Right at Home Jackaroos 2024 leadership team announced
The Right at Home Jackaroos 2024 leadership team has been appointed after a player vote was conducted among the Open and Para squads.
Six members have been selected and will act as the conduit between the athletes, coaches and high performance staff in order to enhance the program and create even stronger connections within the already cohesive squad.
The team consists of Kelsey Cottrell, Carl Healey, Ben Twist, Cheryl Lindfield, Serena Bonnell and James Reynolds.
Cottrell has been one of the most in form players in the world over the past two years and her international record speaks for itself, amassing three World Bowls Championships titles and a Commonwealth Games gold.
Off the green, the 33-year-old is one of the most respected leaders within the Australian lineup and conducts herself with grace and humility in victory or defeat.
The Helensvale product established that when she and her Australian fours teammates stayed on the green to watch Jacky Hudson and Jake Fehlberg for the conclusion of the vision impaired mixed pairs final of last year’s World Championships despite going down to England in their own decider moments earlier.
Healey has been a beacon of positivity and tenacity since his inclusion within the squad at the end of 2020.
Waiting more than a year to make his debut, the New South Welshman quickly became a mainstay within the team, being selected for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games and Gold Coast World Championships.
The 36-year-old clinched a silver in Birmingham before making history and notching two gold medals in Queensland in the men’s triples and fours, while also exhibiting magnificent leadership qualities both on and off the rink.
Whether it be his calmness and patience in tricky situations or his support of his teammates despite suffering heartbreak, the Cabramatta member’s team first mentality embodies the Jackaroos 24/7 mantra.
Twist is a natural leader in his own right, taking up a coaching role within the sport to ensure that the next generation receive the same guidance that he did coming through the ranks.
One of the most humble individuals within the Jackaroos squad, Twist has been instrumental in upholding the standards of the team and playing the game in the best spirit.
On the green, he has been one of the most consistent players within the squad that culminated in a silver medal at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games with Healey and Barrie Lester.
Bonnell and Lindfield have together made themselves mainstays of the lineup, selected for the para women’s pairs for both Birmingham and the Gold Coast.
The duo made history as the nation’s first female para pairs teams at the Commonwealth Games and World Championships, earning a silver medal in the United Kingdom and a bronze on home soil last September.
Bonnell is a trailblazer for para bowls not just in Australia, but globally, and is one of the most team orientated athletes within the sport.
A pioneer of inclusivity, the Club Tweed product ensures that each team member is valued and heard, while exhibiting tremendous leadership qualities.
Lindfield is much of the same, a much loved member of the team that has a wonderful way with people thanks to her background in human resources.
She is always team first, and like Bonnell, remains with the squad even when her disciplines have concluded to support her compatriots.
Finally, Reynolds is an inspiring teammate for the rest of the Australian team, able to perform with excellence under extreme pressure.
Making an international comeback after retirement, the Cabramatta product managed to clinch a remarkable gold medal in the men’s para pairs with Damien Delgado at last year’s World Championships in one of the most heartwarming stories of the year.
Reynolds’ leadership within the team is superb, as he is also the New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory Pathways Coach within the high performance setup.
He understands athletes and utilises his experience to get the best out of everyone around him.
National Coach Gary Willis is thrilled with the team selected, and labels being a member of the leadership team one of the greatest honours that can be bestowed upon a Jackaroo.
“Being selected as a leader is a huge honour and a great show of respect to them from their teammates,” he said.
“We look forward to working with this wonderful group of knowledgeable people to see what new innovations and further support they bring to our program to keep us moving forward”
