The lawn bowls program is designed to promote the sport to primary and high school students throughout all Port Stephens schools and across the state.

Coordinator Warren Boyd said that the high school competition originated in the Hunter region in 2015 and had expanded to incorporate all primary and high schools in 2021.

"The program has enjoyed some success in Port Stephens, as well as throughout the North Sydney, Central Coast, Hunter/Manning and Western regions, aiming to foster lawn bowls to a wider and younger age group," he said.

"Schools within these regions have received information about the Let's Play Bowls program. We have invited students from government, independent and catholic schools to enter three-person teams.

"Primary students from Stage 3 [for 10, 11, 12 year olds] will participate in an after-school competition and high school students from Years 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 take part in a separate 'inter-school' event."

Boyd said that parents and grandparents of primary school students, along with their schools, were being encouraged to enter unlimited teams in 2021.

He said that Raymond Terrace Bowling Club is putting up $1000 as prize money for the winning school.

"Sports organisers in the high schools are invited to nominate an unlimited number of teams for their 'inter- school' competition, which this year will be hosted by New Lambton Bowling Club, who are also sponsoring the event with a $1000 prize pool."

A Commonwealth Games sport, lawn bowls is no longer seen as an old people's game, with the average age of the NSW representative teams around 28 years.

"As well as being a fun and highly-skilled game, lawn bowls promotes self-discipline and concentration, and especially for parents, is extremely inexpensive in comparison to other sports."

School entries close on Friday, June 25. Enter via letsplaybowls.com or email letsplaybowls@gmail.com.