Dear Members,
Happy New Year to all members. It’s great to be back on the greens to finish off the season. Plenty to report and talk about at the moment.
Tuesday Bowling:
Well as reported by Dee two great wins last week and a huge upset as the Div 5 side beat the previously undefeated Bentleigh team, it’s amazing what enthusiasm and support can do. The Div 3 side is currently in 5th place but less than 12 points off top spot and a favorable draw starting at Albert Park so we hope to see them in the finals. The Div 5 side, often cobbled together has still managed to win 3 games which is a great effort. The chance to get some experience and games into the likes of Doug Ritchie (improving all the time) and Dick Allen and the Siebers means that we can only improve in future years.
Tuesday Night Pennant:
Well, an experiment designed to ensure everyone gets a game was a bit of a disaster as we find that not that many members are keen but where one door closes another opens. We have used this night pennant as a social and practice experiment. I have introduced a number of my friends into the realm of bowls and co-opted my mother in law (thanks Evelyn) into a couple of games despite her failing eye sight. The future is also bright as my 17 year old daughter Sasha has now also played two games and is enjoying it, or so she says.
Thanks to the many fill ins to help us get teams together, Anne F, Ed P, Killer, Roger and Pek Tee K etc and those that are using the game as good practice, Roger M, Dick Allen, Andy S, Suzanne G, Andy B and Garry D. All in all we have been very competitive and look forward to our first win.
Saturday Pennant:
It’s great to have our destiny in our own hands. A very disappointing loss for Div 7 two weeks ago proved motivation for a great win against Blackburn away on the weekend. With 2 byes in hand and a game against Richmond Union and who knows if they will field a team we just need to keep winning and the next test is away against the 2nd top team in Fairfield. A great opportunity to play a team we could face in the finals and prove to them that we are the team to beat this season. Currently in 4th place on the ladder the motivation and ability is there!!!
The Div 4 side is having a really good season also highlighted this week in an away win against St Kilda who previously had lost just one game. What we have found is that by trying to strengthen the Div 7 side at times this has given some bowlers who would not usually play Div 4 an opportunity and they have filled in admirably and hopefully enjoyed a taste of the higher division. With a current record of 9 wins, 3 losses and a draw we sit in 3rd place, 2 points behind 2nd with all remaining games winnable.
One more win in the remaining 5 games basically assures finals so we can look forward to having 2 teams in finals for the first time since I have been at the club. All rinks are working well but the skips are really stepping up and ensuring that we are all focused on outcomes and encouragement, the most pleasing aspect is the rate of improvement in some newer bowlers such as Andy Smith, Gerald Meuli and Peter and Olga Nowatschenko and the return to fine form of Ed Payne and the continued efforts of old stagers such as Neil Martin, Robyn Loh, Denis Kilmartin, Andy Barraclough, Graeme Lee, Garry Devlin and David Pethard.
All in all a great result.
General:
1) Please continue to support our Wednesday night dinners, lists are at the club
2) I have placed new unavailability forms at the club
3) I will shortly be putting a draw together for the Novice Championship for all bowlers with less than 3 years experience for all to have a go…..all bowlers who qualify will be entered. It’s great experience and great fun.
4) There are still competitions to be plays for 100 up and 21 up and mixed pairs so good luck to all those entered
5) We will shortly advise of a couple of tournaments, Hocking Stuart Cup and Regis Cup and details surrounding these after season competitions
Important:
Malvern Bowling Club
Notification of Special Meeting
The Malvern Bowling Club is required to provide a minimum of 14 days clear notice of a special meeting request and this notification to all members will serve as this notification.
In accordance with Article 40 of the club’s constitution Malvern Bowling Club will convene a special meeting as follows:
Meeting Details:
Date – Thursday 7th February, 2019
Time – 6:00pm
Agenda Item – Induction of Michael Classon as a Life Member of the Malvern Bowling Club
Please be aware that in order to conduct this meeting we require one third (1/3) of all full members to be in attendance, this equates to approximately 17 members. Once the motion is offered we would then require 75% of attendees to be in favour of the motion for it to be carried.
We have scheduled this meeting for immediately after practice so encourage all full members to attend both practice and the meeting. Once the meeting is completed it is the intention of the club to run a small event at the cost of $10 per head where we will be providing food and running the movie “crackerjack” for all to relate to bowling clubs and members.
We will put an attendance sheet up at the club for this event.
I hope to see all full members attend the meeting to vote for the inclusion of Michael Classon as a life member of the club.
In Memory:
It would be very remiss of me not to mention the passing of Helen Classon at this point. I have been a member of Malvern Bowling Club for some 6 years now. The day I joined I was introduced to Helen and Michael. Helen was the most welcoming person I have ever had the pleasure of meeting, simply a delightful person. Her attributes off the green were matched by those on the green, multiple club champion, top side skip and competitive till the last bowl but all in the realms of fair play and good spirit. As has been noted by many Helen will be sorely missed by all those that new her. Our deepest sympathies go out to Michael and family.
There will be a more permanent recognition of Helen in future that has already been discussed at committee level.
Cheers
Stuart
President – Malvern Bowling Club
