Publication:Navy Annual 2005/Navy Bowled Over
BY WARRANT OFFICER DAVE ADAMS
The Royal Australian Navy Lawn Bowling Association (RANLBA) had one of its most successful years for quite a long time. When we were initially offered support from the Royal Australian Navy Central Canteens Fund (RANCCF) eighteen months ago, we formed the RANLBA in its present make up. Having suffered big defeats in the Nationals at Brisbane the previous year, we decided that a huge internal recruiting campaign was required if we were ever to win the National Championships.
We began by firstly raising the profile of Navy Lawn Bowls; purchasing shirts that were easily identified as RAN Lawn Bowls shirts and recruiting more players to the game. We have been very successful in both areas having more players and a better uniform than the other two Services at this year's Nationals!
The season commenced in April 2005 with the RANLBA Singles and Doubles championships conducted in Sydney at the Rosehill Bowling and Recreation Club. This turned out to be a wonderful event, although the numbers were a little less than expected. Leading Seaman O'Dea won the singles and PO Black and CPO Marychurch combined to win the doubles. Rosehill was a great venue, and it is intended to use this facility for the RAN championships again next year.
A Navy team comprising Chief Petty Officer Wade Vidulich, CPO Coulsen and PO Argent ventured out to Hillston in Central NSW during the ANZAC long weekend. They competed in the annual invitation (three bowls triples) tournament. They won four of their six qualifying games losing the other two by one and three, finishing in seventh place out of 28 teams.
The Inter-service series in all States and Territories were very successful. Navy won in Western Australia, the Australian Capital territory (ACT) and New South Wales (for the first time since 1993).
In the ACT, the Combined Services Selectors awarded PO Gallon Services best player and CPO Lamont best Navy lead and RAN Most Valuable Player (MVP). PO Gallon was awarded RAN MVP by RANLBA. NSW RAN, was awarded to LEUT DeLooze, RAN.
The Nationals in Brisbane from 12th -16th September 2005 showed that all the efforts of the RANLBA had paid off. Whilst Navy still finished last overall, the improvement from last year was sensational. On the first day of competition against the RAAF, Navy didn't quite get their combinations right and went down by 21. The following day Army beat RAAF by 31 and so was feeling quite confident against Navy. With a few strategic team changes, Navy came out full of fire and at one stage actually had the 24 lead they required to win the series. Army steadied and came home stronger than Navy to win by two. Whilst disappointing, this was a huge improvement on last year's effort when Navy lost by more than 60 in both games.
LS Lancaster was awarded services best player by the Australian Services Bowling Association (ASBA), a huge award considering the competition. PO Black won RAN MVP, CPO Brennan RAN picked up the Most Improved, and AB Smith and AB Bell shared Navy's Best First Year Player.
The support provided by the RANCCF is very much appreciated and along with a magnificent effort by the RANLBA has been the main reason why Navy Lawn Bowls has come of age.
