The Board of Directors series continues with Cathy Selzler. Since starting to bowl in 2011, Cathy has numerous years of experience serving on bowls Boards at the local, provincial, and national level, and has a reputation for getting things done.
Q: How did you first get into lawn bowls and how have you been involved with the sport over the years?
A: I watched my grandparents lawn bowl when I was growing up but sadly didn’t play despite their encouragement. In 2010, my husband and I were living in the west side of Vancouver and regularly walked our dogs by a couple of bowls clubs. After my grandmother passed away, I asked my uncle if I might get her bowls and then started bowling at the West Point Grey LBC using my grandmother’s old Henselite Classics. After moving to Calgary, my husband, Mom, brother, niece, aunt and uncle became involved in the sport. I have been on the Boards of every club that I have been a member of.
Q: What is your favourite bowls-related memory?
A: Even though I have had some memorable success competitively, one of my favourite bowls memories is from several years ago at the Calgary Lawn Bowling Club. It was the final night before the club closed for the season. The evening was beautifully warm, the air still and the sky clear and starry. My husband, Patricia Walker and I were playing an excellent game of cutthroat. None of us wanted the night to end so we just kept playing and playing and playing………. just a perfect night of lawn bowling.
Q: What are your responsibilities as Director on the Bowls Canada Board of Directors?
A: As a team, we provide direction for the organization, provide oversight to the administrative side of the organization and we update and establish the policies which allow the Board, the administration and the PSO’s to function. I am also currently the chair of the Governance Committee.
Q: During your time on the board, has there been an event, accomplishment, or break-through that stands out in your mind?
A: I was chairing the Membership Engagement Group when we formulated the new membership model a year ago. It was and is a radical departure from the status quo but allows flexibility right down to the member clubs to define club membership any way that they want and to provide the next generation of bowlers a way to bowl that’s more conducive to their lifestyle.
Q: How does the board help grow the sport in Canada?
A: We are always looking for ways to introduce the sport and engage people. National Bowls Day, Belonging in Bowls, the instructional videos, the new website, marketing materials and the introduction of Para Lawn Bowling are initiatives that reach many potential new bowlers. BCB is always behind the scenes providing support.
Q: When you picture the sport of bowls in 5-10 years, what do you see?
A: I am hoping to see greater diversity in the age of participants and fewer clubs that only allow bowling to full-time club members.
Q: What is a fun fact about yourself?
A: I am left-handed , bowl right-handed and am actually quite bad bowling left-handed.
1 Comment
b · March 24, 2022 at 2:12 pm
I, too am lefthanded – for writing. I eat right-handed, I can use scissors in either hand, but prefer the right…I began alley bowling rt. handed. Lawn bowling started out with my right hand, but I had an elbow injury so I began to use my left hand..eventually I have discovered that I can use either hand! But my strength lies in both for my back hand!
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