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SIBA 75th ANNIVERSARY AWARD
for Service and Achievement to Indoor Bowling in Scotland
has been awarded to
Mrs GRACE McGREGOR (Midlothian IBC)
At the start of season 2011/2012 the Scottish Indoor Bowling Association received a gift of a trophy from Past President Willie Duff and his wife Margo to be used towards the work of the SIBA. The SIBA Executive Committee agreed to use this trophy to celebrate the quality of play and work that goes on in Indoor Bowling in Scotland and asked every club to nominate individuals who could be awarded the “75th Anniversary Award – For Service and Achievement to Indoor Bowling in Scotland”.
Individuals could be nominated courtesy of any one of three categories –
- Outstanding Playing Success
- Success through Adversity
- Commitment to a Member Club
In total 21 nominations were received and the selection panel consisting of SIBA Presidents, SIBA Officers, Convenors of Committees, Chairman of Executive and Willie and Margo Duff as sponsors met to decide the overall winner of this first award.
After much discussion and two rounds of voting the winner was announced as GRACE McGREGOR (Midlothian IBC).
Grace is a former Ladies President of Midlothian IBC and has had success as a player with the successful Midlothian ladies team and also became a Scottish Internationalist in 1993 however it was her commitment to coaching in Scotland that was highlighted in her nomination for this award.
Grace is involved in all aspects of coaching in Scotland and runs successful classes for Juniors, Disabled Bowlers, New Bowlers and Midlothian schools on a weekly basis. This continues throughout the season from September to April and she has been doing this for many years.
Grace has also successfully run the Junior Challenge Finals event for the last five years and serves as a Regional Supervisor of Coaching for Midlothian, East Lothian and the Borders.
Colin Flower, the secretary of Midlothian IBC, said in his nomination that “Grace is currently quite seriously ill and an accolade of this magnitude would befit the efforts she has made to support bowling within Midlothian Indoor Bowling Club and throughout Scotland.”
SIBA President Tom Winter, who chaired the selection panel, said “the SIBA are delighted to have a person of the quality of Grace as our first winner of the 75th Anniversary Award. We were delighted to receive such a high class of nomination in the first year of the award and there were many worthy individuals who deserve to be recognised for the service they give to Indoor Bowling in Scotland. Like many of those nominated, Grace gives of her time freely and willingly to help other individuals learn and enjoy the sport and to assist to bring new members to her club and to Indoor Bowling in Scotland. Hopefully this award goes someway to show the appreciation that the SIBA has for people like Grace who are crucial to the success of Indoor Bowling in Scotland.”
The other nominations for this award were as follows –
James Allison (Dundee), Anne Bernard (Abbeyview), Darren Burnett (Arbroath), Andrea Campbell (Irvine), Rita Cartney (Fraserburgh), James Clark (Paisley), George Eddie (Fraserburgh), Helen Findlay (Galleon), Julie Forrest (Teviotdale), Arthur Gammack (Fraserburgh), Melvin C Hunter (Turriff), James Irwin MBE (Dumbarton), Ron McArthur (Falkirk), William McKinlay (Allander), Connor Milne (Garioch), Ian Murray (Turriff), Ian Needham (Allander), David Peacock (Midlothian), Colin Walker (Midlothian), Willie Wood MBE (East Lothian).
All those nominated by their clubs will be recognised by the SIBA and Grace will be presented with her award by Willie and Margo Duff at the SIBA National Finals Event at Coatbridge.
Gordon Woods
SIBA Secretariat
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