Chanel bowls her way to KZN team

WHILE bowls may normally be categorised as a sport for the young at heart, 12-year-old Chanel Walter-Jirout is breaking the mould and is making a name for herself on the greens.

Her dad, Chris, works at the Audi Centre in Pinetown and one of his colleagues hosted a bowls party at the Firwood Sports Club in Queensburgh. She felt drawn to the sport and asked if she could give it a go. With a promise to visit the grounds at the nearest opportunity, Chanel could feel her excitement for the sport mount each day before her first game.

She was immediately taken under the wing of the then chairman of the club, Rod Smith, and the late Kenny Burn. The duo taught her strategies as well as the etiquette of the game and was easily welcomed into the bowls fraternity.

“It was so great because my dad and I now had a sport that we could play together. I just fell in love with it,” said Westville Senior Primary School learner, Chanel.

She stepped onto the field when she was nine years old and after three years of practise, determination and hard work, she was chosen as the skip (captain) for the U15 KZN team, which will compete at the SA nationals in Bloemfontein from 3 to 7 April.

“It is a real honour for me as I am going to be leading the whole team and I hope that we get a top title. Firwood is a relatively small club, so to be chosen is an honour and I really am so proud,” said Chanel.

Three generations of the Walter-Jirout family play the sport. Her grandmother, Joan, who preferred her age to remain under wraps, said it was wonderful for the three of them to play together as they could all go home afterwards and discuss strategies for the upcoming games.

“What started out as a sport has now become a family thing. We are all looking forward to the 2022 Common Wealth Games as bowls is a sport and we will all be going to watch,” said Chanel.

Off the greens, the Grade 7 learner aspires to one day be an accountant or an architect and thoroughly enjoys taking part in physical education, maths and Afrikaans lessons. When not in the classroom, she can be found on the school sports field playing hockey or soccer. Chanel was also chosen to be the captain for the KZN invitational soccer team.

Her love for bowls is evident and when asked if she could see herself playing the sport after high school, she replied, “Yes! I’m only 12 now, so there are a lot of years ahead of me to keep playing.”

She plays the sport every weekend for three-and-a-half hours a session.

“I would really like to thank Rob Shore and Steve Marais for making a KZN team happen this year and also to my dad for his encouragement and help,” said Chanel.

Do you want to receive news alerts via WhatsApp? Send us a WhatsApp message (not an sms) with your name and surname (ONLY) to 060 532 5409.

You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.