Commonwealth Games: Scotland’s Sophie McGrouther on breaking bowls stigma

When anyone of a certain age says they play bowls, they face a barrage of questions. At the crux of most of them is, ‘why?’

Then throw in the comments about it being a boring, old man’s game. The record has never changed. Until the DJ at the SEC has their way…

McGrouther has been asked time and time again. Her answers, though, may be a little surprising.

Usually parents or grandparents can be pointed to, but the Fife native didn’t have anyone hauling her along to her local club. She, quite literally, went along herself.

After being introduced to the game aged 10 via a taster session at school, she made the decision to have a go at Abbeyview Bowling Club. And to the surprise of many at the time, she stuck at it. Thank goodness she did.

“I used to go to the club after school and they would laugh at me coming in on my scooter and they’d be like, ‘who is she?’,” McGrouther told BBC Sport Scotland.

“For me, it’s the social aspect, the friends that you meet all over the world that really that keeps it going.

“I definitely missed out on a lot of events and things because I was always focused on training, but it’s just nice that it’s all been worth it.”