Category: Frontpage News
Bowlers Praise Milford 5000 Event
I am writing to heap praise on the very impressive TEAM MILFORD team for their wonderful organisation of this year’s Milford 5000 tournament, I am sure it was a logistical nightmare for all involved.
I had never been to Milford Bowling Club before but I have been to a few minor tournaments - NZ OPEN , NZ NATIONALS, etc.
I can tell you they all pale in comparison to the organisational skills shown at the Milford 5000 tournament, it is heart warming.
It starts from the moment you arrive with your team mates, I personally was blown away by the ease I felt, as soon as I walked from the car park into the venue, the hype of activity happening all around.
Apart from all the usual happy bowlers you meet. Some of the things I noticed include:
The Milford 5000 signs painted on the green.
The computerised scoring system for all to see.
The whiteboards with all team names.
The scones - Yum Yum
The Milford 5000 bowls stickers.
The delightful TEAM MILFORD team - all in their team colours, busily going about their duties, from the lovely ladies in the kitchen preparing all the lunches, the greens staff setting up the greens, mats, jacks, scoreboards, and chalk, and finally the brains trust who make sure every need is taken care of. The seamless flow of the whole tournament, start to finish was spot on.
These are all things I noticed and I'm sure I missed a few.
In the end at the prize giving, well what can I say about prize giving? In the Plate Winners section, I saw the precursor to what was about to unfold for the Championship Winners section, with all the music and hoopla enjoyed by all.
A sense of anxiety lingers, when you know what's coming but you cannot explain the feeling you get when walking down victory lane, through a guard of honour amongst all of your peers, standing, clapping, high fives all around and surrounded by the music of Tina Turner's Simply The Best, it is humbling, enjoyable, and fills you with a lot of inner respect for those who have been part of a memorable weekend.
The intention was never to come over to Milford to necessarily win this tournament, sure we were to have a go but it was always about making new acquaintances, and having fun in doing so, that was our number one goal.
Winning MILFORD 5000 - 2012 whilst very gratifying it has helped forge new friendships, but has also put a target on our backs for next year. As one of the former champions eluded to "It's all downhill from here". We welcome the challenge and will come and make some more friends.
Even the after party was a big hit, with the dancing and socialising with the lovely folk of Milford, and to top it all off the military styled guard of honour again given to us when we vacated back to the car park. A memory which me and my team mates will hold for a long time.
In closing may I take this opportunity to thank all the TEAM MILFORD team for their dedication to running the best show in town.
We will be back in 2013 to cheer on the next lot of winners to the podium, and look forward to meeting our old friends, but more importantly making new ones.
Finally TEAM MILFORD - you are all SIMPLY THE BEST.
Happy Bowling
Vince Pittman
on behalf of our team.
Junior Ngavaevae - Skip
Vince Pittman - Two
Wayne Ruka - Lead
Pt Chevalier RSA Bowling Club
MILFORD 5000 - 2012 winners
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