BARR’S IRN BRU SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE 

 On Saturday, 18^th and Sunday, 19^th April, 2009, the finals of this national event took place at Dundee Indoor Bowling Club with twelve participants who had successfully qualified from the National Playdowns throughout Scotland.

Scottish Bowls Coaching runs this event on behalf of the SIBA and this year  Graham Robertson, the National Director of Coaching will be assisted by Internationalist and Area Coach Cecilia Smith, along with Regional Supervisors Dick Boyle, Joyce Miller, Ben Clunie and other Coaches. 

The two day event comprises various disciplines of the game along with video diagnosis, singles, pairs and rinks games supervised by the Team of Coaches.

Craig Burnett, Aberdeen Indoor Bowling Club, Duncan Reid, Garioch Indoor Bowling Club, Jamie Hanlan, Midlothian Indoor Bowling Club, Kerr McKail, Portobello Indoor Bowling Club, Kevin Anderson, Dumbarton Indoor Bowling Club, Martyn Jenkins, Coatbridge Indoor Bowling Club, Mark O’Hagan, Blantyre Miners Welfare IBC and Craig Boyd, Lanarkshire Indoor Bowling Club.

The eventual winner was Kevin Anderson of Dumbarton I.B.C. with Mark O'Hagan of Blantyre Miners Welfare I.B.C. 

2009 NATIONAL SCHOOLS OF EXCELLENCE  

 On Sunday, 6^th September, 2009, and on behalf of the SBA, Scottish Bowls Coaching will be simultaneously running four Schools of Excellence in the Perth, Dunfermline, Mount Vernon and Gourock areas.  Each School was run by a Lead Coach and supported by a team of trained club coaches and 12 competitors was at each School, having qualified as being a SBA under 25 District Champion, or a winner of 2008’s SYBA championships or having been nominated by the SWBA.  

 The event is similar to that of the Barr’s Irn Bru Indoor event in that it comprises individual disciplines, video diagnosis, shot selection discussions and team play. The highest scorer at each School will qualify for selection for 2010’s Under 25 International Trials.  

 The Lead Coaches for this year’s event are Bobby Dick, SBA, Karen Dawson, SWBA Internationalist, Cecilia Smith SWBA and SWIBA Internationalist and Graham Robertson, National Director of Coaching. 

The winner's were as follows

GOUROCK : JOHN REID Gourock Park B.C

MOUNT VERNON :  MARK O'HAGAN  Whitefield B.C

PERTH WEST END :  GREG BALDRY  EAST CALDER B.C

HEADWELL :  CHRISTOPHER STEIN METHIL B.C

Pictured above Christopher Stein with Cecila Smith

 GREENGAUGE  CHALLENGE   

 On Sunday, 15^th March, 2009. eight under 16 year old boys from various parts of Scotland and who had qualified by winning the Regional Playdowns, appeared at Midlothian Indoor Bowling Club for the final of the Greengauge Challenge.   

 The many spectators were treated to a wonderful display of bowling talent from these young players with many a hard played match throughout the round robin competition, well organised by Regional Supervisor Grace McGregor and her team of Coaches.   

  The eventual winner was Michael Docherty of Blantyre with Jack Montgomerie of Ardrossan being the runner up.  

 All the participants are shown in the photograph with The National Director of Coaching, Graham Robertson and the President of the SIBA, James Wilkie.