Namibian bowls teams for Atlantic Championships

FOLLOWING trials held last weekend, the Namibian lawn bowls teams that will participate in the Atlantic Championships to be held in Wales during May this year have been announced by the Namibia Bowling Association (NBA).

According to a press release issued by the Namibia Bowls Association, the men’s team is made up of Will Esterhuizen, Graham Snyman, Cabous Olivier, Johan Jacobs and Piet Appollis. The women’s team is made up of Diana Viljoen, Amanda Steenkamp, Anjuleen Viljoen and two new caps, Elzaan de Vries and Bianca Lewis.

Of the ten players selected, six are from the coast, while only four are from Windhoek. Graham Snyman, Cabous Olivier, Piet Appollis, Diana Viljoen, Bianca Lewis and Elzaan de Vries are all from the two coastal clubs. Amanda Steenkamp, Anjuleen Viljoen, Will Esterhuizen and Johan Jacobs are from Windhoek.

According to the release, the selectors, particularly the women’s selectors are very excited about the new blood and the relative youthfulness of the two new players. Bianca Lewis is the sister of Diana Viljoen, who has been playing for Namibia for a number of years. Their aunt, Lynne Lindsay-Payne, an international bowler who won a silver medal in the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia in 1998, served as inspiration for the sisters to take up bowls after they stopped doing gymnastics.

Both women are very excited to be playing in the same team internationally as they have played together many times in local tournaments and in tournaments in South Africa.

Will Esterhuizen is a veteran of the Namibian Bowls team, even though he is only 33 years old. He has been playing since he was 13 years old, while both his mother and father have represented Namibia.

Will is living proof that bowls is not only for old people. Will played in Wales last year and is very excited to be playing there again, together with his team mate, Johan Jacobs. Johan’s motivation is to be the best that he can be. The team that represented Namibia in Wales last year, and which also included Cabous Olivier, won a bronze medal.

Another bowler in the team, Anjuleen Viljoen, who has been playing from the age of 23, also proves that bowls is not only for old people. Her comment is, “People still have the perception of bowls being for old people, while in actual fact it is a sport for all. Find your nearest bowling club and try it out!”

According to the press release, the biggest challenge facing the team now is raising enough funds to go and participate, as the NBA has very limited funds available and each member of the team will need about N$35 000.

“The players in the lawn bowls teams who participate internationally have always been aware that if they are selected, they have to find the money to go. This includes airfares, accommodation and meals. Lawn bowls receives very little funding from the sports bodies in Namibia. The only exception is participating at the Commonwealth Games, where everything is paid for. Because of the financial restraints, lawn bowls loses many of its best players so their results are also compromised,” the press release stated.

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