A Sports Legend

A familiar, and many would describe as cheeky, face around the Orange City Bowling Club, is that of Jim Gersbach. Since 1980 Jim has called the Orange City Bowling Club home.

It was Jim’s Mother and Father in law that introduced him to the sport. “They, along with my wife encouraged me to come and have a game. I really enjoyed it and it was a change since I was with the Ex Services Club playing tennis for 20 or so years, I was even Club President there for many years, I wasn’t much good, they all used to laugh at me, but my family were all good tennis players.”

“I’ve revolved my life around sport. Any sport I just had the knack for, though my best life in sports was with Ruby League, we won the grand final when I was 16 years old, I played for Cargo and then again when I was 18 playing for Orange CYMS.”

Jim has been Chairman, Club Director, Bowls Secretary, you name it, he’s done it. “I always enjoyed the administration of the club, that’s been my favourite aspect.” In 2014 Jim was awarded ‘Zone 5 life membership’ for his lawn bowls administration. “A lot of my abilities through administration have rubbed off onto my daughter and son, they are both tennis coaches. They are tennis mad; they’ve followed their dream which makes me proud.”

Jim admits, “It’s the companionship, the people that play and the sportsmanship that keeps me coming back each year. It’s just my heart and soul, I just enjoy helping out, doing raffles, doing anything that I can, I’m involved with every part of the club.”

My favourite memory would be early in the piece, when I won the Canobolas Pairs twice, both times we were beat in the first round though never lost a match after that.”

Life away from sports, Jim worked on the Railway for 11 years. “I had a mate I was rostered on with nearly all the years I was there, we got into lots of trouble together. We used to cheat at cards, I tell ya, no one could work out how... it was easy, we had little signals for each other, and it worked!” Jim laughed.

“I spent some time on the mail train as well, if we were behind time, we would make it up, if we were too early, we’d be happy to bludge,” Jim smiled. “We would stay overnight in Dubbo, Parkes and Lithgow, we got to see a fair bit in the west. In later years I had a little cleaning business, I had some lovely people working for me.”

It was only a few years ago Jim’s bowls career was put on hold due to health issues. “My rehab team reckon they will get me back on the green. I hope they do, that’s what my ambition is.”