Australian Junior Squad announcement
The future of bowls’ is in good hands with 12 of the countries brightest young stars being selected in the Australian Junior Squad for 2015-16 Today, National Coach Steve Glasson OAM and the National Selection Panel has confirmed their Australian Junior Squad for 2015-16 after being present at the Australian Under-18 Championships in Canberra this week.
After witnessing the country’s most elite go head to head in the state vs state format at Tuggeranong Vikings Lawn Bowls Club; the 12 most promising rising stars of the sport have been honoured in front of their peers at the closing ceremony by National Coach Steve Glasson himself, who announced his six girl and six boy squad after three days of amazing bowls by each and every competitor.
With intentions of selecting a squad of 10; the quality of bowls seen this week has forced the selectors to extend the squad to 12 with so many talented juniors too hard to split; though it was Victoria that shined the brightest this week with five members of their squad of 10 being selected in the new look Australian Junior squad.
Among the stars announced today, dual Youth Commonwealth Games gold medallist Jono Davis will spearhead the squad after a sensational international outing in Samoa this month, confirming Davis as Australia’s brightest young star.
Davis has continued his dominance in the junior circle having defended his pre-tournament favouritism in the boy’s singles this week, walking away with his second Australian Under-18 title in as many years.
The 14 year old prodigy will be joined by three other junior boys who have retained their spots in the Australian Junior Squad for the second consecutive year; whilst two new faces from Queensland and South Australia will join the boys squad.
Victoria’s Joshua Corless (17), whose style of play has been likened to Commonwealth Games gold medallist and Australian Jackaroo Mark Casey, his Victorian team mate Jayden Christie who picked up bronze in the Australian Under-18 singles today and Nic Gosley who won gold and bronze in his fourth Australian Under-18 Championships.
The girl’s squad shapes up rather different to last year with four previous members all celebrating 18th birthdays and moving out of the junior ranks; the only girl to retain her spot from last year is 16 year old Tayla Morison (VIC) off the back of a fantastic 12 months; Morison made the Victorian Open Ladies team and received an invitation by National Selectors as one of 20 ladies to trial for this year’s Australian Jackaroos Squad.
Making the grade for the first time, Queensland’s Australian Open Singles Champions Jacob Nelson (16) and Sophie Young (15), whose form at the Australian Under-18 Championships has confirmed their status as the leading lights in junior bowls, walking away from the event with 2 golds and one silver medal between them.
Queensland’s other golden girl Taleah Putney brings the ‘Sunshine State’ to a total of four Australian Squad members after Putney won two gold medals in the triples and fours this week and caught the attention of National Selectors.
Young’s victor for the coveted singles title Tiffany Brodie has earned the call up after a stellar performance this week that has seen her pick up silver in the singles and silver in the triples; whilst her triples team mate Amelia Bruggy will also join the 2015-16 squad.
South Australia’s Joshua Studham is having a week to remember after claiming the only gold medal for SA this week in the boys pairs, Studham will take his place in the new national squad as the sole South Australian to receive the honour.
Kate Matthews is flying the flag for New South Wales in the girls squad, following in the footsteps of NSW predecessors Ellen Ryan and Dawn Hayman who have gone on to higher honours since their junior days.
Bowls Australia would like to acknowledge those players who have played their final Australian Under-18 Championships here in Canberra and wish them luck in their endeavours in the senior ranks; we wish Michaela Bailey-Nelson, Jesse Herbert, Kate Davis, William Hyatt, and Cindy McGrath the very best.
The next international duties of which players from the new Australian Junior Squad will be selected from is the Tran-Tasman in New Zealand in March 2016; this team will be announced in January.
Congratulations to all the wonderful junior bowlers who competed in this week’s Australian Under-18 Championships; the future of bowls is in safe hands.
Bowls Australia would like to acknowledge the assistance and funding provided by the Australian Commonwealth Games Association to Bowls Australia for athletes in the 2016 NextGEN AUSComGames Squad program.
NextGEN AUSComGames was devised by the ACGA to provide assistance to junior players who have been identified as potential 2018 and/or 2022 Commonwealth Games level athletes.
Australian Junior Squad-
Tiffany Brodie (VIC)
Jayden Christie (VIC)
Amelia Bruggy (VIC)
Joshua Corless (VIC)
Kate Mathews (NSW)
Jono Davis (NSW)
Tayla Morison (VIC)
Nic Gosley (QLD)
Taleah Putney (QLD)
Jacob Nelson (QLD)
Sophie Young (QLD)
Joshua Studham (SA)
