The Corner Flag: Bowlers, you humble me – thank you

In the Game of Thrones series premiere, the character of Jon Snow was upset when not invited to feast with the king and his entourage. Fellow outcast Tyrion Lannister met and asked Snow if he was Ed Stark’s bastard son.

Ashamed, Snow tried to avoid the issue. Noticing this, Tyrion gave him exceptional advice on accepting who and what you are.

He said, “Let me give you some advice, bastard. Never forget what you are. The rest of the world will not. Wear it like armour, and it can never be used to hurt you.”

As a short person, Tyrion had been mocked his entire life but learnt early on that imperfections can and must be used as strengths.

In the entire series, he used the only things he had to survive – his wit and intelligence. He accepted who he was and owned it.

I learnt this lesson during the International Bowls for the Disabled (IBD) Championships hosted by Ekurhuleni Bowls last month.

Accept who you are, own it and live a life of fulfilment.

Watching these larger-than-life personalities proudly move from end to end in their wheelchairs, crutches and the visually-impaired guided by their directors was a testament that disability doesn’t mean inability.

Despite their challenges, they were sympathetic and kind and entertained spectators with closely-contested matches I’d ever seen on a bowling green.

Their dedication, courage and commitment to the sport was better than anything I’ve witnessed from able-bodied bowlers. It was inspiring and encouraging.

Anthony Page from England shed tears when asked what it meant to represent his country, and SA’s Jarid James, Gareth Rees-Gibbs and Vicky van der Merwe’s emotions changed when asked the same question.

All they needed was an opportunity to show their love for their countries.

They deserve to wear their countries’ colours like all of us. They are heroes and should be treated as such because of the obstacles they had to overcome to earn national caps and represent their nations internationally.

Bowls SA president Heather Boucher rightly described them as miracle makers to the game of bowls because they are a blessing to the sport.

One of my biggest things was the banter and camaraderie between the players. It was unbelievable.

For instance, if you’ve lost your left arm, they call you ‘Lefty’, and if you have lost a lower limb, you are called ‘Hop-along’.

They gave each other nicknames and took it as fun. I was shocked because what I viewed as offensive was banter to them.

They have accepted who they are and live their lives to the fullest. That was the biggest lesson for me.

Thank you to the IBD, Bowls SA, Ekurhuleni Bowls and players from all nine participating nations for this humbling and life-changing experience.

Also Read: The Corner Flag: Disability sport deserves better

Also Read: The Corner Flag: Why should athletes pay to use the Boksburg Stadium track?