Bowls Tasmania South Open Gender Pennant Policy 2014/15
Southern women will have the
opportunity to play lawn bowls at the highest level on Saturdays next season.
In a move seen by many as a giant
step forward for the sport, the board of Bowls Tasmania South has ruled that
Saturday pennant will be non-gender specific for the 2014-15 season.
Bowls Tasmania President Garry
Beven has commended the board’s decision saying it has the potential to be a
game changer. “Bowls South has now
created a genuine pathway for all our junior girls,” Mr Beven said.
“And it’s also opened up our
great game to a whole demographic of working women who were previously unable
to play true, competitive bowls in this region.
“We now believe we will see
significant growth in our game over the next few years”.
BT South’s decision this week
follows that of Bowls North who introduced full, open gender competition last
year. But unlike Bowls North who made
all pennant competition open gender, BT South has decided that Midweek Pennant
(men only) and Thursday Pennant (women only) will remain the same for next
season.
Conditions of play will include a
“spirit of the game” clause that will penalise clubs who play players in lower
pennant divisions than their ability would demand.
Mr Beven said two-thirds of the
State had now adopted an open gender policy.
