Australian Under 18 squads announced

by admin on October 10, 2013

When the newest Australian Under 18 squad was announced following the recent staging of the Australian Under 18 Championships in Sorrento Perth, there were some familiar and not so familiar names but one constant among the group is talent. The Australian Selection Panel of Kelvin Kerkow, Sam Clough, Dave Stockham and chaired by National Coach Steve Glasson meticulously analysed the performances of the young stars at the Sorrento Bowls Club in Perth in early October and afforded 20 young talented bowlers the opportunity to take a coveted spot in the national Under 18 squad for the next 12 months.
The 2013 renewal of the national junior showpiece saw local West Australian Elizabeth Allan from the Dudley Park Bowling Club and Queenslander Braidan Leese from the Coolangatta Bowling Club crowned as our current junior title-holders.
Both Allan and Leese return to the squad after maintaining their position from the 2012-13 line-up and joining them as returning squad members from last year are Dawn Hayman (Fairy Meadow, NSW), Tayla Morrison (Melbourne, Vic), Ellen Ryan (Goulburn Railway, NSW) and Jamie-Lee Worsnop (St Johns Park, NSW) in the girls division while Trent Britton (Queanbeyan, ACT), Joshua Corless (Bundoora RSL, Vic) David Downey (Manning Memorial,  WA), Michael Sims (Trevallyn, Tas) and Dylan Skinner (Mount Lewis, NSW) take their place in the squad again in the boys section.
Newcomers to the squad in 2013-14 include Jessica Hogan (Weston Creek, ACT), Tamzin Jenke (Loxton, SA), Taleah Putney (Gayndah, QLD), Natasha Russell (Mt Waverley, Vic), April Wilson (Club Helensvale, QLD), Luke Jones (Evans Head, NSW), Nathan Lynch (Moonee Valley, Vic),  Troy Mansbridge (Bendigo, Vic) and Corey Wedlock (Urunga, NSW).
“The great talent on display during the championships in Perth made selecting this squad difficult but I congratulate the players on their selection and all of our National Training Centre (NTC) Coaches are looking forward to the next 12 months working closely with these players,” Glasson said.
“The health of the sport at junior level is very strong and the future success of bowls is assured with the wealth of talent we have right across Australia.
“I’d like to thank and congratulate those players previously in the squad who are now ineligible because of age and the bowls fraternity wish them all well as they head into open competition,” Glasson added.
Bowls Australia Chief Executive Neil Dalrymple commended the selectors on the quality of the squad and wishes the young stars well in their careers.
“It is an extremely strong squad and there are so many talented individuals who unfortunately missed out so I am very buoyant about what the future holds for the sport with these young people representing bowls in Australia,” Dalrymple said.
“On behalf of Bowls Australia and the State and Territory Associations, I congratulate the squad and wish them well as they advance their careers under our NTC program.”
The NTC Coaches are Mark Cowan (Vic/Tas), Faye Luke (SA/NT), Therese Hastings (WA), Gary Willis (NSW/ACT) and Brett Wilkie (QLD).
The 2013-14 Australian Under 18 squad is;
Girls:
Elizabeth Allan (WA)
Dawn Hayman (NSW)
Jessica Hogan (ACT)
Tamzin Jenke (SA)
Tayla Morison (VIC)
Taleah Putney (QLD)
Natasha Russell (VIC)
Ellen Ryan (NSW)
April Wilson (QLD)
Jamie-Lee Worsnop (NSW)
Boys:
Trent Britton (ACT)
Joshua Corless (VIC)
David Downey (WA)
Luke Jones (NSW)
Braidan Leese (QLD)
Nathan Lynch (VIC)
Troy Mansbridge (VIC)
Michael Sims (TAS)
Dylan Skinner (NSW)
Corey Wedlock (NSW)