Team England 2022 Squad – we interview Lucy Wall
Where did bowling start for you?
The way I got into bowling is very different to most people. Mine wasn’t because my family bowled, my mum went to aqua aerobics and someone that was there ran the YBC. She asked my mum what the kids (me and my brother) do on a Saturday morning the answer was nothing. So we went and never left.
Who helped you improve in the early days and then up to National standard?
When I first started my coach was Bryan Buller, he was our YBC girls coach. And then when I went to Academy, I met Richard and have had Richard as my coach even since. He lives far away from me though so Elliot Crosby had been working with me at my home centre.
The pandemic hits and no one could bowl. How did you cope with the downtime?
The pandemic came at a great time for me, I’m at an age where I’m working full time so I had the time to think about my bowling. We had a zoom bowling party with my family which included using the wii and a giant set of bowling equipment.
You bowled well in the 2022 trials and selection for Team England. How did you get so match fit after the long layoff?
Thank you, I just put in the time and effort into my game. Got new equipment and made sure I was training as much as I could.
When you are not on the lanes, what do you do for a career and other interests?
I work as a pastry chef in the Shard, so with my job bowling isn’t easy to always fit in but I make it work. I work most weekends and some evenings so doing tournaments and leagues can be difficult. My other love is Fulham football club, I have been a season ticket holder for many years. I try to go to as many home and away games as I can.
A delayed European Women Championships now and time to prepare, what work will you put into your game?
A delayed Europeans is great I have been able to have my eye operation. So I won’t be on the lanes for 3 weeks but I can work on stuff off the lanes. But once I’m back on the lanes I will work even harder in training.
What goals do you have for yourself in the sport?
My goal was to make the team so that is a tick, but really just to enjoy myself and bowl as well as I can. I don’t get to bowl as much as I use to due to my job so it’s always nice to be on the lanes.
Team England will be training on String machines in 2022, have you played on them much yet?
I haven’t played on string lanes yet but I can’t wait to give it a go.
What’s currently in your bowling bag and do you have a prefered brand or type of bowling ball?
In my bag is Roto grip Loco, Roto grip Dare devil, Storm PhysiX, Storm Gravity Evolove, DV8 hell raiser blaze and Storm pink and white spare ball. I have always had a selection of brands of bowling balls but always had a DV8 and storm bowling ball in my set. They have just always worked best for me.
You win big in the future and Hollywood come calling, Who plays you in the movie?
I’m not really one for watching many films unless it’s a Disney film. My brother said Emma Watson would be good at playing me in a film so will take his word for it.
If you could bowl doubles with anyone in the World, who would be your partner?
If we are talking bowlers then Kyle Troup. I think his outfits and his reactions after shots are great. With his wacky trousers to his fluffy hair and comb. However if it wasn’t a bowler it would be the Aleksandar Mitrovic because he is passionate about his sport and never gives up just like me.
What advice would you give to young bowlers dreaming to play for their country and what is the best advice you have have been given?
Never give up when it gets tough, always be happy, train hard and you don’t always need the most expensive equipment work with what you have in front of you. “Go out and enjoy it and don’t roll your eyes at your coach” This is a phrase I hear very often.
Thank you Lucy!
We have invited all of the Adult Team England squad for 2022 to tell us a little more about themselves, and will publish them all weekly. You can read all of our athlete’s interviews on the Athlete Interviews page here..
