Boling Perpaduan Merdeka 09

On Saturday August 15, my school entered a team for the above tournament, organized by Petaling District Bowling Association, SportsUnite and Milo. Entry is only for Primary & Secondary Schools from KlangValley.

Haikal, Najia, Sim WeiLiang and me represented our school Sri Selangor. There are only 4 team Primary School teams competing in this tournament. Dun know why so few primary school taking part. However, there are more than 15 Secondary School taking part.

We came out in first place in the Primary School category. I also won the Boys Singles as well as High Game. Najia did the same, winning the Singles and the High Game.

Now dah Ramadhan, stop training dulu. Lepas ni nak train balik, nak cuba Junior International pulak, Just to see where I am.

Thank you for all your help, taking me here

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HELP!

There are so many people that I want to say thank you to, for helping me be where I am today, with my passion for Tenpin Bowling. I really do not know where to start.

But I guess I will have to start by thanking my two sisters, Harini & Fairuz, for taking up the sport. Otherwise, I would not have to practically grow up in a bowling alley and slowly picking up the game.

Then there are Uncle Zul, Aunty Ani, Kak Shalin and Abang Azidi. Thank you for all the coaching and advises. I will always remember what you had taught me and all the advices and encouragements that you had given me. Kak Shalin, I am sorry that the Mickey Mouse bowling ball, you gave me got stolen. Blame Dad for allowing his car to be stolen.

To Uncle Allan and Uncle Holloway, thank you for the opportunity that you both had given me, to be in your various development programs.

To Uncle Joe Slowinski, thank you for all the tips & technique you gave me, during your short stint, here in Malaysia.

Uncle Micky Un, Uncle Simon, Uncle Hisham Nor, Abang Mus, Abang Din, Abg Jaa and Abang Arfzarl, thank you for coaching me, even its only for a short while. Maybe one day, I will be training under you again, since I am not in any development program. God willing!

To Mum and Dad, thank you for all the support and tolerating the tensions and stress that I have given you both at Bowling Alleys, during training and tournaments! I am only a small boy! To Baby Nine, most probably you will also get hooked to bowling, by growing up at the Alley just like me. Already, you are making us all, your manual pin-setter, at home.

To all my bowling friends, thank you for the competition we gave each other, leading us all to where we are today as bowlers! Insya’allah, we will all battle it out again, in the coming tournaments and next years Junior Circuit.

2009 GRAND PRIX FINALS Aug 7 to 9

This is the finale for the 2009 National Junior Circuit. This is the championship that all bowlers, who participated in the Junior Circuit wants to compete. For the Under-12 age group, the top 10 Bowlers in the GP Ranking qualify for the GP Finals, together with the winner of the Sarawak and Sabah Circuit.

12 bowlers will play in the first round, which consist of two blocks of 4 games each. The top 8 bowlers after the 2 blocks will then proceed into the Grand Prix Finals.

I wanted to wear a Selangor shirt, but both my Mum and Dad did not allow me to do so. I asked them why, and they told me that I do not belong to any Selangor development program, and furthermore I will be provided with Milo Tee-shirt to wear for the duration of the Grand Prix.

When I registered myself, I was given 2 sets of Milo Tee-shirts. Hmmmmm at least this time, the Tees looked nice and better in quality. Hahahahaha.

Before the start of the 1st game I felt very tensed and worried. I had millions of butterflies in my stomach. This is my 1st GP and I guess the biggest tournament that I have ever entered so far in my life, and I want to make the best of this opportunity. Another reason was also because of the bowlers from East Malaysia, I do not know their standard.

My Dad comforted me, and told me not to worry and just play my game. He also told me that whatever the outcome is, he is already very proud of my achievement reaching the GP. That calmed me down a little, and I hope that Dad will also be calm. I don’t want him getting upset and spoil my game also.

Once the practice throws gets on the way, I felt good and the tensed feeling went away. I had a very good start scoring 197 in the first game. I had another 198 in my 4th game and finished in 4th position with a total score of 745 for my first block of 4 games. I was 61 pins behind the leader Christopher Tiong from Sarawak. Qayyum was second and Imran Az-Zahari from Kedah was 3rd.

After the game, the whole family had to rush to Damansara Heights, to help with the wedding preparation for my cousin, who was getting married to Norman of the KRU fame. We left as early as we could but still, it was around 12 midnight when we reached home. I went to bed immediately, feeling glad that the 2nd block only starts at 1.00PM on Saturday.

Thank goodness that I did not feel so tired when I woke up in the morning. I readied myself, since the Family wants to leave early and have lunch at the Alley. As usual Nasi Ayam for me!

I had a bad start scoring 168 and 153 for my 1st and 2nd game. However, I covered it up with a 178 and a 200 game to finish in 3rd placing scoring a total 8 games of 1438 pinfall. Alhamdullillah, I am now in the Finals of my first ever GP. However, I was 208 pins behind Qayyum and 72 pins behind Christopher.

On the day of the Finals, Dad had to leave home very early, to take my sister Fairuz, who was down with high fever and flu, to SJMC. I went to Pyramid with Mum, My sis Rinie and brother Nine. While Dad was at SJMC, Mum kept him informed of my game.

By the time Dad had sent Fairuz home and reached the Alley, I was already ending my fourth game. He came and hugged me and then as usual went for his smoke. I guessed he felt good because I had three good games, scoring 195,162 & 257 for my first 3 games and I was keeping my average on the 4th game. I scored 179 for my 4th game and I am now in second place, 63 pins behind Qayyum. Christopher is now 49 pins behind me.

For the last two games, I will be playing alongside Qayyum. My Dad is very happy about this, as I would be able to keep track of him. This is to ensure that I can follow Qayyum’s game which could help me secure the 2nd placing, since 65 pins is to big a gap to beat, unless miracles happened.

Although I managed to beat Qayyum on both games, 172 to 148 and 190 to 186, miracles did not happen. However, I managed to keep to my 2nd placing, loosing by 35 pins and beat Christopher into 3rd place by 75 pins.

I felt sad but then again, I guess that Qayyum is the better bowler, in fact one of the strongest and consistent bowler of the season. Congratulations Qayyum!

Junior Circuit ~ Selangor Leg July 24 to 26, 2009

The Selangor Circuit is the last circuit for me to ensure that I qualify for the GP and make my Dad’s hope comes true. I am sure that he will be happy with me should I qualify.

Before the game start in the 1st round, I told myself to concentrate, be focused and to play my own game and pace. I must not let other bowler’s pace spoil my rhythm.

I started off very badly, only managing a score of 141 pinfall. Dad looks calm and my sister Rinie told me what was wrong with my game and to told me what corrections to make. My game improved and I had a score of 205 pinfall for my second game. Alhamdullillah, I had sort of covered for my bad 1st game.

I played quite consistently for the rest of the games and managed a total score of 1078, for 6 games, averaging 179. I was 4th at the end of the first block of 6 games. I was only 7 pins behind the leader, Helmi of NS. Anyway, I had qualified for the Finals, my 3rd in this year’s Junior Circuit.

In the Finals, I started off well with 172 and followed it with a 222 for my second game. However Qayyum from NS, was too strong and I ended on 2nd place, loosing 86 pins to Qayyum and beating Tun Ameerul of Perak by only 3 pins.

My GP ranking points increased by 55 points making it a total of 140 points and I had qualified for the GP Finals at 8th position. Dad was so happy that he hugged me. I guess I made his wish come true.

Now for the GRAND PRIX!

Junior Circuit~ NS/Melaka Leg July 3 to 5

We left the house on Saturday July 4, around 9.00AM to Seremban, since check-in time for Under-12 is at 11.30 AM.

I struggled with my game trying to adjust and find my line. Dad was not very happy with my game and that also upset my rhythm. He says that I am not following his instructions, but I was trying my very best.

I do not know what was really wrong with Dad being so angry with me, maybe the fever that was growing on him, might have played a strong effect on his behavior.

I did all I can to qualify for the Finals but failed. I could only managed 11th placing. I was beaten by Fariz Imadi of Johor, by 31 pins.

Anyway, my points in GP ranking increased to 85 points and still in 9th position. I am hanging on. I will try my best at the Selangor Leg.

Junior Circuit ~ Johor LegJune 18 to 21, 2009

Ten days after returning home from Kedah, I am on my way to Johor Bahru, for the Johor Leg of the Circuit. This time the whole family tagged along, as I have two Aunties, who lived there.

I will participate in the Boys Under-12 category and my sister, Fairuz in the Girls Open Category.

This time around, I managed to play well and placed myself in second position after the first round, with a score of 1032. Adam Rahimi of Kelantan was 1 pin behind me and his younger brother, Alif Mukri, leads the pack 11 pins ahead of me. This would be my second participation in the Finals of the Junior Circuit.

My sister, managed to get into the second round, but could only manage a 14th position in the quarter-finals, and failed to qualify for the Step-Ladder matches.

While Fairuz was bowling in the 1st round, the family prepared a surprise Birthday celebration for her. Today June 20 was her birthday. Everything was prepared and ready when she finished the 1st round. We could all see the big surprise on her face, when she found out about the birthday celebration. However, the blush on her face was a sight, not to be forgotten, when Uncle Choo announced it on the Alley’s PA system. Well, for the first time in her life, my sister had the most number of people singing “Happy Birthday” to her, and Uncle Choo was even singing it over the PA system.

In the finals, I did not play as good as the 1st round and could only manage 1007 pinfalls. I managed to hold on and secured third position, loosing to Adam by 31 pins and Helmi of Negri Sembilan by 15 pins. This was my best placing so far, in Junior Circuit. With this 3rd placing, my GP ranking points increased to 80 points and I am now at 9th position, of the GP standings.

2009 MSSM Championship atSungai Petani Kedah June 1 to 7

The team travelled to Kedah on May 30, by bus. Since My family had a function to attend to in Ipoh, I travelled with them and not with the Team.

We reached Sungai Petani at around 5.00PM. After checking into Emerald Hotel and a short rest, I went to Ampang Superbowl for the Boy’s Team unofficial Practice. I stayed with my family until the official check-in at Park Avenue Hotel on June 1, 2009.

We had three days of unofficial practice session in total, prior to the official practice session on June 2.

The first day of competition was the Singles event. I played very badly and could only manage 14th position. Rafiq capture the Gold Medal for Selangor.

When the Singles competition was over, I could see that my Mum was very upset. Forget about Dad, he was furious. Mum was very angry that she observed I do not seem to have the strength to throw the ball. So they took me back with them to their hotel room to rest.

I guess after seeing the way I ate my lunch and slept in their room, they decided that I stay with them, and not with the team. I was not happy with their decision but they told me that they do not want me to make a fool out of myself in the Championship.

I guess that they were right. I had a good rest that night and the next morning, I felt good and ready to bowl in the Doubles event. Sure enough, I played well and supported Rafiq in our event. We won the Gold Medal and at the same time, my standing in the All Event shot up to 4th position. This enabled me to participate in the Masters Final, the nest day.

I did not bowl badly. However, I could only manage a 5th placing in the Masters Final. As expected, Rafiq won the Gold Medal.

The final event of the Championship was the Team event. This event was played on the Baker’s Format. Our Team consisting of Zydan, Jalal, Rafiq and me, complimented each other’s game very well and we emerged as the Team event Champion.

I am happy with my result at this Championship, winning two Gold Medals, a 4th and a 5th position Medals too.

For the record, Rafiq won 5 Gold Medals.