Story by Jiexin Neo/Red Sports. Photos by Lim Yong Teck and Clara Yuan/Red Sports
Edwin and his wife Adeline, along with their two daughters, are participating in the Community Games as a family for the first time. (Photo 1 © Lim Yong Teck/Red Sports)
Orchid Country Club, Sunday, April 13, 2014 — The Koh Family is one of many families coming together to take part in the 2014 Community Games.
Edwin Koh, 49, and his wife Adeline, 48, have bowled for more than 20 years now, and are representing Yio Chu Kang Community Sports Club (CSC) in this year’s bowling event. Their daughters, who are aged 18 and 21, also picked up bowling not long ago.
“They got interested because we can be together as a family when we go on outings,” commented Edwin. The Community Games have made it easier for the family to spend time together as they train, or when they turn up together for bowling events.
This is their daughters’ first year participating in the games, while the couple have been taking part for three years now. When asked about how they feel playing alongside the newer ones in the group, Edwin said, “I think we need to be tolerant of the newer bowlers, and when we walk up to the lane and the platform, we have to be also patient when we talk to them, when we go about encouraging them also.” As experienced bowlers, the couple do not expect the newer ones to know all about the bowling etiquette, so they share what they know with them and at times, give them relevant advice.
The team has practice sessions every now and then, but Edwin feels that more can be done. “When I first got into the Yio Chu Kang CSC bowling organization, I reached out to the younger generation. They used to just have the oldies group,” recalled Edwin.
Edwin said their aim is to keep in contact with bowlers throughout the year, and not just for the Community Games. “That means talk to them, keep in touch with them, and communicate with them, whether it’s Whatsapp or whatever means, it doesn’t matter. But we do know that they’re playing elsewhere while we are not with them,” he said.
Currently, Yio Chu Kang CSC has three strong teams, with four bowlers in each, and there are teams which are still under development. “So I’d say probably another four more, so we’ll need to groom them to be progressing much better, so that it will lead to better results,” said Edwin.
The couple thinks that bowling is a game that provides a lot of opportunities for communities to come together. Edwin said, “Like here you see almost 36 lanes, and assuming every lane has got four players, you’ll be getting 36 times 4. That’s so many people plus the supporters and the family.” Indeed, there was plenty of interaction between neighbours of different backgrounds on display during the Community Games.
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