Throughout the year the CNDBA has been been running junior coaching clinics of a Saturday morning.

But they’ve been struggling for numbers.

Some days they were only getting two juniors.

It is a tough sporting market of a Saturday morning, with rugby league, soccer and hockey in winter, and cricket in summer.

So they’re giving Thursday afternoons a try.

The aim of the sessions are two-fold: to encourage more juniors to the game and develop their skills in the process.

“We’re trying to bring the children through,” Harry Wicks said as he took a quick break from coaching to talk to The Leader at last week’s session.

“We’re trying to get as many kids as we can so we can have tournaments for them.” 

They cater for all levels, and are already starting to see some of the fruits of their labour.

Stewart twins Tara and Zoe have “improved out of sight”, Wicks said.

He has rolled down too many balls to count over the years and said you can make firm friends for life playing bowls. 

Zoe said they’ve been playing for about a year and a half.

“Mum and dad and our grandparents all play.

“We had to come here every weekend,” Zoe said.

So they thought they might as well start playing.

“It’s just fun and we get to play with mum and dad,” she said.

The sessions are free and start at 4.30pm.

This week they’ll be back at West Tamworth but the venues will vary.

They move around to give the kids the experience playing on different greens.

“The Tamworth clubs are very good,” Wicks said.