Selina Goddard, Takapuna’s most illustrious player, has brought further distinction to herself and the club with the award from Bowls New Zealand of the country’s female player of the year.

This is due recognition and in honour of the stellar season Selina has enjoyed this year, especially with her exploits in Australia.

In March she performed almost an unprecedented feat in winning all three major titles at the highly competitive Victorian Open, the singles, pairs and triples.

Then in June she won the Australian Open women’s pairs, which was followed by helping her Sydney club, Cabramatta win the New South Wales state pennants title, all of which helped her game a world ranking of number five.

This was the culmination of four or five seasons of consistent high level performances, achieved as a Takapuna club member.

Though only aged 31, still a youngster in bowling terms, Selina has already gained a national gold star for having won five national titles. These have been in the fours in 2014 and 2020, the singles in 2017 and 2023, the pairs in 2020 and the mixed pairs in 2024, giving her six in all.

Arguably, the highlight of these has been the singles win in 2023, when she beat her Black Jack team-mate Tayla Bruce, then the reigning world champion, 21-20 in an epic contest many bowls connoisseurs regard as one of the best games of bowls, by either gender, ever played in this country.

Her many international successes include three Commonwealth Games bronze medals, in the fours in 2014 and the fours again and the pairs in 2022. She has represented New Zealand in the Trans-Tasman series since 2015 and was in the 2023 Black Jacks women’s team which at the world championships won the Taylor Trophy for the team with the best overall aggregate.

While at the Takapuna Bowling Club Selina has been part of a talented group of ladies who, with the club and the Bowls North Harbour Centre, have secured several national team successes. And in the short span of four seasons Selina herself has achieved a centre gold star with five championship wins.

Associated with Selina over a lengthy span now has been her coach, former Takapuna Board Chair and Life Member, Graham Dorreen, who is justly delighted with her latest accolade.

He says of Selina: “Her bowls has continued to develop across all areas of the game. She willingly talks and listens and has a real ability to take on those things that can help better her game.”

She now had the ideal career mix, Graham added, of playing four months of the year in Australia and all the premier events in New Zealand.

Thanks to what he described as a great sponsorship package meant Selina was able to play on a variety of greens and compete with some of the best world’s best … and win. “She’s got a great future,” he said.

Article added: Monday 22 September 2025