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PAUL MAYNARD REFLECTS ON SUMMER OPEN PAIRS SUCCESS |
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It was a special moment for the friends, who first met as teenagers,
having been introduced to the game through their families. "When I was about 11 my dad just took me along to bowls with him," Paul recalled. "He'd already been playing for a year or two. I wasn't really desperate to go but it was the first sports club I'd been to which was exciting. Before that I'd played football at school with my mates, I was decent at that age. It was nice to go to a proper club and it didn't really matter to me whether it was bowls or anything else. "I didn't really like it, outdoor bowls as an 11-year-old isn't that exciting. I just enjoyed going along with my dad. He got into bowls by himself, having heard about a new club opening in Milton Keynes and looking for something to play after enjoying football as a younger man. He had won the club championship so was decent. Your parents are your heroes so that was another nice element. On a personal level I wasn't thrilled with it and wasn't that good, but I did get into it. It got more interesting for me once there were more youngsters." One of those was 13-year-old Rippey, who had just won his club singles. "My dad had joined Newport Pagnell and was playing in a friendly match when noticed a young lad playing for the opposition and purposely went round and spoke to his mum... He managed to poach James to come to our club and that's when things changed for me. Within the next two or three years I got to know the under 25 players from Bucks and enjoyed those games." Paul started bowling indoors in the early nineties when Lawson Park (now Kempston IBC) opened. He said: "It sounds silly now but we had to drive about 10 miles to Bedford to play which was quite a long way at the time but it was the only proper club to play at. It had loads of youngsters which was great and at that age it's all about having fun. One of the highlights was actually the pool table that we would spend hours playing on. "I preferred indoors just about, I was alright at both rather than brilliant but indoors there were lots of youngsters I loved playing with and there were comps like the club double rink. We won that and that was the first big thing for me. I also qualified in the national fours when I was 17 in 1994. "I looked across and Andy Thomson was there... H|e was the best at the time in England and I'd seen him on the television so that meant a lot to me. Loads of people were saying look at that young lad. It was brilliant." Now solely playing indoors at Riverain IBC, Paul says the emergence of EIBA summer competitions is really important for the game. "For those that don't play outdoors, it gives you something to focus on so you have something to do for four or five months. It helps not going into the winter season cold too, plus gives me the opportunity to play with someone like James that I wouldn't be able to do in the winter. "I'm hoping it continues to grow. The Fantastic Fives is a good addition too and gives people another option. Most games were at weekends which is good if players need to travel. It makes it less restrictive. "James and I lost in the semi-final of the Summer Open Pairs last year to Gary R Smith who's a great player and a great guy, I love playing him. "We played him again this year in the quarters and we were really up for it; especially when we were 2-7 down. They're the players you want to play against and afterwards in the changing room he said to me "you came on really well, Paul, and it made it very difficult for me." To get a compliment from a player like that means the world and it was genuine. "Then we played Andrew Colebrook who is another good player. It's really pleasing to beat people like that and to win a national title with your friend and someone you've known for a long time, means a lot. We've had a lot of success qualifying for the World Pairs at Potters three times. Having known each other for so long, you do play better with people that you know well."  Paul
is looking forward to the winter season, in particular playing more
singles competitions."I've been quite successful in the past and I've missed it," he said. "I've played a lot of Open Singles Circuit stuff and the past few years I haven't so much and I enjoy the buzz. Getting to the last 16, you look around and see they are really decent players and I just feel really pleased whenever I can be part of that. Everyone is really up for it in the last part of the day. Even if you don't win the tournament, it's about being part of the latter stages. That's what I love about bowls. "In teams, I'm now playing with Lloyd Sabbatini and Matt Coppen but I love playing with and against excellent players. I do love having a nice chat and catch up with people that you haven't seen for a while, so the camaraderie is a big part of the game for me. "I think it's important to speak to everyone that's involved in the game which is something not everyone has time for. I also think realising there is more to life than bowls is important. "I have a good balance in my life, I play a lot of tennis just for fun and then I do live music and theatre shows too." Paul, a specialist lead, has enjoyed success in the Open Singles Circuit and has also qualified for the World Pairs at Potters four times. "I wouldn't have been able to do it without the support of my Helen," he said, "I wouldn't have pushed myself to play in all these things and do all the travelling without her. It's nice that we can share it. The members of Foxhill IBC, my local club, have also been really supportive and always ask what I am up to. "I do love the game, though like everyone I have some frustrations. One is the top level of the game. When I look across at all the different sports, they have a better way of grading their top players than we do. I feel there could be an allowance made for PBAs and Open Singles Circuits for example, I'd like to see that included and recognised more broadly. "Another thing is re spots - they should come in sooner rather than later. It's such a shame when games can't be finished in time due to burnt ends. "Finally, I think anything we can do to make bowls more fun should be pursued." One such idea has been cooked up by Tye Green IBC. Paul said: "Lee Barber has some sponsorship and is running a pairs league across the season which is played in sets. Each team has coloured shirts and it's about trying to create a bit more of a buzz by having matching merchandise; trying to emulate the Premier League style bowls that you see in Australia. "The hope is that this will be something a bit different as a team competition and it will grow in other areas too. It's another idea to make bowls more appealing. "Me and my wife Helen love the Premier League in darts, that's what I'd love bowls to do. "Another thing I think worth pursuing is having triples for the Denny Cup, Egham Trophy and Liberty, the reason is more involvement. Tennis has changed the way I see bowls and I've a lot to be grateful to the club for; I used to just play club social sessions but over the last few years because I've started playing in competitions, club matches and arranged doubles with other members and I've enjoyed it a lot more. "With four players in a team at bowls, there's a lot of hanging around and less involvement whereas I prefer tennis formats as it's mainly doubles and occasionally, I play singles. I played big important bowls competitions Saturday and Sunday mornings for most of the last 30 years over the winter months with loads of travelling involved but I'm stopping most of them as I would rather focus on singles and doubles at bowls, it's funny how tastes change." Sian Honnor. We' d love to know what bowls means to you, get in touch at info@eiba.co.uk Previous Article - Interview with Robyn Lockhart, new EIBA Director of Finance |
October 2024
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