INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines - Members of the national bowling team will undergo seminars to help compensate for the lack of coaches, according to Philippine Bowling Congress president Nito Tamayo.

“As I have observed during tournaments, there are a few coaches. Walang nakakatutok sa kanila while playing (There's no one focused on teaching them while competing),” said Tamayo.

In an interview, Tamayo said the national team will be undergoing seminars, which will be "some sort" of a bowling school.

“The national players need to undergo some sort of a bowling school to enhance their capability. Sila mismo pwede silang mag-coach (They themselves can become coaches),” said Tamayo.

“If they become coaches themselves, that would be better especially when it comes to international competition," he added.

The PBC is also strengthening its youth development programs to discover young bowlers.

“What I’m doing now is to encourage all of the associations to start their own youth development program so that we can grow and start developing more potential bowlers,” said Tamayo.

The PBC conducts quarterly youth competitions in line with this development program. The bowling body has partnered with SM Bowling Centers.

Jeric Carrabeo won the recent 8th SM Bowling Cup champ driving home a brand new Nissan Grand Livina as the grand prize.

Tamayo said the country isn't that far behind neighboring countries like Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan when it comes to bwoling as a sport.

The advantage in other countries, according to him, is the existence of schools dedicated to a particular sport, such as bowling.

"During high school, a student there can focus on a single sport while here (in the Philippines) there are so many sports covered by PE alone," said Tamayo.

To enhance its youth development program in bowling, the PBC has established a framework where young athletes should first be honed under bowling associations.

Athletes age 12-18 years old can then try out for the developmental pool under PBC. Qualifying for the developmental pool will give them a chance to try out for the national pool.

The national pool will then be the source of athletes for the national team, said Tamayo. "The criteria for each stage is yet to be discussed," said Tamayo.

Not only the bowlers themselves are trained but also coaches.

Last Saturday, the PBC conducted a free coaching seminar for coaches under bowling associations at Paeng's Midtown Bowl, Robinson's Ermita. "By training the coaches, we would like to encourage them to enhance out youth programs as well," said Tamayo.