52nd TBA President’s Junior Shield Preview
By Matt Stevens
After six days of individual brilliance, the spotlight shifts to team glory as the 52nd TBA President’s Junior Shield gets underway at Suncity Tenpin on the Sunshine Coast.
Established in 1974 by the National Sporting Organisation – with the inaugural event held at Cross Roads in South Australia – the President’s Junior Interstate Shield has grown into one of the most cherished traditions in Australian junior tenpin bowling. Its purpose is simple and enduring: to determine annually the best State, Territory and Zone representative teams of Junior Girls and Boys, and to do it with the kind of team pride, colour and collective energy that only interstate competition can produce.
The 52nd edition brings nine teams to Suncity Tenpin across three days – five boy teams and four girl teams – competing not just for the overall Shield title, but for separate Male and Female division honours as well.
Quick Links
Tenpin Bowling Australia wishes every team the very best for the 52nd President’s Junior Shield. Wear your colours, bowl for each other, and make it one to remember.
Format Overview
- Duration: 3 Days – Thursday 16 to Saturday 18 April 2026
- Venue: Suncity Tenpin, Alexandra Headland, Sunshine Coast, QLD
- Structure: Overall Division, Boys Division, and Girls Division
- Team Makeup: Each roster carries up to six (6) players per Boys and Girls team; five (5) take the lane each match
- Boys Teams will only be matched against other Boys Teams, and the same principle applies to Girls Teams.
- Teams play each other four times across the three days – eight games on Day One, eight on Day Two, and five on Day Three, for a total of 21 games
Points System
- Each team member is matched against the opposing bowler in the corresponding lineup position – the bowler with the highest scratch pinfall for game wins one (1) point for their team
- In the event of a tied individual game, the point is shared equally
- A team member bowling unopposed in any match automatically wins that individual match point
- The team with the highest total pinfall for the game earns two (2) additional points – with points equally shared in the event of a tied team total
Awards & Trophies
- Division Trophies: Separate trophies awarded to the Boys Team and the Girls Team with the highest points total in their respective divisions.
- Overall Champions: Determined by combining total points from the male and female divisions
- Medallions: Gold, Silver, Bronze for Overall, Male and Female podium finishers
- Jason Belmonte Sportsperson Awards: Sponsored by the great man himself for over a decade – voted by team managers on a 3-2-1 preference system for players displaying outstanding sportsmanship. Male and Female recipients announced at the Presentation Dinner on Saturday evening at Maroochydore RSL Function Centre
- President’s Shield Chairperson Award: Presented by the TBA Chairperson to a bowler who exemplifies the spirit of the event – factoring in points won, games played, event average and pins bowled over average
- All-Star Teams: The top five (5) bowlers by average in each division who have completed at least two thirds of the event’s games – Male and Female All-Star teams named
Teams Competing
Nine teams will compete across the two divisions this year.
Boys Division – Five Teams
North Queensland
| Aiden Butler |
| Jackson Green |
| Hayden Miller |
| Caleb Nish |
| Ethan Bachmann |
| Zeb Holt |
South Australia
| Lachlan Spencer |
| Coby Schwetlik |
| Kaydyn Schwetlik |
| Kasey Reid |
| Steve Pajer |
| Cooper Mollet |
South Queensland
| Cruz Craven |
| Levi Greenhill |
| Luca McPherson |
| Tyler Clarkson |
| Will Mison |
| Zane Rahim |
Victoria 1
| Flynn Slade |
| Lachlan Deith |
| Cooper Loughron |
| Nathaniel Slode |
| Noah Rajkovic |
| William Zaccaria |
Victoria 2
| Christian Tsoukias |
| Ethan Rainbow |
| Jimmy Cass |
| Ryley Matcham |
| Logan Edillo |
| Blayden Herewini |
Girls Division – Four Teams
South Australia
| Chloe Greenham |
| Emma Musolino |
| Jett Galley |
| Abby George |
| Mia Sloper |
| Mikaela Burrows |
North Queensland
| Hannah Starkey |
| Tayla Grimshaw |
| Jennifer Starkey |
| Peyton Butler |
| Shayla Muscat |
| Emily Starkey |
South Queensland
| Bee Kyte |
| Bella Westlake |
| Holly Boadle |
| Jessie Desmier |
| Maddie Weller |
| Madelyn Green |
Victoria
| Elouise Cocks |
| Stephanie Jarrott |
| Izabella Knight |
| Amber-Lee Russell |
| Summah Bennett |
| Harmony Herewini |
Key Storylines
South Queensland – Defending Champions Hunting Back-to-Back
The reigning Overall Champions return to the lanes with a point to prove – and a title to defend. South Queensland’s 2025 Shield victory at Wyncity Keon Park was hard-fought and dramatic, sealed in the boys division in a nail-biting final match against New Zealand. Their overall winning margin of 6.5 points (180 total – Girls 91, Boys 89) reflected a team that was strong across both divisions.
This year’s squad carries plenty of that same firepower. Six members of the 2024 champion side remain, meaning half of the squad are new blood eager to keep the momentum rolling. Tyler Clarkson and Bella Westlake both lead the squad with experience and recent form, both qualifying for the master’s final eight. The new blood joining the squad is a scary prospect with two bowlers in Luca McPherson and Zane Rahim joining the squad as draftees, both bowlers finishing in the final four of the boys masters, with Zane becoming champion.
South Queensland has claimed 19 overall Shield titles. Their 41 total trophies across three divisions remains the competition benchmark. If anyone can go back-to-back, it’s them.
North Queensland Girls – Three in a Row?
The North Queensland girls arrive on the Sunshine Coast as two-time reigning Female Division Champions, having claimed the title in both 2024 and 2025 with the same six bowlers on both occasions – a remarkable feat of continuity and consistency.
This year, that squad is back. And this time, they’ve had a week to warm up on the very lanes they’ll need to conquer. Emily Starkey has been in exceptional form across NJC26 – the Classic Cup Champion after a dominant 1,607 pin performance (201 average over eight games) that won by 168 pins, and the Girls qualifying leader heading into the Australian Masters. Jennifer Starkey finished third in the Restricted Cup. Peyton Butler was runner-up. Hannah Starkey was fourth in the Classic Cup. This is a group that has been performing at the highest level all week.
The question for North Queensland is whether they can become the first girls team to claim three consecutive Female Division titles.
Schedule
- Thursday 16 April: Day One – 8 games
- Friday 17 April: Day Two – 8 games
- Saturday 18 April: Day Three – 5 games, Presentation Dinner, Maroochydore RSL Function Centre, 6:00pm.
How to Follow
Scores will be available at tenpinresults.com.au and live scoring available through Computerscore Live Scoring. Tune into Cornerpins stream with links available at www.tenpin.org.au/njc
Past Champions
| YEAR | HOST VENUE | HOST STATE | BOYS | GIRLS | OVERALL | SHIELD |
| 1974 | Cross Roads | SA | NSW | 1 | ||
| 1975 | Olympic | ACT | SA | 2 | ||
| 1976 | Moonah | Tas | NSW | 3 | ||
| 1977 | Metro | NSW | NSW | 4 | ||
| 1978 | Fairlanes | WA | NSW | 5 | ||
| 1979 | Chevron | Qld | Vic | 6 | ||
| 1980 | Golden Bowl | Vic | NSW | 7 | ||
| 1981 | Cross Roads | SA | Sth Qld | 8 | ||
| 1982 | Moonah | Tas | Sth Qld | 9 | ||
| 1983 | Olympic | ACT | Sth Qld | 10 | ||
| 1984 | Mt Gravatt | Qld | Sth Qld | 11 | ||
| 1985 | Fairlanes | WA | Sth Qld | 12 | ||
| 1986 | Rushcutter | NSW | Vic | 13 | ||
| 1987 | North Rockhampton | Qld | Sth Qld | 14 | ||
| 1988 | Chadstone | Vic | ACT | SA | SA | 15 |
| 1989 | Woodville | SA | NSW | Sth Qld | NSW | 16 |
| 1990 | Moonah | Tas | Tas | CNSW | Vic | 17 |
| 1991 | Belconnen | ACT | SA | Sth Qld / CNSW | CNSW | 18 |
| 1992 | Kirwan | Qld | Sth Qld | CNSW | Sth Qld | 19 |
| 1993 | Melville | WA | SA | Sth Qld | CNSW | 20 |
| 1994 | Gosford | NSW | CNSW | SA | CNSW | 21 |
| 1995 | Clayfield | Qld | Sth Qld | Sth Qld | Sth Qld | 22 |
| 1996 | Sunshine | Vic | Sth Qld | Sth Qld | Sth Qld | 23 |
| 1997 | Bankstown | NSW | Vic | Nth Qld | Vic | 24 |
| 1998 | Gold Coast | Qld | SA | Nth NSW | WA | 25 |
| 1999 | Salisbury | SA | SA | Sth Qld | Sth Qld | 26 |
| 2000 | Canberra International Bowl | ACT | CNSW | Sth Qld | CNSW | 27 |
| 2001 | AMF Mt Gravatt | Qld | Sth Qld | Sth Qld | Sth Qld | 28 |
| 2002 | AMF Bankstown | NSW | Tas | Nth Qld | Nth Qld | 29 |
| 2003 | AMF Forest Hill | Vic | ACT&SNSW | Vic | Vic | 30 |
| 2004 | AMF Illawarra StrikeZone | NSW | SA | Sth Qld | Sth Qld | 31 |
| 2005 | Canberra International Bowl | ACT | SA | Vic | Vic | 32 |
| 2006 | AMF Tuggeranong | ACT | SQ | Vic | SQ | 33 |
| 2007 | Oztenpin Altona | Vic | Vic | NNSW | Vic | 34 |
| 2008 | Mt Gravatt | Qld | WA | Vic | SNSW | 35 |
| 2009 | Warners Bay | NSW | Sth Qld | SNSW | Sth Qld | 36 |
| 2010 | Werribee | Vic | Vic | WA | Vic | 37 |
| 2011 | Oz Tenpin Geelong | Vic | Sth Qld | WA | Sth Qld | 38 |
| 2012 | Tenpin City Lidcombe | NSW | Sth Qld | Sth Qld | Sth Qld | 39 |
| 2013 | Tenpin City Lidcombe | NSW | Sth Qld | Nth NSW | SA | 40 |
| 2014 | Tenpin City Lidcombe | NSW | Vic | Vic | Vic | 41 |
| 2015 | Tenpin City Lidcombe | NSW | SNSW | SA | Vic | 42 |
| 2016 | AMF Keon Park | Vic | SA | NQLD | SA | 43 |
| 2017 | Tenpin City Lidcombe | NSW | SA | NQLD | Vic | 44 |
| 2018 | AMF Bowling Fankston | Vic | SQLD | Vic | Vic | 45 |
| 2019 | Oztenpin Chirnside Park | Vic | NSW | Vic | Vic | 46 |
| 2021 | Zone Bowling Moonah | TAS | SQLD | SQLD | SQLD | 47 |
| 2022 | Zone Bowling Moonah | TAS | NZ | SQLD | SQLD | 48 |
| 2023 | Zone Bowling Moonah | TAS | Ballina Bullfrogs | VIC | Ballina Bullfrogs | 49 |
| 2024 | Suncity Tenpin | QLD | VIC | NQLD | NQLD | 50 |
| 2025 | Wyncity Keon Park | VIC | SQLD | NQLD | SQLD | 51 |
| 2026 | Suncity Tenpin | QLD | ? | ? | ? | 52 |
Did you Know?
- The President’s Shield competition only awarded overall champions for the first 14 Shields (1974-1987).
- The first Boys and Girls Division winners were awarded in 1988 when Australian Capital Territory won the Boys title, and South Australia winning the girls’ title.
- South Queensland holds the most President Shield Boy titles with 12 – first captured in 1992 and the last in 2025
- The Boy’s title has been won by 8 teams in the 37-year history of President’s Shield having Boys and Girls divisions – including SQ (12), SA (8), NSW (6), VIC (5), TAS (2), ACT (2), WA (1), NZ (1).
- South Queensland holds the most President Shield Girls titles with 12 – first captured in 1991 in a hybrid team with CNSW.
- The Girl’s title has been won by 6 teams in the 37-year history of President’s Shield having Boys and Girls divisions – including SQ (12), VIC (8), NSW (6), NQ (6), SA (3), WA (2).
- South Queensland have won the most overall President Shield titles with their current tally at 19 – first captured in 1981 and last winning in 2025.
- The Overall Title has been won by six different teams including SQ (19), VIC (13), NSW (12), SA (4), NQ (2), WA (1).
