Cardiff Coach Answers Canadian Calling

Newcastle Herald

Wednesday July 9, 2008

John Gilmour ON THE KITTY

CARDIFF coach and bowls co-ordinator David Millard leaves on Tuesday for a six-week coaching stint in Canada.

The 63-year-old received the invitation to coach in the Canadian province of Alberta after the Governor of Alberta approved a funding grant.

Canadian international Lyle Adams and his wife, Chris, set the wheels in motion for Millard.

"Lyle has played the past two seasons with Toronto Workers in the NSW Premier League competition, and during his first season he approached me for some help with his game," Millard said.

"We have become good friends, and things have just gone on from there. I was supposed to go over last year, but my wife became ill and everything was put on hold for 12 months."

Apart from coaching, Millard will supervise coaches and assess player performances at the national and provincial championships while he is in Canada.

"I will be kicking off in Edmonton, then on to Calgary, and after that I will be heading over to Halifax in Nova Scotia," Millard said.

"It will be pretty full-on, but I also hope to get a bit of time to catch some of the sights and also to have a round of golf."

Millard started playing bowls at Batemans Bay in 1966 so he could participate in the same sport as his late father, Lloyd, and turned his hand to coaching 15 years ago.

He has been coaching at Cardiff for nine years and has just signed on for a further three.

"I am taking accrued leave from Cardiff while I am in Canada," Millard said. "This will be the first time that I have coached outside of Australia, and I am looking forward to the experience."

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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