Bowling News
It has not been a good year for leagues and competitions in finding and retaining their Competition Secretaries. I make it four local bowling organisations that need new recruits for the 2024 season with the real threat of many of their competitions falling by the wayside along with the 100's of years history that goes with them. It is not a good legacy that we are leaving behind.
The Huddersfield & District Association haven't had anyone in post for two years now with a couple of stand-ins coming to the rescue to organise some KO's at late notice in 2022. Failure to recruit anyone this year saw the cancellation of long-standing competitions until Mark Sykes came forward to pull a shortened programme of competitions together compressing a lot into the final two months of the season.
In addition two other secretaries in post have published their resignations online (see below) during the season with the Halifax & District Association and the Colne Valley League looking for replacements for next season. Both leaving in sad but avoidable circumstances. Add to that the earlier reported expected end-of-season resignation of the Veterans League Competition Secretary as related to me by a League Official.
That is four local bowling organisations floundering to keep their competitions alive for a participating audience of over 2,000 bowlers from which four volunteers are now needed to come to the rescue of the histories of these competitions and the reputations of these leagues and bowling organisations.
It is a common problem with most organisations that involve older folk. No-one wants the hassle that inevitably follows when decisions are made that others disagree with. Those self-same people are quick to criticise but challenge them to take on the role and how quickly they back away.