Our 2021-26 Strategy ‘Fit for the Future’ frames a new and exciting course for our sport. The five-year plan, launched in August 2021, is designed with the ultimate goal of getting more people playing and enjoying our wonderful sport.
One of the core priorities underpinning the Strategy is a determination to create positive playing experiences for everyone who steps on the green regardless of age, gender or ability.
Providing the right competitions at the appropriate level is fundamental to this, and we have therefore committed to undertake a review of our domestic competitions over the coming months.
Whilst we know competitions are popular within our membership, we are also acutely aware of a number of challenges, for example the continued decline in entry numbers (particularly in women’s events), the latter stages being dominated by a reducing pool of players and age bands at junior and senior level that may not be conducive to encouraging participation.
Our review therefore has five core objectives:
- To have a competition structure that is valued by players and retains them in our sport
- To stimulate opportunities for participation among those who may not otherwise play
- To support international performance by providing an optimal environment to prepare players
- To support our Performance Pathway by stretching and inspiring our most talented young players
- To elevate the National Finals in the minds of all bowlers
In order to achieve this, we are seeking nominations from those interested in joining the Working Party from all levels of our sport – players, officials, administrators.
The group will consider what we currently do well, what could be improved and also consider new opportunities to better meet our objectives. In doing so, there will be a focus on both the playing and administration of competitions at county and national level.
The group will meet from January 2023 with the Working Party’s final proposal will be presented to the Board in July 2023, with the public launch shortly after in order that players can enter National Championships and National Competitions for 2024.
We will host the meetings virtually and dates/times will be arranged to best meet the availability of those attending. We expect that the group will meet a minimum of six times and that all members will undertake any allocated tasks between meetings.
If you are interested in joining the Working Party, please send your details and a short summary of how you can input to the process to ourfuture@bowlsengland.com by Wednesday 4th January 2023. Please put ‘Competitions Working Group Application’ in the subject of the e-mail for our ease of reference.
We are keen to include players of all levels and backgrounds within the group in addition to those involved in organising the sport such as competition secretaries and officials to ensure that the group reflects the make-up of our wider membership.