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EIBA DIRECTOR SUE JOHNSTON SEES THE ROLE OF NGB'S AS BEING A RESOURCE GATEWAY FOR ALL |
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But with 40 years of experience
in strategic and operational planning, standard setting and service
audit and evaluation across a range of organisations, she's more
than found her feet. "I had no pre-conceived ideas before joining the board," she said, "I had met Peter Thompson and one of the other Directors in my capacity as Company Secretary for Lincoln & District Indoor Bowling Club but was otherwise blissfully ignorant. "When asked if I might consider the director role, I reflected on my working career. Starting as a short service commissioned RAF Medical Officer, I was always involved in strategic planning, policy and procedure drafting. I also looked after boxers as a British Boxing Board of Control medical examiner and our service sports players. "Later on, as secretary to a successful swimming club, I again found myself drafting and implementing policies and procedures and becoming a Timekeeper and stroke Judge. "I was an elected representative to several national committees of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and from there a nominated representative member of national committees and working groups drafting guidelines and standards for clinical service delivery for inpatient and community services and assessing them on site. All of this was in addition to my role as a senior medical clinician and service director of a national service where I was also a Prins2 accredited project manager." Sue is keen to make information from the EIBA relevant, available and of value, so it becomes useful in the eyes of everyone, from International to club level bowlers. She said: "Members are quick to criticise but slow to understand the role and value of National Governing Bodies, but the EIBA should be a portal or resource gateway for clubs and bowlers alike to develop the sport for all. "To date, everyone has been very welcoming, and with information disseminated by email, meetings are very efficient in terms of time - being held by Zoom and effectively chaired. "I believe I contribute to the discussions in a meaningful way and offer a different perspective of the inquisitive member bowler. The hardest aspect is tempering my own expectations and anxieties of despite being a proven strategist and policy drafter I am relatively new and inexperienced in the world of bowls. "Personally, going forward, I would like to introduce some direct personal meeting/discussion with the HQ staff member I work most closely with so that quicker progress can be made in editing and updating drafts of documents we are working on." Having grown up in a bowls family with her three grandparents and father playing, Sue sought advice from her Nana, 'the most successful and ferociously competitive of them all and President of her club Carnarvon in Australia'. She recalled: "On their return to the UK when I was a teenager and beyond I would have roll-ups with her on a local public green in Musselburgh, Scotland, borrowing a set of bowls from the putting shed. She was full of advice and information but equally clear that I would never be able to beat her - I never did! "Nana stopped skipping three indoor teams when she was 89 and stopped playing altogether when she was 92! In my thirties I spent some time with a very successful bowler but was working as a doctor full time and could not commit to any regular team participation. I was too embarrassed to have considered bowling in their presence - although they were kind enough to give me sound advice about bowl choice and club selection when I re-discovered the sport nine years ago (aged 59) after going to my local village club open day." Sue lists her greatest achievements on the green as competing at the Bowls England National Championships at Leamington in 2017, winning the Novice Pairs and coming runner up in New Winner Singles and Pairs in 2018 at Lincoln & District Indoor Bowling Club and becoming a Regional EBUA Umpire and Marker in 2021: "That took a lot of study but helped me understand more about the sport," she recalled. "I also achieved my Marker 3 level in 2023 and retained my Regional Umpire status in 2025 - you think you can do it but must prove it and you've not picked up too many bad habits! Finally, I have been able to represent my club and county in team matches, and being Bowls Lincolnshire Ladies President in 2022 I could support and represent our men and women at Leamington and attend the Commonwealth Games. "The best thing about bowls is that it's truly inclusive. It caters for the casual or competitive bowlers. There are open competitions accessible to all. A ten-year-old or confident novice bowler could legitimately play in a team against very much older or more 'accomplished' players, physical and or mental disabilities can be accommodated. With the exception of match play competition, playing bowls can be 'mindful'. relaxing, and socially engaging. The environment within clubs allows people to meet in a safe social environment and is generally welcoming to people with or without partners." What is Sue's biggest frustration? "We are not creative enough in introducing innovation and change which might encourage more people to enjoy the sport e.g. shorter faster formats, to cater for the shorter attention spans and changing lifestyles of people," she said. "We still promote the sport based on outdated stereotypes - whilst it is a sport older or retired people can continue to compete to a high level in, it ought to be made more 'attractive' to encourage far more younger people to engage in. Unless exceptionally talented or with determined and accomplished relatives, younger players do not generally have a positive perception or good experience of bowls. There is still a place for long format games but... tradition without development creates stagnation. "My wish is for people to realise that the EIBA is an organisation for all indoor bowlers and clubs - not just elite international or nationally competitive bowlers - working on your behalf to support and develop the sport." Sian Honnor. We' d love to know what bowls means to you, get in touch at info@eiba.co.uk Previous Article - Interview with 13-year-old Louie Hodges, taking the OSC by storm |
March 2025
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