Go To TopHome Access Site Map Search Legals Comments Accessibility
Putting sport first

You are in: 

Scottish Bowling Association looks to the future with new strategic plan

Tuesday 18 July 2006

Scotland’s top men’s bowlers, members of the Scottish Bowling Association (SBA) and Julia Bracewell OBE, Chair, sportscotland, took to the bowling greens at the Sighthill Bowling Club in Edinburgh today to officially launch and celebrate the SBA’s new Strategic Plan.

Julia Bracewell OBE, Chair of <b />sport</b>scotland  meets players and members of the Scottish Bowling Association

With over 65,000 members and an extensive network of clubs throughout Scotland, the SBA is one of Scotland’s largest sporting organisations. Outdoor bowls is also one of the most successful sports in Scotland, its athletes having won numerous medals and titles at international level.

Despite such successes, the SBA recognised the need for change to both attract new individuals to the sport and to secure the future of the Association. Over the last 18 months, an SBA project team, in conjunction with sportscotland, has produced a new Strategic Plan (2006-2010) to drive forward the development of bowling in Scotland. The Strategic Plan also signifies a real change for the sport, with the Bowls council of 32 having agreed to scale down to a board of nine directors. This change in governance was an integral part of the Plan.

Attending the photocall at the Sighthill Bowling Club, along with young bowlers from across East Lothian, was ex-world men’s bowls champion W.W. Wood MBE. ‘Willie’ has been playing bowls at the international level for 40 years, has had eight appearances in world championships and competed at seven Commonwealth Games, winning 14 medals in total. Also at Sighthill to celebrate the launch were George Sneddon (Commonwealth gold medallist in the Pairs in 2002), Colin Mitchell, who competed in Triples at Melbourne Commonwealth Games 2006, and Under-25 players Neil Spears (World Cup Singles Champion) and Wayne Hogg (Junior World Cup Singles Champion), both with five international series under their belts.

To coincide with the new Plan a series of road shows for member clubs are taking place this month. Officially launching tonight at Sighthill and with 16 seminar stops across Scotland, from Dumfries to Ayshire and East Lothian, the road shows will highlight the new Strategic Plan and communicate to club members changes to the SBA.

Current goals for the SBA are to increase the number of people playing the game and grow club membership; be more successful in British and international competitions; provide strong leadership and management; generate the finance to grow the game; and raise the profile of bowling and improve the communication at every level within the SBA.

Jim Stewart, President, Scottish Bowling Association, said: “The Strategic Plan is due to the hard work and commitment of the Project Team, over a relatively short period, to produce a working document for all our members that will impact on Scottish Bowling for the foreseeable future. Our thanks also go to sportscotland for assisting the SBA in our goal to drive forward the development of bowling in Scotland.”

Julia Bracewell OBE, Chair, sportscotland, said: “I would like to congratulate the SBA on the launch of its new Strategic Plan. The Association looked to the future and saw the need for change and their hard work to achieve this goal is to be commended. With a clear vision in place, the SBA is well on the way to achieving its new goals.”

  • The SBA Board adopted the new Strategic Plan on 5 April 2006. Outcomes will be delivered by a series of annual business plans.
  • Photocall: Young bowlers in attendance from East Lothian: Callum Logan (16), Broxburn Bowling Club. County Player, Champion and Junior Internationalist; James Barr (12), Stacey Graham (14), Hannah Webb (13). All three are members of the Dean Bowling Club in Edinburgh and are two years into the sport. Stacey Graham was the Club Junior Champion 2004/2005.
  • Remaining road show schedule: 19 July, Ayshire, Preswick Indoor B.C.; 20 July, Glasgow North, Blackhill B.C.; 22 July two stops: Northern and Moray Coast, Alness B.C. and Cullen B.C.; 23 July two stops: Aberdeenshire and Angus/Dundee, Newhills B.C. and Monifieth B.C.; 25 July, Lanarkshire, Colville Park B.C.; 27 July, Dunbartonshire, Dixon B.C.; 28 July, Bute/Cowal/North Ayshire/West Renfrewshire, Grosvenor B.C.; 30 July two stops: Perthshire and Edinburgh/East Lothian, Perth Caledonian B.C. and Prestongrange B.C.
  • In December 2005, Sighthill Bowling Club was awarded a £125,000 sportscotland grant towards building a new clubhouse. An extension to the clubhouse will accommodate new changing rooms and an indoor winter bowls area. Plans for the two-storey extension will also include a greenkeeper’s store, additional toilets, a new committee room, family room and lounge, as well as a coaching and games room. A new entrance will also be created.
  • 25,000 women play outdoor bowls in Scotland. The Scottish Women’s Bowling Association represents female members.
  • Free images to accompany press release are available from Steve Lindridge, Ideal Images. Tel: 01383 741007; Email: steve@idealimages.co.uk
+