Michelle Macdonald humbled with Bowls Kāpiti Coast Player of the Year award

Michelle Macdonald is the Bowls Kāpiti Coast Player of the Year. Photo / David Haxton

A successful season for the Raumati Bowling Club has been capped off by one of the club’s members winning the Bowls Kāpiti Coast Player of the Year award.

What makes this accolade extra special is that it has been won by a player who is in only her third year of bowls.

Michelle Macdonald’s achievements during the season included winning the Champion of Champion Singles and both the Open and Champion of Champion Triples in which she was skipped by the centre’s most successful player, Audrey Stevenson.

The accolade was presented at the Levin Bowling Club which is where the centre held its annual awards ceremony.

“I was very overwhelmed and quite emotional.

“I wasn’t expecting it at all.”

Macdonald also finished runner-up in two centre events and was a member of the Raumati Seven which represented the region at the national interclub finals in Auckland.

She will now take part in the upcoming national Champion of Champions finals in Dunedin.

“That’s going to be a big challenge for me as a newbie.

“I’ll try not to be overawed, or overwhelmed, by it.

“I’m practising pretty much every day.”

Michelle Macdonald, outside Raumati Bowling Club, with her coveted award. Photo / David Haxton

Macdonald was convinced by her husband Chris, who had been playing for a year before her, to give the game a go.

“I was a bit resistant.

“I had been playing golf, only for a few years, and that wasn’t getting any better.

“But I came down to watch Chris play, quite a lot, and I could see it was a game of skill and strategy.

“There was a lot to learn, and lots of things go wrong, but maybe the hand-eye coordination from playing previous sports helped.

“I used to play cricket, tennis, netball and hockey.”

The two of them now compete together regularly, not just locally but also in other provinces and at national championships.

Asked what she enjoyed about bowls, Macdonald said, “You get to meet lots of different people and I enjoy the mental challenge when playing”.

“Last year I gave myself the nickname of Houdini because I would quite often be behind and have to pull something out of the hat.”

Macdonald was continually looking to improve her game and had a few long-term plans.

“I have some goals in my head but I don’t want to share what they are.”

Clubs affiliated to Bowls Kāpiti Coast include Central Levin, Levin, Ōtaki, Ōtaki Railway, Paekākāriki, Paraparaumu Beach, Raumati, Waikanae United, Waitarere Beach

Other centre awards went to:

Veterans: Carol Rolton and Brian Howman (Paraparaumu Beach)

Junior male: Laurie Flynn (Raumati)

Open male: Peter Thomson (Paekākāriki)

Junior female: Michelle Macdonald (Raumati)

Open female: Michelle Macdonald (Raumati)

Club of the Year: Central Levin