Agricultural science student, Grace Moloney, started playing lawn bowls at the age of 9. Bowling her first bowl at Arthurton Bowling Club on the Yorke Peninsula, she quickly rose through the ranks and competed in her first National Tournament in 2015. In 2021, she joined the Australia Pathways Squad and most recently, was one of forty-one students awarded with a 2022 AIS Education Scholarship.
The AIS Education Scholarship Program is an initiative designed to ease the financial burden on athletes who are undergoing education to prepare for life beyond sport. This is an important priority for Grace, who is balancing (big) sporting and academic goals. In the upcoming season, she is focussing on selection for the National Championships in October. Her ultimate goal is to represent Australia, but she is “taking it one day at a time”! Outside of her sporting career, she is interested in agronomy and grain research (plant breeding) but keeping her options open. “I try not to have a narrow focus and try to seek out and attend many opportunities to explore the ever-evolving industry.”
Balancing dual pursuits isn’t easy. However, the AIS highlights that “the combination of sport and study is a winning mix” – contributing to professional development while providing an alternate experience to accompany training and competition. This is well-known at Waite, where many complement study, work and research with various sporting endeavours. To succeed in both, Grace has a flexible training schedule and strong support through both the lawn bowls community and the University of Adelaide. Her advice for others balancing elite sport and study?
“Don’t try to be everywhere at once… Focus on the moment and be present, take it one day at a time!”.
Learn more about the AIS Athlete Education Scholarship program: https://www.ais.gov.au/career-and-education/ais-education-scholarship
