Stepps Tigers 10th Anniversary
2024 marks the 10th anniversary of Stepps Bowling Club’s Junior Section: The Stepps Tigers. The junior section was set up as part of the legacy of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. It began with a Commonwealth Community Day at the club which led to the development of the full junior section.
Through sponsorship, donations and grants the club purchased equipment and junior bowls and took guidance from other clubs on how to best recruit new juniors. All roles in the club; junior convenor, coach, helpers and Child Protection Officer are volunteers. All volunteers are PVG checked and completed child protection training.
With Bowls Scotland’s assistance, all child protection requirements were put in place to ensure that the club delivered a safe environment allowing the children to enjoy their sessions as best as possible.
The philosophy of the Tigers is to make sure that first and foremost the children have fun whilst on the green. Training manuals and Bowls Scotland’s Player Development Framework provide the structure to ensure that the game is played using best practice, alongside innovative and creative ideas from the coaches and helpers.
Over the last couple of years, the emphasis has been on involving parents and families in the running and development of the junior section. This has included running our social media pages, assistance with club events and, where possible, joining in the sessions. Sessions throughout the season run every Sunday morning.
Formation of the Tigers has benefitted the club and local community in many ways:
- Creation of a long-lasting junior section
- Successful participation of children who have struggled with other sports
- Increase in membership caused by parents friends and families joining the club as full or social members
- Interaction between older club members and juniors which has helped mental health and wellbeing
- Development work with many local schools including coaching and working in schools involving children with and without assisted needs
- The bowling club is accredited by Bowls Scotland and North Lanarkshire Council
- Over the last two years the more experienced juniors have qualified for the under 18 National Championships at Northfield in Ayr
Through the hard work of the coaches and volunteers, Stepps Tigers are now an established part of the overall bowling club community, ensuring sustainability of the club for the years ahead. Investment in the younger end of new bowlers has been key in making this work. As long as there are willing children aged 8 upwards there will be a club ready to develop their participation in the great sport of lawn bowls.
Each year the player and coaches from the junior section play the full members for the annual Club v Tigers Trophy. As is stands the Tigers have won more times than not and are the current reigning champions. Long may it continue.
James Dalrymple, Stepps Bowling Club Junior Convenor