Cleveland youngsters shine on Sunrise
Channel seven’s award winning morning show Sunrise, interviewed Queensland brothers Kane Nelson and his older brother Jacob Nelson live from their Brisbane based club Cleveland during the weather broadcast this morning.
Kane Nelson first caught the eye of Sunrise when at just 10 years of age he claimed the Queensland state under 15 singles title and Pine Rivers Classic, following in the footsteps of his older brother Jacob (16) who currently represents Queensland in the under 18 state side and is a silver medallist from the Australian Junior Championships.
Kane may have been nervous about his first live TV interview but that didn’t stop him telling all his friends at Cleveland Primary School who tuned in to see their friend interviewed in front of almost a million regular Sunrise viewers.
The journey for the Nelsons started eight years ago when Jacob (eight years old at the time), and his father Greg converted from playing bowls with painted grapefruits in the backyard to joining their local bowls club.
An unfortunate accident forced Greg to give up golf though the injury led him to bowls and before long Greg was hooked; the kids followed suit.
A couple of years later, younger sibling Kane commenced his bowls career at the tender age of four and just six years later holds bragging rights over older brother Jacob, defeating him in an A grade singles match.
Both Kane and Jacob put hours each week into practice with plenty of encouragement from their parents who say they are at the bowling club sometimes seven days a week.
“I’m so proud of what my sons have achieved; it is bewildering at times but both my wife and I will always support them”, Mr Nelson said.
“I love that we can all play a sport together, sometimes I feel like a taxi service and at times my bowls get put to the side, however I think whilst we are all playing together we’re helping each other improve; I’ve learnt a lot from the kids and over the years I think they have picked up some tips from me”, Mr Nelson said.
Next year the Nelsons will join forces at Wynnum Manly when they all represent the club in Queensland’s Premier League competition, making it a truly family affair.
Kane has aspirations to make the Queensland U’18 team; Jacob would like to make the Australian U’18 development squad and together the brothers are working very hard with their bowling idol and QLD NTC Coach Brett Wilkie to achieve their goals.
Both Kane and Jacob are now known by thousands of Australian’s courtesy of their appearance on Sunrise, however these brothers will remain humble as ever as they endeavour to ‘go places’ in the world of bowls.
