“Oh, that was so close!”
“It doesn’t count, your puck is on the line.”
“Gosh, you just knocked me out of the game!”
“Wow, this is so much fun, and the people are great!”
The Rodney Recreation Center arena area was filled with gleeful, happy shouts, teasing and gentle competitiveness this Thursday morning on May 5.
This is a session of the West Elgin’s free recreation programs, shuffle boarding and carpet bowling. I arrived to do an interview and to take pictures, but having finished that job, I was invited to join in, and I am incredibly glad and smiling because I did.
There is nothing dull or sedate or quiet about shuffle boarding and lawn bowling. Yes, there moments of silent concentration and focusing before sending the puck or the “bowl” on its way, the goal being to gain a point(s) for your team of two people, while denying or stealing away points for the other team, albeit in a most friendly, cordial manner.
The Rodney Carpet Bowlers and Shufflers is a recreational, group, formed roughly 30 years ago. It provides winter-long respite from the cold weather and indoor existence typical of Canadian winters. From Oct. 1 until the end of May, these hardy enthusiasts gather to shuffle and bowl. But their shuffling has nothing at all to do with the stereotypical slow, cautious, sliding of feet along the floor at a snail’s pace that is some kind of broad stereotype for seniors.
A shuffle game begins with eight pucks, on a court roughly six feet wide and 39 feet in length, with marked borders, and a pyramid that is lined with points for landing your puck in the middle: 8, 7, 10, or minus 10 .
Each player shoves or propels their four pucks, alternating with the other player who stands next to them, until all eight pucks have been played, when the scores are totaled and marked on the nearby scoreboard.
Lawn bowling is played with two different colored groups of eight bowls (from the French “Boules”?) per team, therefore 16 bowls in total. The process and order of play is identical to shuffling. Bowlers also score points cumulatively, on a smaller chalkboard. Action or spin on the bowl can have amazing effects. The great difficulty arises in the weighted-to-one-side nature of the bowls! I think that you place the bowl to the side to which you wish your throw to turn!
Barbara Bijker is the president of the group, while Adam Hrabinski is secretary and Louise Vanderloo is treasurer. There are currently 26 club members and 15 were present on May 5, the sunny weather having stolen some members’ focus away.
No special clothing or equipment is required. Wearing comfortable, non-slip shoes such as running shoes is recommended.
Playing provides many benefits: a good, stretching, physical workout, while having a great time, players develop and polish their hand-eye co-ordination, balance, concentration, math skills and perhaps a sense of humility (that was me).
Being with others, pursuing common goals and so on, participants enjoy the benefits of all sports and group activities. It’s assumed their play is also excellent preparation for their summer gardening and activity programs
The fun continues for a few more weeks – Mondays, and Thursdays, from 9:30 am to 11 am The season ends May 30.