Pontus Andersson paced nervously behind the lanes at Jaya Ancol Bowling Center in Jakarta as Hong Kong’s young bowlers chased medals at the 25th Asian Junior Bowling Championships.
Only a few months ago, Andersson had been the one with a ball in his hands and
a medal resting directly on his own shots.
Now, on the other side of the world,
he could only watch and guide the bowlers representing his new home.
The 30-year-old Swede
announced in February that he was stepping away from competitive bowling
after 13 years at international level.
Now, with his bowling shoes left hanging somewhere back in Sweden, Andersson has started a new chapter on the other side of the world - in Hong Kong - where he works as an assistant coach with the senior national team and leads youth development.
In the latest BowlingLife interview, Erikas Jansonas spoke with Pontus Andersson about the late change of destination, settling into a new culture, and learning to chase medals from behind the lanes.
Qatar Became Hong Kong
When Andersson first revealed his decision to stop competing, the plan was to move to Doha and work with the Qatar youth team. And while that deal didn't work out, the Hong Kong opportunity came together quickly.
The agreement was completed
during the final week of May, leaving little time between the decision and the
move.
“It all was finished about the last week of May. So I kinda moved straight away when everything was done,” he said.
Building Better Bowlers
Andersson’s new role has two parts. He supports head coach Francois Louw with Hong Kong’s senior athletes, but his main responsibility is the development of a group of elite youth bowlers.
“The main thing with youth development is to make the youths better bowlers. How we do it is our challenge,” he said. “We do have great resources.”
Those resources are provided through the Hong Kong Sports Institute and the Hong Kong, China Tenpin Bowling Congress. Andersson is still learning the system and the athletes inside it, but the first major championship of his new career has already brought results.
Dylan Lam Nok Him won silver in the boys’ singles. One day later, Tavia Wong Tsz Ching and Law Wai Ching added another silver for Hong Kong in the girls’ doubles.
A New Home and Much Lighter Luggage
More than two months after the move, Andersson says his belongings are unpacked and his daily routines are taking shape. Even so, the reality of living so far from Sweden still catches him by surprise.
“It’s definitely a different feeling, and I constantly have to remind myself that I don’t live in Sweden anymore,” he said. “But I really enjoy my time here so far, and it’s such an honor coaching the Hong Kong bowling team.”
The amount of space and the way people interact were among the changes he first noticed. Andersson described adjusting to the culture as a learning experience, but said his new team and colleagues have made a strong first impression.
The weather may be the clearest difference of all. That has not been a problem for the Swede, who says he enjoys the heat. Neither has leaving behind one of the less glamorous parts of life as an international bowler.
“Very happy I don’t have to carry all the heavy bags anymore!” Andersson joked.
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