Adam Hill rarely seems to take himself too seriously.
Whether describing his modest rugby talents, his accidental journey into geology, the increasing success of the 120Ys Night Owls team or his attempts to master the four "L's" of bowls, Adam is usually ready to find the funny side.
But behind the humour is something more serious. A major health scare in 2019 changed his perspective on life and reinforced a philosophy of making the most of every opportunity, looking for the silver lining and enjoying the people around him.
In this interview, Adam reflects on growing up in Queensland, rugby, geology, the friendships of Night Owls, his development as a bowler and what it means to be part of a team and a club community.
Adam, I understand you grew up in Queensland. What was your childhood there like, and what memories stand out most?
I grew up on the family farm, not a big one, and after sending me and my brother through boarding school it was a bit smaller.
I spent 6 years at boarding school in Toowoomba and Ipswich which has probably forged much of my personality – that is, the need to get along with all sorts.
Best memories were time spent on the farm doing all the things I would hate to see my kids doing and the time spent on the Sunshine Coast lathered in reef oil and doing my best to turn my skin as brown as possible.
I still miss the Queensland beach. Sorry, the SA ones are but a poor relative.
I understand you were a keen rugby player in Queensland. What did you enjoy most about the game, and how far did you take it?
I was a keen rugby player, but my keenness was hampered by my general lack of talent and relatively small stature.
Being smaller than most, and not fast enough to be a back, I ended up being a hooker.
Turns out I enjoyed being in the thick of the scrum, and my very hard forehead was used to full effect every time there was a scrum – it’s always good to have a couple of big props to back you up.
I played plenty of games through school and a little at my first attempt at university in Toowoomba, but ultimately, I went bush and had to give up rugby for a while.
When I came to Adelaide I did attempt to play for the Uni, but a combination of fitness and some pretty dodgy joints let me down, so I quit before I did any major damage to myself.
I must have finally started to learn from my mistakes.
What first sparked your interest in geology, and what eventually led you to make a career of it?
After getting kicked out of university just after leaving school - I would have made a terrible accountant, so this was probably for the betterment of all - I went bush and worked for BHP Minerals Exploration.
This was my first introduction to geologists and their smarter cousins the geophysicists, but I did not think that they were that smart and they did not seem to have to work very hard.
After about 4 years working up near Mt isa I ended up busting my shoulder and thinking I should go back to Uni and get an easy job - good story, but for a different setting.
I had thought that I might like science and started doing a basic Bachelor of Science with a biology major and a bit of geology in there “just in case”.
Turns out I had to work hard and study for all my damn subjects except for geology, so I quickly followed the path of least resistance and swapped to a geoscience major.
I was very fortunate to have some of the best sedimentary geologists during my time at Uni and they steered me into petroleum by the end of my degree.
Looking back over your career as a geologist, what has given you the greatest satisfaction?
I enjoy the “looseness” of the science and the telling of the story of the rocks based on very little data.
I try and explain it using a city as an example: when we drill into a gas field it is like turning on a single streetlight in a suburb - you can see a little bit; a road, edges of a couple of buildings, indications of which way the roads are pointing… but not much else.
Geologists use that and then predict what the suburb and city will look like based on our experiences and real-life examples.
We know roads are mostly straight, we know how big houses are, we know how big street blocks are, etcetera.
You then start building what you think the suburb/city looks like, based on your knowledge and experience. And for you to be wrong someone needs to spend millions to drill a hole.
My career has allowed me to work in multiple locations and try jobs that I would never have thought about.
Unfortunately, my industry is now looked at as the anti-Christ and I can’t see many more people entering it over the coming years.
When and why did you move to Adelaide?
I moved to Adelaide on 17 July 2000, to take up a job at the National School of Petroleum Geology and Geophysics; the petroleum school for the University of Adelaide.
My supervisor from the Uni in Brisbane had moved to Adelaide to take up a lecturer position and after finding out that after graduation I was working in a freezer house stacking boxes of meat, he made up a research job for me.
I graduated as a petroleum geologist right when the last big downturn happened; oil was $13 per barrel and getting a “real” job was a challenge.
In 2001 I was offered a job by Santos and that was the start of my real career.
How did you first find your way into lawn bowls? How did you come to be part of the illustrious 120Ys Night Owls team?
Nathan Bassett in November 2017. It is all his fault.
He was keen to get the 120Y’s Night Owls team back up and running and he needed bodies to fill spots in the team.
At that stage our kids were at school together and he must have seen some potential.
However, going by my exceptionally poor recollection of most of the Thursday nights I played and the scale of our defeats, I think that his skill at seeing potential on the greens can be called into question.
I am not too sure when we started to get serious, but eventually the bowls did get closer to the jack and success followed. Good recruiting also does assist.
As for starting Pennants, well I can also blame Nathan again: he cracked the shits with playing cricket and told the 120Ys that we were all going to play pennant bowls on Saturdays.
Well he got me and Drabs (Peter Drabsch) to start at least – and we are working on the others.
What is it about Night Owls that keeps you coming back?
The guys I play with, and the guys and gals I play against.
The 120Ys has a core group and a couple of extras that we call in from time to time and to be honest it is the highlight of my week all through summer.
And it would not be right if I did not give a call out to our favourite team to play against, Completely Biased.
Cracking bunch of blokes and we enjoy beating them in the finals every chance we get. But seriously they are better bowlers than us.
You're known around Sturt for your humour and cheerful approach to bowls. Where does that outlook on life come from?
Combination of years at boarding school and the punishment of years at Santos.
More seriously, a pretty big health scare back in 2019 allowed me to reevaluate life and realise that time is short and that you have to make the most of it at every opportunity.
Some sayings I live by: if you don’t laugh you will cry; always look for the silver lining in every storm cloud; no matter how bad it is, it could be worse.
You spent considerable time in Sturt's second Saturday side before earning promotion to the premiership-winning first side late last season. What did it mean to you to make that step up?
It was a great feeling, though being thrust into leading was a bit of a challenge.
I had been playing third for a couple of years and was quite happy to use other bowls to wick in or help me stop or hide my terribly short and crap ones.
But when leading there is no hiding so that was a challenge.
Winning the flag was great feeling; my third in two years, but I hate to boast.
I am looking forward to seeing what this season brings.
How much work have you put into improving your game, and what aspects have you worked hardest on?
Unemployment over the last summer was the biggest improver for me, though I do not recommend it for all.
Having Izzy (Isaac Trenorden) enter the club as Club Coach and the associated training sessions with him obviously helped a lot, on top of that it is just getting on the greens and practicing as much as possible.
As for what I have worked on most, I would say I have been working on the three “L’s”: Line, Length and Luck.
I would have to work on the fourth one, a bit more Liquor, but it is a bit of a drive home.
Consistency is key, trust your line, make small adjustments and trust your ability. Hopefully before the last end it all comes together.
Where would you like your bowls to take you next?
Would love to go to the Australian Open on the Gold Coast.
Perhaps in the coming years I can convince the family that I am of a suitable calibre and that they need me there.
You've been involved in team sport for much of your life. What do you enjoy about being part of a team?
Being part of any team is, for me at least, all about comradery. Being together with like-minded people doing something you like.
And believe it or not, I do like a good chat and team sports gives me that chance.
Beyond playing bowls, what does being a good club member mean to you?
Being part of club community, assisting when you can and trying to give back as much as you take.
I must owe a bit to be honest.
Finally, what are one or two things about Adam Hill that might surprise people at Sturt?
There should not be much left to surprise people with, I am a pretty much an open book.
See Video Here of Adam around the club
See Classic Video of Adam Hill Live at Night Owls, 7 November 2024