Clarice Power

Sports Hall of Fame Inductee

The Goulburn Valley has produced some wonderful sportswomen. Clarice Power of the Mooroopna Golf Bowls Club reached the highest level of bowls and won an Australian Championship in two disciplines of the sport she loves. In the early 1970’s Clarice was playing and enjoying Indoor Bowls, then was introduced to Lawn Bowls by a friend who took her to the Mooroopna Golf Bowls Club to try out the game.

It wasn’t long before Mooroopna Golf realised that they had recruited a player with great potential as Clarice began to perform very well in tournaments and won the Mooroopna Golf Bowls Club Championship for the 1973/74 season. This would be the forerunner to a wonderful career on the bowling green which would see her win ten Club Championship titles. She also won the Mooroopna Golf Bowls Club 100up event on seven occasions. Within three years, Clarice had won the 1976/77 State Singles Championship, a feat she would repeat three times.

On the local scene Clarice competed in the Goulburn Valley Champion of Champions event, winning it four times. She teamed with Mary Thorpe to win the Goulburn Valley Open Pairs championship twice and also won Goulburn Valley Open Fours title. At a higher level she was successful in winning the State Champion of Champions in 1985/86. Clarice was also Country runner up 4 times in the Champion of Champions event.

With Clarice in winning form in 1986 she was selected in the Commonwealth Games Bowls team to compete in the Scottish City of Edinburgh. Clarice performed brilliantly and helped her team to win a silver medal in the Ladies Fours.

On a National level Clarice won the Australian National Fours, was runner up in the Australian National Singles and won a Silver Medal in the Australia Games.

During the winter months Clarice returned to the game of Indoor Bowls and had wonderful success. In the Goulburn Valley Champion of Champions she won 5 singles titles, three pairs and four mixed pair’s events along with winning the triples, fours and mixed fours three times.

She also competed in the Victorian Championships winning the Singles 3 times, the pairs, the triples, and four Ladies Fours and two mixed Fours events. That success saw her competing in the Australian Indoor Bowls Championships on 8 occasions. She won the Ladies Pairs championship in 1975 and was runner up in 86 and 87.

In the Australasian Championships, Clarice was twice winner of the Champion Pairs event. Overall, Clarice represented Victoria 9 times and Australia once.

On the administration side Clarice spent many years on the Goulburn Valley Match Committee and was involved in organising the Victorian Bowling carnival. She was also a marker and umpire for the World Bowls tournament at Reservoir.

Clarice has an incredible record of winning an Australian title in both Lawn Bowls and Indoor Bowls and is recognised as a wonderful exponent of the sport which she represented with sportsmanship and dignity.