BANCHORY bowler Iain Humble is relishing the prospect of representing Scotland in the British Isles Championships later this month.
This will be the third time that the 24-year-old has represented his country at the event.
He said: "It is a very prestigious tournament and one of the big events in the bowling calendar. We won it last year so hopefully we can defend it successf
ully this time. It is always an honour to play for your country, especially this season as I am the only player from the north area in the squad. Normally there is a handful of players from up here but for some reason I am the only one that has made the team this year."
Iain has been bowling since he was eight years old and has been a junior internationalist since he was 16.
The Banchory Bowling Club member believes that the increasing amount of youngsters taking up the sport means that the future for Scottish bowling is looking very promising.
"Up here it tends to be people slightly older than myself who traditionally play bowls but it is becoming very popular with young people further down south," he said. "There are two or three players in the Scotland squad younger than myself and most of the others are probably in their forties. We do have Willie Wood who is in his seventies that takes the average age up but apart from him it is a fairly young squad. The game seems to be growing in popularity amongst youngsters in the country, although perhaps not as fast in our area as it is elsewhere."
Iain has urged any Deeside and Donside youngsters keen to try their hand at bowling to contact their local club.
He added: "Quite a few of the clubs do try to actively recruit young players. I know in Inverurie there is a Grampian under-25 side that I used to play for. In Banchory we have the DISC (Deeside Indoor Sports Club) where youngsters can have a go at bowling.
"In the past myself and other members from the club have taken local school pupils and cub scouts for sessions so that they can have a go at bowling.
"At present there isn't a huge amount of youngsters from the town coming down to the club to play but hopefully that will change in the future."
The British Isles Championships take place at the Belmont Bowling Complex in Belfast on Saturday, June 27 and Sunday, June 28.
