Sports News
 Bowled Over
See the Electric Light over Three Weeks
Lismore Workers Heights is hosting the Open Men's Electric Light Triples on three consecutive Wednesday nights: February 13, 20 and 27.
The winning team will receive $1,200, runners-up $900 and third placegetters $450. As well, round winners will receive $90.
A nomination fee of $75 per team includes three nights of bowls and a light supper each night. To provide variety, on the February 13 and 20, two rounds of 13 ends will be played – one of three bowl triples and one of two bowl triples.
On the February 27, 21 ends of three bowl triples will be played.
Play commences at 6.10pm each night and entries close on February 4 or on prior receipt of 42 entries. Contact bowls Coordinator Lindsay Forster on 6624 2075 to enter.
With Pennant and championships fast approaching, it is interesting to look at performance under pressure. I present the following thoughts taken from an article written by Joe Collister (State Coaching Committee) in the July 2000 Bowls Alive magazine:
'For most bowlers, the closer they get to the competition, the greater is the pressure on their ability to think clearly, rationally and logically.
How many times have we shaken our heads at decisions that we've made in the heat of the moment?
The best performers are those who are able to keep a clear head under pressure because they are well prepared.
It is important to establish in training situations the thought patterns required in making the right decisions when competing. Doing this away from the pressure of competition will help you make the right choice from available options, so that when the situation arises in competition, you will be confident in your actions and decisions because they have become familiar to you.
Highly motivated bowlers are intensely interested in what they are doing and know that results will come if they take care of the things they can control and do their best job at controlling them.
Bowlers who keep their mind on the process of efficiently performing skills, find it considerably easier to keep their approach simple and logical under pressure.
Sometimes the pressure is to remain composed, focused and controlled when all kinds of distractions surround you. If you allow these to enter your conscious mind, you waste a considerable amount of mental and physical energy being distracted by things over which you have no control.
The key is to prepare yourself for things you can control and spend time training enthusiastically to improve your skills. By the time of the competition, there will be very little left to worry about and you will approach the event with a much more focused and confident attitude.
Bowlers cannot control whether they win or lose, but can control their concentration, what they are thinking about, how they move, what they look at and what they are aware of.
You can control your skill level, the quality of your shots, the effort you expend and self-satisfaction. '
Until next week,
good bowling.
 Hook and Slices
with Stan Bendall
Ellis to Play in Open
Dean Skinner: winner of the B grade at last Saturday's single stableford at Lismore.
I had the pleasure of catching up with Bob Ellis and his famous daughter Michelle (lady pro golfer out of Casino) who was home for a brief holiday after success overseas.
She was over at the Lismore club honing her skills under the watchful eye of Lismore club pro Peter Jaeger before launching into the profession 2002 season.
Michelle is looking very fit and ready to get into some good golf this year. She told me she is going to be playing in a lot of pro-ams this year, particularly down the South Coast with Britain's top female golfer Laura Davies. She will also play in the Ladies Masters next month at Royal Pines (Gold Coast) and then in the Women's Australian Open later on in the year. All the best to you Michelle from all the golfers in the Northern Rivers District and we hope you go well in your endeavours this year.
NRDGA
The Northern Rivers Directors' Day is on Sunday, February 24 at Mullumbimby golf course. For nominations phone 6684 2273.
Ballina
The men will play a single stableford this Saturday
The February medal will be played the following Saturday, February 2, while the RSL contest an Irish four ball.
Dallas Smith won the single stableford last Wednesday while Phil Dowling, a top golfer for many years, took out A grade by 1 from Phillip Hughes.
Dennis Finn won B grade by 2 from Rod Barnett and Karl Tanner took out C grade from David McFadden.
Richard Rutledge won Friday's stableford from Barry Wappett and Len Marchment. Greg O'Neill won the overall section. Consistent Nathan Purdy again took out the A grade section on a countback from Murray Summerfield; Craig Morrison won B grade from Phillip Dalli and David Scourse won C grade from Frank Bray.
Coraki
An 18 hole stroke flag event will be played to celebrate Australia Day this Saturday.
Wayne Farrell and Keith Howe won the two person ambrose last Saturday by 1 from Neil Garrett and Kerry Latimer, with balls won with 65 1/4 or better.
Kyogle
This Saturday a 4BBB versus par event will be played and will be the tenth round of the summer cup.
The February medal will be held on Saturday, February 2, sponsored by the golf club.
George Moore took the A grade honours from Steve Mazzer in last Saturday's single stableford and Mike Henry won B grade by 2 from Jim Gibson.
Lismore
The inaugural Australia Day Shield will be played off the back tees this Saturday with preferred lies still on.
The February medal will be played on Saturday, February 2, and will be a vardon event as the first round of the Summer Cup.
Don't forget – members fees are due now.
There is a team challenge happening which could see you at Kooralbyn – check on board and make up a team of eight.
The third tee is in action this Saturday and by this weekend the concrete should be poured for the balcony extension and work should recommence shortly on the combined fourth – 17th joint tee (good news for Walshy).
Dean Skinner won the single stableford last Thursday with 44 points, winning by a point from both Mel Sawtell and Noel Bell. Mark Rogers won the first nine from Harry Thornhill. Club captain Ed Bennett was lucky to win the second nine, being a left hander, beat Sarge Casagrande by a point with Chris Quinn winning the gross with 2 over par 72. Balls won with 39 or better. The highlight of the day was an ace recorded by right handed Blake Jamieson on the fifth hole – his first at Lismore – top shot mate!
Former junior and Northern Rivers talent of yesteryear Scott Morrissey (who is now a top golf pro teacher) recorded a magnificent 9 under par 61 to amass 45 points and take out A grade in last Saturday's single stableford by 2 from Kevin O'Neill, who came second on a countback. Consistent Dean Skinner continued his purple patch by taking out B grade with, wait for it – 47 points (check your handicap mate), winning by 3 from another consistent golfer who wields a mean duster, Bruce Mathieson, while (you won't believe it) Mark Miller won C grade with a good four ball score of 48 and his handicap went from 25 to 21. But that's not all! Mark won by 6 from Max Leeson who dropped his handbag a couple of times but played well! Onya slapsy!
Popular secretary/manager Phil Kelly is evidently spending too much time in office as he again took out the Bradman's trophy with 22 points which is 3 better than last time! Phil now leads the Bradman's for 2002 – onya mate! Balls to 39 or better.
Woodburn-Evans Head
The club will host a ladies and gents stroke flag event this Saturday.
On Sunday the Illawong Hotel will sponsor a four person ambrose in aid of the rescue helicopter.
There will be a medley stableford this Monday.
Pam Marquet won the ladies 12 hole summer comp last Wednesday from Nancy Webb.
Les Paynter took the honours from Kevin Lever in the vets' 12 hole stroke last Thursday.
Phil Little took the overall honours with 44 in the men's single stableford last Saturday and also won B grade. Jim Pike won A grade and Merv Parker took out C grade.
Kay Buckley won the ladies single stroke last Saturday by 1 from Carol Youngberry.
 What's My Line
with Ian Clark
Don't Fish – Search
Well the rain we had last week certainly spiced a few things up but not enough. The fish are around but it has been a case of searching more for them than actually fishing for them.
Being a long weekend and leading up to the full moon it could possibly be a good time to wet a line.
No doubt Australia Day celebrations will be ongoing and we encourage you to join in.
A few tailor have popped up around the beaches and headlands mainly at dusk. Early morning has been profitable as well.
The best spots have been Broken Head Beach, Byron Lighthouse and around the Lennox and Evans Headlands.
From Byron to Lennox Head there have been some nice sized dart moving around in schools along the beaches. Bream are mixed up with them but are not as predominant. Pippies and small pillies have been the most profitable bait to use.
Whiting and flathead are in the Richmond River along with some school jew. They can be found as far up as Woodburn. The best spots seem to be Wardell/Broadwater for the flathead, whiting around Burns Point or along the Porpoise Wall and along the town reach at night for schoolies.
Blood and beach worms, bottle squid and yabbies seem to be attracting the most species.
Evans there is not much happening on land. Tailor as I said before are around the headlands with dart, bream and chopper tailor along the beaches.
The river is fairly quiet although some nice whiting have been caught at the entrance to the river from the walls.
If you can get outside there are some tuna, jew and trag about with the odd squire and mackerel which are far and few between.
There are some jacks and trevally in amongst the man made lakes in Ballina as well as up in the Brunswick River.
The odd mudcrab is still being found in the upper parts of the canals and reports have them still full of meat.
The freshwater side of things is not too bad. Woodlawn seems to be the pick as the water is a bit brackish at the Coraki end.
Casino has been a bit of hit and miss lately with some reports of them being a bit thin for their size.
The dams are down in water volume, so there is not much of a report about them at this time.
I hate making weather predictions so I hope the proposed showers stay away for the weekend although we certainly need it.
Until next week,
happy Australia Day
and fun fishing.
Tough Chase Ahead for Workers
Workers fast bowler Antony Townsend took 3 for 50 from 17 overs against Norths Goonellabah RSL in the LJ Hooker Cricket League last weekend.
Dean Henderson blocks down the onside for Norths Goonellabah RSL against Workers at Nielson Park, East Lismore.
Workers have a hard chase ahead if they are to defeat Norths-Goonellabah RSL.
Workers began their fielding attack strongly and had Norths under a fair bit of pressure at 3-27 until the fourth wicket partnership between opener Daniel Cox and Nathan Bonamy put on 91, relieving some of the tension.
Norths opener Daniel Cox began the innings well with 52, Bonamy top-scored with 54 and then Daniel Henderson added on 35 to give Norths the respectable total of all out for 223.
Ward Ritchie posted figures of 4-33 from 15 overs and Antony Townsend managed 3-50 from 17.
Easts look to be in a strong position over Lennox Head at Oakes Oval, Lismore.
Easts put in a strong first innings performance with the bat thanks to good knocks by Martin Tucker (47), Luke Bryant (37) and Shane Gregory (20) and finished the day at all out for 195.
Easts backed up their display with the bat with a fine performance in the field, Ian Gregory taking 3-12 from 4 overs on their way to having Lennox at 4-21 at the end of the day's play.
Lennox will really have to pull something special out of the bag if they are to avoid the outright loss and something spectacular to avoid the first innings defeat.
Souths look to be in a good position to take a first innings victory over Alstonville at Hill Park, Wollongbar.
The entire Alstonville batting lineup failed except for captain Greg Potter who managed 24 and middle order batsman David Alley who put on 56 to give the Alstonville score some respectability at 132.
Craig Bateman did most of the damage for Souths, taking 4-39 from 16.3 overs and giving Souths a fairly small target to chase.
Souths set about making the target quickly and although Mark Newstead took the early wicket of Richard Parish leg before wicket for 1 Souths were 2/84 at stumps and look a certainty of taking the first innings victory, if not the outright.
Number 11 batsman Daniel Molenaar 'stood up' and top-scored with 44 for Brunswick-Byron against Marist Brothers at Thompson Oval, Brunswick Heads.
Before Molenaar's performance with the bat Brunswick-Byron were in all sorts of trouble and were 4-35 at one stage, early in the match.
Steve Arnett and Dean Collings did most of the damage for Brothers, Arnett taking 3-33 from 17 overs and Collings 3-41 from 16.
In reply Brothers were 0-22, meaning that if they bat as well as they did in their previous game they should come away with the first innings victory.
On the coast at Fripp Oval, Ballina Tintenbar-East Ballina are on the front foot against the Ballina Bears.
Tintenbar dismissed the Bears for a total of 114, although it could have been worse for Ballina as at one stage they were 5 for just 13 runs.
Mark Grant and Jason Stewart took 3 wickets apiece for Tintenbar-East Ballina, Grant 3-20 from 19 overs and Stewart 3-24 from 20.
Steve Jacobs took an early wicket for the Bears in reply but Tintenbar finished at 1-18 and looking the likely victors.
Australia Day Challenge
Soccer Far North Coast have moved into an era of youth development with the naming of a young team to play Queensland XXXX League side Taringa Rovers on Australia Day, this Saturday.
The make up of the side will bring together a combination of the most talented young players in the region from 16 to 25 years and a spattering of experienced players.
The older players like Workers' Scott Collis, Maclean's Kevin Crofton and Stars' Austin brothers have been selected for their ability to lead and support the younger contingent according to Tim Jerks, SFNC Director of coaching.
'The recent successes of Eli Gilfedder and Brad Hicks, two of our local youth players, in gaining selection to the Australian Institute of Sport has provided the incentive for SFNC to place the emphasis on youth. Both these lads played in the match against the Brisbane Strikers last August and have used that experience to their advantage,' Jerks said.
'Another young local product, Jordy Campbell, also played in the Strikers match. His selection caused quite a lot of concern amongst the pundits. However, that decision has been vindicated as Campbell is currently trialing in Scotland, with Clyde Football Club showing considerable interest. In fact Glasgow based agents for the club have already been in contact with SFNC regarding the ability and attitude of the player,' he said.
'The younger guys have a lot of desire and ambition and are keen to progress their careers. As such they have proven to be more dedicated in their commitment to SFNC representative duties. SFNC's commitment to players and clubs is to provide young players with opportunities to develop and progress in the game. This new youth approach will satisfy our responsibilities to our stakeholders,' he said.
The SFNC side has been in training since October and has played two trial matches to date against an SFNC Grade 16 side and Coffs United. The opposition, while not at the same standard as Taringa Rovers, enabled the SFNC side to experiment with different patterns of play and personnel.
Kickoff is at 7pm at Weston Park, Goonellabah with free entry to all spectators.
The SFNC Southern Cross Credit Union Young Stars side is: Scott Collis, Scott Siddell, Brad Hicks, Brendan Keevers (Workers), Michael Polak, Nathan Jones, Jed Wright (Byron Bay), Jamie Austin, Rick Austin, Clint Willoughby, Max Latimer, Craig Wiblen, Tim Casagrande (Stars), Kevin Crofton (Maclean), Robbie Stubbs, Bill Latimer (Goonellabah), Adam Bostock, Russell Dent (Tintenbar), Aaron Smee (Rovers), – Coach Tim Jerks, Assistant Coach Howard Stubbs, Trainers Vaughan Nicholson, Ivor Evans and Goalkeepers Coach Al Metcalfe.
Will G'bah retain their place in premier division?
Goonellabah Soccer Club have been handed a lifeline to retain their place in Premier Division for 2002.
Following the decision by Soccer Far North Coast in August last year to reduce the Premier Division to 10 teams, Goonellabah have lobbied extensively in an attempt to reverse the decision.
A General Meeting in October failed to deliver the level of support required to overturn the move.
Arguments on the subject were considered at a tribunal hearing last Thursday, January 17.
To the dismay of SFNC the ruling went against the administration.
The tribunal panel of Paul Hernage, Nick Harrison and James Skinner found that although SFNC had acted within their constitution the introduction of the Premier Division policy late in September, did not permit Goonellabah or South Lismore sufficient time to meet the criteria for 2002.
As it now stands all 2001 premier division clubs, including Goonellabah and South Lismore, and the top First Division Clubs will be invited to nominate for inclusion into the 2002 Premier Division.
Lennox Lad Wins Surfing Contest
James Wood, 15 from Lennox Head, has marked himself out as one of the local surfers to watch by winning the hotly contested under 16s Billabong Grommet final at Duranbah Beach on the Gold Coast on Tuesday.
Wood managed to hold out his opponents in the final with a power-based performance in the tricky beach-break conditions.
'I just can't believe I have won and I can't wait to tell my mum,' Wood said.
Wood's win meant that he received a wildcard entry into the Brothers Neilson Pro Junior on the Gold Coast which began on Thursday.
Running Hard
Susannah Haye is one of the committed athletes who will benefit from a recent forum on Athletics organised by the North Coast Academy of Sport.
The future of the sport of track and field on the North Coast was subjected to critical review at a forum organised by the North Coast Academy of Sport recently.
The forum focussed on the difficulties that coaches, teachers and parents face in developing talented north coast track and field athletes to state and higher levels.
Over recent years the strength of athletics on the north coast has diminished with local club numbers dropping off and the number of local carnivals decreasing.
Jackie Byrnes, (NSW Institute of Sport – Track and Field Coach), Terry West (Australian Track Field Coaches Association) and Tony Clarke (North Coast Academy of Sport – Executive Director) co-ordinated the forum.
Issues such as local club memberships, coach recruitment and education, competition from other sports and recreations, talent pathways, and access to quality track and field facilities and competitions formed part of the analysis.
The objective of the forum was to develop a set of achievable strategies that will assist in rebuilding the sport.
The NCAS ceased their athletics program in 2000 because of a lack of interest and coaches.
Tony Clarke believes the reason athletics isn't very popular on the North Coast is a lack of an adequate support structure.
'While Little Athletics forms a strong vehicle for junior athletes once they reach 14 there is a void,' Clarke said.
'In comparison to sports like netball there is no strong pathway to follow for representative selection. Faced with competition from other sports many young people choose to play an ‘easier' sport,' he said.
'We also need to attract more highly qualified coaches so they can help to revive the sport of athletics on the North Coast,' Clarke said.Racing ahead
If you're keen to get horsing around during the warmer weather, the Lismore Turf Club will be holding three race meetings before Summer ends.
The race meetings will all be fully covered by local book makers and the TAB and are part of a new promotion called the New Year Summer Series where trainers and jockeys earn points by running first to fourth in each race across the three days. The trainer who wins will receive a Panasonic Home entertainment package and the jockey will be off to Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast for a week's holiday.
Beach Party
To coincide with the end of the Summer School holidays (and get the kiddies to the track) the Lismore Turf Club is holding a Beach Party this Sunday, January 27.
To ensure everyone gets into the spirit of the day admission for this special event will be half price if you wear your most radical beach gear! Boardies, Hawaiian shirts, bikinis and hats are all acceptable, but the brighter the better. There will be prizes for the best dressed man and woman, which will be awarded during the afternoon.
As normal, all children under 18 receive free admission and there will be plenty of activities for the whole family, including a sandcastle building competition with the winner receiving a family pass to Wet 'n' Wild on the Gold Coast.
There will also be a free jumping castle, pony rides and a slip ‘n' slide so children are encouraged to bring a towel and swimmers as part of their beach gear – they'll probably get wet!
One lucky racegoer will finish the day with $1,000 thanks to the racebook competition, courtesy of the main sponsor North Coast Financial Services.
There will be seven races and this is the only Lismore Turf Club Sunday meeting for the year.
The Far North Coast Softball Association has had six players named by Softball Australia in the 2002 Australian Under 19 Men's Squad. The players are Garon Clough, Mathew Herington, Jon Hudson, David McAnelly, Michael Munro and Bradley Rogers.
NSW Softball President, Kay Thompson praised the efforts of the North Coast athletes.
'This is certainly an historical achievement of momentous proportions and a fabulous outcome for local softball development and athletes of both genders aspiring to play softball. This announcement possibly equals previous state-wide achievements by two other Associations. However it most certainly is a great first for country softball in NSW,' Thompson said.
Workers Lose Elite Players
Workers Soccer Club have lost the services of two of their best premier players from the 2001 season.
Sixteen year olds Bradley Hicks and Eli Gilfedder who played in the premier senior team last season, have won scholarships with the AIS in Canberra.
Whilst 2002 premier coach Kevin Keevers is overwhelmed to see them go ( having also been their junior and rep coach for several years as well) he believes they will be difficult to replace.
'With the loss of Brad and Eli, also goes Dave Condon, Steven Fredericks and Paul Wiltshire, who have hung up their premier division boots. I would welcome to the club any player who has aspirations of playing in the premier division this season. Training is on Tuesdays and Thursdays 6pm at Richards Oval, Lismore,' Keevers said.
You can contact Kevin Keevers on 6624 2474.
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