In September of each year, a community (or two) somewhere in BC hosts the 55+ Games, formerly called the Senior Games, and it is up to them which sports are offered.
For 2018, Cranbrook/Kimberley took this on, but when they were unable to include Carpet Bowling, Kamloops Sports Centre decided to have a Fun Tournament. Up to 30 teams of three players could play.
I don’t carpet bowl, but my best buddy in Williams Lake does, so I was going to be a cheering squad of one for her team; however, after a message went around to signed-up teams asking for a couple more participants, I ended up playing.
And what a super time I had, meeting ladies and gents from all over B.C. and even from Whitehorse in the Yukon. Teams choose their own colours, many sporting trendy matching vests, some laden with pins from home that are exchanged at every bowling event.
Locals from Clearwater, Little Fort, Interlakes and beyond were happy to show me which side of the ball to hold. No trek was ever like that…
My team mates, one from Prince George and the other from Port Coquitlam, did not know each other, nor did they know (or mind) their remaining player had only carpet-bowled a couple of times before.
This they abruptly found out in the first game. The ball I had just rolled down the carpet pushed the little white ball, the jack, right off that carpet bringing the second end to a sudden stop with loss of points.
Fortunately, both ladies were really skilled at this surprisingly challenging game, often solving problems created by their inexperienced lead. We even won some games, eight ends in each, and tied a couple out of the nine we played.
As I played more games, while my technique may not have improved greatly, I was fascinated with the “dance”, noting the orderly procession when the skips changed ends with the rest of us.
“Sit down,” said a kindly competitor, when I wanted to jump up to help my team mate and her opposition decide which ball was closest to the jack. Oh!
“The thirds decide that, and if it is too close to call, they wave down a judge.”
He or she brought a large divided compass to measure the spaces. After that I started paying closer attention to who was in charge of doing what.
For the majority of players there, although competition was important, having fun was paramount. We joked back and forth, cheering each others’ successes.
I didn’t miss my role as cheerleader for my Williams Lake buddies one bit—and there really wasn’t room for an audience in that closely packed school gymnasium.
Fortunately, on a beautiful sunny weekend, I didn’t have to decide whether to tear myself from those weird-shaped golf clubs or go trekking in the great outdoors, because I wouldn’t have missed this experience for the world.
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