A local bowler will soon be taking her game to the national level.
Jennifer Kostiuk, an 18 year veteran of the glossy lanes, has recently qualified to represent Saskatchewan at the 2015 Masters Bowling Association National tournament in Hamilton and Burlington, Ont., from June 27-July 3 after winning two of four qualification tournaments held in Regina and Prince Albert respectively. 鈥淲e played in two sets of tournaments in Regina in November and then two more tournaments in Prince Albert in March,鈥� said Kostiuk. 鈥淚 ended up winning two of those tournaments which qualified me first overall and earned me the singles right to represent Saskatchewan at the Nationals this year.鈥�
However this will not be Kostiuk鈥檚 first time at the National tournament. The proud Yorktonite had previously competed three times at the National tournament, twice in the team event where her and Saskatchewan fell one game short of the bronze medal both times and once in singles where she struggled at times to find her game resulting in a last place finish.
But when asked whether she felt her previous experience at Nationals would come in handy, Kostiuk told Yorkton This Week: 鈥淎bsolutely I think so. It won鈥檛 be the first time that I鈥檝e come up against some of those ladies, so having that in the back of my head that I have already played them, now it won鈥檛 be as intimidating because I know that I can compete with them and I know that I can beat them.
鈥淚 deserve to be there and I know that now, whereas the first year I went I wasn鈥檛 really sure if I fit in there. But this year I鈥檝e got the confidence because I know that I do fit in there.鈥�
Kostiuk will begin her quest for singles gold at the 2015 Masters Bowling Association National tournament on Monday, June 29 and will hope to continue playing all the way thru to the tournament finals on Thursday, July 2.
To follow Kostiuk鈥檚 performance go to the National tournament website at www.mbacnationals.com/results.php.
