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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1998-07-29, Page 14• PaQc14 Turn's:Advoc'ate Iultt29, 1998 This Week in Sports... • Fury retouches 3-2 Ida owor Dann - pep 15 • Purple Rockets are Junior Roakle Bar champions - pees i Granton athlete travelling to meet 'Arden'011iver. 1 i. ui her way to Prince Rupen. B.(' to compete in the Royal Canadian Legicnn s national track and tield,mcct from Aug 6-13 - • • .011rver will be compo tiag in the lung wmp and 4. x 1(1(1 relay event: and will he nne of only 40.athtcies representing. Ontario at the meet . She-qual:tied tor the all -expense. paid trip out west by winning ' lu4al ant proymc iat•nteet: in the lung lump and relay competitions The Granton resident is :t student at Medway Higti School to Arva ' 'and trains wrtti the -1 nivers:r • Western Ontario's track and field -team Tryouts for Huron -Perth AAA Lakers Any hockey player that would like to :r• out for the Huron -Perth AAA Laker. should get their equipment ready lryuut. for AAA • - hockey witl-hegin in -Iwo weeks - - On Saturday. August 15 at the Seatorth Arena the tollowtng team: arc hailing - tryouts. Minor Atom') t,. 10:30 a.m..'Mator Atom 10:3(1. ' to 12:0(1 a.nri.!i4inui• Pee N'ec 121.• i:z01 p rt: Major Pee Wee 1:30 to • 3:0(1 p.i i, Minor Bantam 3 to 4:34i p.m. and Manor ]Bantam 43(1 t, p:ni -- . -Thi Midteetr outsare,s::beduled at the Stratford arena for August • 21, .1 tt. 1! p.ni. aiiJ•August,22 and 2 hutti day'. '= ern 2 to 4 p.m' , Cost•is 31't per skater pertrytiut and'each skater sncJld bring their permission to;skate• form.. - For metre information plcastt phone Dr. k'Lord t 19 2.34-639(1 Centennials win big game against front-runners EXETER - Tht Exeter Centenni- als --unproved their positron in the league' standings 'but bowed norm - -.Cup pia -y Mthen tw, games this . past week ' The game's were surpnsingiy'stni- dar •apd ,the Centennials wor, the • merit important 61 the tu-. whicl, • was also theti most .urtportant 01 the year.y'' tau . Last Wednesday the it eri tenniahr. hosted Wal- • ' -lacetiurg Stirs in Sec- and-Dtvrsutr; Cu{• play Luke- :Sttnbias to , , a goal lust -inside the ~� lir near post to give the i i _ hoses an 'early 1-r ik lead. a lead, ;thai'lasted until 20 minutes -into the- second halt .when one. &feristye (apse resulted to a tie game. The -1- f tie lasted through extra - tune and a .shoot-out Was needed'to determine the winner -Despite Ex- '• etc, keeper 'George Mc') wan lowyiig only two' .01 the •five Wal- - Iaceburg shots to,get past tun,. tete' .'Exeter shooters were unluek'y .and. • the Sting, went home,With a shoot- out. win of 3-2alter. six .shluiilrs each • However,, what seemed like: a pour finish may have been a ttless- = ing.m.dmsguisc when front -running N.F.C..Pyrto came -to town Sunday for a pivotal league game The Cen- tcnmitl• •wets in third place. only - three points -front the 'leaders Again. Sims got • things started early when -tie converted a mcg. pass- - U_ a-ve Farquhar Into 'the far corner putting; the Centenmals up 1-0 • after 10 minutes • The score would' hold upto:the end - -The key was the stellar play of , - • the enure dd1enstve- corps. led by swecper_Mark Bell. •, Porto pressed more -and - More as -the game wound .down, but having learned r(nii their tnistakes agatnst W'allaceburg. the hack withheld firth Sean Beattie and Mark Lynn controlled -the air while Scan Rot- - teat,. John Flanagan and Adam Jean cleaned away ,ball after halo _ McEwan capably turned -.away -the Jew good shots Porto managed. . Rotteau and Farquhar were also` Unlucky on offense . when their great chances Just -failed 'to click. • - The Centennials welcomed the return ,of Chad Gilfillan who has .taken a king time to return'froni a knee injury. His- ISresence helped' prot•tde, a very strong bench for the team which helped coach. John lta- .senberg keep fresh legs on the held . and -rest. the injured when. nec- .cssary The team carries their 8-3 record to : Wallacebarg .for. another key .. game on Friday night at 7 30 p.m. Winning the battle. Exeter Centennial Mark Lynn wins the battle for the ball against two Wallaceburg players during east Wednesday's • action. Exeter lost the game 3-2 in a shoot-out but won a key game against N.F.C. Porto. 1 Call Sports.Reporter Craig Bradford with your sports tips -- (519) (519) 235-1331 • Fax (519) 235-0766 Lawnbowling a cool summer sport for young and old In their whites. Lawnbowlers often wear. the traditional, whites during 'tournaments like at• this recent one,. the Dinney. ' Funeral Home ladies/mixed pairs tourney, at -Exeter Lawnbowling' Club. - - - - - . - '- (photo/Katherine Harding)- Get :some, -low impact exercise while enloving the great outdoors with -what T -A shorts editor . Brad ford describes as "-Curling o11 gra. " By Craig Bradford • - - - T -A Reporter • EXETER — Aahh. the smell of freshly cut grass. The feel' 'of thc,ball,in your hands. the graceful deliver and the: • . thrill of the ver-ect pitch. No. we're not-talk.ing baseball The`sport is lncnbowling and this newcomer tt the sport was- - tnstantlu srnitten.with it after rn first lesson. • Normal). a 'meat and potatoes` sports guy (hockey; baseball. football. soccei, el;".�: i,dectd"ell_ to broaden my horizons and findeut exactly what . •ail those folks dressed in all white -are dung, -Exeter Lawnbowling Club tournament convenor Peter McFalis was my guide one sunny and hot -afternoon, graciously; taking a couple of hours out'of his busy schedule to.school me on -- Atte nuts and. bolt~ (and some rntncacies l of lits tavonte game' . • --For those who curl. the -object of the'garne is • familiar = hi leave your balls. called bowls. _ closest to what in lawnbowhng js called the_lack while keeping your opponents from doing tlte,same. The scoring is the same as• curling, and the Strategy - essentially the same-. The main difference is simply where and on what- surface the two sports -are. played. ' -• The -Exeter green is 108' X132', the first figure the playing direction. Newer greens are usually: square- . (1.20'-X 120' i -so play can be done in both - directions. Exeter=s green is spiit.into 11 rinks. -• The grass is cut super short and is's - reminiscent of a golf,green. maybe even more_ meticulously kept:•There's a 'ditch' at each end of the playing surface. Though it would look like - balls in the ditch arehout of play, there are tunes ' when they are, very mucti part of play tmure-on that - -- • later 1. The how is -are 3-3.5 lbs -and corn in nine different sizes for hand site and.cornfort. While many dunk the howls must'have different • The player with the, closest -howl to the.jack receives after the end is finished. If they have more than one bowl closer to the jack than their uppbnerit's closest bovl they score•apoin('for each, - Theiearc two basic shots-: ,forehand shut, one that curves atwas horn your bowling hand: a backhand. that curves in the opposite direction Then there are'the.s-trategic shots Thtt.draw,shot. The yard -on tpushing another bowl rnto.,or oirt of, the head. or nearest to the jack spot).•Mov ng the Jack. A wick shot tglancmg off a bowl to gel closer to jack. "mostly a lucky. shot.' mused McFalfsi. A dnve shot (thrown • harder and meant to.disrupt opponent's head bowl or -knock ihetr howls out 1 'A piriitu n shot (putting your bow} behind: the' jack where you'thinkn will end up1. A guard shot (protecting your • head:ur ptssible head bowls. mainit played in front of the Jacks Green conditions figure large into play -Wetness-. and Iong'grass make bowls slower. Even , experienced lawnbowlers. can misjudge • ' , conditions with their first bowls. McFalls said good 'bowlers are able Co adjust quickly to the playing conditions. , , •Gtiod-plavers also know where to aim and - how- their bowls -will curve,: Players on teams usually start as leads. -meaning they play first , and Feneralh• use less strategy. As more , bowls litter the green. subsequent players have eft employ more and more strategy The skip usually •gthdes the other players on which shins they should use - ' But why lawnbowl"i "Ws a.great sport,-Mctdlls. who has bowled since '82 and.cumpetitively'since. '841 said.' The whole family can Ola). from grairdpareno. to the grandchildren.". ' lei fact. Exeter Lawnbowling Club's 60 -strong membership reflects that - the youngest member i) 10 with the oldest in their 80s: McFalls said the club even hada 95 -year-old bowler. Nelson ' `. Squire, who bowled right up lu his,death a couple of years ago - , - circ -sport is. great low -impact exercise.,, McFalls card there's a lot of bending and' use of the arms. legs and back. Thsport also requires you to think on- your ur feet and calls for co-ordination. - • wet his on opposingsides to explain how they Giving it a try. T -A sports editor .. - ! , _The sport is also i friendly -pastime: New_ rCraig Bradford triey. teams are-niade front scratch at each ;regular curl thllrs nut the case. The bowl has.a small "acquired'lawnbowlis his newlng'skills at the club bowl and teams that compete in . circle on ,in stele and a largerune On the Exeter Lawnbowling Club... . - tournamentsthr'uughout southwestern Ontario •opposite end The ball uris to the side the •' smaller code Is (photo/Peter McFalls) .meet new peupleall the time. "You don't want. to throw the bowl right at the Those wanting to try the sport out are jack or kitty because as it slows down u'curves more:: Md alls,pointed invited to do so at any Of 7tp regular bowls out. '"flteratm i to find the nght doming line and weight (speed of held each Tuesday.'Ibursday. and_5aturday front 7 p,m.=y:30. Flat ,, delivery) to place the bowl closest to the jack. soled shoes are a «lust and specialized. no tread lawnbowhng shoes • can be bought. Bowl sets are available at the club. but real keeners . Though there are many rules, rnany of wtuch are Complicated to explain briefly in print, I'll Iry to share my crash course Lawnbowling buy then- own fur $240-5300. Bowls are only Made in the U:K. and 101 education. - „ . . - Australia and are availableonly through special distributors • Lawnbowling is played as a singles game or by teas of doubles. (MacLc arts• nanien Far held •is else closest), ' .Nine tuurnamenta are held at the club throughout the season °nu' triples or fours. And just like curling, each player in the team has a May to end of Septernber). sometimes on Wednesdays.or on , different role and a name: lead, second. vita and skip. In singles and Saturdays, McFalls said bowlers come from as far north as Owen ,doubles play, bowlers roll four bowls -each; in triples each gets three and Sound, as far south as Chathanrand.as far east as Burlington- Visitors in fours, each two.. ' • . from as tar away as Toronto arc -known to bowl a couple of games As mentioned, a 'jack' or 'kitty' is the spot you want yodrbowls • closest to. The jack is a white ball, about the same size and -feel of a , when vaeationmg rn the area , , . billiards cue ball. The winner of a coin fuss rolls flee jack down the .. there are also the Ontario Lawn Bowls* Association that .provides/ green: The jack has to be rolled a minimum of 21 metres•away from the 'bowlers an oppurtunity.for serous competition. Exeter 'jiuwlcrs mat you butyl front. compete In District Four made up of clubs tri Lucknow. Stratford, Si lvlarys• Seafort Once the jack is rolled, the players are ready to bowl. The lead off h. Mitchell; Godench, Clinton. Brussels. Atwood and bowler places the matt where they'd like to bowl from. The mat has'to Wmghain. , be placed at least two metresawaly from the front of the back ditch, and Exeter's successes in GameBA in Scarbortionough include a triple crown at many recreational players stick to that minimum rule. But McFalls said the '92 Ontario Summer Games in Sd guns where Exeter 'bowlers took the jr. girls, jr. boys and girls singles titles -and the '93 , Ontario mixed pairs championship by McFalls and his wife (`dura: A triples -team of Harry Jacobi. Bill Mickle and Marshall Dearing In reg. play, a game consists of 12 or 14 ends, or.rounds of bowling. notched a fourth at the Oh_ tario Sr. Triples Championships last year in At provincial tournaments, 1 5 ends are played and at national events, 18 • • St. Catharines• ends.are played per game. Exeter Lawnbowling Club membership is open to anyone age 10. The -chalk and older. There are two basic levels: senior for anyone over 60. and $kips and vices carry chalk and a locking measuring tape: The is to mark bowls that fall into the ditch that have hit the jack. Those novice for those with under five years irsi him ng. e. A yearly . balls are still live. lithe jack is also knocked into the ditch, successive membership cods $55 (half pace for first.timc rncmbersl with junior bowls are played as -close to the jack as possible without falling in'the me age 21 and under) at $30. Soo ership.(me history: lawnbowling's roots can be traced back to the early ditch. ,. The measuring tape is tOlind out which bowls are closest to -the jack 1600s m the British Isles. Lawnbowling in Exeter started in 1904 for scoring if you can't plainly•figure it out with the eye, behind Trivia Church. The club built its current clubhouse in 1946 which is.owned by the town and leased to the club. in higher levels of competition. like at provincial and higher events. - bowlers often place the mat much closer to the jack. McFalls said this - Moving of the mat around can be used to "psych out" the competition. •