Bowling to perfection

Sports does not just help youths to develop resilience and personal strengths. It also helps them build friendships and essential skills such as moral character, teamwork and time management. 

Vaiyshnavi, a Year One Millennia Institute student, recently clinched 7^th position in the A-Division Girls’ Masters in the National Schools Games 2017, shares more on her sporting journey.

Why bowling?

My parents loved the sport, I was inspired by them. I joined bowling as a co-curricular activity in Primary Three and have been passionate about it ever since.

I also look up to Singapore’s national bowlers for their achievements and my coaches are also strong pillars of support.

Describe what a typical day is like for you.

School, training, repeat. My schedule has been hectic, having to juggle with studies and training, but in between I also try to spend time with my family and friends, and whenever possible I squeeze in time to swim.

Sounds busy! What are some tips to juggle between school and training?

Be disciplined. I will always set out with a timetable at the beginning of the week to ensure that my time is well planned. My teachers and coaches have been very understanding, so I get to prioritise and plan my schedule accordingly.

What do you enjoy most about bowling?

Bowling is a form of stress relief, especially during trainings. I like to hear the sound of pins being knocked down as it gives me a sense of satisfaction.

Tell us your greatest challenge and how you overcame it.   

It gets very stressful when I do not perform up to expectations during competitions. Bowling is mentally draining and the atmosphere gets immensely tense during competitions. I remind myself to focus on my physical game and targets instead of comparing myself against other competitors. It is not easy, and I am still learning to be more resilient and remain focused on my game, not the scores.

Words of encouragement to share with younger athletes?

To younger athletes – enjoy bowling (or any sport that you are in) and have fun! Sports definitely requires a high level of mental and physical strength, so I would encourage younger athletes to learn to take failures in their stride and use it as motivation to improve themselves.