
Warrnambool Gold bowler Brenda Hawker has been a regular of the Western District playing scene for two decades now and is still as passionate as ever.
She has been bowling at Warrnambool - a club she loves - for all 20 years and relishes being part of the bowling community.
She described the sport as a game that "gets you in" and she cherishes the friendships made along the way.
The Gold team member has a host of career highlights to choose from her.
"I've won the club singles and I've been to Melbourne when Kelly Bowles was bowling," she said. "We had a triples team and went (to Melbourne) and that was a big thing to go in those days. I've had good times here with the girls."
While she adores her club, she wants to see more women take up mid-week bowling at Warrnambool.
"We don't seem to get many women into the club because they're either working and they can't play on a Tuesday like us," she said.

"We're all getting older, we're trying to encourage a few younger ones. But they do play on Saturday which is good.
"We need some new younger ones but it is very hard because when you work you can only play weekends. But it really gets you in bowls.
"You think it's an old person's game but when you come down here it's not as easy as what you think."
Hawker praised the City Diamonds team after their round five victory over her side on Tuesday. The table-topping Diamonds triumphed 70-48 in the midweek pennant division one match at Warrnambool bowling Club in warm conditions.
"They're a very competent team," Hawker said.
The Diamond's won two-out-of-three rinks, with Hawker's team securing Gold's only win - 19-14.
The long-time Warrnambool bowler described it as a "tough battle".
"It was all square most of the day and we just got away the last few ends," she said.

"We're happy we got a win, we all played well together and that's what bowls is all about."
Five rounds in Gold sit seventh on the ladder with just the one victory.
After making a preliminary final last year, Hawker predicted the side would "struggle" after the departures of eight players.
"That's a hard thing to make up but we're there and we're trying to do our best," she said. "We're all very competitive when we get out there, we don't lie down."
In the remaining division one matches Lawn Green fell to Koroit Orange by five shots, Timboon Maroon secured a comprehensive 27-shot win over Port Fairy Gold and City Sapphires defeated Terang Blue 65-43.
MORE SPORT:
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:
- Bookmark https://www.standard.net.au/
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines and newsletters
- Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn
- Tap here to open our Google News page.
- Join our Courts and Crime Facebook group and our dedicated Sport Facebook group
- Subscribe