The Road of Commonwealth Games 2022 - Birmingham THE BOWLS JERSEY PATHWAY - EXPLAINED

Before Starting… This presentation is geared more towards requirements for commonwealth games – broader questions on the Bowls Jersey Pathway may not be answered but will be addressed LONGER TERM. If you have any specific queries, please email bowlsjersey@gmail.com and we will do our best to answer them. A general players consultation is still planned! However, given the urgency of applications for cg2022, this is laying out the requirements to those prospective athletes.

Introduction What is the change, how does it work?

Why the change? The 2018 Commonwealth Game Pathway for Lawn Bowls was, at best, at times fraught and with the benefit of hindsight not as fit for purpose as originally intended. Both Commonwealth Games Association of Jersey, and Bowls Jersey, have worked hard together to come up with a brave new system that brings the best of the previous system and the more professional and committed approach of the last system together to make a function that we believe to be fit for purpose.

The Elite Squad At the 2018 AGM, the members present successfully passed amendments to the Bowls Jersey rules which enabled the creation of an “Elite Squad” The “Elite Squad” is documented in a pathway paper that is published on the Bowls Jersey webpage. It details the 4 tiers of bowler from Club Level, National, International and Elite. It further describes the eligibility criteria for all the tiers that are clearly defined on a points level basis

The Elite Squad The Elite Squad is in place and will be the pool of players that are in consideration for selection of the top 3 events Jersey is represented at. Atlantic Championships (World Bowls Qualifiers) World Bowls Commonwealth Games It is envisaged there would be a cap on the number of players accepted into the Elite Squad. The Elite Squad has to be applied for on an annual basis with a Bowls CV showing the points accumulated.

What does the Commonwealth Games Association of Jersey need? What’s the process? What do you need to do?

In 3 words: Commitment Desire Evidence

Funding Commonwealth Games Association of Jersey have reserved significant funds to assist Bowls Jersey prepare its athletes for CG2022. Athletes registered with the Elite Squad, and therefore the Commonwealth Games Pathway, would be entitled to apply for funding to assist them in their pursuits. Commonwealth Games are also making available significant funds to track bowlers performances to provide measurable and meaningful statistics. The statistics will be collected by a small team funded by CGAJ who will watch pathway bowlers games and record in a non-intrusive manner. This team will be in place in the lead up to the games as well as at the Games themselves. Bowls Jersey, and CGAJ, will therefore end up with some scientific analysis of performances which would be a first for the sport.

Players wanting to be part of CG2022 Must have registered onto the Elite Squad and the CGAJ Pathway by 31st December 2019 To register for the Elite Squad, the Application Form that can be found on the website must be returned to the Bowls Jersey Secretary who processes it to the selection Committee. The Application Form must be returned to the Bowls Jersey Secretary by 30th November 2019 so that timely registration with CGAJ can occur. The Application form requires details of your results from the last 2 years - this is a mandatory requirement from the CGAJ. Players on the Elite Squad hoping to be selected for CG2022 will be expected to provide full and detailed results every 6 months to CGAJ.

Notes from CGAJ Athletes must be eligible to represent Jersey – see the CGAJ website if you have any doubts! All athletes are expected to embrace competition analysis It will be a responsibility of the athlete to make appropriate arrangements with the analysis team to ensure they have the required level of analysis to submit All athletes need to have a challenging and comprehensive competition programme!

“Challenging and Comprehensive Competition Programme” CGAJ expect anyone hoping to become a member of Team Jersey to have 3-4 weeks top level competitive bowls over the the 2020 and 2021 outdoor seasons. If this does not include World Bowls, a suitably high standard replacement must be found to at least match the commitment of people attending World Bowls in 2020. Bowls Jersey are looking to stage a 6 nation test match in 2021 to provide some high level competition for CG2022 bowlers. Suitable other competitions will need to be found to help pathway bowlers meet CGAJ criteria.

Summary By 30th November 2019 By 31st December 2019 2020/2021 Seasons Download Bowls Jersey Pathway Paper and review contents Complete application and return to Bowls Jersey Secretary By 30th November 2019 Register with Commonwealth Games Association of Jersey as a Pathway Bowler By 31st December 2019 Plan Competition Schedule (3/4 weeks top competition) Ensure Performance Analysis Completed Provide 6 monthly detailed results to CGAJ 2020/2021 Seasons

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PROCESS PLEASE EMAIL BOWLSJERSEY@GMAIL.COM AS SOON AS POSSBIBLE TO ALLOW US TO ANSWER THEM IN GOOD TIME BEFORE REGISTRATION DATES CLOSE PRESIDENT GREG DAVIS IS ALSO HAPPY TO STAY BEHIND AFTER THE BOWLS JERSEY AGM ON NOVEMBER 6TH TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS