Who are our National Council members and what do their roles involve? Our series continues to cover each of our heads of departments and their involvement in our sport from the time they first bowled to what’s in store for the future.
Meet BTBA Regional Officer Central Mark Patrick
Tell us about yourself – Who is Mark Patrick – AKA Paddy.
My name is Mark Patrick – I am married with a 2 1/2 year old and another little boy due in September. I have bounced around a bit, born in Gloucestershire, moved to Ascension Island for 5 years when I was 2, back to England until I was 15, where I then moved to the United States for 3 1/2 years. I have been the General Manager at Stroud Bowl for just over 9 years now =working on making it the “home of UK bowling” alongside Shae & owners Kim & Diane Johnson. I would definitely consider myself a family man, outside of working or bowling myself, I will do what I can to spend time with my wife and boy going on adventures and seeing the world. I also run a vast number of tournaments throughout the year in Stroud, highlighted by the English Open, which I took on in 2025 and I have already got it to become part of the EBT (European Bowling Tour), which should help get the UK back on the bowling scene in Europe.
How did your bowling journey begin?
My bowling journey started when I was 8 years old. I used to go to Cotswold Bowl in Cheltenham to watch my parents bowl in their league. I then got involved in the YBC there and never looked back. Living in the US for 3 years was where my skill set took a turn for the better. I was able to have a 1-1 coach every week who took my game right back to basics and rebuilt it. I won my first major tournament in 2017, winning the Welsh Open. 2017 also saw me qualify for my first Team England squad, and I have won many medals at Triple Crowns between 2018 and 2024 and represented England at 2 European Championships (2024 & 2025).
What made you get into the administrative side of the sport, what positions you hold and what motivated you to get involved?
My story into the role of Regional officer is fairly uneventful, but I applied for and took on the role as it had been vacant for a while, and I felt I could make a difference in the Central Region of the BTBA and be a good, friendly face between the membership and the Executive Council.
Tell us about your role within the National Council – and why it’s important?
My role within the National Council of the BTBA is a few different things, but the main couple are to be a voice on the council for all of the Central Region bowlers within the BTBA who may have something to bring forward. Secondly, I feel it is also an important role to go the other way, and get across to all Local Associations in the region what the BTBA expect from them and what they are looking for to grow the sport of bowling as much as possible in the UK.
Why is bowling great?
It is fun for the whole family. No matter what your ability level, bowling is one of those sports where you can have fun and be engaged, no matter how skilled you are. It is always a laugh.
It can be a great release. What I mean by that is, if you’re having a rough day or week. Bowling is one of those sports where you can bring yourself down to the bowling alley and just be with yourself and your thoughts and just relax and let out any frustrations (on the pins, of course). A branch of this point is that it is also a huge social sport. The number of leagues hosted around the country means there should always be one near you. Leagues are a great way to meet new people, socialise with existing friends, and have a great night out once or twice a week without much stress or pressure.
Lastly, bowling has a very competitive side if you wish to progress in the sport. I can speak to this personally, as over the last 3/4 years, I have taken myself over to Europe to challenge myself at the next level of our sport. This has brought about new friendships, new challenges and new ambitions that I didn’t necessarily realise I had 5-10 years ago.