G’day everyone!
I am Vinay Singh, Bocce Australia’s National Sport Development Officer based in Brisbane, Queensland.
I am working closely with the Redlands Bocce Club to establish a positive relationship with them, and have been working alongside Kerrie Reitano, president of Redlands Bocce Club, to recruit more members.
With the KPIs set by Bocce Australia, it includes recruiting young players from schools and I am actively trying to get a few schools near Redlands on board by implementing an 8-week bocce program.
The steps that I’m following include:
- Researching and developing connections with school PE teachers and principals
- Securing meetings with schools and reviewing their available facilities
- Working with schools to tailor the bocce program according to their needs (e.g. some schools might want a 4-week program instead of a full 8-week program), and getting the days and hours fixed that works on mutual understanding.
Furthermore, I am working on the bocce education program for primary schools. My vision is to get bocce included in the other 39 NSOs list such as AFL, Cricket Australia, Hockey Australia etc, and hence creating a revenue source for Bocce Australia.
I’m doing this by following the guidelines set by Sport Australia to fill the gap of funding for the program. This is a time-consuming project and, I believe once achieved, it will have a positive impact on our sport.
I am currently working on the primary school program and, depending on the results, I have future plans to work for the secondary school programs as well.
I have also established a positive relationship with Griffith University Sports in Brisbane to recruit volunteers and possibly open a bocce club at the university campus for its students.
I also have plans to organise bocce events at the beaches at Cleveland, Wellington Point, and Victoria Point, so if you see someone wearing a Bocce Australia top with the bocce teardrop banners and bocce equipment, that will likely be me.
Come and say hello and I will be happy to show you how our amazing sport is played!