But for Beckham Greenall and Jack Oaten, both proved important along the way to taking the championship at the secondary schools event in Porirua.
The King’s High School duo began the sport two years ago on a cricket tour to Australia.
Team manager Michael Reggett took them for a go on a rest day and the duo liked it so much they began playing when they returned.
After a year of playing and attending last year’s secondary school national championships, they found the ideal training ground.Actually, ideal might be a stretch.But you cannot argue with the results practising in the school catering suite yielded.
"We just move the chairs and tables back and put the mat down and bowl," Jack (17) said.
"The mat we were training on was covered in dirt and had everything on it," Beckham (16) added.
"It was a bit slower to the mats up in Wellington, but we adapted."
After using the singles tournament — in which both boys made the quarterfinals — as a warm-up on day one of the nationals, they played the pairs on day two.
They played four pool games, winning three and drawing one.
From there they played straight knockout from a round of 16 through to the final.
Each game was close and they had to come from behind in the last three.
Despite that, they were able to emerge victors every time.
That was particularly evident in the final, after the pair went down 3-0 to Whakatane College on the first end.
"We were pretty anxious, just real tense, but we knew what we came there for," Beckham said.
"Also, in the semi and quarters, we were down in those games as well, so we knew we could do it."
The duo kept their composure and pegged back the margin one point at a time.That soon left them with a 6-3 lead, which they extended to 9-3.
While Whakatane hit back late, the King’s boys held them off for a 10-7 win.
Despite their bowls success, the duo remain committed to their cricket.
Jack is a bowler, while Beckham is a batsman and captain of the First XI — an impressive feat for a year 11.
They are not registered with a bowls club, but play the occasional game at Taieri on a Tuesday night.
