2010 Australian Adult team announced

[Geoff300]

Geoff,

I was not having a go at the Coach or questioning his commitment..I was purely outlining if we have a paid Coach with his experience let him have the team he wants and develop the bowlers. Just like coaches in all other sports.

I didnt think you were having ago at him
Just wanted people to realise It is no cake walk
gravy train like some may think
He has been offered 5 times the amount he
is getting here but wants to do what he does
best for his Country

Chris would do things very differently if he had his
own way in relation to Australian Team Selections
I am quite sure he would prefer 100% selection

 

[BELMO]

I would like to make a point in regards to your comment on
the National Coach

Let us all not forget he is a legend of our game in this country
as well as very well regarded around the world for his bowling
skills and coaching record

Yes he gets paid, It is a paid role
He gets paid for 3 days a week at a rate
of pay I would not get out of bed for

He works far more than 3 days a week and
He makes himself available to anyone who wants help

Cheers
Geoff

Geoff,

Mate, Jez or anyone else for that matter has not made any comment about the ability of Chris as a coach.
The question he is asking is why in bowling in our country dont the selectors and coaches have some responsibility for team performances?

They chose the team - So why not help that team work on what it is you (the coach/selectors) think they need to do to make that team stronger at the event.
We ask a group of men and women to perform, yet there is no structure to building a teams preparation before they leave.

Its time that both selectors and coaches get more involved with the teams prior to roll offs and team selections.
If you select someone - explain why. Give those looking in, an insight to what you want from a rep player.
I also think its important that those who are not selected are also told why - Help those people understand what it is they need to do to fulfil the demands to be on that team.

For as long as i can remember the 'team' meets at the airport after the selection or the roll off and thats the next time they all see each other before competing in the toughest team event in the world.
In my experience we are the only country (that actually has a chance at winning) that do this.

I like the idea of a squad being announced early - Europeans do it, Americans do it, Asians do it.
They work as a squad, practice as a squad and not by coincidence they win to.

From an announced squad, an official World Team is selected over a few camps where the bowlers are asked to perform at.
Have a roll off system if you want - but make it over a longer period than one weekend.

We dont have the money to fund our players and these guys are prepared to spend thousands of their money to represent our country.

If asking these core players/coaches/selectors to spend another few hundred to meet at camps or at events that had not planned to bowl - to build as a team - to give them a better chance at excelling, im all for it - Kind of makes more sense spending thousands to travel well prepared than not, dont you think?

Australia wants to get serious about winning, then lets get serious about training for it.
These are the best teams in the world - want to beat them, then learn from them!

Jason

Jason

 

[BELMO]

Geoff,

Again no one is suggesting its an easy job - but its a job he has taken. If it was Joe Blow, the same questions would be asked of him and his selectors.
Good news is - Rep bowling is alive and well in this country and peoples passions have not yet faded - this thread makes that clear

 

[Michelle]

Why dont you ask this "one of the best bowlers in the world" isnt there
representing their Country

You may just be surprised

The TBA are listening

Regards
Geoff

You say the TBA are listening.... well this stuff has been said for years, i'd like to see them actually do something about it for a change. It's become quite apparent that they don't like change and/or don't like others offering them there opinion... when they do they get cut off.

P.S I am not surprised.....
Michelle

 

[exPatBowler]

Why dont you ask this "one of the best bowlers in the world" isnt there
representing their Country

You may just be surprised

The TBA are listening

Regards
Geoff

Geoff, I actually asked that question earlier in this string and so far haven't seen any answer?

 

[Geoff300]

Geoff, I actually asked that question earlier in this string and so far haven't seen any answer?

Yes , Well It is a very good question
It is fine for some people to beat their chests and say
we should do this , that or the other thing when they
wont put up their hand and make themselves available
for an Australian Team because they can make money
somewhere else bowling
We need key people to help in development
of the sport in this Country not stand on the sidelines
and throw stones at those who are trying to help

Cheers
Geoff

 

[Geoff300]

You say the TBA are listening.... well this stuff has been said for years, i'd like to see them actually do something about it for a change. It's become quite apparent that they don't like change and/or don't like others offering them there opinion... when they do they get cut off.

P.S I am not surprised.....
Michelle

Michelle

The TBA have a new CEO who in my view has the respect
of Bowlers, something we have not had for many, many years

Secondly we have a National Coach who has plenty of ability who
is struggling to do what he wants to do because of financial restraints
due to very poor funding, due to past sins of the TBA, and because
of poor membership, Also the fault of TBA and AMF because they
have spent years not supporting bowlers and or league play
which has killed a lot of Tourn in this Country

What we need now is more new people to put thier hand up and
say "How can I help" also "Can I get on a Board or Committee" so
i can help make a difference

Change is not the issue It is actualy more about doing something!
and getting out there listening to people, something I have been
doing a lot of.

It is easy for people to stand back and throw stones, some of
them well targetted I admit

The issue now is do you want to be part of the problem or
part of the solution

The new and revitalisation of some are listening and some
need to go

Up to you !!!!

Cheers
Geoff

 

[Geoff300]

Geoff,

Again no one is suggesting its an easy job - but its a job he has taken. If it was Joe Blow, the same questions would be asked of him and his selectors.
Good news is - Rep bowling is alive and well in this country and peoples passions have not yet faded - this thread makes that clear

Hey Jason

I don't have a problem with what your saying but to be honest
you could do more yourself, you are one of those people this
Country has and needs as a frontline advertisment and show peice

It would be nice to see someone like yourself make yourself
available for some Australian teams, Even Rachuig which needs
an injection at various levels

I understand you are away a lot and thats fine.
Things do change and exemptions may be granted
with a view of wanting the best available team to Win !!!

This is not a Gee up or an atempt to upset you or anyone
else It is what we need in this Country

cheers
Geoff

 

[Geoff300]

Geoff,

Mate, Jez or anyone else for that matter has not made any comment about the ability of Chris as a coach.
The question he is asking is why in bowling in our country dont the selectors and coaches have some responsibility for team performances?

They chose the team - So why not help that team work on what it is you (the coach/selectors) think they need to do to make that team stronger at the event.
We ask a group of men and women to perform, yet there is no structure to building a teams preparation before they leave.

Its time that both selectors and coaches get more involved with the teams prior to roll offs and team selections.
If you select someone - explain why. Give those looking in, an insight to what you want from a rep player.
I also think its important that those who are not selected are also told why - Help those people understand what it is they need to do to fulfil the demands to be on that team.

For as long as i can remember the 'team' meets at the airport after the selection or the roll off and thats the next time they all see each other before competing in the toughest team event in the world.
In my experience we are the only country (that actually has a chance at winning) that do this.

I like the idea of a squad being announced early - Europeans do it, Americans do it, Asians do it.
They work as a squad, practice as a squad and not by coincidence they win to.

From an announced squad, an official World Team is selected over a few camps where the bowlers are asked to perform at.
Have a roll off system if you want - but make it over a longer period than one weekend.

We dont have the money to fund our players and these guys are prepared to spend thousands of their money to represent our country.

If asking these core players/coaches/selectors to spend another few hundred to meet at camps or at events that had not planned to bowl - to build as a team - to give them a better chance at excelling, im all for it - Kind of makes more sense spending thousands to travel well prepared than not, dont you think?

Australia wants to get serious about winning, then lets get serious about training for it.
These are the best teams in the world - want to beat them, then learn from them!

Jason

Jason

Jason

I was not a selector of this event
I was at Rachuig and would have been nice to be able
to include others like yourself and couple of others
into the mix, but we cant presently due the rules in
place , mostly what bowlerd want because they whinge
the loudest and cause change, not always for the good of the game
but more for themselves, Sad that !!

In terms of Chris and his Role, I agree and so does he
but we live in a huge Country to get around and that
is why we have started the State based training program
to ensure those who want to a rep player have a pathway

Granted It is not ideal but it is a start, Some States are
doing it and others , like Me and NSW have not started
but will in the next month or so

It will be up to Bowlers who want to be in it To get themselves
on the program so they can be in Day camps etc

The other issue is You can not expect a National Coach to take
a Team away who have been with coaches who dont teach them the
fundamentals of the game, like sparing, now theres a concept
lets try sparing !!!! Bowlers at this level should not be needing
the National coach on an Australian Trip to show them how
to Spare

So the Coaching done by some people is bloody ordinary !!!!!

If you , and others want him to take responsibilty , thats fine
then he would need to Select the Teams he wants and run the camps
he wants and have the Assistant Coaches and Managers he wants

Sadly not a reality at this stage and money is the biggest issue

Cheers
Geoff

 

[desmondo]

I think it is about time we use this post to congratulate someone who is long overdue for an Australian team.

Overlooked at selection many times this gentleman has taken it on the chin and come back and kept trying.

No matter how hurt he was when he was overlooked, you never heard him complain.

A great bloke, an incredible bowler and an absolute asset to the sport of ten pin bowling.

Who am I talking about?????








DION ALEXANDER!!






Way to go mate, you are what this sport is about and you TOTALLY DESERVE to be in this team.

Let us celebrate someone who has worked their a***** off to make this team.

Des

 

[Michelle]

Michelle

The TBA have a new CEO who in my view has the respect
of Bowlers, something we have not had for many, many years

Secondly we have a National Coach who has plenty of ability who
is struggling to do what he wants to do because of financial restraints
due to very poor funding, due to past sins of the TBA, and because
of poor membership, Also the fault of TBA and AMF because they
have spent years not supporting bowlers and or league play
which has killed a lot of Tourn in this Country

What we need now is more new people to put thier hand up and
say "How can I help" also "Can I get on a Board or Committee" so
i can help make a difference

Change is not the issue It is actualy more about doing something!
and getting out there listening to people, something I have been
doing a lot of.

It is easy for people to stand back and throw stones, some of
them well targetted I admit

The issue now is do you want to be part of the problem or
part of the solution

The new and revitalisation of some are listening and some
need to go

Up to you !!!!

Cheers
Geoff

Geoff....

Maybe you need to learn some things about the TBA before you state that I possibly am throwing stones rather than offering suggestions of help or should try and get on a board...

If you actually knew what the TBA has done to my family in the last few years then you would know why I am so negative towards them.

And please tell me that I read your last post wrong and you weren't actually stating that Belmo doesn't offer himself to Australian teams/hasn't done anything for this country???????????????? Man..... all I can say is WOW.... Let's just hope that I misread your comment.

 

[Jase]

ok now...Lets before this really gets out of hand remember what this thread was about...Lets not get too off track and yes it had turned into some healthy discussions regarding the Team...

Now also lets not start singling out people as to why they haven't made them selves available...EVERYONE would have different reasons as to why...

I do say this though and this is no way a Dig at the Australian Coach or his assistants...This is MY OPINION and MINE only...

Lets just say

Belmo...Walsh...Bottomley...Little...Qualla...Frilingos...Pilkington...Lean...Frawls, just to name a few all made themselves available...Most, and i wont say all, but most of them are at a level that a coach may no longer be able to help them...They just need more of a manager...Or if they are going to fund a coach then fund the Team as well...

So that being said, perhaps the fact that the Coach is funded for these trips and They have to fund their own way is the very fact we cannot get these people to go away and make themselves available...Lets face it, most of them still travel and Some overseas at different times of the year...So why should the coach be funded/paid and the players not...There i just said what alot of people are thinking or too afraid to say it...

And until that changes no one is aloud to Judge these people for not putting their hand up to make themselves available for the Australian Team...

Look at the Names mentioned above (and yes i have probably left some out) that would then be an Australian Dream Team for sure...

 

[tonx]

Pearso,

Anyone would put the name J.Pearson next to that dream team too, but unfortunately they won't allow the high performance thongs because it would give you too much advantage over the rest of the field.

As for roll-off or selection, there are ups and downs to both methods.

With the roll-offs location is an issue. Given that the roll-off was in NSW, and almost the entire mens side is from NSW proves this. With selection you will always have "why didn't he get selected" type issues that is arising now.

In the end, the decision should be made to get our best bowlers to these world class tournaments. The list Jase has writted above this post looks pretty strong a line up to me

Good Luck to those competing. Do us all proud!

 

[wchester]

Lets just say

Belmo...Walsh...Bottomley...Little...Qualla...Frilingos...Pilkington...Lean...Frawls, just to name a few all made themselves available...Most, and i wont say all, but most of them are at a level that a coach may no longer be able to help them...

All bowlers can benefit from utilising a good coach. Someone with a coach's eye and vast knowledge of the sport.

 

[Andrew S.]

Wayne you may be right about needing a good coach, and elite athletes usually do have a good coach.

However having said that, they usually benefit from a personal coach that they can work with and who understands their game, their temperament and everything else about them.
At the top level in some sports its a full time job.

However funding being what it is, I think it unlikely that our Top Bowlers could afford to take their personal coaches with them overseas.
In a team situation at the elite level I can only see a coach being of benefit if he/she can spend vast amounts of time working with a team squad prior to the event. Which would of course necessitate an ongoing National squad to start with.

Airport departure lounge coaches serve very little purpose in my opinion as JP stated earlier, an experianced Manager would be far more appropriate.

 

[BELMO]

Hey Jason

I don't have a problem with what your saying but to be honest
you could do more yourself, you are one of those people this
Country has and needs as a frontline advertisment and show peice

It would be nice to see someone like yourself make yourself
available for some Australian teams, Even Rachuig which needs
an injection at various levels

I understand you are away a lot and thats fine.
Things do change and exemptions may be granted
with a view of wanting the best available team to Win !!!

This is not a Gee up or an atempt to upset you or anyone
else It is what we need in this Country

cheers
Geoff

Its going to be a long post, so im sorry in advance.


Geoff,
I'll just assume you were drunk when you wrote that and didn't mean that - But i will defend my Australian Team commitments and my commitments for advertising the game in Australia and around the world.

Why I'm not bowling for Australia - The answer you want so badly -

Its a question I have been emailed, asked and called about from bowling writers all over the world for the past 3 months!
Ill tell you the same thing I told them - the truth as to why im not bowling.

I have bowled for my country since 2001 - youth and adult teams. Many of those years, i was bowling in both teams during the same year.
I have spent close to $30,000 (give or take) bowling for my country during during the past decade.
I commend and respect each player that has earned their way on to these teams. I know the sacrifices that has to be made to bowl for our country and i also know, too well, the expense that follows with it.
EVERYONE on these teams (Schools, Youth, Men and Women, Seniors, disabled) you are deserving of your spot no matter what is said or written.
Remember that, when you double in the 10th to win a medal for the first time - I DID!

This trip (with my experience as a traveller and with traveling with an Australian team) to Germany will cost more than I can afford to spend with no possible return.
I love bowling for Australia and the close to 30 medals (of all colours) ive won for our country mean so much to me. It breaks my heart not to be shoeing up for these FIQ teams, but its a choice I had to make.

Every time i bowl anywhere in the world - Im representing Australia (doesnt have to be just at FIQ's) and Australian Bowling. I do it with pride and I make it known that I am Australian and that I am in an Australian TEAM Member. I even have Australia written on my PBA Pro Jersey.

Talk about throwing stones. Lucky controversy and 'stones' have been thrown at me my entire bowling career - im thick skinned - normally though its for 'how' I throw the ball, now its about for 'not' throwing the ball - kind of ironic huh?

I will bowl for Australia again, if at that point in time my priorities have changed. I truly hope i do.

Publicising the game at home and abroad - My response to that

My style has helped me win - but its also helped create a spark of interest in our game. Its something 'outside the square'. I am a topic of conversation on every forum in the bowling world at some point in time and I am also a topic of conversation for some news papers like The Wall St Journal, Boston Globe, LA TIMES, Daily telegraph, Tv shows, radio programs - Etc Etc
Each one asking for comments or interviews at sometimes crazy times in the night. On occasion i drive the 4 hours to Sydney from Orange for a 15 minute live in studio interview only to then drive back the hours home after its done.

(I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Lynne Clay who has set up so many interviews and shoots for me and for Australian Bowling. If only people knew Lynne what you do for us all - So thank you)

I have even flown around the world to do TV shows and talks and photo shoots to help elevate bowling's status amongst the media and the public.
I once flew from Korea to LA only to be told 30 minutes after I landed that the interview had been postponed for up to 3 weeks, I then had to fly back home that night - that one hurt!
I talk bowling to everyone I meet - in the street, on planes, taxi cab drivers, business men, politicians - im trying Geoff, i really am - but its clear not hard enough, otherwise my efforts would have reached your ears.

Look - i dont know it all, hell, none of us do. We offer our suggestions on this site as a way to get it off our chests and as a hope that maybe it will fall on some open ears.
If you think anyone here that has offered suggestions to help the bowling teams selection process as 'stones' then you are mistaken.
We say it because we love this game.
Would you rather no one said anything at all?

We need a lure to get our best players back in the mix - maybe structure and understanding will go a long way with getting those players mentioned back in an Australian shirt.
Or maybe its purely just funding - what ever we need, we need it soon!

This has been my thoughts - if you want to know what other peoples reasons are, best you single them out on this site as well.
I took the bait, maybe others will too - or unless you dont think its any of your business!

Proud Aussie

Geoff - one more thing. Thank you for doing what you can to help - we need more people like you, just hurts when your trying and people assume you dont care!
Hope to see you at another World Cup where we were both representing Australia again


Jb

 

[Jez]

Belmo well said mate as a good friend and a huge fan I was very dissappointed to the read the comments about you.

I have been lucky enough to be in teams with Belmo on numerous occassions.

As he has written above he does more than his fair share of promoting the game both in Aust and abroad.

I have been on teams with him when he has had to fly half way around the world to make it in time for the first event (AT HIS OWN EXPENSE) and then show up and win gold that morning for his country! Oh and the crap that he had to go through to be able to be part of the team would have been enough for other ppl just to say forget about it...but he didnt coz he wanted to represent Australia.

He has stayed at my house many times after doing those numerous interviews he spoke about to promote the game and then get up and drive 4 hours back to Orange to see his family that he spends so much time away from... oh and the interviews are done free of charge to purely promote the sport of Ten Pin Bowling and to try and lift its image in this Country.

Belmo you are a champion of our sport and have contributed greatly and you still are trying to promote our game in this country, I thank you for that and just keep doing what you do! There will always be ppl at there they continue to have digs and not know all the effort and work you do away from the game but just know there is also a huge amount of ppl out there respect what you do and are glad that you are the face of Australian bowling in right around the world!

 

[Tiger Bottomley]

Sorry Geoff but I think you did go to far making any comment about Jason B and his efforts to assist and promote the game.

He has done more in his young years (I can say that given my age) than the vast majority of us have ever done to encourage, support and promote our game.

He genuinely is a credit to himself and bowling and should always be seen in that light.

Where I do think you are on point is that more people need to get involved through committees etc and see where they can play their part.

If you look at the majority of the committees (no disrespect intended) there is not much youth representation which is of great concern.

I believe our greatest frustration at the moment is that we do not appear to be learning from the past. Usually this is done by trying things, learning and then changing for the better.

The problem is/has been the number of reincarnations of the TBA and a lack of succession planning. Each new board has needed to learn and many have made the same mistakes as the previous.

The bowlers see this and the obvious "Here we go again" comments arise.

Hopefully with the new board, this time there will be the opportunity to take any learnings that can be derived and improve the process moving forward.

 

[gwhiting]

What this thread has shown me is the great passion that bowlers have to representing their country.

The one thing that is holding us back is funding. It's not cheap to represent your country.

Last year at Asian schools the Australian team was the only team that was self funded.

We need to work out a way of getting more funds so we can send over our best team.

This could be through higher membership fees.

The post by Jason B is my nomination for post of the year.

 

[Bigsy]

To those of you who may know, how does someone get involved in tenpin bowling?

By this I mean that I am a league bowler at the moment and would like to increase my interest in tenpin bowling.

What sort of avenues can be taken to get more involved?

Bigsy...