AMERICAN bowling coach Joe Slowinski, who mentors the national squad, faces a big challenge in monitoring the growth and development of Singapore-based prodigy and newly-crowned Singapore Open men’s singles champion Zach Sales Ramin.
Aside from tracking the progress of the youthful bowler remotely, Slowinski will also try to keep the fires of the 17-year-old bowler’s passion for the sport burning as he enters Singapore’s compulsory two-year enlistment program next year.
Like in South Korea, Ramin, who was born in Singapore to expatriate parents Rudi and Grace Ramin, is required to enlist in Singapore’s military for two years to keep his residency status.
Already assured of a tough physical regimen given Singapore’s high military standards, the 6-foot Ramin said he will be able to work out and practice on weekends while serving as an enlisted man so that he won’t become stale and remain sharp in the sport he took up at the age of seven.
Slowinski, who provided tips to Ramin that abetted his success in becoming the first male Filipino bowler to win the Singapore Open crown, is keen on keeping tabs on the bowler even while he is serving in the military.
“It will all have to do with constant communication between myself, Zach, and his parents so we can continue to evaluate his strengths and we strengthen further while he is in the Singapore military. To prepare him for the next opportunity,” the bespectacled coach said.
He noted the great promise in the right-handed bowler’s future with proper training and expressed hope that he would be part of the new generation of young bowlers, led by Vietnam Southeast Asian Games double gold medalist Merwin Tan, who would carry the country’s cudgels in international competitions.
“Hopefully like Merwin, Jordan (Dinham-Alcantara) and Patrick (Nuqui), the Philippine Bowling Federation would be able to support Zach with more international exposure. Those kinds of experiences push you mentally,” Slowinski said.
“The execution has to be better since you are bowling against better players overall. It helps to see where you are and remain motivated at a higher level,” he added. “To me, that is the next step. He is very young and the next 10 years of development will be critical for him to keep evolving as an athlete.”
PSC Commissioner and former Philippine Bowling Federation president Bong Coo said she would try to include Ramin in the PSC national training pool so he can get more support from the government sports agency.
Slowinski said Ramin is being lined up for the 21st Asian Youth Tenpin Bowling Championships set July 4 to 12 in Bangkok, Thailand as well as the Asian Junior Tenpin Bowling Championships slated Aug. 19 to 25 in Singapore.
