And the best part is three locals playing a big part in the state team’s success.
Last week, Charlie Boswood, Jacob Cartwright and Stephanie Locke all travelled to Perth for The Nationals, returning to Ky with some serious hardware.
Victoria took out the overall gold, made possible by being the best boys team and second-best in the girls.
Boswood and Cartwright had a big role in the boys' success.
A triples gold was won with a perfect 6-0 record — done alongside Moama’s Jacob Brighton — while the boys also finished fourth in the fours.
Cartwright’s mum Naomi said the boys were “ecstatic” with claiming a gold.
The more work you put in, the better the feeling when it pays off.
And it’s clear the locals outworked their competition.
No other side came close in the triples, with the next best, NSW, ending 4-2 and 26 shots inferior in the points differential column.
The result suggests it was all pretty easy.
But a lot more goes into the sport than simply taking a few steps forward and releasing a bowl.
“Every game is cut-throat,” Naomi said.
“You are playing every state and have to give 110 per cent every game.
“These kids are bowling from 8.30am to 6pm, so it's a fairly intensive day.”
Naomi said looking back at last year’s results at the same tournament, the improvement over 12 months was noticeable.
Particularly, the triples, where only Cartwright played the event last year, when Victoria finished third at 4-2.
But Boswood elevated his game to join him this year for an unblemished record, being the skipper of the team and going on to be Victoria’s player of the tournament.
“These are kids who are 16, 17, and they just ooze confidence,” Naomi said.
“Sometimes you only see it on the greens, you don’t see it at school or elsewhere.
“But the greens are their comfort zone and they just come out of their shell when they’re out there.”
Locke is really the symbol of the Ky trio’s development.
She didn’t have the same level of success in the girls but still skipped the fours team to silver and the triples to bronze.
The context makes those feats even more impressive.
“Steph has only been bowling for about two years,” Naomi said.
“These last six months she’s really matured on the greens.
“All three are putting in many hours training, playing junior and senior tournaments and playing in their pennant competitions — all of them play division one.”
So what’s next for the star trio?
Naomi mentioned the Bowls Premier League junior series in November.
You can also get a glimpse of two of the bowlers at their pennant matches on Saturdays.
Cartwright and Locke both play for Wunghnu, the latter also at Hilltop.
And soon, they will be doing it all over, with another season of state events leading into what will hopefully be more national success in 2027.
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