The District 6 team of Katherine Smith, 60, from Niagara-on-the-Lake, Tracy Smith, 34, and Colleen Wiley, 60, both of St. Catharines, lost 21-2 against Sarnia in the final match to earn silver at the three-day tournament last weekend.

"We were happy with silver. It's a tough job to even get out of the district," Katherine Smith said. "I apologized to the skip (Sarnia's Sue Roth) that we didn't give them a better game, but they were on their home greens."

The trio defeated the District 5 Hamilton club 16-15 to advance to the final. It was the first time any of the three women made the three hour drive to Sarnia.

"We were just happy to be there," Smith said. "We each received a medal and $75."

As the winners, Sarnia received gold medals and custom-made leather jackets.

"That's our goal next year," she said. "We want to go back and take home gold."

Smith started playing four years ago and participates in more than 70 local and out-of-town lawn bowling tournaments a year. She became hooked on lawn bowling when she bought a house in Florida and signed up for a tutorial.

"At the time, they were offering tennis and lawn bowling lessons," she said. "The bowling lessons started first and I never went back for the tennis."

Smith said she enjoys the mental side of bowling.

"You don't have to run around too much," she said. "But it takes a lot of strategy."

Played outside, the game consists of rolling balls, each weighing four pounds, closest to the "jack," a smaller white ball, while your opponent has an opportunity to knock your ball away, similar to curling.

"It's a great social and skill game," she said. "It takes focus and time on the mat to really get good."