2024 Bowls SA Awards Winners Crowned
The 2024 Bowls SA Awards Night took place at the Morphettville Racecourse tonight, with an audience of more than 250 bowlers, sponsors, and honoured guests.
Sandy Wallace was honoured for her contribution to the sport of lawn bowls by being awarded a Bowls SA Life Membership, and Wayne Ruediger, was inducted into the Bowls SA Hall of Fame, recognising his outstanding achievements in the sport.
Recognising the achievements of people from all corners of the sport across South Australia, let’s applaud all the winners who were recognised tonight:
Volunteer of the Year: Ulli Kruse – Kensington Marryatville Bowling Club
Ulli is a volunteer with immense versatility regularly making a colossal effort to improve the Kensington Marryatville Bowling Club where he has been a member for 10 years. In addition to Ulli’s work on the greens, he is involved with design, manufacture, and maintenance of club facilities, overseeing construction projects, and also involved with club apparel, bar work, administrative proposals and team management.
Administrator of the Year: Jo Marslen – Barossa & Light Bowling Association
Jo is the Barossa and Light Association recorder, who creates four Saturday and three mid-week competitions and draws, association championships and the region 8 BMW inter-association tournament. Jo is also the Region 4 event manager and board member, creating the regional championships in BowlsLink. This season Jo created every pennant competition, a total of seven, over Saturday and Thursdays, completed all draws to fit with scheduling and venue capacities in the Barossa and Light Association. She puts in enormous number of hours assisting clubs with draws and monitors rule breaches and implement
Para State Rep of the Year: Chris Flavel – Lockleys Bowling Club
Chris is the most seasoned player in the para team and was able to cash in on individual accolades, winning the B7/8 Singles.
Over 60’s Women’s State Rep of the Year: Beth Quinlan – Ascot Park Bowling Club
This is Beth’s first series as a South Australian, she had a big performance skipping her rink to be the best performed female rink of the Over 60s competition.
Over 60’s Men’s State Rep of the Year: Daryl Steinwedel – Kingscote Bowling Club
Daryl has been an integral part of this side for some time now. This year Daryl started the competition in the third position but not long into their campaign he moved into skippers position where he continued to lead his rink and team.
Women’s State Rep of the Year: Renata Callisto – Goolwa Bowling Club
Renata is the most experienced players in the current state team and currently holds the games played record. She has played through many series around Australia and has proved her worth in the team over and over, and clearly this season was no exception.
Men’s State Rep of the Year: Nathan Black – Holdfast Bay Bowling Club
Nathan is the youngest player in the team and this was his first series skipping a rink. Voted best performed player by his peers Nathan takes the honors this year. This is now the second year in a row that Nathan has won this award.
Under 18 Girl’s Player of the Year: Anda Panchawat – Brighton Bowling Club
Having played bowls for a handful of years now, Anda is one of the brightest future stars in the girls competition. Anda has a textbook delivery and great knowledge of the game.
Under 18 Boy’s Player of the Year: Kobe Jarman – Adelaide Bowling Club
After a recent move to Adelaide Bowling Club, Kobe has excelled at his game. Kobe is a team player, who loves to play the big shots. He has a bright future ahead of him unless his football career takes off.
Women’s Country Carnival Player of the Year: Michelle Barrett and Judy Bell – Kingscote Bowling Club
Travelling to Adelaide via ferry and car Michelle and Judy excelled in this years Women’s Country Carnival. Both ladies played together in the pairs and the fours, winning the pairs and were semi finalists in the fours. A huge effort by both ladies and deserving joint winners.
Men’s Country Carnival Player of the Year: Jono Voigt – Angaston Bowling Club
Jono claimed victory in the singles and the pairs this year which earnt him back to back Player of Year.
Women’s State Event Player of the Year: Karen Gatto – West Lakes Bowling Club
Karen has consistently made state finals over the years and this season has debatably been her most successful season making multiple finals and winning the Champion of Champion Singles. No doubt for Karen this will light a fire in her to continue to strive for success.
Men’s State Event Player of the Year: Craig Mills – Edwardstown Bowling Club
Craig has demonstrated why he is one of the most successful bowlers in SA after collecting multiple gold medals this year adding to his already impressive CV of medals.
Official of the Year: Penny McCarthy – Ardrossan Bowling Club
Penny is an outstanding official in all capacities. As a retired International Technical Official Penny is proficient in all aspects of officiating. She is also a Presenter and Assessor and spends numerous hours educating bowlers to become officials in the Yorke Peninsula Region, Ardrossan being her home club. Penny has been a regular at the Adelaide Masters over many years now and once again this season has given her time, and valuable knowledge and skills over the Easter holidays to help mark and umpire at the event. Her dedication to officiating is highly commendable, and always carried out with ease in her happy and cheerful nature.
Volunteer Green Keeper of the Year: Jack Simmons – Ardrossan Bowling Club
Jack has not only been Ardrossan’s volunteer green keeper for 6 years, and assisted with the greens for 5 years prior, he has also won the club open championship and the President’s trophy, held numerous committee & board positions and officiates as a qualified marker and measurer. Jack dedicates an extraordinary amount of time to the Ardrossan bowling club which is evident by the great condition of the greens.
Jack was the driving force behind the installation of Ardrossan’s recent automatic watering system which now keeps the greens in prime condition with fewer volunteers to assist. Jack often at his own expense, undertakes repairs, constructs clubhouse solutions, and travels long distances to collect equipment. Jack also is encouraging to young students, visitors to the area and towns folk to join in the club activities.
Media Recognition Award: Peter Lawson – Colonel Light Gardens Bowling Club
Peter has actively grown the Colonel Light Gardens social media following, ensures the website is up to date, writes humorous in-depth analysis of the games he’s involved in and was instrumental this year with a successful media release to the Advertiser, which went viral.
Actively engaging with local council and politicians ensures the Colonel Light Gardens Bowling Club keeps a high visibility of bowls in the community to the extent that the Premier of South Australia utilized the club facilities for their campaign to introduce legislation for free travel for seniors.
Small Club of the Year: Wilmington Bowling Club
Recently rejuvenated with new synthetic greens, banks, paving, seating, watering systems and kitchen amenities through fundraising and a huge effort from volunteer members the Wilmington Bowling Club has experienced immense co-operation, team spirit and camaraderie amongst members. Through the club’s strong volunteer-based leadership and drive and with a multi-faceted service delivery the Wilmington Bowling Club continues to attract high numbers of adults and children to pennant matches, tournaments, social bowls, meals and events.
Large Club of the Year: Hawthorn Bowling Club
The Hawthorn Bowling Club has developed a comprehensive strategic and business plan that reflects its mission to provide a premier club for the sport of lawn bowls while fostering friendships, personal growth and community wellbeing, aiming to ensure the vast majority of the club’s 450 members feel they are continuing to achieve in terms of bowling skills, fitness and personal growth, while also feeling a sense of belonging and inclusion within the club community.
This year Hawthorn Bowling Club has undertaken several key projects to improve their infrastructure, has achieved remarkable success on the green with seven pennant premierships, has increased accredited officials by 15%, expanded social programs, supported local charities and demonstrated exceptional financial acumen as well as achieve a 7.5% growth in their membership base.
Community Spirit Award: Wallaroo Bowling Club
In March 2023 Bedford Wallaroo Day Operations approached the Wallaroo Bowling Club for support to offer indoor bowls as part of their activities. After 12 months the program has achieved excellent outcomes.
The challenge was to accommodate the Bedford Wallaroo client’s various disabilities into an activity that would be fun and achieve the objective of exercise and coordination.
The warm reception and support from the team of Wallaroo Bowling Club volunteers has made the experience for participants both purposeful and enjoyable each week, and is one of Bedford Wallaroo’s most popular programs, providing people with limited opportunities from the local community interactions that empower and support them.
Bowls SA extends gratitude to its sponsors and partners for their continuous support of bowls in South Australia.
Additionally, a special thanks to Morphettville Racecourse for hosting the event, and to all who participated.
Read the news article – Bowls SA New Life Member Awarded – Sandy Wallace
Read the news article – Bowls SA Inducts Wayne Reudiger Into Hall of Fame
