This young banker is a winning bowler

CEBUANA STRIKER Marie Alexis Sy, 2022 Southeast Asian Video games silver medalist, hits the bowling alley thrice every week, whereas working as a company banker by day. She additionally follows a strict power coaching and conditioning routine twice every week, complemented by cardio exercises on weekends. —PHOTOS COURTESY OF AYALA CORP.

Marie Alexis Sy isn’t any stranger to life’s mishaps. Her journey to turning into one of many high feminine bowlers within the Philippines, whereas pursuing a banking profession, isn’t any stroll within the park. But this 29-year-old Cebuana relishes each step that was punctuated with moments of highs and lows.

She recollects the second when bowling began to pique her curiosity. There was no escaping the game as a result of she comes from a household of bowlers. Her grandfather, father and brother all beloved to bowl.

Collectively together with her brother, she would hang around on the bowling alley on Sundays. At first, Alexis would simply watch her sibling practice, till she determined to roll her first ball down the bowling lane. “There was satisfaction once you see all of the pins get hit in a single shot,” she says. Similar to that, she was hooked.

Alexis began to degree up her sport by becoming a member of competitions. Individuals began to note her budding expertise when she obtained Prima Pasta sponsorship for a world youth competitors. In 2004, Alexis joined her first match in Hong Kong. She was simply 12.

Six years later, she made it to the nationwide group and joined the 2011 Southeast Asian Video games (SEA Video games). For the primary time, she efficiently superior to the Masters spherical.

“I used to be very nervous as a result of competing on the SEA Video games is a distinct degree. At the moment, I used to be not mentally ready as a result of I felt a lot stress and didn’t know the right way to management my feelings but. I mentioned to myself, I gained’t take into consideration my rating and simply give attention to execution till I attain the Masters spherical,” she recounts.

Her consistency, perseverance and go-getter angle lastly paid off when she clinched her first bronze medal through the 2015 SEA Video games in Singapore. Alexis remembers this as her most interesting second in athletics. “It felt surreal. It meant loads as a result of my father was there watching and cheering me on,” she says.

However there was extra in retailer for Alexis. She bagged two extra bronze medals—through the 2017 biennial meet held in Malaysia and in 2019 when the Philippines hosted the SEA Video games.

And final Could 16, Alexis captured the silver medal on the 2022 SEA video games in Vietnam.

Marie Alexis Sy

Pandemic blues

Alexis feels that bowling has helped navigate her life with extra precision and keenness to turn out to be a well-rounded particular person. She remembers being hyped to coach for the 2022 SEA Video games, however when COVID-19 began to wreak havoc throughout the globe in 2020, she felt sidelined by the sudden pause in regular life.

“It was actually arduous for me, particularly when the pandemic began, as a result of bowling can also be a muscle reminiscence kind of sport. It requires consistency and repetitive photographs. If you happen to don’t get to bowl for every week, it feels such as you’re again to sq. one,” she explains.

The stress led to by the lockdowns in Metro Manila took a toll on her psychological well being. She felt alone and exhausted, having to cope with the concern and uncertainty, whereas worrying in regards to the security of her household in Cebu. In August 2021, virtually two months after deciding to maneuver again to Cebu, Alexis misplaced her grandmother and father to COVID-19.

“I made a decision to be with my household as a result of I had misplaced numerous time with them. I wished to make up for the misplaced time, so I went house. So one way or the other, no less than I used to be in a position to spend time with them. We have been full for no less than two months,” she reminisces.

Grief-stricken, Alexis felt that it was simpler to simply quit. However she soldiered on, understanding that her father—the very one that had impressed her to pursue her profession in banking and bowling—would have wished her to proceed this promising journey.

Twin profession

“My mom mentioned it was what my father wished, so I steadily went again to banking and bowling,” she recounts.

Alexis has been busy lately, juggling her profession as a company banker at Financial institution of the Philippine Islands (BPI) and her life as a nationwide athlete. She has been dealing with massive enterprise accounts for BPI since 2014.

“[I’m] so glad that somebody who works a full time banking job, serving to companies develop, can excel in a sport that requires self-discipline, power and psychological focus,” says Teodoro Limcaoco, BPI president, who’s so pleased with Alexis’ SEA video games accomplishment.

She channels her psychological toughness throughout intense competitions to stability her twin profession.

“This sport taught me the right way to ignore the noises, which you can not management—so long as you do your finest, it doesn’t matter what the end result is,” she says.

“I can stability my skilled life as a banker and as an athlete by ending my work duties on time, so I may also be in coaching on time. However there are days once I do time beyond regulation or work upfront, particularly when it’s essential for the financial institution.”

Alexis feels fulfilled every time she accomplishes all her duties regardless of all of the challenges. “I’m pleased with my BPI company banking household, on how they worth and take excellent care of us—their folks and our purchasers. It feels good to speak to purchasers and to have the ability to present options that assist them develop their companies,” she says.

She strives to stay in kind even whereas primarily based in Cebu. She retains match by coaching twice every week together with her power and conditioning routine. Weekends are for additional cardio workouts, resembling treadmill and stationary bike exercises. She hits the bowling alley thrice every week to sharpen her expertise in addition to for psychological coaching.

Though she admits that it’s a tricky balancing act, Alexis believes all of it boils right down to self-discipline. In keeping with her, one must grasp the ability of time administration in addition to develop a powerful sense of dedication to attain one’s objectives.

What’s subsequent in her athletic pursuit? All eyes are on the twenty sixth Asian Tenpin Bowling Championships to be held in Hong Kong in January 2023.

“By no means be petrified of taking dangers particularly when it’s out of your consolation zone. Seize each alternative that’s proper in entrance of you,” she says. “Belief the method and belief your self. The primary one that believes in you’ll all the time be your self.”

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