Meet the ultimate bowls team player
When you talk about what it means playing for Australia, lawn bowler Claire Turley, 28, gets emotional, as Paul Haigh reports for the Fairfield Champion.
It strikes a chord with the fulltime Cabramatta Bowling Club co-ordinator.
You see her intense feeling in her eyes when you mention playing in green and gold colours.
Turley said it “means a lot” to her.
“I love playing for Australia,” Turley confessed.
“It’s hard to describe the feeling you get playing for your country, it’s a little bit overwhelming.
“It’s such a huge honour.”
Turley is in the Australian squad at present, but not in any of the selected teams, but she hopes to bounce back into the women’s teams soon.
Competition is fierce for places in the Australian teams, and national coach Steve Glasson has the unneviable task of leaving good players out from time to time.
Turley grew up in the Goulburn Valley northern Victorian town of Tongala.
“The population then was 900,” she said.
And being a part of a pairs, triples or fours’ teams in lawn bowls is what she relishes.
“I’ve always preferred playing in the pairs, triples and fours,” Turley said.
“I like the team environment in the sport.”
Turley has played for Australia on 66 occasions, after making her debut in 2005. She said one of her many highlights was winning a silver medal in the triples at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games.
“The Commonwealth Games and the world championships are the pinnacle of our sport,” Turley said.
The 2014 Commonwealth Games will be held in Glasgow from July 23, to August 3 and Turley is hoping to make the Australian women’s teams.
She started playing lawn bowls in 1999 after reading about the sport in local newspapers.
Turley has produced several top peformances representing Australia throughout her career.
Among them are a singles victory at the 2010 Asia Pacific Merdeka Indoor Championships; a silver medal in the triples at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games; and a gold medal at the 2008 World Championships in the fours event.
She has since married prominent Australian lawn bowler Wayne Turley, hence the new surname.
Turley said she loves her job running the bowls program at Cabramatta Bowling Club.
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“We have 200 members playing and the club facilities are very good,” Turley said.
The club has two greens, one turf, the other synthetic .
The club spent $2 million on the undercover synthetic green, ideal for all weather conditions.
Turley said the club is performing well at many levels.
Caption: Claire Turley at Cabramatta Bowling Club. Picture: Wesley Lonergan
