Tara Murray
Club Sunbury’s Sophie Kurzman thought she was still a couple of years away from representing Australia in lawn bowls.
Having been part of the Jackaroos program, firstly as a pathway member and then an emerging member, Kurzman has been on the radar of Australian selectors.
She has been named as part of the 10 person Australian team to compete at the Oceania Challenge in November.
Australia has been invited by World Bowls to send a development team to the event with players from the emerging and pathway Jackaroos being selected.
Kurzman said she’s really excited by the opportunity.
“There are 10 players in the open squad and six in the emerging squad and I’m the second youngest,” she said.
“I thought I would have to wait my time, but things have fallen into place. I thought I would get there when I got there.”
Kurzman said she was stunned when she found out that she’d been named. She said normally they would tell the athletes and embargo it until later on but it wasn’t the case this time.
“My friend Kate [Argent-Bowden] woke me up saying, ‘guess who is going to New Zealand?’ I said I was hoping it was both us.
“I’m just 21, it is surreal. I’m happy to be there.”
Kurzman first took up the sport in primary school. Out of 10 juniors recruited after a barefoot bowls day at school, she’s the only one still playing.
For Kurzman, it will be her first chance to head to New Zealand.
She was named the lead for both the triples and fours, but that could change due to changes in the squad since the initial squad announcement.
“New Zealand greens are different to Australian ones,” she said. “I’m looking forward to heading over there and settling in and playing some good bowls.”
Kurzman said her experiences the past couple of seasons in the Jackaroos wider squad had been amazing.
“I’ve only been in the squad a couple of years,” she said. “I was in the pathway squad the first year and I was expecting to stay there.
“I was surprised to move into the emerging squad. There’s a few more opportunities which are exciting.
“They are very much the person before the athlete which is something that I really appreciate as a busy student as well.”
Kurzman has a few busy weeks before heading to New Zealand in late November, including heading to Moama and Queensland to play.
Then the Bowls pennant season with Club Sunbury then starts in October before her trip to New Zealand.
