Shepparton Park Bowls Club will export every representative on behalf of the Goulburn Valley Playing Area, fielding Ross Higgins in this week’s Bowls Australia Para Nationals at sunny Broadbeach Bowls Club on the Gold Coast.
Higgins will compete in a busy Wednesday triple-header during the group stage of men’s singles B7/B8 action, with the competition set to run until Saturday.
He’s no stranger to the big stage with three other pre-pandemic opportunities to represent Victoria at the carnival, but beams at his imminent return to the team after missing out in the years since.
“It’s great for me to be representing at nationals again,” Higgins said.
“I represented in the past, but I haven’t been able to qualify for the last four years, so to be back in the team, I’m pretty happy about that.
“I’m very proud to represent Victoria. The last time I did, we won the overall titles, so hopefully we can pull that again.
“I first got selected in 2017-18-19, those three years in a row, but there was a changing of the guard after COVID.
“With a lot of hard work and a few championships under my belt, they’ve selected me back into the team.”
The former Numurkah coach adamantly maintains that the field he contends with in his para division should not be looked at as any less capable.
“These bowlers are very, very good to represent their state and they wouldn’t be here if they weren’t,” Higgins said.
“There would be a few of them that would be able to compete one on one with the able-bodied bowlers.
“I played at the Australian Open earlier this year and ran into a few state representatives for para bowls and they were very good.
“I got to the semis there and it took an Australian champion to put me out of the game.”
The Park brigade has far more than that to look forward to as well, with the club boasting three quarters of powerful quartet Kerrie Leask, Jenni Hill, Jennifer O'Connor and Sue Tyson taking on the women’s fours tournament.
The composite group takes in clubs from both halves of the Goulburn Murray Bowls Region as Hill, O’Connor and Tyson are allied with Park, while Leask calls Numurkah home.
They will be waiting much longer to have their go at the Australian Championships, though, with first roll in their Section 2 group coming on the morning of Wednesday, October 23.
“We’re looking forward to a very prosperous pennant season,” Higgins said.
“Shepp Park is very competitive and that’s what you have to be to improve your game.”
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