Bowling over barriers to belonging
Alex Harris might be only 36, but he loves lawn bowls and the camaraderie just as much as the seasoned players he competes with.
Alex Harris might be only 36, but he loves lawn bowls and the camaraderie just as much as the seasoned players he competes with.
So much so, he recently returned to the sport after several years of being busy with work and life.
He also makes the trek from Wanneroo because the Inglewood Bowling and Sports Club is where his uncle took him as a teen, and the other members became like family as well.
“It’s a half-hour drive when there’s no traffic, but it would just feel weird playing somewhere else because this is where I started,” Alex said.
“It’s the history, the people that I’ve known along the way, the relationships. It’s really friendly, people bring down some food for after the game, everyone hangs around for a drink afterward.”
Alex’s story highlights what belonging at his bowlo means to him.
As well as competing, he runs all the games and championships, aiming to be as welcoming and inclusive as possible.
“Before the season we came down on a Tuesday afternoon for six weeks, getting everyone up to speed, and the older guys and girls helped the newer people, giving them experience and answering any questions,” Alex said.
He’s also happily taken on the role of handyman, as a way of giving back to a club that first helped him.
It was through members that a teenage Alex got his first jobs, mowing lawns, then joining a lock manufacturing company which sparked his career as a locksmith.
Alex enjoys reshaping perceptions that bowling is only for certain age groups.
“Have a look on YouTube and see who the best people are, most of the people competing at the top level are under 40,” he said.
“It takes one afternoon to try it, give it a go, you won’t regret trying new things.”
And you won’t regret, he said, becoming part of a community.
The City of Stirling is inviting input to the Everyone Belongs community engagement which focuses on the role of local bowling clubs as gathering places.
Complete the City’s Belonging Survey or join the Belonging journey by visiting the project page.
