The Northern Territory Tenpin Bowling Association Inc was formed at a meeting in Alice Springs during 1982 when some key tenpin sports administrators including Jim Polkinghorne, Mary Cutler, Phil Flood, Bob Franklin, Ron Yow, June Voukolos, Tony Long and Phil Flood met to prepare a vision for the sport between the two bowling centres in Darwin and Alice Springs. From that time the Northern Territory Government has been a keen partner in the day to day running of the sport and tenpin bowling was the first sporting squad admitted to the Northern Territory Institute of Sport when it opened its doors in Darwin during 1997. From that time we have stood side by side with our competitive southern states and in the sports arena no longer considered the “poor relative” but leaders in innovation of sport development and coaching services.
This Association has evolved from a group of inexperienced people passionately running the sport to a highly skilled group of volunteers running a sporting business that focuses on the development of its athletes and the well-being of its grass roots members.
The sport business is currently run by five Executive Assistants in the areas of governance and compliance, events and tournaments, grants, TBA Membership, NT teams, financial control, website construction and maintenance, regional communication, member protection and coaching. The Executive assistants are supported by a vibrant and active executive committee and a group of volunteers, who supports them on a day-to-day basis in Alice Springs and Darwin.
The Northern Territory Tenpin Bowling Association strives to provide an inclusive sporting environment and competition for all levels of athletes and is supported in its endeavour to achieve inclusivity, and provide for all abilities of athletes through the appointment of a designated Disability Officer and Sport Development Officer.
There are three membership bases in the Northern Territory – Darwin Members Group, Alice Springs and Volunteers.
Sadly, there is only one registered bowling centre currently operating in the Northern Territory which is the Dustbowl in Alice Springs. The competition centre in Nightcliff, Darwin closed its doors permanently in May 2021 after 44 years of operation, but we hope that there will be a new centre for competition in Darwin in the not too distant future.