At only 14 years of age, a young Peak Hill man already has a promising career in lawn bowls.
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James Robinson has been bowling for four years.
“When I was younger I used to go down to the club and watch dad play,” he said.
“One day I tried it out and I liked it.”
When the six-foot-one, Peak Hill Central School Year 9 student first started high school he took up lawn bowls at West Dubbo Bowling Club.
James’ father Steve said in the last few years he has progressed from the Emergence Squad for Zone 4, to the Second Squad and this year he played in the top grade for the State Seven-a-Side Juniors.
“He’s just come back from Sydney where he played the quarter finals of the Under 25 Singles for the state level,” Steve said.
“James won our section at Dubbo and he was the youngest by six years I believe. He got beat, but everyone was impressed with the way he played.”
So impressive are James’ achievements, he was recently awarded the Local Sports Stars Western NSW Region Young Sporting Spirit award.
James has represented Western Region in lawn bowls for the last two years in singles, pairs and fours.
“Last year they actually won the event,” Steve said.
“He is in the State Silver Squad at the moment where he could be called up to play.
“If someone has gone off the boil in the top grade and he is still going fine they will shuffle him up and bring the other one down.
“It’s now a maximum of the top 20 each of junior males and females in the state.
“Last year it was the top 40 but they’ve shrunk it down to 20.”
Immensely proud dad Steve said James has done great things for the sport of lawn bowls in Peak Hill.
“He’s got the school back into the Central School Comp where they have, for the last two years, made the state final and this year took it out,” Steve said.
“And we now have two other kids who come over to Dubbo with us, and a young 10-year-old from Tomingley recently got the taste for it and he comes over as well.
“There are four kids from Peak Hill Central School playing bowls for West Dubbo at the moment.”
Steve said the club is very supportive of the junior players, helping to cover the cost of accommodation and travel to various events.
And James is making a name for himself around the traps.
“He now goes to bowls tournaments and the better players come up to him and say g'day and encourage him, it’s really good,” Steve said.
“He has friends now all over the state who he plays with.
“He likes playing with his mates from Dubbo but sometimes you have to play with other people.”