Understandably, a sport's popularity determines how much media attention it gets and how much of the entertainment dollar it garners. Australia, considered by many to be the mecca of bowls, is a good example. The sheer number of players, which at last count was almost half a million, ensures that funds are available to justify world class facilities. Holiday resorts that have been built around lawnbowling boast every amenity you could imagine, and television and print coverage helps to keep the game in the public eye. This seemingly symbiotic relationship is, at best, weak in North America, however, efforts are underway to correct this. In fact you are looking at one now. One of the newer tools, being utilized by the the world's oldest game, is the Internet. For this interest group, there are club sites, online magazines, and discussion forums that bring together ideas from all over the world. Naturally, television is the golden nugget of advertising and recently games have been broadcast in Canada but, to date, they have been too few to make a impact. But it is with that sort of coverage in mind that Lawnbowls Canada, and other bowls governing bodies, have been working to make the sport more colourful. Literally. The all-white dress code, in vogue since the twenties, has been modified to include easily identifiable club colours; the standard black or brown bowls are now being pushed aside in favour of flourescent green, yellow and orange ones; and, at the last Canadian Junior Championships, the young players were dyeing their hair Provincial colours! The future looks bright. As the boomers begin to look for alternate leisure activities, trend-forecasting moguls see lawnbowling's growth-potential. All-important sponsorships from major companies such as Royal Bank, Ford and Coca-Cola are increasing and top players are beginning to reap rewards like those in more recognized sports. While tournament play comes in several grades: from open registration to provincial, national and international competition, each requires a greater commitment. On a humbler level, my wife and I mostly bowl on a casual, when we feel like it, basis -enjoying the exercise and sociability of each outing. Well, having done my best to provide an armchair introduction, the rest is up to you. Our season begins in a couple of weeks and the greens will open most afternoons at 2 pm and weekday evenings at 7 pm. All we ask is that you wear flat-soled shoes. Good bowling! For other details you can visit our website at: http://home.primus.ca/~gmullers/lawnbowl.htm |