What’s the latest fad to grip youngsters in the city — not just as a lifestyle, but also to form groups, party together and follow it professionally as well? Bowling!
The activity/sport may have been here for many years now, but it’s only now that bowling parties, groups and events are properly underway. We talk to many star players about the changes that has happened recently to the city’s bowling scene.
Zen, a popular DJ in town, who is also the state runner-up in bowling, says, “Commercially, bowling started off in the city in the late 90s. The ‘Snow Bowling’ centre was the first one to kickstart the game here. That’s the reason the game is still popularly known as ‘snow bowling’. Outside Chennai, no one will call it that way! For some reason, the centre shut. Only in 2000 did people start to take it up professionally and began playing tournaments.”
“It all began as fun,” Zen asserts, adding, “Currently, there are 30 to 40 serious players in the city, and everyone started it as a fun activity. But once you take up the sport seriously, the fun part of it goes away and you become engrossed in techniques. It is very addictive.”
The city also doesn’t have many female professional bowlers except Sabeena Saleem, who has won the national championship nine times. Reasoning why many women do not take up the sport, she says, “It is not like cricket, right? There is no money coming in, but rather you spend it all (laughs). It is a very expensive game!”
Sabeena, who had been athletic in her school days, instantly fell in love with the game when she first tried her hand at it. “I kept winning local tournaments, and then came the national one! I was not an expert, but still I participated, and learnt it from other players in Delhi. The next year, I practiced using the tips I got from the veterans and won the nationals in 2001. I am a self-made bowler (laughs).” From then on, there was no stopping Sabeena, who kept winning tournaments.
Shabbir Dhankot, the most-promising talent from the city and the only Indian to win bronze at the Commonwealth Tenpin Bowling Championship, says, “Previously, there were only straight bowlers (basic technique), who played the national levels and they thought that’s the roof they can hit. But after the involvement of Tenpin Bowling Federation of India, we have started concentrating on techniques like ‘hook’, which gives us a better chance internationally, as well.”
Echoing similar views, Dinesh Kumar also points out that the bowling scene has gone through a paradigm shift after the initiative of the federation’s secretary Kannan.
The reigning state champion, says. “The major facility is in Bengaluru. Unlike Chennai, it has a professional set up because of the federation. This has resulted in many tournaments now , and we are seeing new bowlers emerging.”
Kannan has brought in drilling facilities for the bowling ball, which was unavailable in India earlier. Talking to DC, he says, “Hook, as a technique, is quite popular across the world and needs a customised ball for each player depending upon their palm and fingers. Earlier, one had to go to places like Singapore to get that done, but now we have brought all the equipment here, which has made it easy for the players.” The players are now looking forward to the Asian Indoor Games that is all set to happen in Turkmenistan in September.
