News - Berkhamsted Bowls Club

We have just heard from Bowls England that Berkhamsted are the National East Region winners for the second year running in the National Club of the Year Competition. Along with the the other three regional winners we will now be visited by Alistair Hollis from Bowls England on Monday 23rd September to decide who will be named the top Club for 2013.

Update Mon Sept 23rd: Alistair visited our Club today meeting several members including two of our Juniors Jak and David who were given permission by Ashlyns School to come and chat with Alistair in their lunch break. He asked them several questions about their two years at the Club and for their views on Junior interest in the game. He toured the facilities taking photos and even rolling a few woods just to keep his hand in (see photo below).

We are absolutely delighted to be in the running once again and hope we can go one step further than last year when we were named National Runners Up.

Here is some extra information as reported on the Bowls England website:

Bowls England is delighted to announce the regional winners in the 2013 Club of the Year competition, organised in partnership with Drakes Pride.

The winners are:

North: West Bridgford BC, Nottinghamshire South: Oakley BC, Hampshire East: Berkhamsted BC, Hertfordshire West: Ledbury BC, Herefordshire

Each regional winner will receive two sets of Drakes Pride bowls, £50 cash and a framed certificate.

The four Regional Winners now form the final shortlist from which the overall winner will be selected, whose total prize will include £250, four sets of Drakes Pride bowls, the Tony Allcock Trophy (to be kept for one year), a badge for each club member and a match against a visiting Bowls England President’s Team in 2014.

Tony Allcock MBE, Chief Executive of Bowls England, said: “The standard and number of entries was exceptional this year, but these four clubs each stood out within their area for the work they are doing to promote the sport of bowls within their local area and increase membership. I am sure the judging panel will face a tough job in determining the overall winner.”

Ladies Pairs

JANICE MURGATROYD LESLEY BROWN 17 ANNE FURLONG JACKIE CORMACK 21

Mens Pairs

KEVIN CLARKE DAVID BROWN 21 STEVE BURRELL WALLY DUNN 10

Veterans

ALICE BIGGS 2 v JOHN WEBB 21

Seniors

MARY CLARKE 21 JEFF CAWLEY 5

Under 19 Singles

DAVID SCOOT 21 CHRISTOPHER WEBB 11

Mens 2 Wood Singles

KEVIN CLARKE 15 DAVID BROWN 10

Ladies Singles

MARY MILLAR 21 CAROLE DUNN 19

Pedlow

ELIZABETH BAKER DAVID BROWN 15 MARION MAYNARD JEFF CAWLEY 1

SUNDAY

Ladies 2 Wood Singles

JANICE MURGATROYD 18 CAROLE DUNN 6

Novices Singles

BRIAN RALPHS 21 ALAN JONES 13

Handicap Singles

JOHN WEBB 7 KEVIN CLARKE 21

Mixed Pairs

LESLEY BROWN DAVID BROWN 17 JUDY KENYON TERRY KENYON 21

Mixed Handicap Triples

ERIC LLOYD ERIC BROWITT JACKIE CORMACK 21 LIZ BAKER PETE BATCHELOR KEN MAYNARD 18

Highland Trophy Singles

JEFF CAWLEY 16 JAK CHOWDHARY 21

Mixed Handicap Fours

MARION MAYNARD ANNE CUTTING JACKIE CORMACK BRIAN SMITH 15 LIZ BAKER BILL SHARPLING DAVE BIGGERSTAFF TERRY KENYON 21

Mens Singles

DAVID BROWN 13 STEVE BURRELL 21

Saturday morning saw the Ladies Pairs contested by Janice Murgatroyd and Lesley Brown versus Anne Furlong and Jackie Cormack; Anne and Jackie were the successful pairing. The Men’s pairs was played out between Kevin Clarke and David Brown versus Steve Burrell and Wally Dunn; Kevin and David came good. Veterans Alice Biggs and John Webb vied for this trophy with John becoming the successful player. In the Senior section Competition Mary Clarke was pitted against Jeff Cawley with Mary overpowering her male opponent. In the U19’s Singles David Scoot beat his counterpart Chris Webb. In the Afternoon session three more trophies were contested the first by Kevin Clarke this time beating his pairs partner David Brown in the Men’s two wood singles, Mary Millar challenged Carole Dunn in the Ladies Singles and came out victorious whilst Elizabeth Baker and David Brown ousted Marion Maynard and Jeff Cawley in the Pedlow Trophy.

Sunday morning saw the Ladies Two wood Singles competed for by Janice Murgatroyd and Carole Dunn – who had to concede that she had been beaten by the better player; The Mixed pairing of Lesley and David Brown versus Judy and Terry Kenyon provided family rivalry with the Kenyon’s coming back to overtake and successfully beat the Browns. In the Novices Singles it was first time nerves for both players but Brian Ralphs managed to control his better than Alan Jones who was beaten fair and square. In the Handicapped Singles Kevin Clarke picked up his third trophy of the weekend by beating John Webb. The Mixed Handicapped Triples saw Eric Lloyd, Eric Browitt and Jackie Cormack overcome Elizabeth Baker, Pete Batchelor and Kenneth Maynard but not until it had gone right to the wire and needed and extra end to decide the winners. The Mixed Handicapped Fours had Marion Maynard, Anne Cutting, Jackie Cormack and Brian Smith competing against Elizabeth Baker, Bill Sharpling, Dave Biggerstaff and Terry Kenyon the later foursome becoming the winners. Next up was the Men’s Singles and this was between David Brown and Steve Burrell with Steve toughing it out to become Men’s Champion. The final competition to be contested was the “The Highland Trophy” played for in Memory of Colin Cormack it gives all the first round losers of the Ladies and Men’s singles competition a second chance – Jeff Cawley and Jak Chowdhary were the finalists this year and it was the U19 player Jak who overcame the more experienced player to win his first senior trophy, I must add that Jeff was not the only senior player to be beaten by Jak in this competition.

Press Report supplied by Alan Jones

PLEASE SEE OUR FACEBOOK PAGE TO VIEW ALL THE FINALS WEEKEND PHOTOS

We would like to thank all our members who attended the OPEN FORUM EVENING down at the clubhouse on FRIDAY 16th AUGUST. Approx fifty members enjoyed a two hour debate on a range of subjects including Finals weekend, Presentation night, Green & surrounds, Club competitions, our website, Finance inc fundraising and an open Q & A session at the end.

A big thankyou to our catering team of Jacky Woodhead and Linda (Mac’s partner) for speedily feeding us all in our thirty minute interval.

We hope the evening was informative, interesting and enjoyable especially for the newer members whose contributions were greatly appreciated. Having this forum will help our Committee shape their decision making for the benefit of all its members and sincerely hope its something that can be held every year in mid season for the forseeable future..

Kevin and Alan are pleased to announce that coaching will be availbale every Friday from now to the end of the seson to any member who wants it. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced member seeking improvement we will be pleased to help in anyway we can. We will look at your technique, show practice exercises, discuss tactics and also cover rules and etiquette if so desired.

These sessions will be avaibale from 4pm each Friday and carry on through club night roll ups if the rinks and demand is there.

We are also looking for assistant coaches to help us with future sessions so if you are interested please tell Kevin or Alan who then hope to run a short course for all applicants based on their County training.

The Executive Committee have been considering changes to Competition formats over recent years and has now agreed to implement changes from 2014 Season. Some of these changes have been made possible with Bowls England starting its Championships a week later.

From 2014, ALL Competitions, Men’s and Ladies will be on Fixed Dates with ALL National Competitions now played in ‘Block Format’ right through to semi final stages. This will give the finalists of the Triples and Fours the opportunity to book accommodation at Leamington Spa much earlier than normal. County Competitions remain in the format of one round per week (see details below). All rounds up to and including the 5th Rounds will be played on a Home Draw basis. No Neutral Greens for the men.

National Championship Quarter Finals & Semi Finals for each competition will take place in the evenings on the dates allocated on nominated greens. For the semi finals both genders will play on the same green. County Competitions will take place on dates specified.

The County Finals Day will be on Sunday 27th July 2014 and ALL National Competition Finals, Men and Ladies, along with the Men’s County Competitions will be played. The Ladies will retain their Mini Finals Day for their County Competitions. This will take place on Thursday 21st August.

The only competition not shown in these Provisional Dates is the Ladies Top Club as we do not yet know the Bowls England Round Dates. These will be added once we know these.

Next years proposed dates for each round are pinned on the notice board down at the club and will be sent to all members who are on email by Lesley Brown