Bowls Tasmania chief executive Rebecca Van Asch keen to convert personal success into statewide participation

The head of Bowls Tasmania has exactly that opportunity – but is also faced with not wanting to big-note herself.

It is an awkward dilemma for Rebecca Van Asch who doubles as Bowls Tasmania chief executive and also the state’s most successful bowler.

“I have found it a bit difficult,” she said. “The last thing I want is people thinking I’m promoting myself but we do need to publicise the sport as much as possible.”

In the wake of Van Asch’s three world crowns from 2012 and ’16, Australian Open singles, pairs and fours titles and two gold medals at this year’s Commonwealth Games, she has noticed increased interest in bowling both in Tasmania and Australia.

As a non-Olympic sport with a world championships that struggles for mass coverage every four years, lawn bowls took full advantage of its moment in the spotlight on the Gold Coast in April.

Bowlers savoured extensive success and the resulting welcome national exposure with Van Asch and her teammates becoming television regulars and even sharing live broadcasts with Channel Seven’s morning anchorman David Koch.

“It generated some pretty good publicity for the sport,” she said.

“Since getting back to Tassie and having been involved in the tours to capital cities I’ve been surprised how many people told me they watched my games and said they loved watching the bowls.

“It was really nice to speak to people who had watched and enjoyed it and seen a different side to the game. We’ve had a few enquiries since then asking where clubs are so we’re happy with that outcome.

“I did not realise how much of a bubble it was until I got back to Tassie and people kept asking me about it. I did not expect people to take as much interest as they did.

“Because it’s not an Olympic sport we’ve got to make the most of this.”

Extensive coverage into the nation’s living rooms also helped dismiss the widespread notion that bowls is an old person’s sport.

Van Asch turned 30 a month before the Games and was the second oldest on the Australian team.

“A lot of people were surprised when they saw the Australian games but it was good for them to see that at the competitive level it is a younger sport and that’s been a big focus for Bowls Australia how to capitalise on the success of the Commonwealth Games.”

Australian bowls is also basking in a global spotlight with this year’s Commonwealth Games sandwiched between world championships in 2012 (Adelaide) and 2020 (also on the Gold Coast) – events which have helped make the host nation the world leader in participation rates with half a million regular players.

In 2017, a total of 18,388 Tasmanians took part in organised lawn bowls competitions at least four times and the state had more than 5000 registered players.

Van Asch is on a mission to keep those numbers climbing.

Operating from a modest office at Invermay Bowls Club where she also plays, the Welsh-born former St Finn Barr’s and St Patrick’s College student welcomes converts from competing sports.

“There is a significant increase in bowls participation throughout Tasmania and follows the national trend that we are facing, whereby more and more people are shying away from traditional competition models in all sports,” she said.

“There are players coming to the end of other careers who still want to play sport competitively and we welcome former footballers, netballers and hockey players – people who are looking to play something a bit easier on their body.”

Bowls Tasmania will stage its popular annual statewide come-and-try initiative at the start of October ahead of the 2018-19 pennant season.

Van Asch –  whose bowls successes saw her named joint 2017 Tasmanian Institute of Sport athlete of the year with Hobart rowing world champion Sarah Hawe –  said her full-time role with Bowls Tasmania covers a multitude of responsibilities.

“My role is probably a bit different to other CEOs, it can be anything from basic stationery tasks to dealing with sponsors, promoting the sport, preparing the 2019-23 strategic plan and everything in between, but basically it’s a conduit between grassroots and our board.”

And while Bowls Tasmania’s incumbent chief executive may be reluctant to push her individual success, its outgoing president Garry Beven was happy to take up the task.

At the organisation’s annual meeting at Longford Bowls Club in May, Beven said: “The efforts and achievements of our CEO over the past 12 months have been nothing short of spectacular. Her winning two gold medals was history-making in itself and the professionalism she displayed through the journey was exemplary.

“The amount of publicity and goodwill developed by her for the sport in this state cannot be over-estimated.

“Congratulations Bec, we are fortunate to have you as part of our organisation. I hope it continues well into the future.”