Sisters inspired by grandfather aim for Commonwealth Games bowls
Three sisters from the Forest of Dean, inspired by their grandfather, have reached county and England level in bowls and now target the Commonwealth Games.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Three sisters from the Forest of Dean have become a force in county and national bowls after taking up the sport inspired by their grandfather. Emily, Erin and Hattie Burke, with a combined age of 53, now play for Gloucestershire, and Erin has made the England team, a first for their club in Coleford.
The sisters started playing bowls as COVID restrictions lifted, encouraged by their grandfather, who has been at the club since the 1980s. They quickly took to the sport, describing it as addictive. "You just sort of get hooked and you just want to keep going and seeing how far you can get," one of them said.
All three have been selected for Gloucestershire. Erin's England call-up has been a source of pride for the club and the family. "It's such a good feeling because you're not just representing yourself, you're representing Gloucestershire, Coleford, where nobody had been exposed to it before," she said.
The sisters also say they have absorbed the traditional values of the older members, such as etiquette and manners. Hattie, nicknamed "Chatty Hattie" for her social skills, was the club's ladies two-wood winner. The sisters admit they are competitive but supportive. "Off the green, we're quite harsh to each other but it all comes from a place of love," they said.
Their grandfather, who has played for 40 years, watches them with great pride, sometimes becoming emotional. He said he never expected any family member to reach such levels, as he had always wanted to but never got there. He plans to watch them at Leamington.
The sisters believe they could beat their grandfather now, and he agrees. Their next aim is to go from Coleford to the Commonwealth Games. "They reckon they could beat you. Probably could. They probably have. On their day," he said.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One |
|---|---|
| All three sisters were selected for the Gloucestershire county team. | |
| Erin Burke is the first England player from Coleford Bowls Club. | |
| The sisters' grandfather has played at Coleford Bowls Club since the 1980s. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The report focuses on the sisters' rapid rise in bowls and the emotional family bond with their grandfather, who has played since the 1980s. It highlights the contrast between the sisters' youth and the club's average age, and stresses the traditional values they have learned. The grandfather's emotional reaction is a key part of the story, giving it a human interest angle.
- “It is addictive, I think there is no better word but you just sort of get hooked and you just want to keep going and seeing how far you can get.”
- “I feel like they're old-fashioned in there, like etiquette and manners. I feel like that helps build up on yours as well and like teaches you better things.”
- “Sorry, I'm getting full up now. I always do. So proud of them.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.