Emma Bradshaw-Smith

When and how did you get into the sport of bowling?
After my divorce in 2021 I moved back to my hometown of Ottery St Mary and a year later gave up work and was feeling quite lonely and with too much time on my hands.  It was suggested that I tried a new sport and as the Bowling Club was within walking distance of my new home I thought I’d give it a go!  I joined in July 2022 and have never looked back.
 

What other sports have you participated in?  
I played hockey for the British Polytechnics team back in the 1980s and for Devon County. I also played tennis and netball at Junior County level and tennis and hockey for the police (in the days when we got ‘time off’ to play police sport!). I was selected to play ladies cricket for Devon too, and I opened the batting and kept wicket. I’ve also played golf, squash and badminton – any sport with a ball, I’ll give it a go!  

What is the appeal of bowling to you? 
I’ve always enjoyed competitive sport, so that appealed, and learning something new has been so much fun, but also challenging.  I’ve had such helpful coaches since being at Ottery, John and Terri Ward started me off, and more recently Gail Hawke has really helped my game progress. There are a lot of variables in bowls (eg: the weather, each rink, length of the jack, your opponents) so your brain is constantly working to try and produce the best delivery for each situation.  It's also a team game, I have always enjoyed being part of a team, supporting each other and enjoying shared successes.

Do you have a favourite format and position to play?
I am still very new to the sport and probably enjoy playing number ‘2’ in Triples most – that ‘extra’ bowl is often needed!  But I am starting to enjoy singles and pairs more and I will happily play any position I am put in, just so I can get a game. Recently I’ve started playing ‘skip’ in friendlies, which reinforces to me how much I still have to learn!  

Is there one game in your bowls career to date that stands out?
My career has been very short, but winning the Fred Burgess trophy in 2024 stands out. It was my final year of competing in that competition and I felt a lot of pressure on me as I was more experienced than most of the other players.  Also, I’d had a close family bereavement a few days before and my emotions were all over the place.  So I’m quite proud of the fact I got myself under control and played well enough to win.   

You are also the club’s General Secretary. What does that entail? 
I’m still not sure how I end up volunteering for that – it must have been one too many glasses of red wine that evening! Luckily, I’ve had a lot of mentoring and advice from Gail and Terri, the two previous Secretaries.  Apart from taking minutes at the Management Committee meetings I am responsible for membership and applications and affiliating all playing members with Devon Bowls (otherwise they are not insured to play and also cannot play in competitions).  I deal with the premises insurances, I am the Bar Licensee for the Club, and I am the deputy safeguarding officer. I make sure the defibrillator equipment is kept up to date, and order any bowling supplies needed. We are lucky to have a fantastic Committee who all pull together to make the Club function.  

Looking forward, how would you like your game to progress?
I am known by my friends as being a perfectionist, but as I’ve got older I am now also a realist. At the moment I am just focusing on consistency, getting the line and length right and hoping for a bit of luck too (the three ‘Ls’)!  What I’ve learnt from Gail, and from watching players like Marion and Shirley (who I lost to last year in the club singles final) is that it takes years to be a really good bowler, and I need to be patient (not one of my attributes!).  This season I am pleased that I seem to be adapting to the speed and line of a new rink much more quickly – it used to take at least 6 ends (a third of the match!).   

If there was one thing about the game that you would change, what would it be?
That’s a hard question with only two full years’ experience, I’m not sure I can think of anything.  It’s a game that can be played at all ages, with metal ‘bowling arms’ for those who can’t bend fully anymore and other equipment that makes it a sport for everyone, it’s competitive, sociable and fun. So I am not sure I’d change anything!  

If you were asked to sell the game to others, what would you say? 
It has been a lifeline for me, not only learning the sport of bowls, but the friendship and kindness of people at the Club at a time when I really needed it (though they wouldn’t have known that).  It’s a community of people who all have different backgrounds and back stories, with the sport of bowls that unites everyone.   

Finally, can you share one tip that you think has improved your game? 
Probably foot placement on the mat which Gail got me thinking about last year. I see some players just stride up to the mat and plonk their foot on it without giving a thought to where the bowl needs to go.  I’m getting more confident in moving my foot placement on the mat so I can keep my actual delivery the same but change the direction of the bowl – if that makes sense?!  If it doesn’t then ask Gail to explain…!