By Tony Mariadass
Datuk Dr
P. S. Nathan, former national bowler, and president of Malaysian Tenpin Bowling
Congress (MTBC) has the distinction of having bowled the sports into world
recognition.
The consultant dermatologist by profession, Nathan who turned 87 on Nov 3rd, is a product of St Paul's and Victoria Institution, who hails from Seremban, is known as the ‘Doc for all seasons.’
He is among the
rare breed of sports personalities who has excelled as a dermatologist,
sportsman and administrator.
It will be an under statement to say that he
is the ‘Father for Malaysian Bowling’ for he turned the sports from a parlour
game to a national sport, played by young, old and all races, and turned the
sports into a medal winning pot in the international bowling arena.
As a
player he was the first National Masters champion in 1974. It
was also the year he founded the Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress (MTBC).
As a player, his fulfilling moments were winning the national finals
three times in a row in 1975-77. (His wife – Malathy - won the ladies event the
same three years, thus creating a record of sorts) to represent Malaysia in the
AMF World Cup.
The singles gold at the SEAP Games in 75 (the first gold for Malaysia
in bowling in the SEA Games) and then the Asian Games team gold in 1978
(again the first gold for Malaysia in the Asian Games in bowling) were
memorable moments. The singles gold was a record that stood for more than
20 years.
He hung up his bowling shoes in 1981 after winning the national finals to
represent Malaysia in the first World Games. That was particularly
memorable for him, as once again, his wife won the ladies finals with him.
As an official, he was the president of the Asian Bowling Federation
from 1984-1987. Then from 1987-2003 he was the president of the WTBA for
three terms of four years each. He was the first Malaysian and the first
Asian to be the president of a world governing body of a sport.
It was
indeed a surprise when none of the print or electronic media spoke to him when Shalin
Zulkilfi retired after her illustrious 28-year-old career, a fortnight ago.
If there
was anyone who knew Shalin well, spotted her and saw her grow into an
international bowling Icon, besides her parents, it must be Dr Nathan.
Below in an exclusive interview, Dr Nathan shares his thoughts on Shalin’s retirement and future…….
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| Dr Nathan with Shalin when she was 14 |
“Known Shalin
since she was about six or seven. This was
when she was at the bowling centre at Kent Bowl, where she would be doing her
school homework while here parents would be bowling. Then she will take to
lanes under the instructions of her father who was a good bowler himself.
Soon she
became a good bowler. I then took her under the MTBC bowling coaching programme
under Sid Allen, who was the one who blossomed her into bowler she is today.
Sid is a
great coach in planning for national development of the sport, and for coaching
bowlers individually especially the psychological aspect.
As most of us in the bowling fraternity know, 62 percent is mental, and 38
percent is physical.
What can
I say about Shalin……. she is highly intelligent, exceptionally talented and all
the time in the learning process. She tends to look out of the book, listens to
professional bowlers, visits bowling ball manufacturing centres from where she
would learn the intricacies of what each ball does. Such thoughts and knowledge
are pivotal for the advancement of any bowler to world class level.
Her retirement
from active competitive bowling is a loss to Malaysia, MTBC and to herself as
well. But as she realises and as we all know, there comes a time in the evolution
of mankind that everything is cyclical. That
at some point our faculties and abilities begin to wane. The clever lot among the top athletes would retire at their peak, which that is what she is doing.
I am told
she is proceeding to the US to compete in the Ladies Professional Bowling Tour,
which is certainly one of toughest Ladies bowling tournaments in the world but
not the ultimate. The reason being many of the Korean bowlers do not compete
here and they are by all recognition among the best ladies in the world, by far.
No doubt she will learn much, as I said earlier,
on the science of the manufacturing and data on balls, and the mindset of the
male pro bowlers, as I believe she will be attached to one of the bowling
companies.
She is already
sports a science degree holder, so pursuing an academic career on sports science
is not going to be financially beneficial but more of an investment.
If she goes
to the level of doing a PhD, then she could be a lecturer in sports science department
in any of the local universities. If the universities who employ would allow her
to do private coaching, it would be a real boost to her morale and
finances.
Overall, I
must say she has been one of our best bowlers and undoubtedly the best team leader.
I wish
her well and wish her the best. And I know she will be the best.”
