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Teenager playing for Canada at Vancouver lawn bowls event By Michael Hayakawa uReport | Reader-submitted content Submit your photos, videos, game reports and letters to: 25 | Stouffville Sun-Tribune | Thursday, September 8, 2016 newsroom@yrmg.com mhayakawa@yrmg.com As a competitive lawn bowler, Nicole Leblanc has an impressive playing resume. A big part of which includes one silver medal and three bronze she claimed while bowling at the Canadian championships. Not bad considering Leblanc is just 17 years old and has only taken to the green since she was 13. A junior member of the Stouffville Lawn Bowling Club and currently in her first year attending the University of Guelph, where she's majoring in biomedical sciences, Leblanc will be taking her game to another level later this month. This time around, she will be doing it as a member of Team Canada that will compete against the United States in the North American Challenge in Vancouver from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1. camp, which was conducted in May, when the participants were eventually chosen to represent Team Canada. Leblanc was included in that select group. Introduced to the game through her older brother Alex who got into playing it just one year before she did and competing for her first four years in Uxbridge where she still resides before moving to the Stouffville Lawn Bowling Club this year, Leblanc is scheduled to compete in triples as the lead bowler and in fours as the second bowler for Canada. Adding to the challenge Leblanc is expected to encounter is her age as she is expected to be one of the younger competitors. HOMECRAFT CONTEST Enter your hand-crafted items, art, favourite homemade jam or the best from your garden. Prize books and entry forms are available at the fair office. Classes and entry forms are also available online at www.markhamfair.ca Closing date for entry forms is September 15, 2016 by 8pm For more information call 905-642-3247. Markham Fairgrounds, 10801 McCowan Rd., Markham, Ontario L3P 3J3 age gap a `challenge' The age gap though, does not intimidate her. "I've only been bowling for five years now which is not that much experience," she conceded. "I will be competing with and against others with 10-plus years of experience. "It will be helpful in challenging me to play up to their level. Many would view this though as a very good accomplishment for me still being a novice bowler." While confident Canada has what it takes to win their matches against the United States in the upcoming competition, Leblanc hopes her international debut will be the first of more appearances in representing Canada. "I hope to be promoted from junior marginal development team to the national squad. This would allow me to compete more internationally. I plan on working hard to obtain this goal and competing in the North American Challenge will be the first step," she said. university of guelph With Canada and the United States each sending two male and two female five-bowler teams, Leblanc is looking forward to the next challenge in her budding career in a sport perceived as being one catering more to individuals far older than her. "It feels amazing to be selected to play in this event," she said from her university residence. "I've been competing at the Canadian nationals every year. But to compete at the next level is very exciting." To procure a berth on one of the two Canadian female teams, Leblanc recalled it began earlier this year when she was invited to participate at a training camp in Vancouver. It was during the course of the For information on Advance Gate Admission, Ride All Day passes, event times and locations visit www.markamfair.ca Nicole Leblanc of the Stouffville Lawn Bowling Club will play for Team Canada against the United States in the North American Challenge in Vancouver from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1. OpEN EVERYdAY MON-SuN 9AM-6pM "End of the laneway fresh" FRESH HOMEGROWN pROducE juSt MiNutES FROM tOWN! NOW AVAILABLE! SEASONAL VEgEtABLES You get just one funeral. Make it the one you want. You are unique. Your life is unlike any other. By pre-planning your final arrangements now, you can choose the options that reflect how you want to be remembered. What's more, you can save thousands of dollars and protect family from uncertainty about your wishes. Fresh Ontario Peaches, Cantaloupe & Watermelon Ontario ready picked Raspberries Homemade Peach Pie & Peach Crisp Sunflowers & Bouqets of Locally Grown Flowers! 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