2024 Awards Night winners announced
The contribution of players, coaches, administrators, volunteers and clubs from across the country were recognised at Bowls Australia’s virtual 2024 Awards Night tonight.
2024 Awards Night Honour Roll:
Audika Community Service Award:
Club Old Bar (NSW)
Right at Home Volunteer of the Year:
Allan Starrett (New Lambton, NSW)
Aero Bowls Official of the Year:
Bob Carlson (Club Sunbury, VIC)
Puma Coach of the Year:
Kelli Wray (Cockburn, WA) and Ian Ewing (Brunswick, VIC) – joint winners
DrinkWise Club of the Year:
Club Helensvale (QLD) and Hawthorn Bowling Club (SA) – joint winners
MakMax Male Bowler with a Disability of the Year:
Jake Fehlberg (Bargara, QLD)
MakMax Female Bowler with a Disability of the Year:
Serena Bonnell (Club Tweed, QLD)
BCiB Under-18 Female Bowler of the Year:
Amity Bickley (Port Sorell, TAS)
BCiB Under-18 Male Bowler of the Year:
Koby Cromie (Essendon, VIC)
Tourism and Events Queensland Male Bowler of the Year:
Josh Walker-Davis (East Maitland, NSW)
Experience Gold Coast Female Bowler of the Year:
Dawn Hayman (St Johns Park, NSW)
Australian Institute of Sport International Male Para Bowler of the Year:
James Reynolds (Cabramatta, NSW)
Australian Institute of Sport International Female Para Bowler of the Year:
Serena Bonnell (Club Tweed, QLD)
Commonwealth Games Australia International Female Bowler of the Year:
Dawn Hayman (St Johns Park, NSW)
Australian Sports Commission International Male Bowler of the Year:
Aron Sherriff (Broadbeach, QLD)
2024 summaries:
Audika Community Service Award: Club Old Bar
New South Wales’ Old Bar Beach have developed a Junior Bowls Development Pathway called the Junior Dolphins program which has revitalised their engagement with the local community.
Following initial rookie rollers success, the club has aimed to get more children into the sport thanks to the tireless work of Jan Wallace and 19 other dedicated volunteers, who have redefined the way that the club has engaged with the community.
Right at Home Volunteer of the Year: Allan Starrett
Allan receives this award thanks to his outstanding work in coaching and advising bowlers with a disability and those using a bowling arm.
His work has seen him organise the National Bowling Arm Tournament for the past ten years, while also coaching many bowlers in a wheelchair throughout the Newcastle region.
Allan has taken more than one hundred pupils under his wing due to his sheer love and passion for bowls.
Aero Bowls Official of the Year: Bob Carlson
Victoria’s Bob Carlson is a highly respected International Technical Official that has contributed greatly to officiating at all levels of the sport.
He is an extremely active official on a national level and in his home state, with his dedication to his craft unmatched. Bob is BA’s ITO mentor and assessor, a member of the national coaching and advisory group and has officiated at the World Bowls Championships, Australian Open and Bowls Premier League.
In addition, Bob is on hand to work as a state level official at events like the Vic Open and at state pennant level.
Puma Coach of the Year: Kelli Wray & Ian Ewing
Kelli has been instrumental in the creation of the Cockburn Junior Bowls Academy in a bid to develop the next wave of talent at the club in Western Australia.
A former Jackaroo, Wray runs a successful coaching business and coaches the Western Australian junior state team, lending a hand and guidance to the next generation.
Ewing, the Victorian Pathways Coach, has been instrumental in the high performance sector, developing not just players from his state but from all over the country.
This is largely thanks to his work touring for the World Bowls Junior Indoor Championships as well as the World Bowls Indoor Championships, on top of his scintillating work at the National Development Series.
DrinkWise Club of the Year: Club Helensvale & Hawthorn Bowling Club
In the past 12 months, Club Helensvale has demonstrated a real commitment to developing participation in the sport across the junior, open and para spaces thanks to various programs and club development.
Helensvale has seen two roofs built to ensure bowls is constantly played under two magnificent canopies, as well as hosting prestigious events such as the Australian Open.
South Australia’s Hawthorn Bowling club has increased its accredited officials by 15 per cent thanks to expanding portfolio of social events, support of charities and growth in membership base.
The club is a hub of its community and it was rewarded with South Australia’s large club of the year in 2023-24.
MakMax Male Bowler with a Disability of the Year: Jake Fehlberg
Winning this award for the second consecutive year, Jake has enjoyed a scintillating year on the green across district, state and national levels.
In the national arena, The Bargara product would clinch gold in the vision impaired singles and pairs events at the 2024 Australian Open, taking his total tally of gold medals at the tournament to a staggering ten.
MakMax Female Bowler with a Disability of the Year: Serena Bonnell
Also winning the award for the second straight year, Serena has enjoyed yet another scintillating year on the green across all levels of the sport.
On the national stage, the Queenslander took home a gold medal in the multi disability women’s singles discipline at the Australian Open, while also taking home singles and pairs titles at The Para Nationals at Broadbeach, in addition to being named Player of the tournament.
Additionally Serena is unquestionably a trailblazer and one of the biggest advocates for para inclusion and the sport of bowls more generally, vigorously promoting the inclusive nature of the sport and leading the way for para bowlers and the wider community.
She broke the world record for longest singles match ever played, as well as hosting a plethora of events across the Gold Coast Tweed District that establish how inclusive bowls is.
BCiB Under-18 Female Bowler of the Year: Amity Bickley
Amity’s season has been exemplary, with another standout season at national level, clinching national junior pairs gold in late 2023 and conquering the Junior Golden Nugget.
Bickley has continued her impressive form by claiming a vast number of junior state titles across Tasmania throughout 2024.
The future is bright for this rising star of the sport.
BCiB Under-18 Male Bowler of the Year: Koby Cromie
Koby has enjoyed a breakout 12 months with strong performances across the national arena and his state of Victoria.
At the 2024 Australian Open, Koby clinched the under 18 boy’s singles title to cement his place as one of the most in form juniors in the nation, emerging victorious from 8-18 behind. In addition, he has earned gold at the National Under-18 championships.
At state level, he dominated the Victorian Junior State Championships, winning the singles, pairs and triples disciplines in a scintillating week.
Tourism and Events Queensland Male Bowler of the Year: Josh Walker-Davis
Josh enjoyed a sublime 12 months, finishing as the number one ranked male bowler in the nation with a whopping 440 points, 103 points ahead of his nearest rival.
Aron’s season included a plethora of titles from around the nation, travelling across the country and showing adaptability throughout variable conditions
Walker-Davis would also participate at The Nationals after conquering the Tasmanian fours title
Josh is awarded a $3,000 cheque courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland for tonight’s accomplishment.
Experience Gold Coast Female Bowler of the Year: Dawn Hayman
Dawn’s memorable year included an abundance of achievements on her path to finishing as the number one ranked female bowler in the nation with 334 ranking points, 35 points clear of the nearest opponent.
Dawn’s year included a staggering five state titles in New South Wales, including singles, pairs, mixed pairs, triples and the Champion of Champions
On the national scene, Hayman would reach the Australian Open women’s singles semifinal, the quarterfinals at the Indoor Championships and an All Star nod at BPL19.
Dawn collects a $3,000 cheque, courtesy of Bowls Australia’s valued partner Experience Gold Coast for her achievement.
Australian Institute of Sport International Male Para Bowler of the Year: James Reynolds
The inaugural winner of this category in 2023, Reynolds was an influential member of the Para Jackaroos lineup in 2024, representing Australia brilliantly in tough conditions at the Trans Tasman
Recognised by his peers, the man affectionately known as Jimmy not only exhibits outstanding behaviours on the green, but is a physical embodiment of the Jackaroos 24/7 mentality.
Australian Institute of Sport International Female Para Bowler of the Year: Serena Bonnell
The inaugural winner of this category in 2023, Bonnell continues to lead from the front and has been recognised by her peers for her representation of the country both on and off the green.
Serena represented the green and gold with distinction at the Trans Tasman earlier this year and continues to act as a leader among the Para Jackaroos.
A generous teammate, Serena is always on hand to support her compatriots and was in full voice on the gold coast despite her own event being completed, while also accepting anyone that wants to join the bowling a community.
A truly inspirational Jackaroo.
Commonwealth Games Australia International Female Bowler of the Year: Dawn Hayman
The international bowler award represents the highest level of peer recognition, voted on by all players and support staff at the conclusion of each international event, with points attributed to culture/attitude and performance.
Dawn is clearly highly regarded as a player but importantly also as a person, whose leadership and commitment to culture has contributed equally to receiving this award as her ability on the green.
Dawn recorded significant votes for her performances on the green at the 2024 Trans Tasman, where she helped steer the green and gold to the open women’s title and overall trophy triumph, and was a clear standout in terms of attitude and culture, which has undoubtedly been recognised by the Jackaroos team.
This is Dawn’s maiden International Bowler of the Year accolade.
Australian Sports Commission International Male Bowler of the Year: Aron Sherriff
Winning this award for the second consecutive year, Aron spearheaded Australia’s attack on the Trans Tasman in February, guiding the Jackaroos to the open men’s and overall trophies
Australia’s most successful World Championships male athlete, Sherriff announced his international retirement in 2024 after a glittering career in the green and gold regalia
This is Aron’s third International Bowler of the Year accolade, following on from his previous wins in 2019 and 2023, in addition to his four international bowler of the year gongs.
