Cathy Stevens has won so many championship titles at Sturt Bowling Club, you could be mistaken in believing it came with little effort.
As the interview below shows, the truth is that Cathy is committed to practicing and learning and is intent on improving her bowling.
She is also determined to give more to the club.
And what she prizes most is the people, the team spirit and the club values.
Cathy, I understand your father was president of a suburban bowling club, so bowls has been part of your life from an early age. What are your earliest memories of the sport, and how did that upbringing influence you?
Dad started bowling at quite a young age for Myer Bowling Club when he worked for the retailer. They were based at Birkalla, Novar Gardens, and I recall as a little kid sitting on a bar stool there ordering a fruit cup from "Uncle Egghead" - the bald barman.
Dad then moved to Reade Park – now Colonel Light Gardens Bowling Club - where he served as president and selector for many years and he was club champ several times.
Saturday nights Dad always shared exciting stories from the game that day.
I actually had my 21st birthday party at Reade Park.
When did you first become involved with Sturt's Night Owls competition, and what role have you played in your team over the years?
Over 20 years ago I asked some colleagues if they were interested in getting a team together.
We were one player short so we registered a team to play at Adelaide Bowling Club and told Julie Bates (now a SBC Board Member) when she returned from holiday that she was our fourth player.
Adelaide were so disorganised we moved to Sturt after one season and Girls With Bowls was born.
Night Owls has become one of the club's great social success stories. What do you enjoy most about it?
I love that anyone of any age and ability can play, and it’s a friendly, fun, relaxed atmosphere.
We now have eight in our team, including the original four, with a core group who play regularly and the others fill in.
When you joined Sturt for pennant bowls in 2019 there were only a handful of women playing. What was the club like then, and how have you seen it change?
I’ve always found Sturt to be a very inclusive, welcoming and respectful environment.
I think this is evidenced by the extraordinary recent growth in women members, with the club and members continuing to live our values.
Before Sturt had enough women for its own Thursday pennant side, you played at Hawthorn for a season. What did that experience teach you?
Peter Hughes first approached me to play pennants may years ago, describing his vision to bring women’s teams back to Sturt.
I had other Saturday sporting commitments but finally filled in a few times in 2018 – in Suzanne Buder’s rink and we bonded over our shared love of Airedale Terriers. I was then hooked!
In 2023/24 I planned to play Thursday ladies for Hawthorn as a permit player to discover what level of bowls I was capable of, while remaining at Sturt for Saturday Division 3 pennants.
I was excited to be selected in the Premier League team at Hawthorn, which went on to win the premiership.
Peter Hughes was excited as he planned to have a ladies team at Sturt the following season when he hoped I could return and share with the new Sturt ladies the experience I had gained.
However, the Sturt ladies recruitment was so successful that there was enough interest to register teams in the 2023/24 season. I therefore only had one season away from Sturt; and the club was super supportive of this development opportunity for me at Hawthorn, which I greatly appreciated.
For many years you were the only woman playing in Sturt's top Saturday pennant sides. What was that experience like, and did it shape you as a bowler?
Initially it was a big learning curve as I moved from playing Second in Divison 5 to Lead in Divison 3, so lots of practice rolling the jack - which reminded me of my netball days practising goals as a Goal Shooter.
I had a very encouraging Skip in Ron O’Neil who I asked for feedback after every game, and I incorporated his comments into my practice.
I was very determined to maintain my place in the top team as I felt if was important to be a role model for other female club members.
It certainly brought out my competitive spirit.
More recently you've rearranged your work commitments so you could play in Sturt's women's pennant team on Thursdays, culminating in the club's recent premiership. What has it meant to be part of that journey?
I really missed Sturt and the friendships during my year away at Hawthorn, so the decision to return for season 2024/25 was an easy one.
On my return it was evident the hard work of Peter Hughes and his fellow coaches and the ladies was paying off, as the confidence and growth in our new players was clear.
Initially I could only play Saturdays due to work commitments, however their enthusiasm was contagious and I wanted to be part of that.
My employer kindly allowed me to take long service leave on Tuesday and Thursday over the last year, enabling me to practice and play.
I was so warmly welcomed into this wonderful group and thoroughly enjoyed the camaraderie and competitive professional approach.
Achieving team success in our Divison 2 East premiership was immensely rewarding, along with making new friends. Bring on Division 1 next season!
You've won the Sturt Women's Singles Championship four times and been runner-up once. Looking back, which championship moments stand out most, and why?
The 2018/19 Championship win will always stand out as it opened my eyes to what might be possible. It was my first ever tournament and my win over an experienced pennant player gave me inspiration.
I was proud to represent Sturt in the Bowls SA Ladies Singles Champion of Champions, and making it through to the final four in 2023 was a highlight.
The support and encouragement from Sturters in the crowd was amazing and very loud!
You've also enjoyed plenty of success in the club's pairs championships, particularly alongside Peter Hughes. What makes a successful pairs partnership, and what have you enjoyed most about those competitions?
Peter took me under his wing from the early days and immediately offered to be my pairs partner. He has taught me so much and spending time together practising over many years has helped us develop a good understanding of each other's strengths.
While we’re pretty quiet on the green as we know each other’s game so well, we are not to be underestimated. I take pride in being the first female to win a club Open Pairs Championship title in 2021 alongside Peter.
This season we changed our playing positions with Peter now playing Lead and me Skip. This worked well for us and, while we were outclassed by Izzy (Trenorden) and Alex (Smith) in the final, we were very pleased to achieve some good wins along the way.
You always seem calm and focused in big matches. Do you enjoy the pressure that comes with important games?
I wouldn’t say I enjoy the pressure but it doesn’t faze me. I’m able to draw on my netball background to be very focussed and block out all distractions.
Perhaps practising “last shot wins the game for Australia” in the back yard as a kid has helped too!
I apologise if you’ve ever talked to me while I’m playing and I’ve not heard you.
Despite everything you've achieved, are there still aspects of your game you're working to improve?
Yes, consistency. Which only comes with practice.
You're one of the organisers of Saturday Winter Bowls. Why did you volunteer for that role, and what do you enjoy about it?
I very much have my L plates on and help out when needed, which I really enjoy.
I’m amazed at how much work Teesa and his merry band of helpers have to do in such a short amount of time to pull it all together.
I enjoy working with numbers and there is certainly a log of juggling numbers involved.
Winter Bowls continues to attract strong fields and plenty of laughs. What do you think makes it so popular?
It’s a great format to meet and play with club members outside your usual orbit. Also to welcome new people to the club and show them our hospitality.
The opportunity to try shots in a game situation you wouldn’t normally play is really valuable.
I know newer players appreciate the more experienced club members sharing their wisdom and tips.
A bit of friendly banter is always good for a laugh and it’s lovely to see people’s personalities shine.
Anyone who knows you will know you have a great sense of humour. Whether it's your supporting the mystery of Victoria Kavanagh's disappearing banana or countless other moments, how important is laughter to your enjoyment of bowls?
While I love to win, I play bowls for the enjoyment it brings me. Sharing a laugh with great people is a big part of that.
Tell us about your working life. What field are you in, and how did you end up there?
My background is in human resources.
For the past 17 years I’ve had the privilege of working for a small SA company involved in national health and medical research.
I lead a team who manage 16 Human Research Ethics Committees and nearly 200 committee members, ensuring we have the correct expertise to review human research projects involving novel therapies.
In typical Adelaide fashion I started work there through word of mouth, initially serving on a committee. They asked me to help recruit a Member Manager and the role looked good, so I recruited myself!
What do you enjoy most about your work?
The amazingly talented people I work with who are so humble and giving of their time and expertise.
Also that we are a values-driven profit-for-purpose organisation that re-invests back into the sector to support the advancement of research knowledge, while protecting the welfare of human research participants.
Finally, what's something about Cathy Stevens that many people at Sturt probably don't know?
My second ever car, a Ford Laser, I won in a SAFA footy raffle for $2.50 in 1986, replacing my much-loved red Datsun 120Y hatchback.
My Dad got to drive the Laser for the first six weeks as I’d just had an ACL reconstruction.
Also, I understand I was the first-ever female Board member at Sturt.
Looking back over your years at Sturt, what is it about the club that keeps you coming back each week?
The people.