The sport of bowls owes much of its vitality to the committed Markers who officiate games throughout the country. Their proficiency and nuanced understanding are crucial in enhancing the competitive spirit and flow of play.
With that in mind, each year Bowls England and the English Bowls Umpires Association [EBUA] use the platform of the Aviva National Bowls Finals in Leamington Spa to give affiliated members the chance to increase their marking skills and knowledge. In the venue’s Club Zone, the EBUA offer Marker Awareness Sessions to help share knowledge, encouraging new participants and also refreshing skills of existing Markers.
Husband and wife Graham & Kay Sowerby, of Totnes BC in Devon, offer a great insight into how they became Markers, and also the benefits they’ve experienced.
Graham said, “We have been marking since 2019 when we attended our first session at Honiton Bowling Club, and we both qualified as Regional Umpires last year.
“Even with a few years of experience, it’s important to be reminded of the skills involved in being a competent Marker, so during last year’s National Finals at Leamington we took up the opportunity to attend a Marker Awareness Session as a refresher, as part of the Club Zone offer to affiliated members. These sessions give you confidence to mark singles games in a competent way, which goes some way to making the game more enjoyable for both you and the competitors.
“The awareness session included a quiz, which was done in a fun way with questions related to the laws of the game and the duties of a Marker. Then we went out onto one of the greens at Leamington, where we found various measuring exercises that we could face as Markers or players during the course of a game. Both elements of the session were run by experienced umpires who imparted their extensive knowledge in a relaxed, fun, but very informative way.
“Both Kay and I came away from the session feeling it was of great benefit and would highly recommend you attend a future session, whether you are a player or an existing marker. Even if you have already been involved in marking singles matches at your local club or have marked at a higher level elsewhere, these marking awareness sessions act as a good reminder and help to polish up your skills to be a good, competent marker.”
If you’d like to sign up for the Marker Awareness Session at this year’s Club Zone, exclusively available to affiliated members, please see below:
Saturday 23 August: 10:00-16:00 – Train to be a marker (Full day course)
Hosted by Bernie Hill from English Bowls Umpires Association (EBUA)
Do you want to improve your marking skills – perhaps even to officiate at one of our future regional or national events? This full-day session will provide the first stepping stone for any member to learn more about marking. The course will be led by the English Bowls Umpires Association team and is designed to cater for everyone who has an interest in improving their marking skills!
Cost: £15 learner
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For more information about Club Zone and to see all the sessions, please click here.
Over 2000 Lawn Bowls clubs are affiliated to Bowls England and each receives a series of exclusive benefits empowering club leaders to provide the best possible environment for bowlers. Affiliation with Bowls England also unlocks benefits delivered through our development arm, the Bowls Development Alliance.
Check out our Benefits of Affiliation Guide to see all the benefits your club can tap into, all in one place: