President’s Report 2023
It is with great pleasure that I present my eighth President’s Report to you. A number of innovations introduced by the Board for 2022-23 have proved to be actions that have resulted in benefits to our affiliated clubs, and it is hoped that the initiatives put in place will continue to accrue positive outcomes in future years.
The introduction of a fixed once-only affiliation fee has achieved the aims that were considered to flow from this major change in the annual fees paid by clubs to the Association, the most important of which has been the ability of clubs to introduce their social/barefoot bowlers to pennant competition, as a precursor to becoming full playing members. A total of 83 social/barefooters participated in the “Social 5 game” pennant initiative, with a number transferring to a full playing membership. This has resulted in an actual increase in total playing numbers for the first time in many years, and it is hoped that this trend will continue in future years. Clubs’ willingness to make use of the “Social 5 game” option has encouraged the Board to continue with the initiative into the future, as it provides potential pennant players with the ability to a “taster’ pennant experience at minimal cost.
No club or association should build on its surplus funds year on year without there being some plan for their use, and this has been the case with Bowls Tasmania South, with $22,500 distributed to clubs during the season to support successful grant applications. The Board’s decision to provide clubs with access to two separate grants, funded from the Association’s reserves, one with a goal to increase player participation and the other the creation of club-based junior programs, has encouraged clubs to be proactive in the development of programs and activities to gain access to the grant monies, with every grant submission received being successful.
Actions have been taken by the Board to restructure tribunal and appeals procedures to ensure that the Board has no role in either of these important functions. It is inappropriate for the rules setting body, in this case the Board of Bowls Tasmania South, to also adjudicate on matters relating to those same rules. During the season, matters requiring a judiciary procedure were referred to an independent panel and, where there was an appeal against the decision of the tribunal panel, an independent appeals panel was formed. In all cases, the independent tribunal panels and appeals committees conducted their deliberations in a professional manner devoid of any interference from the Board. I thank all members who have made themselves available to participate in these important functions on behalf of the Association.
The bowls season is becoming increasingly congested with pennant competitions, BTS championship events, Bowls Tasmania Gala weeks, and Statewide Challenge events crowding the calendar. Allied to this is an increasing push back from players about the length of the season, and a growing desire for changes to the structure of BTS pennant competitions. At the BTS Delegates meeting in March, club delegates gave in-principle support for the establishment of a Pennant Review Working Group, consisting of representatives from a number of clubs, to investigate alternatives to the current pennant setup in the South. This will be a club-led process with the Board remaining at arms-length from the discussions. It is hoped that the Board will be swamped with names when, in the near future, nominations are called for the working group.
Annual costs associated with the conduct of bowls competitions in Southern Tasmania are ever increasing and the Board is mindful of keeping the financial impost to clubs as low as possible, which means that the Association’s expenditure budget is where savings are to be found. There are items which are mandatory expenditures and cannot be adjusted, so it is the discretionary expenditures where paring back occurs. While these are hard decisions to make, they are necessary to rein in costs while still providing full service.
Funding constraints are not limited to Bowls South, with Bowls Tasmania investigating areas of its annual budget that can be either contained or reduced while still maintaining a full program of events. One program under serious scrutiny is the State Wide Challenge series currently played over three rounds for Open and Senior Men’s and Women’s sides, with clubs in each region hosting one round each season. There is a proposal to centralise the series with all three rounds being played in the Launceston area each season. The BTS Board does not support the proposal and has vigorously opposed it at Regional Consultative Committee meetings because it is not an equitable proposition, and does not take into consideration the financial benefits gained by the host clubs. The final decision whether centralisation occurs rests with the Bowls Tasmania Board, which puts in doubt where rounds of the Statewide Challenge series will be played during the 2023-24 season.
Changes to the BTS Constitution, specifically the quorum for Board meetings, have enabled the Board to function more effectively during 2022-23, albeit without a Vice President or two ordinary Board members (male). I commend all members of the Board for the quality of service that they are providing to the Association. I am particularly thankful to the members new to the Board this season, Barbara Rankin and Crystal Brooks, both of whom have brought new ideas to our discussions. Barbara has been a primary contact for clubs seeking advice regarding grant application procedures, and Crystal has had the responsibility of managing the BTS Facebook page. I am pleased that neither Barbara nor Crystal found their first year of membership of the Board too daunting and have nominated to continue on the Board in 2023-24.
Secretary Paul Matthews and Treasurer Deb Jeffrey conducted an excellent Governance Seminar for club executives during the latter part of the year, focusing on financial matters, as well as the need to ensure that rules in the club’s constitution contain sufficient flexibility to enable the club’s Board to function effectively. Deb and Paul have settled into their respective roles most admirably. Both have excellent skills and knowledge appropriate to their positions, enabling both to provide high quality service to the Association, as well as assisting the Board to work efficiently on behalf of the members. Deb’s financial reports to the Board are always comprehensive and factual, giving clear evidence of the Association’s current financial position, while Paul’s administrative skills are evidenced in the quality of his communications to the Board, and the southern bowls community, generally. I thank them both, most heartedly, for their diligent efforts throughout the year.
Chair of the officiating Panel, Michael Andersch, and his panel members have ensured that all officiating needs for BTS events, as well as Bowls Tasmania events held in the south, have had enough officials to cater to the needs of players during competition. Michael has been working with Leonie Price to conduct officiating workshops in the North and North West of the state during Bowls Tasmania Gala Week events held in those regions to upskill officials in those regions, and to increase the efficiency of bowls officials statewide. I commend Michael for the power of work that he gets through, and thank him for his commitment to improving the quality of our officials.
Ross Bannister, Chair of the Match Committee, continues to provide good service to the Association, and, with assistance from his committee members, is responsible for setting up pennant rosters, the scheduling of BTS events, and the allocation of events to clubs, as well as adjudicating on matters relating to Conditions of Play. As well as this significant role, Ross also heads up the Coaching panel, and conducts officiating and coaching courses for new candidates, and for coaches and officials needing to re-accredit. In each of these roles Ross works hard to provide quality service to the Association and its members, and I congratulate him for the work that he does for us.
Executive Assistant and Statistician, Paul Hoddy, has the task of setting up the BowlsLink Results Portal for Pennant competitions, and for BTS championship events. Paul is also a member of the Bowls Australia committee that has responsibility for the development of BowlsLink, and the work that he does for the Association provides opportunities to test aspects of BowlsLink, enabling the identification of the “gremlins” and glitches that need to be resolved to ensure that the program operates efficiently for all users. The main thrust during the season has been the use of BowlsLink as the entry point for BTS championship events, and for conducting the draw once entries have closed. I am in awe of Paul’s efforts on behalf of the Association, especially as he does so while also in fulltime employment.
I congratulate all BTS Pennant winners, in Saturday Pennant: Kingborough (Premier Division), Howrah (Division 1), Rosny Park (Division 2), Kingborough (Division 3), Cygnet (Division 4), Claremont (Division 5), and Franklin (Division 6); Women’s Thursday Pennant: Howrah (Division 1), Cremorne (Division 2), North Hobart (Division 3), and Glenorchy Rodman (Division 4; and Men’s Wednesday Pennant: Kingborough (Division 1), Royal Hobart (Division 2), Claremont (Division 3), and Kingborough (Division 4).
Southern clubs’ involvement in Bowls Tasmania’s Saturday Pennant State Finals, held this season in Burnie on the North West Coast was, overall, not too successful, except for the one bright light, Franklin, winners of the Division 6 State Pennant Final. It was a very successful season for Franklin, also receiving the Fitzgerald trophy for Bowls South’s Club of the Year at the recent Annual Presentation Night, a most worthy achievement for a small go-ahead club, and great encouragement to the club’s management in their efforts to increase their playing numbers and pennant involvement.
The Royal Hobart Bowls Club is another to highlight, having, in my time as BTS President, moved from an all-cream uniform to colour, introduced bowls stickers for their members’ use, and entering a side in Women’s Thursday Pennant Division 4 for first time this season. The ladies performed creditably, finishing second in their section (Division 4 Blue), winning the Elimination Final, but losing the Preliminary Final to Claremont to finish third in their initial year. Congratulations to Royal Hobart’s women on a very successful start, and to Paul McCann and other male members of Royal Hobart for their support and encouragement given to their female club members.
Congratulations to southern bowlers who were successful in the various Bowls Tasmania events conducted during the season: Miley Sutton and Jayla Triffitt in winning the State Junior Girls Pairs, Luke Turner and Jack Ellis, members of a composite team that won the State Men’s Open Fours, Noel Buckingham, the State Bowling Arm Singles Champion, Carol Bannister, Robyn Leggett, Jac Phillips and Jan Hobbs, State Senior Fours Champions, Ailsa Milburn and Christine McGrath, State Senior Women’s Pairs Champions, Shane Young, Chris Norris, Roger Dale, and Steve Graf, State Senior Men’s Fours Champions, Mark Quinane and Michael Gallen, State Men’s B Grade Pairs Champions, and Jacob Sherrin-Wall, State Bowlers with a Physical Disability Singles Champion.
Congratulations to Joy Voss (Women’s Open), Rose Williams (Women’s B Grade), Grant Wakefield (Men’s Open) and Shane Winter (Men’s B Grade) for achieving the personal accolade of being named BTS Bowler of the Year for 2022-23. A strong commitment to participating in all BTS Championship events is partly due to the success of our Bowlers of the Year, but ability, good support from other members in team events, and success across a number of events is the key to achieving this personal accolade.
Attracting sponsors to support BTS pennant competitions and other programs is very difficult, and disheartening, and I accept responsibility for a lack of effort to pursue new sponsorship opportunities. Positive steps have been taken in recent times to seek support through Clubs Tasmania to identify possible new corporate arrangements. Notwithstanding this, the Board is most grateful to the support provided by our valued sponsors, Doug Cole (Junior program), Derwent Eye Specialists (Saturday Premier Division) and J Carroll Club Promotions (Pennant scorecards), all of which has helped to reduce annual affiliation fees paid to the Association by clubs.
It is an honour to provide service to the clubs and individual members of Bowls Tasmania South, and I am pleased to be able to continue in my role as president of Bowls Tasmania South for another year. There is always another major project to see through to fruition, this time the emergence of the potential for a vigorous examination of pennant structures in southern Tasmania led by a committee representing the affiliated clubs. I look forward with keen anticipation the outcomes of the committee’s deliberations and, more importantly, the recommendations the committee makes for consideration by the southern bowls community, as well as the opportunity to work with clubs and the Board to introduce any changes that emanate from the committee’s findings.
Peter Kirby
President