Umpire Joan pens 100th column for the Queensland Bowler magazine!
Those of you who have met Joan Brotherton would agree that her name is synonymous with the laws of bowls. However, what you may not know, is that Joan has reached the significant milestone of having compiled 100 Umpire columns this month (June 2021) for the Queensland Bowler magazine. This is no mean feat, and Bowls Queensland would like to thank Joan for her passion and dedication to all facets of officiating.
Joan first started playing bowls in 1969 at Corinthian in the Sydney suburb of Ashfield. After raising a family and working full time, she continued her regular participation and has held many administrative positions since then. Joan initially completed her Level 1 & 2 Umpire qualifications in NSW. She eventually settled in Queensland in 2005, becoming a member of Victoria Point Bowls Club and repeating umpire courses in Queensland. Joan sits on the State Umpire Committee, a position she has held since 2014. The committee meets monthly to discuss questions from around the State and advise bowlers on decisions. As a member of the District Umpires’ Committee, she conducts and assists with accreditation/reaccreditation of officials.
In late 2009, a friend of Joan’s encouraged her to sit the assessment to become an ITO with Bowls Australia. As a qualified ITO, she was selected to be an umpire at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010 and help manage a team of officials, which she found very exciting as it was her first sojourn outside Australia. At the 2019 Asia Pacific games on the Gold Coast, Joan was a keen multitasker and performed the duties of umpire, marker, rover and timekeeper. Joan has also umpired at the Queensland Open since it began as well as the Australian Indoor Singles Championships. Joan’s high standards of performance shine through in all her bowling roles. She has always valued the opportunity to learn and keep up to date to ensure she has the right answers. More than that, she enjoys passing on her knowledge and tries to help as many people as possible by educating others. We look forward to reading many more of Joan’s knowledgeable contributions in columns to come.
BQ Umpire Coordinator John Kirkpatrick said that Joan has always been very passionate and committed to all facets of officiating. “It is very important to her that all players gain as much information and knowledge as possible,” John said. “Whilst supervising at various State events, Joan meets and discusses issues about umpiring and laws of bowls with officials and players,” he said. “Since 2011, Joan has compiled the umpire segment for the Queensland Bowler magazine, where she addresses observations whilst officiating and questions forwarded either directly to her or to the Bowls Queensland Umpire Committee. Joan always receives favourable comments from all officials and players relating to the issues she covers in the Bowler. She has sound knowledge of all laws and policies, demonstrated by her ability to quickly answer questions.”
BQ CEO Brett Wilkie thanked Joan on behalf of Bowls Queensland for the work she does and the articles she has written.
“Joan has a wealth of knowledge and so many people give us great feedback on the articles she writes for the Queensland Bowler,” Brett said. “Well done Joan, it’s a fantastic achievement and everyone appreciates your effort.”
