Many people will be wondering how 23-year old Selina Goddard spends her days off the greens.  Well, in the first three months of a new full-time job as Club Director of Carlton-Cornwall Bowling Club the flagship club, it is business as usual.

It’s difficult to believe that someone so young could be, well … so old!  It’s easy to forget for instance, that she wasn’t eligible for the National Under 8’s Intercentre tournament over the weekend because she’s been playing bowls so long (competitively from the age of 14).  It’s easy to forget that despite missing selection in these Commonwealth Games, she’s a medal winner from the last Games … four year ago when she was a teen.  Add that to the National titles, the World Champion of Champions, the Trans-Tasmans, and the Six Nations … and she’s been there, done that.

Carlton Cornwall Bowls : Putting Selina's energy to work

Of course, Selina hasn’t just walked in to the lions’ den at Carlton-Cornwall.  She’d already been a member there for a couple of years, so her fellow members know that despite being five foot nothing, she’s got more energy than a toyshop of batteried bunnies.

And the Club’s now putting all that energy to work.  And she’s got tons to do.

First job is to be an ambassador to the club – making sure that when people come to the club, they have a fabulous ‘user experience’ to coin the term du jour.  Having said that, it’s pretty easy to love the club.  “We like to think we are the Wimbledon of bowling clubs,” laughs Selina.  And she’s not wrong – three immaculately tended Maniototo greens, a fabulous clubhouse, all backdropped by a wall of green of Cornwall Park.

She’s there to implement the club’s strategic plan, and help the board in coming years to develop the plan and a vision for the club.  “That has a lot more meaning for me,” says Selina. “If I’m like many other bowlers, I’ll still be playing in 60 years.  ‘Vision’ isn’t some sort of theoretical or hypothetical thing over the horizon.”

Then there’s the mundane stuff.  Making sure the bills are paid.  Ensuring sufficient stocks of toilet paper.  Grabbing volunteers to chalk the greens.  “There’s a few expectations to work through,” explains Selina.  “Some clubs think that as soon as they have a paid employee they’re there to do everything.  But I have a job to do.  And like any club, I still need and rely on club volunteers.”

And in between the ambassadorial, visionary and mundane stuff there’s still a few big things to attend to – even at a club like Carlton-Cornwall.  “The wooden plinth around the middle green sat 25mm above the green,” she explains. “It’s been quite a major to bring the level of the green up.”

“This month is budgeting.  So while it’s not something I’ve done a lot of, I know how a P&L and balance sheet works.”  Not bad for a 23-year old.  Even a graduating BCom can struggle here.

Despite this new role, Selina - the bowler - still enjoys the club as just a bowler.  “I played in the Club Fours in the weekend,” she smiles.  “The members had to readjust to me being director of the head, rather than director of the club!”

Sounds like Carlton-Cornwall needs to figure out a way of bottling Selina, and selling her to other clubs.