Bowling to Birmingham: Commonwealth Games culmination of 40-year dream

Graham Skellern first rolled down a bowl in 1982. Now he's off to the Commonwealth Games. Photo / Photosport

Over the coming months, some of the personal questions I've had while watching the talented New Zealand sportsmen and women compete at international level will be answered.

What's it like pulling on the Silver Fern? How does it really feel standing on the medal podium listening to the national anthem?

I'm about to experience the feeling after being selected for the Para men's pair lawn bowls at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, starting July 28.

It's a 40-year dream come true - since I first rolled down a bowl in Wellington in 1982 and wanted to represent New Zealand. It's so exciting.

Along the way, there have been some harrowing losses on the bowling green. And the dream was interrupted by the suicide of my son Matthew, who had bipolar disorder. But through every loss and challenge I've refocused and made sure I can become an even better player and person.

My bowling world opened up when Para bowls was added to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014 - and winning three New Zealand disabled titles in the last three seasons, as well as being runner-up in the Australia Open Para pairs last June. The Aussies will again be the ones to beat at Birmingham.

I qualified because of my polio contracted when I was 6 months old in 1952. I wore callipers and a built-up shoe at times. This never held me back. I was sports mad and played 1st XI cricket, tennis (in which I became Taranaki junior champion), rugby, football, squash and badminton while at New Plymouth Boys' High School. I even started golf.

I was just grateful my polio wasn't worse and I could still walk and compete. I never considered myself disabled and caused havoc in the able-bodied bowls competition, winning 15 centre titles, and countless club championships at Terawhiti (Wellington), Carlton-Cornwall, Homai, Manurewa and Takapuna in Auckland, and at Tauranga South and Tauranga club in the Domain.

It was when I reported the Commonwealth Games in Brisbane in 1982 that I decided I could play as well as those I was watching and decided to take up the game on my return home at the age of 30.

I represented the Auckland, Counties Manukau, Bay of Plenty and North Harbour centres, reached the national open championship semifinals three times, and I'm proud to discover I'm the first lawn bowler from the Bay to be selected for a Commonwealth Games.

Since July, we've been practising on croquet lawns to match the slower speed of the greens at Royal Leamington Spa just out of Birmingham. I had use of the manicured lawns at the Mt Maunganui Croquet Club - some of the best surfaces in the world - and I could stroll out the backyard of our own home in Matapihi and train on a specially-prepared rink on the private cricket ground.

The slower-paced surface meant an adjustment to your bowling delivery and that's where the hard work paid dividends. Standing higher on the mat and having a bigger backswing, I had to perfect the weight and timing so that it became second nature.

We went through national training camps and two trials - and I survived. I can't wait to pull on the Silver Fern.

The first chance will be in early June when the New Zealand teams plays the transtasman test series against Australia at Club Tamborine Mountain on the Gold Coast - on a slow green that replicates the conditions in England.

The Commonwealth Games build-up is under way, and my proud 40-year journey has just become a little shorter and more urgent. I will keep you posted.