When you look at what Kevin Smith has achieved in lawn bowls, it’s not surprising that he’s been named Bowls New Zealand’s Coach of the Year for 2022.

What is surprising is that although he is only 67 years old, he has squeezed nearly 50 years of lawn bowls into his life already : playing, administering, coaching, directing and doing just about anything and everything that makes the sport of lawn bowls tick.

He hasn’t even ‘retired’ yet.  Well sort of.  He’s cut himself down to 4 days a week as a roving Mental Health Nurse for the newly named Health New Zealand ... a vocational field he has enjoyed his whole working life, and which has lead him to what he loves in lawn bowls today.

As he describes it : “Working with capabilities, rather than disabilities.”

Kevin has just returned from the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, after acting as the director for visually impaired lawn bowler Gerald Brouwers.

“There’s only the one chance to for visually impaired bowlers to medal in the Commonwealth Games,” he explains.  “There’s just a mixed pairs event for B2-B3 bowlers.  Our New Zealand representatives were Sue Curran and her Director Bronwyn Milne and Gerald with me directing him.”

“Unfortunately, it wasn’t until we lost our first four games that we started playing to our potential.  We then beat up England 19-8.  But by then the chance of a medal was gone.”

However, while the visually impaired team didn’t medal, they did receive a lot of pre-Games publicity.

“You’ll recall that our original team included Deane Roberston.  But in the lead-up to the Games, Deane had a remarkable sight improvement.  It saw him having to stand down as a para bowler and being replaced by Gerald.  I guess you could say it was a bitter sweet moment for Deane … he missed out on the Games, but gained something far better : his sight.  No para bowler would ever quibble about that swap!”

Kevin had been continually directing Deane for years, so when Gerald became the replacement selection, he and Gerald both had to put in a couple of weeks of preparatory work to get used to each other.

“It worked,” says Kevin. “But we certainly started on the back foot!”

Sue Curran was also in the news.  Not because she also miraculously regained her sight, but because at the age of 75 years old, she became New Zealand’s oldest competitor in the Commonwealth Games … ever.

“It really helped put blind bowls on the map,” says Kevin. “The categories can be a little confusing : B1 is totally blind bowlers; B2 can see their hand in front of them but a blur beyond that; B3 can see a blob of bowls on the head, but have no depth perception; and B4 have tunnel vision with less than 20% peripheral vision.”

Kevin is on the Board, and is Secretary of the New Zealand Blind Lawn Bowling Association.  “But that may all disappear soon,” he says, “We’re looking to merge all the disabilities into one para bowls organisation, at national and maybe in the future, international level.”

“’Para bowls’ would recognise 5 disability categories : blind; deaf; physically disabled; intellectually disabled and those suffering mental health issues.”

It’s a long way from where Kevin was when he started playing bowls at the age of 17.

“One of my brothers is Bryan Smith,” explains Kevin. “He was a very good bowler, and played three for Morgan Moffat’s team of Sonny Calder and Ken Watson when they won the National Fours in 1978.  I joined his Linwood Club.  It was a really strong club back in the day.”

At the same time, Kevin had started his mental health ‘career’ at Sunnyside Hospital in Christchurch, but with his expertise was soon moving about the country … and his bowling clubs.

“After Linwood, I joined Whakatane, Port Chalmers, Leith, Beckenham, Browns Bay, and finally Burnside where I am today.  In those days, I was simply a bowler, but became okay at it,  Along the line I picked up 11 Centre titles including a Gold Star, and played three for Ian Dickison for a couple of years.”

Leith, Beckenham and Browns Bay also made him Club Captain.

“That naturally evolved into coaching, and eventually directing ‘blindies’ as they call themselves.  “That started when one day a blind bloke called Greg Johnson walked into the club, and announced he wanted to play bowls.  I put my hand up to help him.  We met and clicked immediately, and became great mates.”

“I was taken by his staggering enthusiasm for life, despite the fact he was blind.”

“It’s how I’ve found all blind bowlers … they’re courageous and inspiring.  Even with their impairment, they’re able to put the bowl within a foot of the kitty.”

“This award is as much for them all … as it is for me.”

Well done, Kevin!