ATTENTION LADIES AND GIRLS

[Jase]

ATTENTION LADIES AND GIRLS

WHO WANTS TO BE PART OF OUR NEXT AUSTRALIAN ADULT TEAM?


A series of National Team Selection Knockout Camps will take place to build a successful Ladies Team for the next World Championship.

The first camp will be held at Bowl Australia, Tuggeranong, ACT
commencing at 7pm Friday 10th November 2006, continuing through Saturday 11th November and until Sunday 12th November at 5pm.

All costs of the first camp and travel to the camp are to be met by the applicant – cost will be $500 and includes accommodation (2 nights), all meals, lineage and associated costs for testing. No travel is included in this price. At the conclusion of the first camp 20 ladies will move on to future selection camps which will be subsidised by TBA High Performance Funding.

The camp is open to
1. former Australian Team Members,
2. National Training Squad both youth and adult current and from the last 3 years
3. Junior Development Camp Attendees from the last 3 years
4. Those athletes identified by High Performance Coaches as having the ability to reach elite athlete status in the next 6 months.
5. Any female applicant may apply as per below to be included in the camp.

The camp will include
• written or oral testing on the skills of the sport (pass of 60% is mandatory)
• on lanes skill testing,
• testing on simulated lane conditions
• fitness testing – applicants must attain minimum of level 6 on the beep test as well as health safe, acceptable levels of skin fold and core stability to be included for 2nd camp
• Psych analysis for team dynamics.

Applicants must live in and will not be permitted to smoke during the hours of the camp.

All interested ladies and girls should email the High Performance Program Manager [email protected] and provide name, age, mailing address, current email address, mobile phone number and coach name and contact number.
Applicant’s coaches must be TBA registered coaches or the application to attend will not be accepted.

Payment for the camp must be mailed to Ladies Selection Camp, c/- Tenpin Bowling Australia Limited, PO Box 1518, Oxenford, Qld 4210 and must be received no later than 1st November 2006.

 

[wchester]

The camp will include
• Fitness testing – applicants must attain minimum of level 6 on the beep test as well as health safe, acceptable levels of skin fold and core stability to be included for 2nd camp.
Applicant’s coaches must be TBA registered coaches or the application to attend will not be accepted.

The TBA is on the right track......HOWEVER
I can't understand why someone's aerobic fitness or amount of skin fold (body fat %) should be a consideration when selecting our team. Looks like a couple of the bowlers will be left home simply because they're overweight, with no consideration that they just might be the best bowlers in the country.
Perhaps June can give us all the answer.
If the TBA is really concerned for the health of our top bowlers, a better option in my opinion would be to select the team and THEN provide fitness training for the team members.

 

[loveablebubbles81]

The camp will include
• Fitness testing – applicants must attain minimum of level 6 on the beep test as well as health safe, acceptable levels of skin fold and core stability to be included for 2nd camp.
Applicant’s coaches must be TBA registered coaches or the application to attend will not be accepted.

The TBA is on the right track......HOWEVER
I can't understand why someone's aerobic fitness or amount of skin fold (body fat %) should be a consideration when selecting our team. Looks like a couple of the bowlers will be left home simply because they're overweight, with no consideration that they just might be the best bowlers in the country.
Perhaps June can give us all the answer.
If the TBA is really concerned for the health of our top bowlers, a better option in my opinion would be to select the team and THEN provide fitness training for the team members.

I agree, this leaves me out. Simply becuase I can not run, I choose bowling as it is a low impact sport where I can compete no matter what size I am and what my fitness levels are. If it was not for Ten Pin Bowling I may still be getting around in a wheelchair!

 

[Louie]

I have to agree with the above comments. What does running and body fat have to do with being able to bowl 20, 40, 60 games etc. I understand you need to have a certain level of fitness to bowl a great number of games, but running a kilometre isn't it. If that were the case then why is/was Michelle Phelpman considered as one of the best female bowlers in America.
The way you look doesn't make the pins fall any better when you bowl at them. I think things like this are only going to make more bowlers bowl for themselves than want to bowl for their country. Because you tell me how many people want to look at themselves in the mirror and think they're not good enough because they cant run far enough or look thin enough, when inside they know they can compete against the best and hold there own.
Bowling is about getting ten pins down at the other end of the lane, not being able to run from one side of the bowl to the other!

 

[Leggi_23]

I also aggree with the above comments.
I am not a small girl and I can bowl for hours if I need to....
The TBA needs to look at this closley because they maybe leaving out some great bowlers because of this rule.

Bowling is about getting ten pins down at the other end of the lane and not anything else.

 

[griggsy]

i must say i dont agree with the statement made saying that fitness is an absolute must, cause as everyone knows it isnt. i dont mean it offensively but alot of our top bowlers are slightly overweight but does it affect how they continually perform? i dont see where it has.as luie said look at michelle feldman, she has continually been a force to be reckoned with her whole bowling life, and there are plenty of other names i could name but i wont get into that right now. i believe what the selectors are trying to do is good but singling people out like this is slightly in the wrong direction.

 

[Craigy]

I think the requirements are a little extreme for fitness but there does need to be some sort of standard and can see what they are trying to achieve but after all I don’t even think I got 6 when I did the beep test last time haha.

Contradictory to this I believe that these changes are a step in the right direction for bowling within Australia and I hope that these methods of selection will move into other areas of the game (such as youth team’s selection). From reading about this camp and also seeing the announcement about the new lane conditioning policy for 2007 I can see some big changes happening in the future and think they will all help to lift the profile of Australian bowling.

Also good luck to all the women who will be participating in the camp.

Michael

 

[Feral]

The way you look doesn't make the pins fall any better when you bowl at them.

They do when they see me coming!!

Seriously, this requirement is absurd. There are some World Champion bowlers out there that are so unfit they couldn't run out of sight on a moonless night. There are champion bowlers who chain smoke, are crippled/handicapped in some way and some are very old and struggle to get past 3 to 4 games. I think that this requirement wouldn't stand up against the principles of anti discrimination and natural justice. If you were a smoker and were not allowed to compete for that reason, you would soon become a millionaire. If you were overweight and unfit (and what does that REALLY mean?) and were not allowed to compete for that reason, you should be looking at a hefty new bank balance. None of these requirements are in the Rules of Tenpin Bowling to my knowledge.

I think TBA should quickly scrap this requirement before the **** hits the fan. Just my opinion.

 

[FLOWER]

Has any thought been given also to the cost factor in fulfilling the 'dream' of representing our country also? Throw away lines like $500 plus travel costs plus subsidised future camps (how many and how much?) on top of the current requirements assume that all women who are interested in bowling for Australia have a bottomless pit of $$$ to draw from.....once you make the team, there are then thousands of $$$ to PAY for the privilege.

Some figures which may show the current status of women's bowling -
Entries into Adult Ladies tournaments in 2006 -
Cairns Open - 22
Adelaide Cup - 38
Vic 150 - 35 Scratch bowlers
K & K Classics (double ranked) - 42
Arafura - 14
Melbourne Cup (double ranked) - 18
Qld. Ladies Classic - 45 (8 only travelled interstate)
NSW Open (nominations so far) - 23

7 Adult and 8 Youth only, have bowled their required number of ranked tournaments to be considered for selection - WHY ???????????

Bowlers need incentives to continue on - tournament directors/organizers are working their butts off to provide sponsorship etc. for women to continue on but without support at a national level for a realistic approach both to the cost factor and qualifying eligibility, the sheer lack of numbers will halt any progress in this area regardless of the motivation behind these new initiatives.

Good luck

Flower

 

[Feral]

Good one Mary. How many of the 7 and 8 meet the fitness criteria as well? (No offence to anyone is meant here).

 

[FLOWER]

To be fair, I am not certain about this aspect but probably Sports funding will not be available if these measures are not put in place - with so much discussion re the classification of Tenpin Bowling as a 'sport' or 'game', it will be hard to justify funding if 'we' are all too fat, unfit or whatever - but it still boils down to one area in my own mind - NUMBERS and how to get/keep them!!! and the focus surely should be to qualify for funding without imposing big cost and health issues which could turn talented, interested women away ... and if smoking is such a controversial issue nowdays, will ALL smoking be banned for athletes in the future as part of the criteria for funding, along with our skin fold percentage !!

Glad I am too old to be poked and prodded for fat folds !! Might have to give away the XXXX if I was young ..... this is a serious issue really, and my apologies for any levity - no offence intended to well-meaning and hard working officials and coaches who have to enforce any changes and I really wish I was young and in this era when we MAY get the 'sport' we love truly recognized as such.

Flower

 

[lgt]

Whether the females attanding the Camp are fit or not, there is still the opportunity to be tested and made aware of the areas to improve, be it on the lane or in the gym. If you don't meet the criteria for the second camp you will at least have identified the areas to work on. I would anticipate there being expert coaching and qualified personnel to justify the cost.
I think the TBA is directed to promote the National level of the sport and has to meet national sport standards. The individual states also need to support their state level bowlers, provide training camps etc.This is where the sport will grow.
Leanne.

 

[Louie]

To be fair, I am not certain about this aspect but probably Sports funding will not be available if these measures are not put in place - with so much discussion re the classification of Tenpin Bowling as a 'sport' or 'game', it will be hard to justify funding if 'we' are all too fat, unfit or whatever

I my self am not sure about this point either. However if it is the case of funding and being classed a sport. Please tell me why shot put, discuss, weightlifting etc are all classed as sports! They don't run and I don't believe alot of them would have an "acceptable" skin fold measurement. Yet they are definatly a sport in everyones eyes, as they're in the Olympics and Commonwealth games.

 

[loveablebubbles81]

Louie I could not agree with you more! Yes bowling a large amount of games in a short space of time requires steminar and endurance. But you can't judge a person on there bmi (body mass index) and running abilities to get this. I have a pretty good endurance level yet I can not do the beep test. I mean how many games straight to you have to bowl to prove that you have the steminar to bowl at a national level or even international level. I am sure we have all bolwed in tournamants that have gone on for hours on end bowling 10 or more games straight, yet amazingly it is not always the slendar competitor that is still standing strong at the end of 10 games!

 

[Ice Maiden]

Regarding cost, I have to agree with Flower on this, the cost (for some people) to go to this camp just to find out you're unfit is a big ask. I know it would cost me about $800-900 total to go to this camp, plus any time needed to take from work or school commitments. There has to be a better (and more economical) way to impliment something like this.

I also rememeber the last time i did a beep test (those things are tough), and have to admit, i didnt do that great, but i know i can bowl 16-20 in a day at high level. Fitness is one thing, but there has to be considerations to be made about other aspects

Also, if this is being implimented for selecting the women's teams, is there going to be a similar thing for selecting the male teams???

 

[Gary]

Has any one seen a skinny shot-put or hammer throwers lately?

My point is they are fit for their sport ie: Bowler's come in all shapes and sizes and for the most part are fit for the job in hand.


Gary..............................................

 

[Easy Tiger]

Has any one seen a skinny hammer thrower lately?

There's a few around, but they don't seem to score as well as people throwing other brands

Let's all have a group beep test - sounds like fun!

 

[*chook :>*]

Its not about how many games you can bowl in a row, anyone can just keep bowling, its about how many of those games are at the highest level possible.

You cannot tell me that if you were not fit enough to do 6 levels of the beep test, that you could possibly bowl, say, 15-20 highly competitive, adrenaline pumping games in a day (not games with friends or practice) without getting tired at one point and need to have a rest to be able to get back to your peak.

The country needs to send away teams where they can rely on the bowlers to perform at their peak ALL THE TIME. At the level that these bowlers will be competing at, for one person to tire and bowl that 1 170 game can cost them or their team, their country, the ultimate dream of winning one of those medals.

I dont believe that the TBA are purposely trying to discriminate. They are doing what every other organisation is doing at the moment- looking out for the future of Australia's health. If this is the way to finaly make people look at their life styles and try to implement change then so be it. Just take a look at the new show, "Hunny, We're Killing the Kids".

Just to let you know, I am not fit, far from it, but at least I am trying to improve, to enhance my chance of being selected for one of these teams one day.

For the females, there is still 4 months until the 1st selection camp. If you want to have a go and want to enhance your chance of advancing, try walking the block once or twice a day, pull out the bike that may be locked away in the shed, make the trip to the gym twice a week. If you are determined to make the team then you will be determined to meet the guide lines that have been set.

I do not intend to offend anyone but please just look at every aspect that this can affect. Discrimination or looking out for the health of bowlers. Take it as you will, but after you look at the whole picture..

Alicia

 

[Icey]

Many women keep fit, as do many men. I know I could not run a 6 on the beep test, mainly due to bad knees and ankles. I am not fit either, but I walk daily and do a lot of weights. I do not think a beep test is an accurate way to determine if we are fit enough to play 20 games. I know I need work on my mental game, so I could not bowl that many games at a high level, but I do know that if my mental game was right, my physical fitness would not be an issue.

I take offence to these new regulations. As I am sure many others do. I know I am big for my height, and I can admit it, I always have been and probably always will be. I don’t need to spend the next 4 months, risking further injury to my knees especially trying to lose the weight so my BMI is to their pleasing. And nor should anyone else be required to.

For so long we have promoted bowling on being the sport for everyone, if we all wanted to be great athletes we would run or swim or play soccer. This is just restricting the field and forcing many to a limit they do not wish bowling to be at.

 

[Matto]

I don't think people realise how much of a different ball game it is in the World Championship arena...

Take the World Youth Championships in Germany for example.
There are 47 countries, thats 188 male & 188 female bowlers. Of these bowlers, probably about a third would be from countries where they do this for a living... thats right, these guys bowl 5 -6 days a week.

They have peaking programs to have them in top condition (including fitness) right before the event to ensure that they have the best possibility of success. They also have millions of dollars in funding and get access the the latest equipment and facilities... These people want to be the best and will do anything th achieve that...

What do we have here is Australia... a S*#T load of talent and a governing body that sounds like they are trying to make the most of it to not only compete, but win against the athletes above.

If you ask people like Chris Barnes, Tommy Jones, Walter Ray, Tim Mack, Cara Honeychurch & Shannon Pluhowsky if fitness was a major factor in them becoming a success i know what the answer will be...

i dont think the TBA are targeting anyone here, as far as i am aware the TBA are looking to use this for all future teams (womens, men & youth)