Previous years’ reports: 2009
Tony Bryning is the county’s Chief Development Officer. He presents his report for 2010:
Schools Coaching In Stockport Area
Two more clubs (Bramhall Queensgate and Houldsworth Park) have joined the Schools / Clubs Partnership scheme, bringing the total number of children being coached weekly in Stockport to over 300. Regretfully my attempt to set up a similar scheme in Cheshire East has floundered due to a lack of support from within the area.
Funding
Once again the local authorities have come up trumps in supporting bowls coaching. A new venture this year has been my initiative in following the N.G.B. request to coach over 60’s. Working with Age Concern in Macclesfield we attracted over 30 people each week to coaching sessions. A very worthwhile exercise and one which I will repeat next year. Support for coaching in schools from the Local Authority has been very good although with the present economic climate, I am wondering what next year will have in store. I have to thank my own county, Cheshire, for providing me with funding to cover other areas of the county that I have previously been unable to cover. I hope that my travels will bear fruit next year.
Coaching
I have been able to run the usual number of coaching schemes throughout the county with one or two new venues coming on board. Areas included Northwich, Winsford, Macclesfield, Stockport, Barnton, Prestbury, Frodsham, Helsby and Chorlton
Schools Team Competition
Due to the lack of clubs wishing to take part in the visually impaired team competition at the Stockport Bowls Festival, the Festival committee decided to hold a Schools ten-a-side team competition in its place. Apart from the weather it proved a very successful day, with each youngster receiving a medal on a ribbon inscribed with the Festival details.
Coaching Upgrade Scheme
Now that the B.C.G.B.A. Coaching Scheme has put a programme in place for upgrading coaches from Level 1 to Level 2 this has proved very beneficial as it enables me to organise more coaching programmes for youngsters. I’m sure other Counties will benefit from the increase in Level 2 coaches.
Visually Impaired Bowls
Our group at Poynton continues to flourish despite losing two stalwart members during the bad winter. The group now has an annual exchange visit with the Rotherham Visually Impaired Bowlers Group. Rotherham come to Poynton during the summer, and Poynton go to play Rotherham at the Doncaster indoor centre in the winter. Each group funding lunch for the opposition.
Web Site
Cheshire C B A web controller Ross Kavanagh has set up a part of the county site for a Development page. This enables anyone with an interest in coaching or wanting to be coached to contact me directly.
Video Course
I set up a meeting of people wishing to develop their video skills. Unfortunately most of the cameras they owned were unsuitable as they did not have any slow motion or replay facilities. I advised them that the model used by the B.C.G.B.A., the Panasonic HDC-SD9, would be the best camera to use, and to seek funding to purchase one.