ATHLETICS

Nearly Aborted Trip Results to Success
Sharwin Tee, Bowling Coach

Posted Tuesday, 11-Jan-2005 10:33 PM

      How sweet it is.

      J. Em Ang (H2D) of the Xavier Bowling Team, amid all the hardships, did both his country and his school proud as he took home 2 nd runner-up honors in the Graded Boys Division of the 5 th Milo International Junior All Stars held at the Pyramid Megalanes in the Sunway Lagoon Resort in Malaysia.

      The sophomore, representing Xavier School and the Philippines , joined several other members of the National Youth Pool and competed in the largest Milo Junior All Stars in history. In the Graded Boys Finals, J. Em bowled a 10-game series of 1964 or an average of 196.4 per game, including a crucial 197 in the last game to secure the third spot over eventual fourth placer Mohammad B. Zaina, who bowled a 187, by one pin. J. Em actually ended up just two pins away from 1 st runner-up winner Mohd Faizal Fadzil.

      The victory, the first international one for the Xavier bowling team, was made more special by the fact that J. Em’s trip was almost cancelled. First, he had to rush several pre-flight requirements like the DSWD certificate and the flying sportsman baggage weight waiver, which he needed in order to fly abroad. Second, the plane tickets were only secured the day before the flight, since all flights to Malaysia were fully booked. Arriving in Malaysia last December 8, 2004, J. Em had to play a total of 40 games in three days, while doing his various school assignments. Despite playing continuously, he just barely qualified for the Masters finals, since the lane conditions were very difficult. The finals, however, proved to be a different story as J. Em bowled consistently, staying in the top 4 throughout the ten game series. Even eventual champion Park Jong Woo of Korea couldn’t perform that feat.

      With the third place trophy, the only one the Philippine contingent brought home, J. Em also took home the cash prize of RM 2, 000 or a peso equivalent of about 36, 000. This is what he used to defray the costs of his qualifying games, his plane ticket, hotel stay and of course, gifts for his mom and dad.

      This experience is truly a special one, not only for J. Em, but for the entire Xavier bowling team as well, who were one in supporting J. Em. With this positive experience, joining future tournaments abroad for the bowling team is not such a far-fetched idea any longer.

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