Do I have to be old to play bowls?

Bowls has an image to the general public of being a past-time just for retired people. That’s not helped when you see news on TV where they want an opinion from an elderly perspective and they report from a bowls club. Or if you go to the local park and see a game, especially if it’s mid-week.

But do you have to be old to play bowls? Quite simply, no, bowls is a sport that can be played by anyone – young or old, ladies and men, able bodied and those with some disabilities. So it’s a great sport to take up when you are young, and in fact the opportunities available are so much greater the earlier that you start playing.

The simple fact of the matter is that generally speaking the younger bowler has to work during the day, so unless you are looking within a club in the evenings, you are more likely to see the typical image that the game has.

There is no doubting the fact that the majority of people playing bowls are retired. It’s a great sport that keeps people active, with walking, stretching and lunges all part of the physical activity in a game.

It’s also great for the social side, ensuring that players are not lonely and have friends that they can relate to and spend time with. For people whose partners have passed away, the bowls club can become a safe haven against loneliness. The tactical side of bowls is also good for older people, keeping minds active and helping fight off Alzheimer’s and Dementia (https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/sites/default/files/2019-02/19003-Sports_Leisure_guide_online.pdf).

When I started playing at the age of 18, there were very few clubs that had junior set ups. Younger players were just brought up within the normal ranks of players, so you soon learnt to play in club matches and leagues with much older players. I actually think this was a great thing, in both a matter of learning the game and also having to mix and learn how to behave with people of all ages.

However soon after this most clubs realised that they needed to cater for groups of youngsters, and so junior sections were soon springing up. Also, County bowls associations realised the need for competitive bowls of players at a similar age. I was asked to play in the first few Kent Under 25 matches against other counties (in 1993 I think – in fact I had stopped playing at the time but this tempted me back into the game).

Nowadays most clubs have junior sections at dedicated times, and there are local leagues and matches against other clubs. Junior members should be encouraged to also play with older members in my opinion, as this is where they will learn more about the game through playing with more experienced players.

There are also National competitions, at both club and county level, and national setups for teams as well as Youth Development competitions to enhance skills.

If a junior member shows promise in your club, encourage the club to make sure that their County is aware so that they can meet and compete against players of a similar age. Who knows where they will end up, and with this encouragement could be playing for many years to come.

Bowlers in their 20s and 30s face different life pressures – they will be working, meeting their life partners, having children. They may play other sports such as football, netball or cricket, and may not admit to their team-mates that they play bowls, for fear of ridicule.

However, this is also the time when you aches and pains aren’t so prevalent, and players are at their peak physical condition. If they started in junior sections, then there’s a good chance they have climbed through the ranks and may be playing not only for their County, but possibly they have been called up to play for their National team. Clubs should support these achievements, although there are always some members who will question the fact that they aren’t playing in their local club league every weekend.

If you are just taking up the game in your 20s and 30s then you can progress quickly within your club, if you have the desire to do so. But you may find actually that you just want to play, meet new friends, and have an escape from everyday life and it’s worries. Whatever you want from the game, you can find that place that suits you.

Many people come to bowls in their 40s and 50s as sports people who find that they cannot run round a football, hockey, rugby pitch, but still want to continue their sporting career with all the fun of team spirit and achievement that it brings.

Anyone who plays ball sports for a long time will have an eye for the angles that bowls travel in. So snooker and pool players, people that play tennis, squash and badminton, and golfers in particular. So as you can see, many people fall into bowls at this time looking for a new challenge.

At this time in life, they may well be settled down, had children who have now grown up and have their own social life, and have the most amount of financial security that they’ve ever had. Their partners may want to join as well, as they look for something to do together, or they may want their own hobby as their spouse does lots and they find themselves alone at home.

People who take up bowls in their 40s and 50s will still be considered young by many of the club, although the more experienced will quickly spot any potential and hopefully give advice and tips, maybe inviting them to join in their competitive teams. This transfer of knowledge is what makes the game great – if we spot someone who is keen and shows promise, we help them to achieve the level quickly.

There are age related competitions for these players that they can grow into – the National Over 50 Triples or age related County competitions spring to mind. These are also good to target without the fear of being shown up by the junior players that have come through International age groups.

As we have seen, whilst bowls has a public image of being for old people, it actually is a great game for any age. There are opportunities for anyone, whether it be sporting achievement they are seeking, or just friendship and relaxation. So if you have any wondered if you are too young for bowls, you are wrong, you can take the sport up at any age.