Miranda Panas has little time to spare.

The fourth-year Kinesiology student splits her time between hitting the books at Brock University and perfecting her throw at a local bowling alley.

Panas has bowled her way onto Team Canada annually for the past six years and is vying to again join the national team in 2018.

The 21-year-old St. Catharines resident is busy preparing for spring trials that will determine whether she’s earned a coveted spot on next year’s roster.

The coming months will also bring word from a selection committee that will determine whether Panas is one of two women who will represent Canada at the World Games in Wroclaw, Poland in July.

“Bowling has taken me all over the world,” said Panas, who is also hoping to claim a spot at December’s Mixed World Championships in Kuwait. Six men and six women from the Canadian teams will be chosen to compete.

Panas began bowling when she was four years old and has been hitting the 10-pin lanes competitively since she turned 11.

Her love for the sport, and a killer hook, has taken her to national tournaments across Canada, and to competitions in Puerto Rico, Mexico, Colombia, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates. She has earned two silver and two bronze medals at various international events.

Despite her travels and demanding practice schedule, Panas has managed to maintain her schoolwork and is scheduled to walk across the stage at Spring Convocation.

Balancing athletics and education is not always an easy task.

“It takes a lot of planning and dedication to both,” Panas said, while admitting she encountered some challenges during her first year of post secondary.

“That was the most difficult year for me — the workload is so different from high school and you have to improve your study habits so much,” she said. “But once I got into more of a routine and figured out how to make everything work, it got a lot easier.”

During competition season, Panas spends five to six nights a week at Fairview Bowling Lanes in St. Catharines.

Her schedule includes a delicate balance of on-lane practice and mental preparation, in addition to her study time and a part-time job at Shoppers Drug Mart.

“School has always been something that’s really important to me,” Panas said, adding she has career ambitions that extend beyond the bowling lanes.

She plans to compete on the Professional Women’s Bowling Association summer tour but will then be heading to grad school for physiotherapy.

“Competing with Team Canada gives me the best of both worlds. It’s not as demanding as bowling professionally, but at the same time the competitive nature is still there,” Panas said. “I’m bowling against the best competitors in the world.”
While she has several years of international competitions under her belt, Panas said it is still intimidating at times to face off against some of the female bowlers she grew up admiring.

“I get nervous before going to tournaments,” she said with a laugh, “but it’s worth it.”

“Every experience I get to have bowling for Canada is pretty incredible. There’s nothing quite like it, that’s for sure.”

Panas said the sport often flies under the radar.

She hopes to encourage people of all ages to give bowling a try.

“Join a league. It’s a really fun way to spend a few hours,” she said, adding it can be a surprising way to learn more about yourself.

“It has taught me a lot over the years.”