Road to Comm Games - Julie Blake High Performance Manager

Your Story

Can you tell us a bit about how your journey in bowls started?

After my daughter was born in 2015, I decided not to return to my previous full-time role in sport. As she started daycare, I supported the Centre Manager at Bowls Waikato for a few hours a week with administration and marketing. When he retired, I stepped into the Centre Manager role and became more aware of, and interested in, the sport. Watching Jo Edwards win Singles gold at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games made me incredibly proud of bowls.

What led you into a high performance role?

A phone call with Bowls New Zealand Chief Executive Mark Cameron. We talked about the opportunities ahead for the Blackjacks and, following the application and interview process, I was contracted as Team Manager for the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

Was there a moment where you thought, “this is what I want to do”?

Not one single moment, but through reflection in the performance environment I have become more comfortable with the idea that, even though I am not from the bowls world, I do belong here.

Your Role

What does your role as High Performance Manager look like day-to-day?

We are a Campaign Sport and by and large our team are not living and breathing bowls in a professional sense, so my days vary depending on where we are in a campaign cycle. My role covers all operations and logistics in the lead up to an event, and has over the years evolved to include and prioritise athlete wellbeing and welfare. I see my role as an advocate for my team and to ensure they are given the support and tools to be at their best when they need to peak for a pinnacle event.

What do you love most about working in high-performance sport?

It’s always people for me. I have been lucky enough to get to know some amazing people – not just in our sport but other HP sporting environments too. I am also lucky to travel and see the world as part of a team.

What have been some standout highlights for you so far?

The obvious highlights on the green: witnessing our World Champion wāhine succeed bringing home three gold medals and the Taylor Trophy, our three bronze medals at Birmingham and our para team winning the Trans-Tasman two years in a row. I am looking forward to more team success in Glasgow next month.

An off-green highlight for me was being accepted into the Women in High Performance Sport cohort #3 which opened up networks of support like I could never have imagined. This 18 month support from HPSNZ helped shape my role from a contracted Team Manager to a full time High Performance Manager.

What’s one of the more challenging parts of the role?

Reminding myself that it’s ok to fill up my own cup from time to time. I tend to put myself at the bottom of the “to-do” list, and sometimes I need that reminder that it is actually ok to take time for myself. In practical terms, this means switching off for an hour (sometimes day, sometimes night!) to go for a walk with my husband and our pups, catch up with family and friends, play board games with my daughter – just get off my device and away from my emails/WhatsApp.

Working with Athletes

What do you enjoy most about working with elite athletes?

We are elite in terms of the skills but still amateur in terms of profession, so our team members all manage full time roles or study, some are parents, and they all have a variety of responsibilities outside of sport. This makes me critically aware of their desire to play at the highest level because they don’t play bowls for the money – they play bowls because they love it and they have the hunger and passion to be the best in the world. That makes me want to help them succeed even more because I know they really fight for it.

In your eyes, what separates good athletes from great ones?

Ooooh, good question!! Growth mindset is key. Always wanting to be better. Hunger for learning. Be a quality human being. Treating people with genuine respect no matter their status.

How do you support athletes beyond just performance?

Supporting our athletes starts with acknowledging them as people. Knowing what and who drives them is so important because that is what will help lift them up when they fall. Having a strong, genuine connection with them is developed over time but once they know me and experience that I ‘have their backs’, they know that I am there for them 100%

How important is team culture in a high performance environment?

The right culture is important to success, on and off the green. Everyone has different personalities and some will clash, just as others will relate. I am not foolish enough to think every athlete and coach connects with me but I believe if there is respect for everyone, then that is a strong foundation for culture to be built on.

Commonwealth Games

What does the Commonwealth Games mean for you and the programme?

I grew up watching the Commonwealth Games (I went to the gymnastics and athletics in 1990) so to be part of the NZ Team at Birmingham and now Glasgow is a real ‘pinch me’ moment. This programme, while different, will be embraced. We are a key sport and will do our absolute best to adapt to the new format.

How do you approach preparing athletes for something like this?

Our preparation for Glasgow has been quite different to Birmingham. In 2022, we didn’t get to announce our team until mid-June so we had a short runway. This time around, we were in the fortunate position to nominate our team in March and as the first sport to confirm selection, we have been able to really lock in with our planning – individually and as a team. We have frequent online meetings as we are all in different areas of NZ and Australia, and our group chats have all evolved organically. While everyone has different levels of support they need, we are in a good position where our coaches are able to provide what they need as a collective.

What are you most proud of heading into this campaign?

I see the individual and group efforts being put into their physical and on-green training, but also the intense work they are doing with our sports psych Quinny. The mental load they are all carrying is huge, but the prep they are doing around this is what will lead to success.

What would success look like for you?

Genuinely, getting them to and from the Games safely. There is so much unknown with the world at the moment that safety is paramount. Ideally I would like to have no hiccups with travel/accommodation/pre-Games camp but in the event that there are changes needed, a smooth transition that least affects the athletes. Positive end of Campaign survey results.

Leadership

How would you describe your leadership style?

Supportive. Genuine. Hard working. From the heart.

What values guide the way you work?

Respect is a key value for me, in life and in work. I know that not everyone will like or agree with me but I do my best to show respect and even if that is not reciprocated, I can hold true to my own values. I am always going to do my best for this team, and even when I do make mistakes they will never be intentional.

How do you balance pushing for performance while looking after athlete wellbeing?

I guess because I don’t come from a bowls background, that is not really something that athletes look to me for. They don’t need my tactical or technical support, they need my genuine human support. So I stay in my lane when it comes to performance on the green.

Looking Ahead

What excites you about the future of high performance bowls in New Zealand?‍

I’m pleased that bowls has been confirmed as a key sport for future Commonwealth Games and I know that when we get to 2030 in India, we will have some brilliant bowlers ready to contend for those sought after spots.

We have got exciting young bowlers coming through and looking at our Oceania U26 Squad, we are in a good position for the future.

Of course the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics would be the perfect opportunity to include bowls, which would be an incredible opportunity for growth.

I am always thinking about longevity in our sport and ensuring that our Māmā are supported when they choose to return to the HP environment. Choosing to have babies shouldn’t mean an end to bowls at the highest level so I want them to know that I am there to provide individualised support so they can extend their career.

Where do you see the biggest opportunities for growth?

We have worked hard to grow our networks internationally, as exampled by our burgeoning relationships with Malaysia and India. It is important for us to look further afield than the traditional NZ v Aus out of geographical convenience so I see these wider relationships to be key opportunities for growth.

Closer to home, we have two top quality coaches leading our Under 26 campaign this year as part of our succession planning. I believe these appointments will be important for our younger bowlers to learn what our High Performance environment looks like ahead of the pinnacle events.

Quick Fire

What’s something people might not know about you?

I am a Wheel of Fortune two-night carryover champ who won over $8,000

What keeps you motivated?

If I am spending time away from my family, I want to make sure that I am giving the best version of me to my team. If I know that things are all good back home (family, business, school, puppies) then I can compartmentalise all of that and give 100% to the campaign.

Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

“When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time”. This is a quote from Maya Angelou so not direct advice but one that resonates with me about genuineness.

Actual advice (and something I say to my daughter often) is to say yes to every opportunity because you never know where it will lead you and what doors it will open.

Do the right thing, even without an audience, purely because it is the right thing to do.

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Image below: Julie (8) sister Lynne(10) and Dad Garth at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland.

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