Australia Day award for Marion RSL
The Marion RSL Bowling Club received a prestigious award at the City of Marion Council’s Australia Day celebrations earlier this week.
The club won the 2021 Sports Team of the Year Award, with President Martin Clark on hand to accept the honour.
Mr Clark said he was “quite surprised” when the winner of the award was announced.
“We were very pleased just to be nominated,” he said.
“I stood on the stage with a certificate, thinking that was all I would have to do, then they read the club’s name out as the winner.
“I was a little bit speechless for a moment and then the Mayor said I had to say something.
“I spoke for about five minutes and thanked everyone involved with the club and all of the new citizens.”
Mr Clark said it was a proud moment for the club to be recognised with the award.
“It is a great honour from a smaller club’s perspective,” he said.
“We are one of the smallest clubs in South Australia, not only in the metropolitan area, but the whole state.”
Mr Clark highlighted some of the reasons that he believes make his club stand out.
“I think the main thing we have done as a club is embrace the community and we have got a slightly bigger membership than what we had 12 months ago, which is a good thing,” he said.
“We call ourselves the happy club or the retirement village because most of us are senior citizens.
“Funnily enough this year though we have got two teenagers bowling for us, which is excellent and is a starting point for them.
“They are 13 and 14 and have got a bit of potential.
“We have also embraced the country championships and put in a request to hold some singles matches.
“It is another spoke in the wheel of improvement and we hope the players from the country enjoy our facilities.”
Mr Clark emphasised that it is a group effort to keep the club up and running and he thanked everyone involved.
“Its not one person, it is a committee and all the members,” he said.
“Everyone helps out however and whenever they can.
“Even though we are part of the RSL, the bowling club is slightly independent, but we work really well together.”
