Teens master a different ball game
Lawn bowls may not be a fast-paced, exciting sport like soccer or basketball, but it involves a lot of skill and people of all ages can enjoy it.
On May 17, 13 secondary schools and three primary schools took part in the Southern District Indoor Lawn Bowls Promotional Day cum Inter-school Competition at Ap Lei Chau Sports Centre. Wah Yan College, Kowloon defeated Wah Yan College, Hong Kong in the final to win the championship.
'We were pretty confident that we could finish among the top two in the tournament because we have three players who are members of the Hong Kong junior squad,' said Chan Kwok-kit from Wah Yan College, Kowloon.
'However, things did not go as smoothly as we had planned at the beginning. We were defeated by Po Leung Kuk C.W. Chu College in the preliminary round. But, when we entered the final, our team showed a lot of confidence and were able to perform under pressure.
'In the final against Wah Yan College, Hong Kong, we went up 4-2 but allowed our opponents to tie the game at four-all going into the last end. Our captain Aron Koo was brilliant. He made key plays down the stretch and led us to a 6-4 victory.'
Kwok-kit's teammate, Lau Wai-shun, said lawn bowls is not a physical sport - there is no running or jumping but it requires great concentration and patience.
'Before rolling out the ball, players have to make a lot of adjustments to try to make the perfect shot,' said Wai-shun.
'Muscle control and patience is extremely important. I have learned to be patient after playing lawn bowls.'
The event was co-organised by the Hong Kong Lawn Bowls Association and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. During the lunch break, spectators were invited to try their hand at the sport as part of efforts to promote lawn bowls among the community.
