Meet the Mandurah APL Teams: Victoria Park Carlisle
Played Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th September 2016 The Victoria Park Carlisle Bowling Club has accepted the invitation to return to the APL Cup for 2016 where the Reds will be looking to make it out of their group for the first time.
The Victoria Park Bowling Club was first formed in September of 1912 by the local council. Its first games were played on a green borrowed from the WA Cricket Association but soon moved to a purpose built facility built by the council on Rushton Street. Thirty six years later the ladies club was established as women’s bowls started to grow. In 1955 Victoria Park moved to their present club on Kent Street. The project was two years in the making and saw the club grow to a four green club. In 2008 Victoria Park underwent a merger with the neighbouring Carlisle Lathlain Bowling Club to create the current day Victoria Park Carlisle club. Not long after in the 2014/15 season the club won its first Premier League pennant with the men’s side victorious over South Perth in the grand final. It was a disappointing year for the club last season with both its men’s and women’s Premier League sides slipping back into First Division White but the APL Cup represents an opportunity for the club to kick off a strong rebound year.
Michael Sims, Derek Angel, Robert Johnson and Shirley Johnston will represent the Reds in Mandurah.
Michael Sims is a player with vast Premier League experience having been a mainstay of the Victoria Park side for a number of years. He headlines the team as the club’s reigning club singles champion adding to the list of club championships he won at Carlisle Lathain. His Carlisle achievements include two club triple, two club pairs and two club singles championships. His experience playing at the top level will be a crucial ingredient if Vic Park are to have successful tournament.
Derek Angel is much less experienced in terms of Premier League bowls but already has some impressive accomplishments to his name. Angel played large chunks of the year in Premier League last year having only taken up the game in 2010. In his first season Angel was the runner up in the Champion of Champions Novice Singles and also managed a third place finish in the Third Division and Under State Singles in the same year.
Robert Johnson started playing 2002 and in that time has spent time in and out of the Premier League side. Johnson skippered eleven games in Premier League last season and came out on the positive side of the ledger with six wins. Johnson is the other half of the club singles championship final finishing runner up last year. It was his second final going back to the 2005/06 season when he won the club’s singles title in just his fourth year. The 2008 and 2009 club player have the year will be keen to continue last season’s form this season and will see the APL Cup as an opportunity to start well.
Victoria Park Carlisle’s only ladies player is also their most experienced. Shirley Johnston started her bowls journey in Durban South Africa way back in 1979. Johnston had a successful year with two club championships last season. With wins in the club triples and mixed pairs it was her best return since the 2012/13 season when she played at the Mt Pleasant Bowling Club. In that year she won the club singles and the club 100 up singles to sweep the ladies singles events. With so much experience in the traditional formats of bowls Johnston will be keen to show she can adapt to the game’s newest version down in Mandurah.
Looking to rebound from last year this four will be looking to make a statement of intent by making their first APL Cup quarter final. Whilst perhaps lacking the superstar talent of some other sides their experience will ensure that they won’t be fazed by anything.
