SWALE SHORT MAT BOWLS LEAGUE HISTORY

   
  I will get past that block

When new village halls were built in the Swale area short mat bowls seemed an ideal indoor sport. 
Friendly matches were played between the various clubs that were formed and in 1992 at a meeting of interested clubs it was decided to form the Swale Short Mat Bowls League.

The first league season consisted of eight teams, 2 each from Borden, Bredgar and Newington with 1 each from Rodmersham and Stockbury.

With the advent of another team each from Newington and Stockbury plus a team from Bysing Wood it was decided to split the teams into two divisions in 1993.

In 1994 the league was joined by Sittingbourne Strikers (later called Woodcoombe Woodies) and another team from Rodmersham.  Teynham joined the league in the next season making a total of 14 teams.

In 1996 when the league was joined by Macknade, Leysdown and Warden Bay it was decided to have three divisions.

Boughton, Hornhill and another team from Warden Bay joined in 1997 and another team from Hornhill joined in 1998. Eastling joined in 2000 and U.K. Leisure in 2001.

A team from Sheppey and one from Tunstall became members in the 2003- 2004 season. Woodcoombe and one of the Rodmersham teams left at the end of the season.

The end of the 2004 - 2005 season saw the other Rodmersham team leaving. 
U.K. Leisure and Warden Bay Wasps left and Leysdown and another team from Newington joined in the next season.

Bringing us up to date for the 2006 – 2007 season Queenborough entered two teams with Sheppey and one of the Borden teams leaving.

At the present we have 21 teams playing in the league.  The season runs from October until April.

The league runs a singles, a pairs and a triples competition during the league season with a presentation evening being held after the season ends.