TWO Wimmera tenpin bowlers have made it into the Australian junior training squad.
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Sophie Martin has been invited for the second year in a row, while Bevan Brooke has been invited for the first time. Just 12 girls and 12 boys from across the country are invited for the national training squad.
The training squad will have camps at locations across Australia in the next 12 months. Only players from the squads can be chosen to represent Australia at events such as the Asian Schools Championships and the World Games.
It caps off a remarkable year of bowling for Martin, who represented Australia at the Asian Schools Championships.
After representing Victoria, Brooke said the next step for him was to try and make an Australian team.
“We found out the other week and I’m really hoping to make an Australian team next year, that’s definitely the next step,” he said.
The two bowlers train regularly at Horsham’s Lanes and Games but often travel to tournaments across the country.
“We put in a fair bit of work. We train all the time and going to all the tournaments, there’s a lot of work that goes in to be at this level to be selected. ” Brooke said.
“Just with the state team we train once a month in Melbourne. There’s heaps of travel involved and then we go to tournaments around Australia.”
Martin said being in the training squad this year had been great for her development.
“People from all around Australia come together and after tournaments we will stay behind for a day and train together,” she said.
Bowling at such a high level comes with plenty of challenges. Brooke said reading the ball and maintaining a steady head was important.
“Reading what the ball is doing and being able to make changes is one of the hardest things,” he said.
“The mental game does play a big factor. If you throw a bad shot you really need to try and stay focused. You don’t want a lot of tension and weight in your shoulders.”
Brooke has also just been nominated as the Wimmera Sports Star of the Year nomination for the month of November.
Brooke won his nomination after a stellar performance at the recent Emerson Shield competition where he bowled a perfect score as a member of the Horsham team that came second.
The Emerson Shield is one of the prestigious events on the Ten Pin Bowling Association of Victoria’s calendar.