Strike

I wasn’t born to be a bowler. Nor I was groomed to be one. I had to play the sports for one reason – and it was a matter of life and death, hehe. Swimming was the main scope of PE 4 that I was about to take then. And since I didn’t know how to swim I looked on possible ways to be exempted from the course. Luck as I may call it, an announcement was posted looking for bowling varsity players. I believed it was worth a try, so I went to the try-out and of course I failed, getting a 77 score. I wasn’t necessarily embarrassed, I even thought it was high for a duckpin bowling. The next day, I just watched my friends for their second try-out, and there was another lucky break for me, they lack players and the coach asked me if I want to try again. Definitely, I shouted YES. I scored 125 and was included to the school’s varsity. It was an experimental inter-collegiate sporting event so the coach said we can’t be exempted from ROTC and PE at the same time. I chose PE since it was my main reason for joining the group. If I can remember correctly, our group won 2nd runner-up in the finals and the next year I quit. Haha!

Just when I thought I was done with bowling, boredom in Antipolo especially after my 6-2 shift tempted me to go and waste some of my time in a mall, bringing back my interest to the sport. I entered this bowling center and tried playing another kind of bowling. It was my first on ten-pin bowling, obviously different from duckpin bowling. Wow, I liked it a lot. I often went to Sta. Lucia Mall just to play bowling, it was a worthwhile activity. One day, one of the center assistants approached me if I’m interested to join their monthly tournaments but in order to qualify you have to land in the top 16 after playing 3 games. Well, I was persuaded. I was ranked 15 after the qualifying. Still, I was very happy about it. The monthly finals was on a Saturday so I was able to invite my friend from Batangas to watch me play – hey, don’t get me wrong, it was MY FIRST TIME to join a singles competition, a continuous 8-game series. But insecurity immediately took over me. Seeing the other players with their own bowling shoes, ball, and paraphernalia’s made me want to back out. My friend encouraged me to continue and not to waste time in renting the shoes as well as look for the ball that I will use for the game. How miserable I am? Hehe. It was a good fight until the end – I ranked 3rd in the final standing. Woohoo!

Since then, I was addicted with the sports. I bought my own shoes and bowling ball. Even when I was in Japan, I took time to play bowling, despite the fact that it was very expensive. And in this country I got my highest bowling score ever. A whooping 258, a feat that I believe I can’t top anymore. Its funny but even the Japanese watched and cheered for me. That was the first time I left no open frame on the sheet. One time, when I went home from Japan, I hand-carried the ball and the airport personnel kept on asking if I won in an international bowling tournament. Haha! I just smiled at them.

I still play bowling but I miss joining tournaments. Hoping one day, I can play with Paeng Nepomuceno. I guess its not too much to ask for, right?

/totomai
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