Obituary – Steve Yates

The North Harbour bowling community, and in particular the Birkenhead club, is in shock with the sudden, tragic death early this week of former centre board chairman, Steve Yates, aged 50.

Both as a player and as an administrator, Steve made a notable contribution to bowls. A member of the Birkenhead club for 16 years, Steve played alongside many of that club’s fine bowlers and won two Harbour titles, the champion of champion triples in 2020-21 and the champion of champion of fours in 2022-23, He was also a centre representative.

 In early 2022 he succeeded Tony Popplewell as BNH board chairman for a short term.

 Before that he had been Auckland Bowls’ general manager and on the board of the Auckland club, which is New Zealand’s oldest.

 Steve was the son of a prominent soccer personality Alan Yates, who came on a professional contract to New Zealand from England in 1970.

 Steve himself was a promising footballer. He was educated at Westlake Boys High School and before an injury ended his career played in national age group sides and for North Shore in the national level.

 Bowls North Harbour extends its condolences to his family.