TWO SETS OF THREE .....
Response Number 1 :Posted by Paul Bailey Friday, March 22, 2002 at 07:07:27 (EST):
Hi.
During the early 1990's my old club had my father, myself and my son who was aged 11 at the time playing in the same team.
Things have now moved on - alas my Dad's no longer with us but at my latest club we've a father and son duo who's grandfather still plays with them indoors - he's a member elsewhere during the summer months.
It's sad really that the game's still regarded as an "old man's sport" 'cause without youth it will surely perish.
Thankfully TV is helping to redress this image - but our club though
still very successful has an average age of 60 plus.
Hopefully we'll attract youth back once prizemonies and a more glamorous image through TV (without the pyjamas though) gets out to the masses.
Good luck and good bowling to all.
Response Number 2 :Posted by David McGill Friday, March 22, 2002 at 13:04:10 (EST):
Paul, the salvation of the game cannot lie with television. After 20 years of regular televised bowls we have seen a dramatic reduction in the numbers playing the game worldwide. It has to begin with ordinary bowlers at club level telling their elected representatives what they want eg the creation of a better public image through such things as coloured dress and the 'branding' of bowls both nationally and at club level.
The creation of Club 9-90 as the new worldwide mmarketting strategy and the national Bowls Parnership schemes such as Bowls England, Bowls Scotland, etc are already beginning to have effect much-needed change.