Deborah Foster

In 1981, Debbie’s father-in-law, Bill Foster, encouraged her to enter a mixed Lawn Bowling tournament in Kingston, Nova Scotia. In that simple decision, Debbie went from spectator to player and so began an athletic journey that has spanned three decades and counting, at least three continents and at the very least, competition in twenty-eight National and International Championships. Beginning at the local level, it was only two years before she was competing at the National and International level. Debbie credits Annette Tidd for her journey to the National level. She and Annette bowled together for sixteen years.

In this first thirty years of competition, Debbie has been a Provincial Gold Medal Champion an incredible 24 times; 12 times as Pairs Champion, 3 times as Triples Champion and 9 Championships in the Ladies Fours.

Between 1983 and 2011, Debbie competed in the Atlantic Bowls 19 times, winning 1 Bronze Medal, 8 Silver Medals and 8 Gold Medals. Each of those Provincial victories has given Debbie the right to represent Nova Scotia at Nationals.

In twenty four National Championships, she and her teammates have placed fourth on 5 occasions, won 5 Bronze Medals, 5 Silver Medals and 3 Gold Medals.

From 2003 to 2010 Debbie applied to, and was subsequently invited to, five Canadian National Selection Camps, which were held in Sun City Arizona. In each instance she was chosen to be on the National Team. Based on those selections she was part of the Canadian team that competed in the North American Challenge in 2003 and in 2005. In both years Debbie skipped the Canadian Women’s Triples and Fours Teams. In both years Canada won the Folkin’s Cup and the Women’s B Plaque. In both years, Canada was the overall Challenge winner. In 2005 she competed for Canada in the Atlantic Rim Games in Bangor, Northern Ireland. Sixteen countries were in attendance. She skipped the Ladies Pairs Team to a sixth place result and was Vice of the Ladies Fours that also placed sixth.

In 2007, she competed for Canada in the Asia Pacific Games in Christchurch, New Zealand where she skipped both the Pairs and the Fours teams.

In the fifth instance, the North American Challenge conflicted with the Nova Scotia Championships. Debbie chose to forego the international stage in order to be able to bowl with her daughters Tammy and Jacqueline in the Provincial showdown. That Triples team won Gold at the Nova Scotia Bowls and Silver at the Atlantic Bowls.

Not content to merely compete, Debbie has also served as President, Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer, and on the Ways and Means Committee at the Bridgetown Club at various times since 1981. She has served as President, Vice- President and Past President for Lawn Bowls Nova Scotia for a period of 15 years. From 1984 to 1986 she served on the Participation Committee for Lawn Bowl Canada to encourage youth participation.

She is a Level 2 Lawn Bowls Coach and a Provincial Umpire.