– When I was younger, I was quite embarrassed about it. And it’s a bit scary to say, because I love bowling. But I didn’t want people to see me as abnormal or weird, or that I would be banned or teased. Jenny Mathiesen tells this openly to news. Today, the Solør girl is Norway’s second best bowling player on the women’s side, and she is predicted to have a promising career – also internationally. – Blei led by news meets her at Veitvet in Oslo, where she takes part in the team national championship. She feels at home in this environment. People come over and say hello. They ask questions, and it is quite clear that many people look up to her. In other environments it has nevertheless been difficult for Mathiesen. – Being a bowling player at primary school was not very fun. If people asked me about bowling, I didn’t know if they wanted to make fun of me or if they were actually curious, she says and adds: – No one saw it as a sport, and I was often laughed at if I answered seriously . So then I chose not to say anything about it, says Mathiesen. The 20-year-old comes from a real bowling family. Her mother, father and two older brothers all play bowling at a high level. At the age of four, Mathiesen got his first bowling ball. And when she was seven, the family built a bowling alley at Flisa in Innlandet. Jenny Mathiesen Age: 20 years Residence: Flisa (Innlandet) Achievements as a bowler: European champion (junior) 2022, NM gold (senior) 2022, 6th place in the European Championships of Champions (ECC) in 2022. BOWLING FAMILY: Dad Gjermund (from left), Jens, Jenny, Jørgen and mum Elin Helene Mathiesen. Photo: Fredrik Saltbones / news Vann NM – got no congratulations With free access to balls and court, she quickly became good, and she soon played on a level with girls who were several years older than her. But no one outside the bowling community took her sport seriously, according to Mathiesen. One memory from school, from when she was 13 years old, has stuck as a clear example of that. – One day we got cake in the classroom. I had just become Norwegian champion, so I thought it was for me. But then it turned out that it was the football boys in the class who had won an unofficial Norwegian championship. I – who had just won the NM in bowling – couldn’t hear anything, says Mathiesen. – Why do you think it is like that? – I think it is far too common to think that sport is only about the “normal” sports, such as handball and football. It is what is seen as “real” sport, and many may not be open to the fact that people can have different interests. Bowling is often associated with birthdays, parties and alcohol, but on a global basis it is something completely different. In other countries, there are players who have bowling as a full-time job. STRIKE, STRIKE, STRIKE: Jenny Mathiesen aims to get over 200 points every bowling round. Then more than half of the throws must be strikes. Photo: Fredrik Saltbones / news An unknown side among friends Mathisen says that she has many friends, but she feels that they do not know everything about her. – 80 percent of my life is about making arrangements so that I can play bowling. And there is a side of me they may never understand. They don’t understand why I work so hard and spend so much money on bowling. SYMPATHY: Ulf Hämnäs, sports director Norwegian Bowling Association. Photo: Fredrik Saltbones / news What Mathiesen tells is a familiar theme for the Norwegian Bowling Association. – First of all, I get very tired of what Jenny tells, says Ulf Hämnäs, sports manager at the Norwegian Bowling Association. – But unfortunately it’s not the first time we’ve heard it. We would like our athletes to be recognized for the achievements they deliver. But unfortunately this is recognizable to us who do bowling, says the sports director. One of those who recognize herself is Mia Linnea Lillegjære. The 18-year-old from Orkanger plays for the junior national team and Swedish BK Bågen in Hagfors. – Bowling is somehow compared to pizza, beer and parties. It is not taken seriously, says Lillegjære. BOWLING FRIENDS: Mia Linnea Lillegjære (th) together with Jenny Mathiesen. Photo: Privat Became proud of the bowling The young talent goes on its own bowling line at secondary level in Sweden. Over the years, she has learned to be more proud of her sport. – As I have gotten older, I have learned that not everyone plays the same sport – and that there is a difference in what people are interested in. The older I’ve gotten, the more proud I’ve become of talking about bowling with people I meet, says Lillegjære. For Jenny Mathiesen, it has also helped to talk to colleagues in the bowling community. She has – like Lillegjære – taken the ball to Sweden with her. FULL FLAT: Four times Jenny Mathisen has played a perfect series and scored 300 points (12 strikes in a row). The first time she managed it, she was 15 years old. Photo: Fredrik Saltbones / news – Better a bowling trip than a southern tour There she plays in a much stronger league than the Norwegian one. – I have found the people who care about it. There are many bowling people who stand behind what I mean, and I know that there are many of us who feel the same way. And the fact that we then enjoy our sport, and that we know what applies, has helped us to stand together, she says. This attitude has helped to take her far in the bowling world. Recently, she was ranked sixth among the best female bowlers in Europe. Now she is looking forward to a new year where she will hunt for titles and triumphs against the world’s elite. – Yes, I really enjoy bowling, and I get to go on a lot of trips. And I know that many people may think it is very strange to put so much money into it, but I would rather spend money on a bowling trip than go on a trip to the south. Because I know it’s something I like to do, and something I’m proud of, says Mathiesen. Sports manager Ulf Hämnäs is full of praise. He believes Mathiesen has the potential to become one of the best players in the world. – She is a huge talent who can reach very far. There is no doubt about that. She trains a lot and does what she has to, so she can be part of the world elite within a few years, Hämnäs believes. Published 09.12.2024, at 10.59
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