Rihoy & Son is proudly sponsoring Junior Bowls at the Guernsey Bowling Club. Young Rollers is open to all children up to the age of 17 and takes place on Sundays from 9.30am to 11am, at Beau Sejour, supervised by 15 coaching members of the Guernsey Bowling Club. It is a free Sunday morning activity. We spoke to Chris Dyer, Club Captain at Guernsey Bowling Club to find out more about the sport.
-
What made you go from Football to Bowls?
When I retired from football, it was time to move on and try something new.
I thought, why not give bowls a go? I then talked several of my friends into joining me, and despite the usual comments about it being an older person's sport we were all amazed at how we enjoyed it. I've been bowling non-stop now for twenty years! And enjoy it more than ever.
-
Is bowling really a sport for younger children?
Most definitely! It's a sport for all ages and abilities. What I find extremely interesting is that the sport can be played competitively at all ages. There is no reason why young bowlers can't play regularly against experienced bowlers, to compete with them - and beat them.
-
What benefits does a sport like bowling provide?
There are lots of benefits. For example, it’s inclusive for any age and gender.
It's also a great social sport and very friendly.
It's not about strength, size, and fitness - anyone can play. It's for all abilities.
It provides good exercise in the fresh air and helps people's mental well-being. There's also a good social side with our club functions.
You can play every day if you want to, or once a week if that suits your lifestyle. It doesn’t have to be competitive; you can play social bowls or play in leagues if that’s your preference.
We have visiting teams to play against, and we also travel away to play other clubs. All members are welcome, not just the elite bowlers.
-
Is the bowls technique hard to master?
No, the technique is relatively easy to master. It is vital to get into good habits early, though. For example, getting the correct set up stance and grip. Then it’s down to touch, feel and hand/eye coordination.
My top tip would be to be patient. We can all bowl but don’t expect to get close to the jack all the time. Like everything else in life, it takes practice.
-
Why is sponsorship so vital for the Guernsey Bowling Club?
Sponsorship cannot be underestimated, quite simply without it we wouldn’t have a bowls club. We have approximately ten local sponsors of whom we are extremely grateful to, and this year we were delighted to have secured a sponsorship deal with Rihoy & Son which has helped us set up a free junior bowls section, the Young Rollers on Sunday mornings. This has also enabled us to purchase junior woods and coaching equipment. With the introduction of a junior club, we are hopeful that these junior players will progress into the club and increase our overall membership. This support from Rihoy & Son has been immense - it is so nice to see youngsters playing bowls.
Our sponsorship deals also help us to meet our obligations for the rent we have to pay each year for the bowls green.
So, in a nutshell, the sponsors are vital for the sustainability of our club and hopefully they will continue to our 100-year anniversary in 2027, and beyond.
I personally can’t thank you all enough!
Posted: 29 July 2022