Norma Richardson

Category: Sporting Hall of Fame
Sport: Lawn Bowls
Year Inducted: 1996

Norma Richardson


Born in Tarcutta, Norma began her bowling career as the inaugural Secretary of the Tarcutta Women's Bowling Club.  In later years, she held numerous executive positions within the Club.

A resident of Wagga Wagga for 29 years, Norma joined the Wagga Women's Bowling Club in 1966, where she bowled until the Wagga Wagga Commercial Club formed their own Women's Bowling Club.

Norma and her sister, Joyce McKee, who is also an inductee in the Sporting Hall of Fame, were partners at competitions including the women's classic Kingscliff Invitation Master Pairs bowls classic (June 1992).

Norma represented Australia twice in her sporting career: in 1995 at the Pan Pacific Games in Dunedin, New Zealand, where she won gold in the Pairs and silver in the Fours.  In 1996, she competed at the Trans-Tasman Test Match in Christchurch.

When the Commercial Club closed, she joined South Wagga Women's Bowling Club, and played there until she moved to Sydney in 2001. In Sydney, Norma joined the Blakehurst Women's Bowling Club, where she continued her bowling success, playing at District and State levels.  She also represented NSW until 2006.

Between 1987 and 2006, Norma competed in numerous State Titles, including State Pairs Championship (1987, 1992, 1995), State Triples Championship (1989), State Masters Singles (1992), State No. 1 Pennant (1993), State No. 2 Pennant (1993), State James Wall Shield (2003) and the State Fours Championship (2006).

Norma won Australian Titles in 1987 (Gold, Australian Women's Bowling Council Round Robin), 1989 (Gold, AWBC National Round Robin Fours), 1990 (Silver, AWBC National Invitational Round Robin Fours), 1993 (Gold, AWBC National Round Robin Pairs), 1995 (Silver, AWBC National Round Robin Pairs) and 2001 (AWBC National Round Robin Fours).

Norma's favourite quote is 'Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi', and when she played, she always had a small toy Koala attached to her bowls bag.