian Bowls Association
- Royal Victorian Bowls Association Secretary for 21 years
- Australian & Victorian Representative Player
- World Bowls & Commonwealth Games Gold/Silver Medals
- Australian Medal for Service to Bowls
