General News
17 August, 2023
“Our club is struggling”
LISMORE’S Bowls Club is facing a dire future due to a low number of members, with members fearing the club will be forced to disband.
LISMORE’S Bowls Club is facing a dire future due to a low number of members, with members fearing the club will be forced to disband.
The club, which was established between the late 40s and early 50s, currently has eight members.
Bowls Club president John Trotter said the club has an ageing population of members, with few young people playing.
“Our club is struggling. It’s on its knees, really,” he said.
“We only have about eight members. We need 12 to head a team.
“We need new blood, to put it in a nutshell. There’s too much being left to too few.
“It’s just one of those things that comes with small towns; it’s an ageing population.”
Attempts to bring in more finances include fundraising events, such as a recent karaoke night that hosted 20 people and hiring out the venue for events such as funerals and birthdays.
The difficulty of bringing in money and members has also led to the decay of the grass green, with the Camperdown Bowls Club offering to allow the club to use their green for bowling.
Mr Trotter said new members are needed not just to play, but to also help run the club and apply for grants.
“Our bowling green is in a state of disrepair, so if we had enough numbers; we could go to a government,” he said.
“If you go with eight, they’re just going to laugh at you.
“We’ve got 12 months to resurrect the club or to disband it.”
Mr Trotter said the game doesn’t appeal to young people, but he “loves it”.
“In saying that, I always thought it was an old fuddy-duddy’s game too until I started playing,” he said.
“It is a really involved game; it’s quite challenging, really.
“It’s as much a game against yourself as it is against the opposition.
“It’s not a contact sport; it’s a body-friendly game. It doesn’t require a great deal of effort; it requires as much thought as effort.”
The club, while wanting new members to survive as a team, also want to maintain the site as a part of Lismore’s history.
The site was originally next door, serving as an RSL club with two bowling greens until it became what is now the Murnong Indigenous Gardens.
The current building, where the club primarily plays, was built in the late 60s due to men not wanting to bowl with women.
Mr Trotter said people interested in bowling can ring him at any time on 0412 520 802.
“They can either join as a social member, or a first-year member is only $40,” he said.
“We appreciate more players, but social members are always an asset too.
“I’d just encourage people to have a go; come along and have a look.
“Even if they want to come; I can run people through and show them what’s involved. “
Mr Trotter said bowls was a “great social game” and people can choose if they want to play two or three days a week.
“You meet some really nice people, which is what I’ve done in the last six months,” he said.
“Everybody’s there to help; everybody in the whole bowling community just wants to encourage new bowlers because they don’t want to see their sport die out.
“It’s a really good game; are you interested?”