Coach Bowls honours top coaches

Coach Bowls, the only nationally recognised qualifications for the sport of bowls in England, has announced its winners of the 2022 Coach Bowls Awards following a public vote.

Martin Shipley, county coordinator and county coach for Leicestershire, achieved double success by winning the Coach of the Year and Inclusive Coach of the Year awards.

Martin works with all ages and experiences, including those with a disability, and is training to become part of the Coach Bowls Delivery Workforce. He has also worked with Commonwealth Games gold medallist Jamie-Lea Winch who celebrated with him as she stepped off the rink with her medal! He has now taken charge of the senior women’s team in the county and has created a blend of youth, experience and pure talent.

Bowls International was proud to be sponsoring the Young Coach of the Year award, which saw Surrey’s George Hopper and Thomas Clamp, from the Philip Wright Crown Green Bowling Academy, shortlisted as the final two nominees in this category.

Thomas, who was voted as the winner of the award, has been coaching for two years and has worked with upwards of 40 people in the last 12 months. He has a real passion to introduce people to the sport.

Grassroots Coach of the Year, Steve Clamp, has been coaching for 12 years and has worked with over 200 people since 2021. He is newly trained as a tutor after being spotted by members of the tutor workforce as having potential.

Steve is the founder of the Philip Wright Crown Green Bowls Academy which runs weekly and also coaches locally and around his county in the North Lancashire and Fylde region. He delivers to various groups, trains the county juniors and also acts as the county development officer.

Steve has mentored over 20 new crown green coaches and his own club has grown to over 100 members, with their two disused greens now back in operation due to his drive and commitment.

Tony Tinkler, winner of the New Coach of the Year award, qualified in April and has worked with more than 40 people every month since. His sessions have at least 20 people each time and he is a huge part of the club’s successful inclusion project focussing on children, bowlers with a disability and social inclusion.

Saturday children’s sessions are becoming very popular and will now be increased to Mondays as well, and Tony’s inclusion work has resulted in the club registering with Disability Bowls England and has given a huge platform for the club to expand.

Jane Bassett won the Coach Helper of the Year award, a new category to recognise the help and support that volunteers give to the club coaches.

Jane has supported the coaching team at Darlington South Park on a range of projects since taking up the sport in 2021. She is a huge part of the club’s inclusion project where she supports sessions with children, bowlers with disabilities and social inclusion issues. She has helped to adapt bowls for those with various disabilities and dementia from care comes and various groups.

Roll of Honour
Coach of the Year: Martin Shipley
Inclusive Coach of the Year: Martin Shipley
Young Coach of the Year: Thomas Clamp
Grassroots Coach of the Year: Steve Clamp
New Coach of the Year: Tony Tinkler
Coach Helper of the Year: Jane Bassett

Bowls International congratulates all of the winners and those who were shortlisted for the 2022 Coach Bowls Coaching Awards.

If you would like to find out more about Coach Bowls and the range of courses available, visit www.coachbowls.org

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