We have now reached the end of our second season on the net and most of the initial minor problems have now been ironed out. The time saved in administration is phenomenal because as soon as the results are entered all of the tables, averages etc. are automatically updated.

I feel that the additional Help category is particularly useful, rather like having a computer consultant in your home.

Judging from comments, both written and verbal from players about the site, they think it is a great breakthrough for up to date information, which is vital to captains and players towards the end of the season. Many players and club secretaries have said that they feel all leagues should have a site like this and I would wholeheartedly endorse this feeling. It is well worth the cost just for the convenience of having all of the results as soon as it is possible to enter them into the computer.

So on behalf of the League and myself may I say 'Thank you' and hope that soon every league and county will 'see the light' and avail themselves of your service.

Regards

Jean Hill
Secretary, Lichfield and District Bowls League.

Initial feedback has been extremely positive. In fact I have been told that one promotion place in the Works League was affected as one of the teams knew from the site exactly what was required to gain promotion, whereas the team already in the promotion spot didn't check the league table and were beaten and thus missed out on promotion.

Dave Law
Secretary, Dudley Building Society Bowls League.

To evaluate the benefits that the use of a web based records system such as LeagueBowls.com, it is necessary to look back at the methods that were previously used.

In running a bowls league all the members require on a weekly basis:

1. The scores of the teams in their division.
2. An updated Divisional Table.
3. Where they are in both the team’s, division and League averages.
4. News about the League and its meetings and competitions.
5. A easily accessible and understood fixture list.

Over the years, various methods have been developed to try and meet this requirement, but all suffer from the fact that information was handled by different means and methods and was therefore difficult to disseminate in an integrated manner. For example, results were usually handled by spreadsheets, with news, fixtures handled by a word processor package. All relied on somebody with the right application packages, who was dedicated to receive this information and disseminating this by hard copy. As a result this information was, due the work involved only sent out about once a month.

The LeagueBowls.com website has changed all that. It has meant that for a small annual cost all of the above criteria have been easily met. The majority of members, either have, or have access to, the internet. They can get from the website, all the information they need and it is right up to date. It means that before they play a match they have a full understanding of where they stand in the division and the league, plus the state of their competitors.

There is a general agreement amongst teams and players, from the leagues who use the LeagueBowls.com website that this is the best system to use and I have not detected, even the slightest inclination to revert back to the old ways of doing things

Albert Burton
Hon Treasurer and Records Secretary
Lichfield Over 50s Bowls League