Club of the Year

Summerset Retirement Villages

NZIB's Club of the Year Award was introduced in 2019.  This award is in recognition of a club who has gone above and beyond in promoting the sport and done an outstanding job within administration during the previous 12 months.

Nominations close 31 October each year with the recipient being announced at the AGM.

 

Download a Nomination Form (PDF version)

Download a Nomination Form (Word document)

 

Past Recipients

2019 St Josephs Club, Takapuna, North Harbour
2020 St Pauls Club, Christchurch, Canterbury
2021 Hedgehope Club, Hedgehope, Southland
2022 The Mount Junior Club - Tauranga
2023 New Lynn RSA – Auckland

 

2019

The winner of the inaugural Club of the Year was the St Joseph’s Indoor Bowling Club, Takapuna and North Harbour’s President Doug Campbell accepted the award on their behalf.  Each year the club holds a Charity Night and nominates a local charity to be the recipient.  This year $969.50 was raised and donated to De Paul House which provides housing and family support services.

2020

The St Pauls Club held a major membership drive at the beginning of the season as they were down to nine members - club nights are now attended by about 30.  A successful coaching night was held, raffles and suppers on non-competition nights.  A club dinner was held in July to get to know members and find out what they wanted from their club.  A fundraising triples event was also held and raised $1,175 from 19 teams.

2021

A small country club in the heart of Southland, with only 9 members at the end of 2019 season when the decision was made not to open in 2020 because of Covid-19. On opening night for 2021, 26 players turned up after a flyer was circulated to the local community. Coaching sessions were held for 20 minutes prior to playing games and Suzanne Mackie, Gary Low and Brian Hotton travelled from Invercargill to help with the coaching. Club members visited Invercargill and attended coaching sessions with Peter Carnie, Southland Coach, and also played in their Monday night tournaments. At the recent annual club tournament 24 teams competed and the hall was buzzing. Hedgehope won the event with three of their new players competing. Hedgehope is looking ahead to next season where they will be experiencing good numbers again from rumours going around.

2022

Six years ago, a dream was mooted of having a club for Intermediate age children competing in the Aims Games.  After introducing the concept to some 35 classes there was tremendous interest in a game which allowed all to participate.  Along with new skills the players have learnt to govern their club with assistance from adults when and if required.  Four members have achieved in Senior competitions.  Junior Club members are now assisting in exposing the sport to local schools accompanying adults to ‘Have a Go’ days.  Forming this club has allowed juniors to develop their skills through basic coaching procedures; to enjoy a sport which is non-physical but a mental challenge and to enjoy the social aspects of being amongst their own peers.

2023

Huge supporters of Auckland Centre Championships, New Lynn RSA offer a strong presence wherever they set foot.  Their club nights have an active membership base of over 50 players, all who are encouraged and supported to enter tournaments at all levels.  In fact, a large contingency of their members are regular attendees at regional and national events, to the point they have even picked up a nickname - ‘The Blue Army’.  Their enthusiasm for indoor bowls is evident through their willingness to travel to tournaments, and also through their promotion of the game.  New Lynn RSA can be counted on to lend a helping hand at Auckland events, often arriving early to set up and staying late to pack up.  Auckland Centre are proud to claim New Lynn RSA as one of their own, noting their valuable contribution to bowls and the wider community.  They describe their support and dedication to the game as ‘second to none’ and admit that they 'would be lost without The Blue Army.'