Newsletter

Newsletter March 2018

This is a text only version of the newsletter. The real version with piccies is available HERE.

Listen Up! A Word from Ron…

Welcome to our New Members!

I’m delighted to welcome new members to our Club:

  • Mary Rowe
  • Maureen Sferlazza
  • David Crook
  • Jeff (Macca) McNamara
  • Robyn Sheahan

We have been very fortunate with people choosing to join our Club. As you know, the 5th side was just created this season, and we are well on track towards entering a 6th side next year!

Date Change for Presentation Night

As some Club Championship finals will still be incomplete, we have moved the Presentation Night to 14th April (from 24th March). Always a great night, so mark it in your calendars and listen out for more details.

Bowls Vic Proposals for 2018-19 Saturday Pennant

I was very pleased to hear that Bowls Vic has shelved the proposed changes for next season (smaller sections, shorter season plus pre-season triples comp).

Bowls Vic will continue to invest in research to look at ways to improve participation in competitive bowls, and we look forward to contributing to that process as a Club where we can.

Happy 90th Bruce McGeachin

Bruce turned 90 on 1st March and both his Tuesday and Saturday team mates were proud to help him celebrate this milestone – and we’re all looking to accept the invite to his Century celebrations in just 10 years’ time.

A few things many of us didn’t know before this week:

  • Bruce has been a member of Bentleigh BC for over 40 years.
  • Bruce served as Club Secretary for 17 of those years – seeing many a Pres come and go.
  • Bruce has a twin brother who also bowls, but is pretty inexperienced with only 25 years under the belt.
  • Bruce’s Dad was a FOUNDING MEMBER at Bentleigh, so we have had continuous representation from the McGeachin’s since 1945!

Strategic Planning

Steve Brady will send an invitation to members to participate in the Club’s Strategic Planning process over the course of a few Sunday afternoons. The purpose of Strategic Planning is to identify the Club’s primary goals in the long run, which will help with making the right short-term and long term decisions for the Club.

Much of the process can be a little fun. If you have some experience with Strategic Planning or are interested in helping the Club develop this plan, you are highly encouraged to participate.

 

Bowling Matters!

An Astonishing Year for Bentleigh…

Of the 10 competing sides at Bentleigh, 9 will be playing finals at the end of the home and away series:

Saturday 1 3rd
Saturday 2 1st
Saturday 3 1st
Saturday 4 1st
Saturday 5 3rd
Midweek 1 5th
Midweek 2 2nd
Electric Light 1 2nd *
Electric Light 2 1st *
Electric Light 3 2nd *

* One round still left to go in the Electric Light comp

We are in as good a spot as you can get to bring a flag or more home this year, but the hardest work of all is still ahead of us. This is the time we need to pull together, trust our Selectors, and trust ourselves to finish the job.

For those not playing in finals on Saturday, you ARE a part of the team that got us here, and WE NEED YOU to be present for the photos and to support your team mates.

Throughout the year, we’ve had some grizzles at Selectors (all 3 of the comps) and had differences of opinion. However, I’m sure that with a little thought, you will agree that, overall, the Selectors have had more than a little influence on the position we’re now in and deserve a little thanks and praise. Go on, don’t be shy and tell them.

Damir does himself and Bentleigh proud

The Men’s Sandbelt Champion of Champions semi and grand finals were held at Burden Park on Sunday 25th Feb.

Damir was a real star on the day with brilliant bowling and concentration on display throughout both games. The semi vs Rod Heus from Dandenong Club was close, with the lead changing several times. The last end was extremely dramatic – lead changes twice in the early bowls, then Damir saves shot taking the jack into the ditch with 2 up and match point. Rod has a wide draw to the ditch and looks on the money – the crowd rises as one to see Rod’s bowl just trickle ever so slowly into the ditch and the match goes to Damir!

The Grand Final vs Brett Spurr of St Kilda was also a match of several lead changes and exceptional bowling by both players, including touches of luck for both. Brett drew ahead later in the game, but Damir still fought back courageously. At 22 all, the skill and experience of Brett showed and he took the next 2 ends to close out a match that Damir could have won on that day.

We had well over 20 Club members supporting Damir plus many of his family and friends. Well done to all of our members who displayed great support for Damir, and also excellent sportsmanship in acknowledging class bowls from his opponents.

Damir – this was a day for you, and the Bentleigh Bowling Club is very proud of you, as you should be for yourself.

WELL DONE MATE!

 

8s every which way!

Congratulations to Joan Pretty, Bob Coshall, Lawrie Rocher and Keith Gillett on scoring an 8 against Elsternwick Club on Tuesday 13th Feb.

Congratulations also to Tina Boquest, Pat Tempini, Thommo and Lindsay Kerr for their 8 against Hampton on Saturday 17 February. An 8 in Div 2 Saturday Pennant is a remarkable feat!

On 20th February, Bruce McGeachin, Roma McGeachin, Richard McColl and Nilma McColl scored yet another 8, this time at Vermont South – now that made the long drive worthwhile!

Having written just a week ago how rare these 8s are in Div 2, here’s another one to make a fibber of me! Another brilliant 8 in Div 2: Chris Clegg, Damir Martinic, Rob Santalucia and Wayne Partridge on Saturday 24 February! (Pssst – Chris did tell me his team’s 8 was classier than the earlier one :).

Lightning Pairs Comp

Lightning Pairs (or as Clive christened it – the Paddle-Pop Tournament J) will kick off on Saturday 24th March and run for 5 weeks. The entry sheet will be posted on the Club noticeboard. Weekly cash prizes on offer, plus a decent prize for the best end of comp aggregate scores (best 4 weekly results i.e. 1 drop)

Brades has been running this for 3-4 years and has asked for an assistant to help out each week and to give the format a bit of a freshen up to keep it interesting.

Winter Bowls – Brrrr!

Ronnie G and Tony Tes did a great job with Winter Bowls last year. This year’s comp will kick off on 28th April. Visiting bowlers are most welcome to participate.

  

From The Coach’s Box

I would like to repeat my congratulations and well done to all our players this season on the excellent efforts to see our Club in the wonderful position of having all 5 Saturday sides, 1 Tuesday side and all 3 Electric Light sides playing in finals.

In going into the finals, I would like you to take on board the following points:

1.   We have been working on the theme of 2 “mini teams” per rink – the front 2 and the back 2. What will win finals games is how well we construct heads with our bowls. Front 2 put them near the jack and the back 2 will play the positional bowls and/or capitalise on the good work done by the front end (great theory!).

2.   In reality, this finals caper is no more important than any home and away game, except that if you lose, there is no tomorrow.

3.   We will win games by our good bowls – not the opposition’s bad bowls or conditions – no excuses! So – control the game by playing it as another game of bowls in which you would like to play well in.

4.   BE POSITIVE ALL THE TIME, and finally

5.   In finals, it does not matter how many rinks you win, there is only 1 scoreboard that matters – the big scoreboard.

Great results so far and there is still more to achieve. I wish you all great bowling this weekend!

 

BBC Shenanigans!

Has Rorky been sucking on the Jungle Juice again?

Great idea to put a few hooks up for hats and coats to keep our seats for bums, but make sure you get ‘em the right way up mate…

Lake Tyers Fishing Expedition

Simmo, Cooky, Wags, Clarky and Trev took the boats over to Lake Tyers for a great fishing expedition last month. Great expectations were established with flathead rumoured to be bountiful and instructions to have the eskies ready for the massive seafood distribution on their return to Melbourne.

After 3 days of fishing, the catch score was reported to be:

Wags          1 fish
Clarky         0 fishes
Cooky         0 fishes
Simmo        0 fishes
Trev            0 fishes

Nonetheless, Cooky was declared the winner as he had fush ‘n’ chups down at the pub so had more fish than anyone else.

To add injury to insult, poor had to be towed back to harbour by Clarky and Wags after an electrical breakdown – the only thing that might have been more embarrassing would be to be towed back by Clarky, Wags and Darren! J

 

Future Newsletters

If you have any announcements or something you’d like to see in future Newsletters, please see Steve Brady or email brady1sj@gmail.com.