I sure do appreciate the time and effort of the Board to organize and fine tune the operational guidelines for the playing season. It is a volunteer group whose compensation is measured in satisfaction not dollars.
I hadn't attended a meeting for a few years so it brought back memories of past involvement.
I enjoyed hearing the presentations, the ideas, the discussions first hand.
Similar topics with enthusiastic responses to solve the same problems: Retention and increase of membership, programme and revenue balance, membership benefits, sponsorship pursuit, satisfying all the constituents.
Good people doing a good job leading the way.
A lot of information was distributed to club reps and it is accessible to all members at your home club. Take the opportunity to be aware and be involved. Or as my and many others good friend Billy Boettger would say, " if you have the knowledge, you have the responsibility".
I didn't know this until April 25th of 2009 but Hall of Fame skilled Bill donated over $100,000.00 to bowls. I am operating from my notes so I don't know the details. I do know that there is the Bill Boettger Volunteer of the Year Award presented annually to the the club foundation types. No direction and no fanfare needed. They simply do the jobs that are necessary.
The recipients for 2008 were Fred and Mary Patterson from the West Toronto/ Etobicoke clubs. They received a certificate and $500.00 . They earned no investment interest on their new income but a high percentage of admiration and a smile and a nod from above by immediately donating the money to a small membership West Toronto group.
DISTRICT/PROVINCIAL PLAYDOWNS
The original plan was to change the games to 18 ends with no trial ends.
Logical since similar or the same number of ends will be played at the Canadians.
And longer games , in theory, should identify the better team in most cases.
The lack of trial ends was in deference to shortening the total time to play a game.
BCB will be enforcing a 3 1/2 hour time limit at this years Canadians.
This topic topped the microphone visits list.
I understand the merits of veteran competitive bowler Ian Jones' recommendations.
But I believe more importantly we need to boost the appeal of the game but making our product a more compact event.
It takes , on average, 12 minutes to play an end of a fours game. Eighteen ends X 12 minutes = 216 minutes or 3 hours and 36 minutes. Have you watched a baseball game or any sport that went that long and was able to retain interest? The only people , if it is close, that maintain their concentration on the match are the participants and I would dare say even some of that group have drifted mentally away.
Three and 1/2 hours a game - 9 AM to 12:30, Lunch to 1:30 , Game 2 -1:30 to 5:00 PM, Break ( more food but just 45 min ) Game 3 - 5:45 PM to 9:15 PM. That is 12 hours without adding on earlier arrival time for players and even earlier for event organizers.
Too long. We are running the marathon rather than a middle distance race.
I am a fan who enjoys watching good bowls but I lose interest with slow paced play, lingering team discussions and lack of energy in the game.
The trend in curling is towards shorter games - fewer ends - guess why. Baseball is working on speeding up games. International bowls went to sets to speed up results and a preferred time of game for marketing purposes. Curling has time clocks. Bowls are enforcing time limits.
The goal is entertainment for all parties involved.
Further, trial ends are significant for most bowlers.
My read from the comments made at the meeting was a majority preferred the 2008 conditions.
Subsequent to the April 25th meeting, the Championship Committee revisited the length of games and Chairperson Karen Peart has issued a memorandum to the District Reps that District/Provincial games will revert to 15 end with trial ends.
I have been watching hockey as I typed. My Red Wings, actually Rita's team, have moved ahead by 2 so feel safe to go to bed.
BobB
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