When you look at the record of Australia's bowlers on the international stage we initially appear to punch well above our weight. Well, we certainly do at a singles level and I don't believe that anyone is going to win an argument with me on that score as we are unquestionably the second most successful nation of all-time next to the USA.
Just for the record I am talking about SINGLES performances at the Adult level (not Juniors & Youth type events).
PBA & PWBA - 56 titles (Belmonte 30, Gianotti 16, Honeychurch 8 & Cooley 2)
World Cup wins - 9 (Baker x 2, Honeychurch, Nable, Bradley, Putney, Whiting, Belmonte & Cooley)
No country other than the dominant USA is on the same page as Australia with the record I have outlined above.
World Championships (now we move into the Teams area) and our success (Gold Medals) is unfortunately almost non-existent over the past 2 decades.
1979 All Events Eric Thompson
Doubles Eric Thomson & Ron Powell
Teams Eric Thompson Kevin Quinn Gary Kee John Sullivan Ron Powell & Bruce Kennedy
1983 Doubles John Sullivan & Kevin Harding
1995 Trios Cara Honeychurch Sharon McLeish Sue Cassell
1999 Doubles Joy Hayman & Amanda Bradley
All Events Amanda Bradley
Masters Ann Maree Putney
2003 Masters Michael Little
We need Rachuig restored to a 'fair dinkum' event where every bowler has to firstly earn the right to wear a shirt emblazoned with their state's flag and at the same time enjoy the tremendous honor of representing their STATE TEAM against all others and New Zealand. If we don't have a strong domestic Teams event we are not going to compete successfully in Teams at the international level. YES WE ARE A NATION OF INDIVIDUALS.
YES it is now 44 years (1979) since we won a Teams Gold Medal at the World Championships. YES we have won 56 Pro Titles & 9 World Cups since Jeanette Baker's first World Cup Win in 1982.
Since 1982
65 Pro Titles & World Cups
0 Teams Event Gold Medals (we have won 2 Doubles, 1 Trios, 2 Masters and an All Events title during that time). The last success was 20 years ago but even that was in an individual event (Masters).
Something needs to change as the more than 4 decades long drought (without an actual Teams Gold Medal) is only going to get longer.
If we can perform so well at a singes level why is our teams record so incredibly abysmal???
Hang on, just wait for a moment!!
Is it a bird, is it a plane, no it's our newly appointed Strength and Conditioning coach from Wales. Maybe Team success will be our new Number 1 priority.
We need to get Australian bowling to a level where we are at least competitive in International Teams events. I certainly hope this is more than just a talked about goal. We need a structure in place to achieve an appropriate outcome more reflective of our tremendous success in individual competition. I keep hearing all this ''talk" about the Olympics (well, we will need a competitive TEAM). We will now just have to wait and see if this ever happens. Another 44 years and I will have celebrated turning 101.
The Americans have great competitive Teams events (Juniors, College & Pros) and their success over the last 20 years when compared to Australia's complete lack of success highlights just how far behind we really are. We are at the present time a bit like an Arts graduate heading into an exam room to supposedly compete with a Neurosurgeon. We are tremendously out of our depth.
Just for the record I am talking about SINGLES performances at the Adult level (not Juniors & Youth type events).
PBA & PWBA - 56 titles (Belmonte 30, Gianotti 16, Honeychurch 8 & Cooley 2)
World Cup wins - 9 (Baker x 2, Honeychurch, Nable, Bradley, Putney, Whiting, Belmonte & Cooley)
No country other than the dominant USA is on the same page as Australia with the record I have outlined above.
World Championships (now we move into the Teams area) and our success (Gold Medals) is unfortunately almost non-existent over the past 2 decades.
1979 All Events Eric Thompson
Doubles Eric Thomson & Ron Powell
Teams Eric Thompson Kevin Quinn Gary Kee John Sullivan Ron Powell & Bruce Kennedy
1983 Doubles John Sullivan & Kevin Harding
1995 Trios Cara Honeychurch Sharon McLeish Sue Cassell
1999 Doubles Joy Hayman & Amanda Bradley
All Events Amanda Bradley
Masters Ann Maree Putney
2003 Masters Michael Little
We need Rachuig restored to a 'fair dinkum' event where every bowler has to firstly earn the right to wear a shirt emblazoned with their state's flag and at the same time enjoy the tremendous honor of representing their STATE TEAM against all others and New Zealand. If we don't have a strong domestic Teams event we are not going to compete successfully in Teams at the international level. YES WE ARE A NATION OF INDIVIDUALS.
YES it is now 44 years (1979) since we won a Teams Gold Medal at the World Championships. YES we have won 56 Pro Titles & 9 World Cups since Jeanette Baker's first World Cup Win in 1982.
Since 1982
65 Pro Titles & World Cups
0 Teams Event Gold Medals (we have won 2 Doubles, 1 Trios, 2 Masters and an All Events title during that time). The last success was 20 years ago but even that was in an individual event (Masters).
Something needs to change as the more than 4 decades long drought (without an actual Teams Gold Medal) is only going to get longer.
If we can perform so well at a singes level why is our teams record so incredibly abysmal???
Hang on, just wait for a moment!!
Is it a bird, is it a plane, no it's our newly appointed Strength and Conditioning coach from Wales. Maybe Team success will be our new Number 1 priority.
We need to get Australian bowling to a level where we are at least competitive in International Teams events. I certainly hope this is more than just a talked about goal. We need a structure in place to achieve an appropriate outcome more reflective of our tremendous success in individual competition. I keep hearing all this ''talk" about the Olympics (well, we will need a competitive TEAM). We will now just have to wait and see if this ever happens. Another 44 years and I will have celebrated turning 101.
The Americans have great competitive Teams events (Juniors, College & Pros) and their success over the last 20 years when compared to Australia's complete lack of success highlights just how far behind we really are. We are at the present time a bit like an Arts graduate heading into an exam room to supposedly compete with a Neurosurgeon. We are tremendously out of our depth.
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