There was a time when the Philippines was one of the powerhouses in bowling. But with times changing and the game being more technical, other countries have caught up, if not overtaken our Filipino keglers.

Matt McNiel, four-time USBC Bowling Champion lectures Filipino coaches and youth bowlers in the U-22 Technical Coaching Clinic held at the E-Lanes Bowling Center in Ortigas Ave., San Juan City on May 29. (Brian Yalung)

Known to be a game that requires physical toughness, the mental and technical aspect of playing the game have become a telling difference.

To help Filipino coaches and young bowlers, Storm Bowling held a two-day seminar led by four-time United States Bowling Congress champion Matt McNiel last May 29 and 30 at the Elanes Bowling Center and Sta. Lucia East Bowling Center respectively.

“You go back 60 years, every ball was the exact same. People on a lacquer-wood surface and it was really about… bowling success was more physical-based. It’s a very technical game now so bowlers that are very apt to adapting their surroundings. So physical mastery has really taken a backseat to being matched up with lane conditions,” McNiel said in an exclusive interview

Aware of the changes and innovations to the game, Robert Dong, the Vice President of International Sales and Marketing of Storm Products Inc. concurs and points out how equipment and the approach to the game has evolved.

“Bowling in modern games have changed a lot. Equipments are now different. The lane patterns are different. Oil and lane machines are different. And the bowling surfaces are different,” Dong said.

“The modern day is to adjust your equipment with the lane conditions. The one who does it the best and the fastest usually comes out the winner in tournament circuits,” he added.

Also aware of these changes is a former bowler Mervyn Foo. The U-22 coaching consultant has been witness to the success of Philippine bowling, having won his first medal here in the country and competing with former local national players such as Paolo Valdez.

Now, he hopes to give back to the country by doing his part by directing and helping aspiring young bowlers to the right path so that they may evolve and be at par with world-class bowlers in their journey.

“The Philippines was one of the powerhouses in Asia. They have always been there. There are a new bunch of players I have seen. Things are just going to get better and we want to build the next group of players and we hope that we are part of the journey with them,” Foo quipped.