Lester (34), the head coach of the Mulgrave Country Club in Victoria, is playing in the Speight’s Invitation singles at North East Valley this weekend.
He made his international debut in 2005 and won a bronze medal in the pairs at the 2006 Commonwealth Games at Melbourne.
But there was an hiatus in his international career after that and he missed selection for the 2010 and 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Lester kept playing for Australia until 2008 but a year later was made redundant when his job as a bowls co-ordinator at the Sunbury club in Melbourne was dis-established.
Over the next three years he concentrated on getting his life outside bowls in order and worked with the Victorian Institute of Sport to look at career choices.
"That helped me get back on the straight and narrow," Lester said.
"Within 12 to 18 months I was starting to write down new goals and winning a few events."
He was on an upward spiral, back in the Australian squad, and won gold medals in the singles and pairs at the Hong Kong Classic in 2012 and gold in the triples at the Eight Nations Commonwealth Invitation event a year later.
Missing out on the Glasgow Commonwealth Games was positive for Lester.
"I was so close and saw it as an opportunity to set new goals. I dug deeper and trained harder."
Victorian bowling greens are closed in the winter months but Lester wanted to keep playing and joined the South Tweed Sharks club on the Gold Coast.
He flew from Melbourne each weekend over the last two winters to play in the pennant competition.
The Jackaroos squad has a comprehensive programme as it prepares to defend the Leonard Trophy it won at Adelaide four years ago.
"We have eight on green training sessions each month and must do three physical exercise sessions (walking, running or gymnasium work) each week," Lester said.
"We need to stay nimble and active because World Bowls lasts for two weeks and is taxing mentally and physically."
Over the last 12 months he has had four trips to New Zealand to get used to the faster greens.
Lester has played 69 tests for Australia and is an experienced international bowler.
Lester is confident that Australia can repeat its 2012 performance at Adelaide and dominate next month’s World Bowls.
The three Australians who competed at Dunedin last year — Brett Wilkie, Mark Casey and Aaron Wilson — are all members of the five-man World Bowls team.
Barrie Lester
Profile
Age: 34.
Australian debut: 2005.
International appearances: 69.
Club: Mulgrave Country, Victoria.
Occupation: Head coach Mulgrave Country Club and regional manager for Bowls Australia.
World Bowls spot: lead in triples and fours.
Record: Two Australian gold medals, 5 silver medals. 3 international gold medals, one silver, three bronze.
