BA celebrates International Women’s Day with Faye Luke
Leading up to International Women’s Day on March 8, Bowls Australia will celebrate all the roles women play in bowls. You will hear from an elite player, a junior, a coach, a mother, a President, a CEO, an umpire and a chairperson each doing wonderful things for the sport all around the country. Faye Luke is the National Training Centre Coach for South Australia and the Northern Territory; she is also the manager of the Australian Jackaroos and an integral part of the National Team.
Luke is grateful every day for being part of such a wonderful team, watching them reach their goals and have success on the international stage; and seeing them grow into such fantastic role models for the rest of the bowling community.
In Luke’s NTC role she has coached many female bowlers and believes whole heartedly that the young bowlers coming through are striving to be like the female bowlers who have changed the way the women’s game is played at an elite level.
“We are very lucky in bowls to have great leaders but the thing I admire most about the young women I have the privilege working with is they are humble and get on with the job, they don’t beat down their case and are quiet achievers; this is what women do best,” Mrs Luke said.
“There have been some wonderful women in politics and religion that give women all over the world confidence and this International Women’s Day it’s those great models that I think of,” Mrs Luke said.
Faye Luke has been a lawn bowler for 25 years and she is proud that not only is the number of women playing the sport growing, but the level in which they now play at is outstanding.
Bowls welcomed a 4.6% increase in participation last year and as the women’s game continues to progress Luke believes bowls is becoming a great option for young women who wish to participate in sport.
“Lawn bowls is a great sport for women to take up because it now offers more challenges at the pointy end of competitions; competing gives women confidence and gives us a better feeling about ourselves,” Mrs Luke said.
There are five NTC Coaches in Australia heading up the feeder squads to the Jackaroos giving young women a clear development pathway and the chance to work with the best coaches in the country.
“Over the past 25 years bowls has progressed leaps and bounds and is now an appealing sport for the younger generation.”
Luke joked that the most significant change to bowls for women is they are out of the kitchen but it is the relaxed clothing regulations that have really helped bowls appeal to more women.
“We dress so beautifully now and there are far more options with fresh colours and styles, we can all be different, young people can look young and the seniors can still look lovely but most importantly we can all be individuals and not all be thrown in the same pot,” Mrs Luke said.
Perhaps one of the most significant changes to the game is the amount of female coaches now accredited and with the very modest Faye Luke the sole female coach of Adelaide Endurance in the Australian Premier League she is no doubt inspiring other women to take up the role.
Luke’s next task is to manage the Australian Jackaroos against New Zealand in the annual Trans-Tasman in Christchurch.
The players consider Faye as their ‘mum on the road’ and love having someone so vibrant and passionate in their corner, not to mention the wonderful snacks she supplies!
The Trans-Tasman will commence on March 18-20 at Burnside Bowling Club in Christchurch.
