50 years, still a winner
Sporting man: Norm West and his trophy wall.
NORM West is a still force to be reckoned with on the bowling green after 50 years in the sport.
The Inverloch man is just shy of his 83rd birthday and will contest the pairs championship at Inverloch Bowls Club, with long time playing partner Ron Burge.
The pair won their semi final last Wednesday.
Norm’s success reflects the quality of bowlers at Inverloch in the past decade. The club has won 11 A Grade pennant flags in 14 years and Norm was fortunate to play in 10 of those. He was sick for the other.
He is still part of Inverloch’s A Grade pennant team and the club recently defeated top side Phillip Island.
Despite Norm’s achievements, camaraderie is what draws him to the greens.
“I like the company. I like the game. You make a lot of friends in bowls,” Norm said.
“I love team games. It’s nice to win singles at club championships but you get more of a kick playing in fours or pairs.”
Since playing bowls with Inverloch in 1984, Norm has achieved singles titles in 1984-85 and 2008-09, and 11 pairs titles with Ron, three association triples gongs and four association fours.
He has also won two Arnold Metherall (IBC handicap singles) titles, association and group singles, and a group eight round robin in 2002-03.
“If success comes along, then it does, but if it does not, then there is no need to worry. The sun keeps coming up in the morning,” Norm said.
He has played with Ron for about 20 years, sharing wins in pairs and pennant sides.
“They know how one another plays and that makes a difference,” Norm’s wife Mavis said.
After picking up his first bowl at Korumburra in 1962, Norm later enjoyed success with Melbourne clubs Tooronga, Heathmont and Ringwood.
He won the Heathmont singles championship in 1976-77 and also at Ringwood in 1981-82, as well as two club pairs titles.
“Nowadays I prefer forehand but I used to play either way. I lead now. The skipper sets up the head now and I just try to get one close. I watch the whole game all the time,” Norm said.
“Practice is the key. You just have to learn the pace and the green that you are playing.”
Grass is Norm’s favourite surface.
“You can play shots on grass that you can’t play on synthetic,” he said.
Norm’s sporting prowess has been passed on through the generations, with his grandson Trent West now an AFL player with Geelong.
Mavis said: “It’s in you. Norm was invited to play at Fitzroy but he did not because there was no money in it then.”
Short URL: /?p=5765
Posted by 
