The sport of lawn bowling is not often associated with teenagers, but one Victoria bowler is looking to change the stigma.
Seventeen-year-old Auzzie Chambers started his sports career like most Canadians, on the ice. But after a chance encounter with one of his mom’s clients, his focus shifted to the greens of the Juan de Fuca Lawn Bowling Club.
“My mom’s a senior care worker and one of her clients asked me if I wanted to come out one day so I tried it one time and loved it ever since.”
It was love at first bowl. Auzzie started competing in and winning lawn bowling tournaments around B.C. Now the youngster is ready for the bowling big leagues.
Auzzie was drafted first overall in the Ultimate Bowls Championship. The Ultimate Bowls Championship is a major tournament series in Australia and features the world’s best bowlers.
Auzzie will play for the North American Orcas. He’ll also be the youngest player in the tournament and just the second-ever Canadian. It’s a fact not lost on Auzzie, or his dad Max.
“We’re quite proud of him you know there’s 600 high-quality players registered for the draft they have some of the best players in the world in it and this is the first representation out of North America.”
For most in Canada, the sport is a casual hobby, but in Australia, it’s big business. There’s pro leagues, sponsors and T.V. rights as well as over half a million Australian dollars up for grabs. It’s why Auzzie’s coach Davie Mathie encouraged the teenager to go down under.
“If you stick around Canada you won’t make a dime so money’s in Australia and he’s going down there to show his stuff and see if he can get a job down there.”
So Auzzie will take his best shot against the Aussies, as the Victoria bowler gets ready to blaze a trail for Victoria.
Cole Sorenson
