26/1/2007 - Graham Marlow on Bowling in Spain.

I have been reading the articles by various contributors that have been published in Bowling in Spain and it has started me thinking about that very subject, namely “Bowling in Spain”.

Many of us left the UK in search of a better climate and have found to our enjoyment that, unlike the UK where we can only bowl outside for five months of the year, often in the cold and the rain, that here, in Spain, we have twelve months bowling, the majority of the time in wall to wall blue sky.  Others who have never bowled before have found that it is a sport to enjoy, not only providing an improved social life but also a competitive element and will to win when they enter club tournaments.  The sport in Spain is on the increase with new clubs opening every year and the total number of bowlers continuously rising.  The same can not be said about the UK where is appears to be in the decline and not attracting new players.

Yes, the weather plays an important part in improving the popularity of the game, but it is also the dedicated band of organisers in every club that make it happen and provide the craved for competition.  This goes a stage further when you consider leagues, inter-provincial and tri-provincial tournaments and also the National Championships.  It is not so many years ago that these were first promoted and have now increased in stature and also professionalism in their organisation that regional rounds for the singles have had to be introduced.

At the same time, a national squad has developed which now numbers thirty players who are flying the flag for Spain throughout the world.  This year alone, we are contesting the European Championships in Cyprus in February, the Indoor World Cup  Singles in Australia in April/May, a full test match against Portugal in April, the Atlantic Championships in Scotland in July, followed by the World Championships in New Zealand in the New Year.    I have heard it commented that Spain will never be more than second rate.  If this is the case, how did Keith Jones manage to come fourth overall in the World Champion of Champions in New Zealand last year?  Why, with all this development, the apparent improvement and enjoyment of bowling and Spain going from strength to strength in the international arena, are so many of the articles in Bowling in Spain concerned with “How to complain”, “How to take out a denunciation”, “What are the rights of members under club statutes” and, last but not least, “disciplinary procedures”?

Obviously questions are being asked and answers are required.  It is a subject that has been examined by your National Executive Committee, I have therefore asked Tony Winterton, who has spent some time looking into the subject, to write an article setting out the position of clubs and their statutes.

Can we not have comments or suggestions on how we can improve our sport and make it more enjoyable?  Most of us, unfortunately, are in the latter stages of our competitive lives, having retired after a full working life.  I doubt that many really wish to become embroiled in the politics surrounding club administration and prefer spending their time concentrating on the game of bowls.

While on the subject of articles, are there any comments on the subject of FEB fees and corporate membership which is another subject your National Executive has been progressing with a view to increasing membership at reduced fees as well as improving financing from Madrid?

Graham Marlow, Assistant Director for Bowls in Spain