PHIL Hobday has been appointed Moree Services Club bowls co-ordinator with a charter to generate more player numbers on the greens, especially from schools across the Moree Plains Shire.

Lawn bowls as a sport has not been played in Moree schools for more than 20 years, but Hobday and

Moree Services Bowls Club president Wayne Tighe wants to see the game back as an option for Moree school students.

“My job is to get more bowlers out on the green – kids as well as men and women,” Hobday said.

“That will get us more tournaments. We’ve got the best facilities, but they’re not being used enough.

“We want to get more kids involved through sport, and bowls hasn’t been in Moree schools for years. It’s only early days, but that’s what we’re working on,” he said.

Club president Wayne Tighe said the club’s multi-million-dollar, all-weather synthetic bowling greens need to be utilised more.

“We want more competitions and carnivals played here, and that will get more people here for events,” Tighe said.

“We also want bowls back as a school sport and we’ll also start a Moree business houses competition during the week, where different businesses can put in a side and play off over so many weeks – that’s one of the competitions we want to see happening.”

Also driving the push is Rod Tighe, Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer at Moree Police Station.

(from left) Moree Services Bowling Club president Wayne Tighe, newly-appointed club bowls co-ordinator Phil Hobday and club committeeman Rod Tighe at state pennants at the weekend.

“We want to get school sports here as well as more interaction with the community to generate engagement. We’ve got the facilities to host them,” he said.

“We’d love to see more schools here for sport and we’re happy to assist with the process. We’ll soon get the message out to school principals and school social workers. Bowls hasn’t been a school sport for more than 20 years.”

Meanwhile, two Moree Services Club teams won Grades 4 and 7 competitions against South Tamworth and Inverell on Saturday, to push them further up the rankings for spots in the NSW state pennants finals to be held at Wagga Wagga in June.

“Moree beat South Tamworth 75-28 with one round to go, but the win on Saturday secured the home team a spot in the finals at Wagga,” Wayne Tighe said.

Words and Image: Bill Poulos