Another article in the Dominion Post:
Nicole Toomey has taken another step up the bowls ladder. The St Mary’s College year 13 pupil was last week named in the New Zealand talent development squad.
“That was pretty big for me,” said Toomey, who joins older brother Tim in the squad. “That had definitely been one of my goals for the year.”
Toomey, who won the national secondary schools singles title last year, has a couple more targets on her 2012 wishlist. She is keen to defend her title at the secondary schools championships in December, but her main goal is to make the New Zealand under-18 team.
Outdoor bowls is Toomey’s main sporting interest but she also plays indoor bowls over the winter and won the College Sport Wellington indoor bowls title late last month, for the second time in three years. Toomey beat Jacob Rameka (Aotea) in the indoor final, reversing the result of the 2011 final.
“I prefer outdoor but indoor keeps my bowls going in the off-season,” Toomey said. She plays indoor bowls up to three times during the week and sometimes at weekends.
Toomey, 17, believes that it was almost inevitable she would take up bowls. “We were just about brought up at bowling greens.”
Her parents, Peter Toomey and Mary-Ann Wilson, were keen bowlers and often took the children along.
“Ever since I was little, I can remember Mum and Dad taking me to bowling clubs,” Nicole said.
Nicole, who also followed her brother into the sport, started playing bowls in year 10 and has never regretted it.
“You meets heaps of cool people. It’s also competitive and anyone can play.”