April 18, 2025 • 8 mins
Wainuiomata bowler Vikki-Lee Remuera has ticked off a number of achievements as a junior lawn bowler - a category for those who've played the sport for five years or under.
Now at that five year mark, Vikki-Lee joined Adam Cooper to look back on her success, and look at what's next for her bowls journey.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
From junior net born at Titai to the bols at TSB.
We've got it covered on the All Sport Breakfast with
Rutherford and Bon Toyota and King Toyota on News Talks
at b.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Thirteen to nine. Here on the Ollsport Breakfast, we're talking
about more bowls now and wanted to put the spotlight
on one of our local bowlers who's had a lot
of success this summer and particularly highlight some of the
pathways that are available to those new to the sport
of bowls via their junior categories. Now junior and bowls
doesn't mean age, but how long you've been playing for
(00:31):
so those new two bowls are able to vie off
against those at a similar level of experience, and I
know it is seen as a handy way to be
able to gear up for competition. If you've been a
regular listener to our Saturday morning Bowls reports over the summer,
you'll have heard the name Vicky Lee and Emuerta mentioned
quite often. Vicky Lee's a part of the Wi Nuia
Marta Club and she's one of the most talented junior
(00:52):
level bowlers here in Wellington. She was runner up and
the Wellington, champion of Champion Triples last season, runner up
at this season's Open singles, and was in the last
thirty two of the National Singles and Pairs, losing only
narrowly to Blackjack deb White. So I thought it was
a good idea to catch up with Vicky Lee about
her Bold's journey, find out a bit about what it's
been like taking up the sport and competing as a
(01:14):
junior player. Morning to your Vicky Lee. Firstly, congratulations on
your season so far. You must be pretty happy with
how that's all gone.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Yes, yeah, I've definitely I ramped it up and played
in more competition, So yes, I feel a little bit
a little bit exhausted, to be fair, but it's I'm
actually proud of my club and of my own achievements. Yes, yeah, yeah,
it's been a busy summer.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
I'm sure a lot of people that have been involved
in summer sports feel the same way around this point
of the year. And we'll talk to us about I
wanted to talk about sort of, you know, being classified
as as a junior bowler, which is, you know, those
who have been in the sport for one to five years,
and obviously there are these categories which players like yourself
can enter, and you've had I've had some great success
in these categories, but also a whole bunch of other
(02:03):
competitions as well. So how long have you actually been
playing boles for?
Speaker 3 (02:08):
I have been on paper, I'm a fifth year junior,
been playing for one year other club for four years,
but truthfully, I've been playing the Community Bowls League for
about ten plus years. So that's their mates and bowls
you know that we year club hosts that in the
community come and get involved. So that was an opportunity
(02:32):
to play with my husband and his friends and my
dad and my husband's grandfather and yeah, just alongside the community.
So I've been playing that for ten plus years before
I could actually play for my club. So yeah, but
that you know, you're just giving it a go. You
don't really know how to bowl properly, so it was
(02:53):
for fun. But I really did admire the game and
it was a game for everyone in all ages, so
I was I was pretty helped after I knew that
I could actually play for the club.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Whatt what got you wanted to get into REP Bowls
And have you had competitive sports as a background. Have
you been involved in other codes at sort of an
into club or competitive level.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
I think, to be fair, I've actually learned from my daughter.
So me and my husband were coaching and managing my
daughter through high performance basketball and she was a rep
in New Zealand representative. So I think I just I
wanted my own hobby and my own sport after learning
from her pathway. So no, not personally like I'm a
(03:39):
social netballer. You know, I've played competitive softball when I
was younger, but I just like sport. So It's bowls
was just the game for me. Yeah, unless less injuries
exactly season, Yeah, it was a yeah. R Kelly's was
(03:59):
saw play on a sad day and I'd be sore
from Wednesday onwards. So it's a good sport too, good
sport for the mind as well.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Yeah, I imagine for some people, and you can probably
speak to some with some experience on this because I'm
sure you play against them with a lot of people
like this, But a good option of people that love
their sports to transition into it if they have you
had an injury that prevents them from doing other more
sports that may have some more physical demands.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Oh.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
I endorsed bals very much. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's quite
it's for everybody. I love playing of my dad. I
get to play with my dad. I think all the
community bowlers and everyone in the environment sees me play
with my dad and they think it's just awesome that
I get to play with my dad. But my niece
is also like enjoying bowls too, she's at secondary school.
(04:48):
So it's an influence that is close to my family.
But it's it's actually infectious. Like you just say, get
into bowls and you'd be surprised how many people you
can entice into giving it a go.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Because I mean, I guess historically bowls has had a
bit of a stereotype with it of sort of people
of more the senior age. But I mean you talk
about that and where we're hearing so so often now
just about the influx of junior you know, junior competitors
and junior people. You look at some of our Wellington
Rep teams and they've got all sort of you know,
ages and demographics covered. Where is the sport at do
you think on really making sure it's getting a cross
(05:24):
section of people taking part are here in Wellington?
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Yeah, every club's got their own responsibility ice for our club.
The Community Bowls League was as where we recruit a
lot of our bowlers. They see they see the game
for what it is, they see the people giving it
a go in all age groups. They actually end up
by just enjoying the game too. So it's not hard.
(05:50):
It's not hard to rope people in. We've done pretty
well of it at our club. And it's we're getting
netballers and dark players and pool players and it's it's
it's creating a hub. But the skill, the game itself
is very skillful. It's it's a mind game. Anyone can play.
(06:11):
You don't have to be an absolute athlete these days.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
What was the hardest skill for you to learn?
Speaker 3 (06:20):
The hardest skill that there was, I think because we
don't have a lot of senior ladies at our club,
I had to throw myself into every competition going, so
I was learning from all the senior players in every
other club. And then on the back of that that,
(06:43):
the hardest part was probably the mental game. But I
think I I just knew and I got thrown into
skip rolls and and and if I'm if I can lead, well,
it just it follows through. So the I think the
hardest thing is knowing your bowls and learning the conditions
(07:07):
of different greens, whether whether comes into play. But at
the end of the day, I think it's a team thing.
But we're all so united to teach and learn, and
we pass on what we are learning amongst my own teammates.
But yeah, I think you're just the mental part of
(07:28):
the game was a little bit. I hate to get
used to that at the very at the start.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Yeah, great, well, Vicky, it's been great to chat. We
could chat a whole lot longer, but we have right
out of time. But I really appreciate your time. Congratulations
on the season you've had, and I think that some
of your comments there will inspire some others to maybe
give bowls to go when the next season rolls around.
So appreciate your time.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Thanks so much. And if I can, just a little
shout out to our club member of the Year, Rob Cooley.
He always mentions where my name's brought up on the radio,
so he'll listen to this, but I wanted to give
him a shout out.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
To brilliant, brilliant stuff. Thanks Vicky Lee, appreciate your time.
Have a great Easter weekend as well. Vicky lee emawhere
Are There? From the Why Know Your Master Bowling Club?
Speaker 1 (08:12):
For more from News Talk sed B, listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
From junior net born at Titai to the bols at TSB.
We've got it covered on the All Sport Breakfast with
Rutherford and Bon Toyota and King Toyota on News Talks
at b.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Thirteen to nine. Here on the Ollsport Breakfast, we're talking
about more bowls now and wanted to put the spotlight
on one of our local bowlers who's had a lot
of success this summer and particularly highlight some of the
pathways that are available to those new to the sport
of bowls via their junior categories. Now junior and bowls
doesn't mean age, but how long you've been playing for
(00:31):
so those new two bowls are able to vie off
against those at a similar level of experience, and I
know it is seen as a handy way to be
able to gear up for competition. If you've been a
regular listener to our Saturday morning Bowls reports over the summer,
you'll have heard the name Vicky Lee and Emuerta mentioned
quite often. Vicky Lee's a part of the Wi Nuia
Marta Club and she's one of the most talented junior
(00:52):
level bowlers here in Wellington. She was runner up and
the Wellington, champion of Champion Triples last season, runner up
at this season's Open singles, and was in the last
thirty two of the National Singles and Pairs, losing only
narrowly to Blackjack deb White. So I thought it was
a good idea to catch up with Vicky Lee about
her Bold's journey, find out a bit about what it's
been like taking up the sport and competing as a
(01:14):
junior player. Morning to your Vicky Lee. Firstly, congratulations on
your season so far. You must be pretty happy with
how that's all gone.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Yes, yeah, I've definitely I ramped it up and played
in more competition, So yes, I feel a little bit
a little bit exhausted, to be fair, but it's I'm
actually proud of my club and of my own achievements. Yes, yeah, yeah,
it's been a busy summer.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
I'm sure a lot of people that have been involved
in summer sports feel the same way around this point
of the year. And we'll talk to us about I
wanted to talk about sort of, you know, being classified
as as a junior bowler, which is, you know, those
who have been in the sport for one to five years,
and obviously there are these categories which players like yourself
can enter, and you've had I've had some great success
in these categories, but also a whole bunch of other
(02:03):
competitions as well. So how long have you actually been
playing boles for?
Speaker 3 (02:08):
I have been on paper, I'm a fifth year junior,
been playing for one year other club for four years,
but truthfully, I've been playing the Community Bowls League for
about ten plus years. So that's their mates and bowls
you know that we year club hosts that in the
community come and get involved. So that was an opportunity
(02:32):
to play with my husband and his friends and my
dad and my husband's grandfather and yeah, just alongside the community.
So I've been playing that for ten plus years before
I could actually play for my club. So yeah, but
that you know, you're just giving it a go. You
don't really know how to bowl properly, so it was
(02:53):
for fun. But I really did admire the game and
it was a game for everyone in all ages, so
I was I was pretty helped after I knew that
I could actually play for the club.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Whatt what got you wanted to get into REP Bowls
And have you had competitive sports as a background. Have
you been involved in other codes at sort of an
into club or competitive level.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
I think, to be fair, I've actually learned from my daughter.
So me and my husband were coaching and managing my
daughter through high performance basketball and she was a rep
in New Zealand representative. So I think I just I
wanted my own hobby and my own sport after learning
from her pathway. So no, not personally like I'm a
(03:39):
social netballer. You know, I've played competitive softball when I
was younger, but I just like sport. So It's bowls
was just the game for me. Yeah, unless less injuries
exactly season, Yeah, it was a yeah. R Kelly's was
(03:59):
saw play on a sad day and I'd be sore
from Wednesday onwards. So it's a good sport too, good
sport for the mind as well.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Yeah, I imagine for some people, and you can probably
speak to some with some experience on this because I'm
sure you play against them with a lot of people
like this, But a good option of people that love
their sports to transition into it if they have you
had an injury that prevents them from doing other more
sports that may have some more physical demands.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Oh.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
I endorsed bals very much. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's quite
it's for everybody. I love playing of my dad. I
get to play with my dad. I think all the
community bowlers and everyone in the environment sees me play
with my dad and they think it's just awesome that
I get to play with my dad. But my niece
is also like enjoying bowls too, she's at secondary school.
(04:48):
So it's an influence that is close to my family.
But it's it's actually infectious. Like you just say, get
into bowls and you'd be surprised how many people you
can entice into giving it a go.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Because I mean, I guess historically bowls has had a
bit of a stereotype with it of sort of people
of more the senior age. But I mean you talk
about that and where we're hearing so so often now
just about the influx of junior you know, junior competitors
and junior people. You look at some of our Wellington
Rep teams and they've got all sort of you know,
ages and demographics covered. Where is the sport at do
you think on really making sure it's getting a cross
(05:24):
section of people taking part are here in Wellington?
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Yeah, every club's got their own responsibility ice for our club.
The Community Bowls League was as where we recruit a
lot of our bowlers. They see they see the game
for what it is, they see the people giving it
a go in all age groups. They actually end up
by just enjoying the game too. So it's not hard.
(05:50):
It's not hard to rope people in. We've done pretty
well of it at our club. And it's we're getting
netballers and dark players and pool players and it's it's
it's creating a hub. But the skill, the game itself
is very skillful. It's it's a mind game. Anyone can play.
(06:11):
You don't have to be an absolute athlete these days.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
What was the hardest skill for you to learn?
Speaker 3 (06:20):
The hardest skill that there was, I think because we
don't have a lot of senior ladies at our club,
I had to throw myself into every competition going, so
I was learning from all the senior players in every
other club. And then on the back of that that,
(06:43):
the hardest part was probably the mental game. But I
think I I just knew and I got thrown into
skip rolls and and and if I'm if I can lead, well,
it just it follows through. So the I think the
hardest thing is knowing your bowls and learning the conditions
(07:07):
of different greens, whether whether comes into play. But at
the end of the day, I think it's a team thing.
But we're all so united to teach and learn, and
we pass on what we are learning amongst my own teammates.
But yeah, I think you're just the mental part of
(07:28):
the game was a little bit. I hate to get
used to that at the very at the start.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Yeah, great, well, Vicky, it's been great to chat. We
could chat a whole lot longer, but we have right
out of time. But I really appreciate your time. Congratulations
on the season you've had, and I think that some
of your comments there will inspire some others to maybe
give bowls to go when the next season rolls around.
So appreciate your time.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Thanks so much. And if I can, just a little
shout out to our club member of the Year, Rob Cooley.
He always mentions where my name's brought up on the radio,
so he'll listen to this, but I wanted to give
him a shout out.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
To brilliant, brilliant stuff. Thanks Vicky Lee, appreciate your time.
Have a great Easter weekend as well. Vicky lee emawhere
Are There? From the Why Know Your Master Bowling Club?
Speaker 1 (08:12):
For more from News Talk sed B, listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
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