"What greater honour in the sport could you have? There's nothing quite like hearing your national anthem play out, it's really quite emotional," Owen said.
Owen, a member at local bowls club Owhata for the past two years, after previously playing for Westbrook, relocated to Rotorua 16 years ago.
The former national champion has recently been called up as a reserve for the mixed national side to defend the Henselite Trophy against Australia in Sydney, in May.
Owen said the tournament, which happens every two years, was "bitter-sweet" after she was forced to withdraw on the eve of the last test match due to a broken elbow.
"It's incredible. The rivalry between the Aussie team and ourselves is huge, it's always special to be apart of that," she said.
"I feel I have unfinished business because it was unbelievable in 2015. I was in a New World out of town and slipped. It was devastating to break my elbow.
"I've slowly been working myself back since injury and that will always affect selection. It's a very strong team though and we have a brilliant chance, you never know I may feature."
Owen is a seasoned skip and three - representing the mixed Bay of Plenty and North Island sides for more than a decade.
She has also played for Tauranga for four years competing in the Paterson Trophy.
With a deadly draw shot she has won everything in the women's singles class including two consecutive national titles, her first in 2013, and the Rotorua and Bay of Plenty top titles.
But Owen said she was "desperate" for Bay of Plenty reps to win one of the six prestigious Paterson Trophies across the country, with three teams eventually moving forward to compete for the national Welch Trophy.
"It would mean so much for me to see my home side right up there playing at that level," she said. "That's the elite national level and the quality is so high. I believe we currently have the right mix of experience and youth in the region to challenge for it."
Owen said she was inspired to take up the sport because of her Italian parents Rafaelle and Carolina, who were keen indoor bowlers themselves.
The mother of four had an 11 year gap out but took up the sport with a vengeance shortly after the birth of her twin girls Maria and Stephanie.
And Owen said she had no plans to retire, a decision supported by partner Derek, 62, a fellow avid bowls player and her teammate.
"The sport is in my blood, and my Italian heritage helps - it adds a lot of fire and passion to my game," Owen said. "I was very eager to get back playing and I waited until the two twins weren't quite so much of a handful.
"Derek and myself help each other along. We always have that banter about who's going to beat who. I would definitely say I'm better but of course, if you ask Derek he'll say the same."
Owen said her focus this season was club indoor bowls with a future aim of encouraging more youngsters into the sport locally.
"There's a lot of rivalry locally, it's a great competition. I feel added pressure when I get on the mat and I know people want to knock me off my perch," she said.
"They want to beat me because they know I'm a New Zealand bowler. If I have a bad day and miss a shot, I'm hard on myself. I feel I have to perform every game.
"It's not just an old people's sport - it's for all ages. I would like to see more coming through - hopefully Rotorua will keep up the good work and support the future stars of the game."
