The faces of senior leadership at Bowls Canada Boulingrin (BCB) will be changing as BCB Head Coach Terry Scott and CEO Anna Mees take on new challenges.
Head Coach Retirement
Head Coach Terry Scott will be stepping down from his national team duties after six years at the helm to pursue a well-earned retirement. Scott has been a driving force in the evolution of the Canadian High Performance program during his tenure and lead the Canadian team to a best ever set of team results at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia. Coaching remotely from New Zealand for most of the year, Scott implemented a consistent approach to training and performance planning that will be a legacy for years to come. Terry Scott’s last day with the organization will be October 15th, 2023.
As part of the planned transition, current Assistant Coach Derek Dillon will be stepping up to resume the Head Coach duties after Scott’s departure. The planned overlap ensures that there will be no gaps in the leadership of the team. Dillon is an accredited Chartered Professional Coach and is a fully certified Bowls Performance Coach. Dillon has been working with national team athletes for many years through his current role and previous roles as provincial coach for Bowls Alberta and a Regional Coach for BCB. Dillon is well situated to take on the challenge of leading the Canadian team into the future.
“It has been an exciting ride with Bowls Canada over the past 6 years. I truly appreciate having had the opportunity to have been involved,” said Scott. “ I cannot express enough the support I have had from the organisation, in particular, CEO Anna Mees, former development coach, Darryl Fitzgerald and HP Manager Don Caswell along with our IST group. The squad members have been a delight to work with and watch their development. They are a great bunch to work with and I am sure they will be in good hands, going forward with Derek Dillon at the helm. I will always have fond memories of this part of my life.”
“From day one Terry put his stamp on the program. He was immediately accepted by the athletes as the person who could take the program forward,” said High Performance Manager Don Caswell. “Our results in the 2018 Commonwealth Games have a lot to do with Terry’s influence on our team. On a personal note I will miss working with Terry but wish him all the best in his retirement.”
“I am extremely proud and humbled to be given the opportunity to be Head Coach of Bowls Canada,” said Dillon. “It has been my pleasure to work with Terry Scott over the last few years where I have learned many new aspects to coaching at the elite level. I will look to continue the foundation that Terry has established in our culture, professionalism and results.”
“It’s a natural transition for Derek to take on the lead coaching role in the program,” said Caswell. “He has a great mentor in Terry, works well with our Regional Coaches and has the respect of the athletes. We are in good shape for the for the future.”
CEO Steps Down
After a thirty-year career in sport administration, ten years of which were spent with Bowls Canada, Anna Mees is stepping down from the CEO role. Mees was instrumental in reinstating BCB’s status as a federal government recognized national sport organization when she first started in 2013. During her tenure, the organization was able to take advantage of unique funding opportunities to grow the organization in scope and budget. She guided the Board through various required governance changes due to an ever-evolving business climate for national sport. She was involved in creating club development programs such as Belonging in Bowls, Just Roll With It and the Safe Sport Hub. Mees was a strong advocate for creating professionalism and consistency in all aspects of the job and leaves behind a strong foundation on which the new strategic plan can take root. Anna Mees’ last day with the organization will be October 5th, 2023.
“I have been truly fortunate to spend these last ten years with Bowls Canada. I have worked with amazing people throughout my tenure and I treasure the relationships that have been forged over the years,” said Mees. “I am also grateful to the passionate Directors and volunteers with whom I have worked over this time and extend my thanks to all those who work tirelessly to create opportunities for the sport of lawn bowls to thrive. I know that the sport is in great hands with the current leadership and I am confident that my successor will take the organization to new heights.”
“Bowls Canada has been fortunate to have Anna in the leadership role over the last decade. Her strength of character, values, leadership skills and vision leaves the legacy of a strong foundation for the future,” said BCB Chair Kathryn MacGregor.
The CEO transition and hiring process will be managed by a BCB Directors Dennis Verge, Anne Mathewson, Phillip Francis and Kathryn MacGregor.
Although there is never a “good” time to implement changes of this magnitude, making these leadership changes in the fall is the best possible time for a summer sport as it provides time for individuals with the skill sets required to launch BCB into a new phase of development and opportunity to get up to speed before the beginning of a new fiscal year and playing season.
For more information, please contact Kathryn MacGregor, BCB Chair kmacgregor@bowlscanada.com