SOLIHULL bowls star Emily Kernick hopes her rapid rise can inspire more young girls to take up the sport and is ready to welcome a new wave of young talent into the world of bowls.
The 24-year-old has been a mainstay on the junior circuit for years but recently received her first senior international call-up for the upcoming British Isles Series and European Bowls Championships.
Kernick, who visited Royal Leamington Spa Bowls Club on Bowls’ Big Weekend, hopes her emergence on the scene can help to shake the stigma of bowls being for the older generation and also spread a message of inclusivity for the sport.
Kernick said: “Initially, when I told my university friends that I was coming home every weekend to train and play in competitions they were confused about what bowls was.
“But the longer they’ve known me, they’re always asking when the competitions are and when they can watch me.
“It’s great because we need to get more people of younger ages involved and it’s about showing that people of a similar age already do play.
“Being from across all forms of bowls, I feel like I can have a big voice in promoting the sport.
“It’s important to speak out and get people involved and if I can help one person get interested then I feel like I’ve done something worthwhile.”
Bowls’ Big Weekend took place between May 24 to 27 and is a national project aimed at increasing the amount of players involved in the sport.
Over 700 clubs opened their doors to offer free taster sessions to the public with the aim of growing the sport of bowls.
Bowls runs in Kernick’s blood, with her mother first introducing her to the sport as a child and her sister also playing to a high standard.
Kernick’s talent has spanned across a wide range of bowls disciplines, taking part in domestic and international competitions in crown, flat and indoor bowls.
And with her foot now firmly in the door for her first senior flat competition, Kernick believes the added pressure that comes with playing for England is a privilege.
Team England won six medals at the most recent Commonwealth Games on home soil and Kernick is eager to showcase her own talent and come home with the gold.
Kernick added: “I had my first senior international trial this year and I just recently found out that I have been selected for a British Isles Series and European Championships which is something that I never even thought I would be considered for.
“I’m really excited for the season ahead. When you’re playing for a country like England, we have such a history of success so you want to win.
“You don’t want to lose a game when you play for England because you know that everyone wants to beat you.
“There is that added pressure but pressure is privilege.”
For more information go to bowlsbigweekend.com
