The teenage tenpin bowling sensation has been selected as one of eight for the British under-19 European Girls’ squad.

After impressing coaches in September at the under-19 European trials in Essex where she played 16 games over two days,

Annalise, 17, will now represent Britain at an international European youth tournament to be held at the Plaza Bowling Center in Saint Maximin, Paris, from December 4-6. Annalise, a Portsmouth College student studying for a BTEC National Diploma in Sports, started bowling at eight and, has progressed quickly through the ranking at both junior and senior level. As a junior she won two gold and two silver medals while representing England at the under-16 Triple Crown and has since come fourth in the Hampshire Senior League.

When she is not competing, Annalise trains locally three times a week, and also travels for training to the Airport Bowling Centre near Heathrow every Saturday. Her mother, Yvette, says the commitment is worth it... “Annaleise’s coach is based at the Airport Centre and she gets the best training there. Although there’s no time for us to go on holiday, Annaliese gets to meet people from different countries and has already travelled all over England, and quite a bit in Europe and the USA. It’s a very competitive, but they’re all such good friends once they’re off the lanes.”

Annalise is now pinning her hopes on impressing the British Tenpin Bowling Association in Paris, with a view to being picked as one of four girls who will represent Britain at the European Championships next April. If selected, she will travel to Paris for ten days, where she will take part in singles and doubles events and have the opportunity to be crowned all-round events winner by gaining the overall highest score.

Annalise says: “I love playing, and the challenge of winning. I’ll feel really happy and pleased with myself if I get selected as one of the four. I want to get a 300 score, and ultimately make the national adult team.”

Her mum agreed. “It would be lovely if she made the four, and I know she would like to carry on into the adult team. But we feel she has achieved a lot already, and I’m very proud of her.”

Written by: Alexandra Sage