On a sun-drenched Tuesday, 11 March 2025, the Auckland Secondary School Pairs brought together college bowlers from across the region for a fantastic day of competition, skill-building, and camaraderie.
Hosted by Bowls Auckland and College Sport Auckland, this year’s event marked an exciting milestone by introducing a Development Grade, allowing even more students to experience the thrill of competitive bowls. With numbers growing, the tournament expanded across two venues—Mt Eden Bowling Club hosted the Championship Grade, while Auckland Bowling Club welcomed rising stars in the Development Grade. The addition of the extra division ensured an inclusive and enjoyable experience, catering to both seasoned players and those new to bowls.
Both venues buzzed with energy as students delivered impressive performances, strategic play, and plenty of close matches. But beyond the competition, the event was an opportunity for young bowlers to connect, learn, and enjoy the sport in a fun and welcoming atmosphere.
Development Grade
At Auckland Bowling Club, 33 teams from six schools took to the greens, full of enthusiasm and determination. A highlight was the debut of St Mary’s College, whose students, having participated in a school bowls programme earlier in the term, seized the opportunity to compete in their first-ever Secondary Schools Pairs Day. It was fantastic to see these young athletes embracing the challenge with such spirit!
Joining them were teams from Auckland Girls’ Grammar, Botany Downs Secondary College, Mt Albert Grammar, Mt Roskill Grammar, and St Paul’s College. In a dominant display, Mt Albert Grammar topped the leaderboard, claiming the top spots in this grade.
Championship Grade
Meanwhile, over at Mt Eden Bowling Club, 40 highly competitive teams from eight schools battled it out across five intense rounds, demonstrating skill, talent, and determination. Representing their schools with pride were students from Auckland Girls’ Grammar, Auckland Grammar, Avondale College, Mt Roskill Grammar, Onehunga High School, Papatoetoe High School, Selwyn College, and St Peter’s College.
After a day of thrilling matchups, Avondale College and St Peter’s College emerged victorious, securing Gold and Silver medals, respectively.
A bright future for Secondary School bowls
The introduction of the two-grade system proved to be a great success, allowing players of all levels to enjoy the game while fostering growth within bowls. With rising participation and schools like St Mary’s College joining the mix, the future of secondary school bowls in Auckland looks brighter than ever.
A huge congratulations to our Championship and Development winners, who displayed outstanding skill and determination. And a heartfelt thank you to the coaches, teachers, volunteers, supporters and our two host clubs who made the event such a success.
