The IBF (International Bowling Federation) World Cup is coming to the Sunshine Coast! Not only will this huge event bring global recognition to our beautiful region, it brings with it investment in world-class facilities and an uptick for learning a very underestimated sport.
Tenpin bowling is a favourite family activity. The local bowling alley is a great place to take the kids on a rainy or sweltering day, and its a great venue for birthday parties. But had you ever considered it as a regular sport for your kids?
Honestly, we hadn’t either. Until now. Because the Sunshine Coast is about to host the IBF World Cup. And it brings with it an exciting spotlight on junior bowling in the region. Yup, rather than being simply a pleasant weekend pastime, tournament bowling is a huge thing. And it’s brilliant for kids.
“Tournament bowling is very strong in Queensland. But what the World Cup offers is an opportunity for us to showcase exactly how good Australia is at tenpin bowling,” says Morty Douglass, National Manager at Tenpin Bowling Australia.
Most importantly for kids, the tournament will showcase the playing pathway for juniors.
“Kids can go from bowling their local league to bowling state tournaments to representing Australia, to bowling either on the pro tour or in a World Cup,” says Morty.
“At the moment Australia has the number one tenpin bowling athlete in the world in Jason Belmonte. There’s no reason we can’t find another world-class athlete from here on the Sunshine Coast.”
Why is tenpin bowling great for kids?
Any sport is good for kids, but bowling provides several key skills that really help kids’ development.
- Team building: It is a team event as well as an individual event. Kids learn to work together as well as on their own game.
- Social skills: Playing together builds social skills and communication skills.
- Confidence: Bowling helps kids that may be lacking in self confidence because they are not quite fast enough or big enough for more traditional sports. Bowling is a sport for all shapes and sizes that can also provide a great pathway to more serious competition for those interested.
- Off-season activity: It’s a great off-season sport for kids who might play cricket in summer but are not particularly built for heavy athletic sports like football or AFL in winter.
“My pathway into tenpin bowling was through injury, which precluded me from playing cricket. Tenpin bowling is a sport for all, with no age, size, speed or strength limitations. It’s scored objectively and is adaptable to any schedule or number of participants in a safe, inclusive, family and community-orientated environment that lasts a lifetime,” says Morty.
“Bowling has afforded me the ability to travel all over the world. I’ve been fortunate enough to represent my country. I think that’s an opportunity that bowling offers to a lot of kids that may not be particularly well suited to more traditional sports,” says Morty.
Where can kids get involved in tenpin bowling?
Tenpin Bowling Australia has recently taken over Suncity Tenpin in Alexandra Headlands.
“We have a new space set up to get the kids in. We have dedicated coaches that help them develop the basic skills around tenpin bowling.”
Tenpin Bowling Australia runs a weekly Junior League at Suncity Tenpin every Monday from 4 pm to 5.30 pm.
The organisation also runs a beginners’ Bowl Patrol program here.
“Bowl Patrol is an NSO (National Sporting Organisation) or a Tenpin Bowling Australia program, which allows the kids to start a little bit further down the lane on carpets and mats, and then they move forward,” explains Morty.
“We know that the Suncity venue is slated for development at some point down the track. But our investment in Sunshine Coast bowling is permanent. We aim to find a permanent home for our high-performance tenpin bowling centre on the Sunshine Coast in the future.”
Find out more at www.tenpin.org.au
Helpful links:
Things to do with kids on the Sunshine Coast
Free kids activities on the Sunshine Coast
Whats on for kids on the Sunshine Coast
