History

Bowls started in South Africa in 1882 and the first green was laid and a club was founded at St Georges Park in Port Elizabeth. The sport quickly spread through the country. The South African Bowling Association was instituted in 1904 and became the official body for bowls in South Africa.

The South African Women's Bowling Association was formed in 1935, which controlled women's bowls in South Africa. Today Bowls South Africa has over 23 000 registered members, and almost 513 clubs.

First bowls players

Vision, Mission and Values

Vision

Through teamwork and a culture of shared values we will become:

“BOWLS” THE ONE SPORT FOR ALL

  • Our stakeholders will be proud of our success as a sport

  • Competitors will respect us

  • Communities will support and embrace us

MISSION

Create capabilities to grow, develop, organize, transform, control and market the Sport of Bowls to ensure excellence.

OUR VALUES

The total commitment of the bowls fraternity is fundamental to our success. The following values will guide our decisions and behaviour:

  • Innovation: To seek new ideas and encourage continuous personal growth and improvement in everything we do in order to stay leaders in the sport of Bowls.

  • Initiative: To make things happen, through a spirit of enthusiasm energy and commitment.

  • Integrity: Honesty and fairness and transparency to all.

  • Mutual Trust: Complete belief in the reliability of all concerned. Our interactions and deliberations are based on trust and confidence.

Northern Cape bowls
Thabelo Muvhango

BSA Standing Committees

All Standing Committees are appointed by the Executive of Bowls South Africa and are therefore responsible to them.

  • The Coaches Standing Committee is appointed to assist and advise the Executive of Bowls South Africa in all matters pertaining to the training, development and qualification of all levels of coaches and to regularly revise syllabuses in conformity with national standards.

    The Committee is responsible to increase coach's knowledge by maintaining standards and conducting refresher and upgrading courses on a national basis via the District Standing Committee Structure.

  • The Membership and Marketing Standing Committee is appointed to assist and advise the Executive of Bowls South Africa in all development of the game of bowls working in close relations with the Coaches Standing Committee.

    The development of the National Academy falls within this realm.

  • The Greenkeepers Standing Committee is appointed to assist and advise the Executive of Bowls South Africa in all matters pertaining to the construction and maintenance of bowling greens in South Africa.

    Other duties are the to oversee the maintenance of greens for all Bowls South Africa tournaments, training of greenkeepers in each District to enable them to evaluate their greens in their Districts.

  • The Technical Officials Standing Committee is appointed to assist and advise the Executive of Bowls South Africa in all technical aspects pertaining to the game and the laws of bowls in South Africa.

    They must ensure that the evaluation system of qualifying and upgrading of technical officials to the various levels is implemented on a national basis via the district standing committee structure and district evaluation boards.

  • The core objective of the National Academy is to maximize the potential of players through the implimentation of coaching, training and athlete support with the employment of sports technology. The main activities of the National Academy shall be the training and development of players in the following areas: National Teams, Gold and Silver Squads, Talent Identification, Junior Elite Training Camps and Sport School of Excellence.

  • The Disability Standing Committee is appointed to assist and advise the Executive of Bowls South Africa with regard to the requirements and needs of our visually impaired and physically disabled bowlers as laid down by the International Blind Bowlers Association and the International Bowls for the disabled.

Victor Siphali