Murrayville bowlers racking up the kilometres
The 2020/21 season has been a different one for the Murrayville Bowling Club, who are based in Victoria but play in a South Australian competition.
Border restrictions have seen the Murrayville bowlers getting COVID tests each week and travelling into South Australia to play all matches so far this season, with their home games being played at Parilla and Pinnaroo.
Thankfully with border restrictions between South Australia and Victoria recently being eased, this has made things slightly simpler for the Murrayville contingent involved with the Southern Mallee Bowls Association.
“The border is open now, so we can come over without needing a COVID test,” said club secretary Kevin Willersdorf.
“We still need our permit number.
“We all have our numbers for when you need to cross and you get stopped at the border, but there are no restrictions.
“It is easier than it was for a while there.
“Except for having to have a COVID test, you only had to give a reason, like if you had a business, or if you needed to go shopping or get fuel.”
Kevin said not being able to host home games has been the toughest part of this season to date.
“Not having any home games has been our biggest issue,” he said.
“The biggest for the club issue has been financially and not having the home games with the bar, because you can make anywhere from $800 to $1000 when you have a normal home game.
“We have had no bowls in Murrayville at all so far this season.
“We have been playing our home games at Pinnaroo and Parilla and we are very thankful to those clubs for letting us use their greens and facilities.
“If we hadn’t been able to sue their greens, we wouldn’t have been able to play.
“The association has been very supportive and all the teams have been great as they always are.
“We are a very tight-knit group up here and everyone has done their bit to help out and keep bowls going.”
Kevin is thankful he and his fellow club members have been able to play their favourite game amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have had practices and we have done all the right things with restrictions and we have our COVID plan,” he said.
“We have been making sure of our social distancing and we have still been getting 16 or 20 to come and have a roll.
“We have got a lot of older bowlers in their 60s and 70s, so it has given them a reason to get out of the house.
“Over winter there was no sport at all, so a lot of people didn’t go anywhere, they just stayed at home.
“Once we could start practicing bowls, people were coming out and you could have a beer and a chat.”
Murrayville are set to host Geranium at home next Saturday at Murrayville.
