Suffolk bowls sensation Lee Calver wants to keep climbing the sporting ladder ahead of a huge 2022 season.

Calver has already competed at the World Indoors Bowls Championship in the open pairs alongside Connor Cinato at Potters Leisure Resort this year, reaching the second round.

And with a maiden appearance at the European Championships in Ayr coming this summer, the Felixstowe ace is excited to take another big step in his promising career.

He said: “Me and my partner got through to the pairs quarter-final at Potters, which was live streamed and on TV, which was brilliant! That gave me the springboard to want to go to a high-level competition.

“It was great when I got the call up for the Europeans. I’ve been putting in lots of practice and I’ve just started playing county competitions now. I’ll certainly be playing four, five, six times a week now as we get into it.

“It’s absolutely brilliant to be honest - I just think it’s one of the dreams really. I think the pinnacle is playing at Potters or at the Commonwealth Games, so to be in the Europeans, it feels like you’re climbing that ladder and getting closer to the top level. 

“To be playing against other countries in Europe is brilliant. You’re going to be able to compare yourself and put yourself against the best in the world, which is exactly where you want to be going.”

Many would struggle to find the balance between competing in some of their sport’s biggest events and working full-time, though that is not an issue Calver faces.

He is a PE teacher who works across two different primary schools, and in the past has managed to incorporate his passion for bowls into his classes.
“Because of the sociable hours of working, it allows me to be able to play in the evenings and the weekends,” said Calver, speaking ahead of Bowls’ Big Weekend on May 27-29.

“Last year we managed to incorporate bowls into their PE which was awesome. There’s a school opposite our club in Felixstowe and we managed to get 50 year five and sixes over every Tuesday for two hours last summer. 

“Out of the 50, we had about 30 come back in their own time. It was nice to be able to play bowls when I’m working as well!

“I think they know a little bit about my career, but I’m not really one who likes to talk too much about myself. 

“It’s nice for me that I’m trying to get the children to do the same in their chosen sport, try and develop their skills and hopefully they’ll progress in their favourite sport. 

“If they know the likes of myself have managed to achieve a decent standard they might believe they can do that too.”

Find your nearest participating club at www.bowlsbigweekend.com