Three Kāpiti bowler selected for junior and youth Asian championships

Mitchel Goggin, left, Natasha Goggin and Corey Haylock are heading to international competitions in Bangkok and Singapore later this year. Photo / Grace Odlum

A trio of Kāpiti 10-pin bowlers has been selected to attend international competitions in Asia later this year.

They are brother and sister Mitchel and Natasha Goggin and Corey Haylock.

Corey, 16, was selected as one of four males in the TBNZ Katipō18 Asian Junior Championship team, and Mitchel, 20, was selected as one of four males in the TBNZ Katipō21 Asian Youth Championship team.

Natasha, 16, was selected as one of four females in both teams.

The Junior Championship is being held in Singapore from August 19-23 and the Youth Championship will be in Bangkok from July 4-12.

The selection process for the competition was tough, with judges watching not only how the players bowled, but how they socialised when it was not their turn.

Natasha, who is the top junior girl bowler in New Zealand, said she’s looking forward to the experience.

Mitchel added: “It’s a good learning curve.”

It’s Corey’s first time going overseas, and he’s excited about it.

The three are looking to fundraise about $42,000 between them, and Mitchel and Natasha’s mother Lisa said 10-pin bowling was not funded at all.

“It’s not a cheap activity.”

They’re doing several different fundraising activities, including raffles, picking pinecones, quiz nights and door-knocking.

There is also quite a big monetary prize, which the three are excited about.

Natasha, from Kāpiti College, and Mitchel, a building apprentice, started 10-pin bowling seven years ago in Kāpiti because Lisa worked at the bowling alley, and Corey, from Paraparaumu College, started 12 years ago after being inspired by his sister.

When their coach, Rob Pollock, moved to North City Tenpin in Porirua, the three followed him and now they practise there regularly.

They have plenty of practice ahead of them, with two tournaments in Auckland and one in Sydney before their Asian competitions.

The three wanted to thank Rob and North City Tenpin owners Chris and Ally Haynes.