Lockdown and our Sporting Lives

Cam Gears Table Tennis

Report by Gareth Evans

The club was enjoying a great run of success before Covid 19 arrived on the scene. The B team won the 2019/2020 Swansea and District Division 1 title and moved up to join their A team in the Premier Division.

 Unfortunately, because of the virus, the 2020/2021 season was not able to start up.  But the club, which also has two teams in Division 2 as well enthusiastic social players, carried on playing socially for a while.  They carried out all the safety measures required but then came lockdown.  No table tennis is being played at the moment.  But as soon as clubs and social centres are allowed to open up, the club will start playing again socially, hoping the Swansea and District Leagues will be up and running by the start of the season in October.

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 Pigeon Fancier

Report by Graham Harris.

“Last season was the worst I’ve ever had with racing pigeons.  You could say the pigeons were in lockdown with us.  Fanciers were not allowed to fly their birds across the English Channel.  My birds are long distance racers so the shorter races in the UK didn’t suit them.  It was like putting a horse that’s a sprinter over fences in National Hunt races…  I had a really poor season.  I’m hoping when this season starts in April, we won’t still be in lockdown.  If we are, I won’t even be able to take the birds for training runs out of our area; I usually drive up to Ebbw Vale to release them.

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Resolven Cricket Club

Report by Richard Williams

We are desperate for players at the moment. Because of that, we had to pull out of the League in 2019.  

We hope to be able to play “friendlies” this season, providing we are not in lockdown.

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RESOLVEN RUGBY CLUB

Report by Benny Seymour(Chairman)

As well as no league games, we can’t even train now.  At first it was on your own and then with one other.  When we WERE training as a team we had to be in 3 groups in different parts of the field and we had to sanitise the rugby balls (maybe 15 of them) after every changeover among the groups, as well as taking the players’ temperature before the training started.  I’ve even bought a fogging machine to sanitise the club building thoroughly.  Even the police have said that what we are doing is amazing.

Nevertheless, I’ve locked the gates for the time being until the situation changes.

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Resolven Ladies’ Bowls Club

Report by Carwen Thomas ( Sec./treasurer)

Last year (2020) was a disappointing one for us.  Outdoor bowls in Wales was cancelled and we were unable to play league games, county matches or internationals because of Covid 19.  We have three regular county bowlers who play for West Glamorgan against some English and Welsh counties and since there were no matches, they were unable to progress in the game.  We also have a club member (Ceri) who had a Welsh Trial in 2019 and has since be unable to proceed.

Carwen, our club secretary, was honoured to be nominated as President of West Glamorgan for the 2020 season, but Covid put a stop to her taking office. Unfortunately, because we recently had the news that outdoor bowls for league, county and intermationals have been cancelled again this year, the earliest she will be able to take up her post will be 2022

In the meantime, the most we can hope for this year is that our club green will be open, and that we will be able to play friendly games amongst ourselves, and possibly play club tournaments.  (Of course, if we are allowed on the green, it will be under strict Covid regulations.

We look to the future (with fingers crossed) as our ladies are itching to get back on the green.

Continuing – Bowls in the Community of Resolven During Covid-19

Report by Hugh Lewis

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected everything we do so keeping fit physically and mentally has been extremely difficult.

Normally, between May and September the Resolven bowling green would be used extensively by experienced bowlers and beginners, but last year we were unable to play against other clubs and any games or roll-ups had to take place observing strict observance of lockdown rules.

Also, none of the local and national competitions were able to be held in the pandemic year of 2020 and National/International tournaments have been now delayed until 2022. This has been a blow for many of our club members who compete at a high level in the game. Out of just under 30 male members playing home games at Resolven, there have been many successes, such as past Internationals, Richard Ace, Simon Williams and Andrew Hopkins.

County players and champions are too many to mention but as recently as 2019 the Welsh Finals at Llandrindod Wells saw Resolven being represented with the Open 4’s County Champions, Shaun Kelly, Gareth Evans, Mike Herbert and Nigel James and the Over 60’s Triples.

The Triples team of Spencer Evans (substitute for Randall Sims), John Fryer and Aylwin Jones went on to win the Welsh Title in 2019 against very tough opposition.

Many Resolven bowlers have also been successful at indoor bowling, Andrew Hopkins is a past Under 16 and Under 25 Welsh Champion and played in the WelshJunior and Senior sides. Simon Ace is a recent Welsh Indoor Singles Champion and played with Stephen Allen in the Senior Welsh Squad. 

All of these indoor bowling successes would not have been possible if their interest had not been sparked and developed by playing on the Resolven Green and because of the restrictions these bowlers are unable to take part on a higher level of the sport.

Bowls is not known as a spectator sport, but if you enjoyed the ‘World Bowls Tour’ Championships recently televised and would like to try delivering a bowl, when we are able to begin again bowling, please contact your local bowls club.

Bowls is a sport that can be played from the age of 8 to 90+ and the Resolven Bowling Green has given great enjoyment and pleasure to many since 1932 in the Resolven Community and hopefully this will continue for many years to come.

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