Life changed for Ross Higgins in 2011, but, as all survivors do — he adapted and made the best of life with a disability.
Today the retired farmer and truck driver from Tallygaroopna finds out if he has gained another trophy to add to his collection of awards for his remarkable lawn bowling skills, which have reached new heights despite that fateful day at Tawonga Gap near Bright nine years ago.
Ross was riding his motorcycle with a group of friends when he approached a corner only to find his life set on a new trajectory.
“I believe the brakes didn't work. Apparently I was unconscious for between five and eight minutes,” Ross said.
The resulting crash left Ross with a terrifying tally of breakages including nine ribs, four vertebrae, collarbone and shoulder blade as well as a punctured lung, ripped kidney and the C3, C4 and C5 nerves pulled from his neck.
After four weeks in Melbourne's Royal Alfred Hospital and 20 hours of surgery Ross was left with just enough movement in his right arm to shake hands, but not enough to lift a lawn bowl.
This presented him with a challenge. Ross had played lawn bowls for 11 years and won a couple of Division 4 premierships — bowling with his right hand.
Now, he was faced with a choice: find another sport or hobby to occupy his time, or adapt. Ross chose the latter, and went on to not just compete with his then club Shepparton Park, but win Division 2 premierships and triples, and four Victorian silver medals for bowlers with a physical disability.
In 2017 Ross was picked to play for Victoria in the Bowlers with a Physical Disability team.
He plays with an extension to his bowling hand which allows him to send a bowl down the line without bending his body.
“I've had to swap to my left hand, and I play with a bowling hand, because if I lean forward to deliver a bowl the weight of my internal organs in my diaphragm squashes my lungs and I have trouble breathing,” he said.
Ross returned to the green after a visit from his mate Col Austin.
“He said, `Come on, we'll go and have a game of bowls'. I said, `I've lost the use of my right arm, Col’ — and he said, `Well, you've got another one, haven't you?'”
Ross went on to beat his mate during his first game playing left-handed at Shepparton East Bowls Club.
“He said `it's got to be something to do with these cheat sticks, these bowling arm things — you shouldn't be able to change from right-handed to left and beat me.'
``I just got better from that point on,” Ross said.
Last year, for the third time in a row, Ross was picked to play in the Victorian disability team which was named Australian Champions at the 2019 Multi Bowl Nationals in Mackay, Queensland.
Today the side is nominated alongside Geelong Swimming Club and Hawthorn Football Club's blind team for the Carbine Club Team of the Year in the Victorian Disability Sport and Recreation Awards, which take place online on the evening of December 3.
“It's a great honour to be nominated and to be part of the team. It's also about the supporters — they are incredible,” Ross said.
Now aged 68, Ross plays for Numurkah Bowls Club where he also coaches. He said he was a lot more competitive and confident than he used to be.
“I play to win these days. Bowls has kept me fit and active and out of the house three or four days a week. Bowls is very inclusive — it's for the young and old, it's for the disabled, the blind and hearing impaired,” he said.
“It's a game for everybody.”
