Yesterday was a nationwide public holiday where our Hindu brothers and sisters celebrated the religious Festival of Lights, DIWALI. Similarly, throughout the year, the other ethnic-religion groups in the country would enjoy the same holiday privilege; thus, we are never short of colourful, exciting and 'food-full' festivities with our melting pot of cultures in all #shadesNsense. Many of us would see this as a relief from the mundane day-to-day work, study or home stress as they look forward to their favorite R&R activity, and it is no different for me. MY CHOICE OF R&R pursuit would involve maintaining a motionless state (in bed) for as long as I can, without so much of a bother for anything except a twerking ant. With 7-hours to go (to midnight), it would have been a mission well accomplished if it weren't for a message received at 5PM from Coach Eugene. As soon as I viewed the content, it was a #GuiltTrip moment! What I saw was a cheerful photo of a group of sweaty, sprightly, squash players (fanatic really!) grinning widely AFTER A HEAVY JOINT SPARRING SESSION ON A PUBLIC HOLIDAY versus me, counting the number of hours I hadn't twitched a single muscle! If it was meant to be a subtle hint for me to deliver this series of interviews quickly, it worked well enough for me to drag my lazy convicted b*tt off the bed and get some finger work done! For being such patient teens, here's a shout out to you @ IAN, Stitch @ IG _justin_ho_ and @Rafu
IAN GAN JIAN RONG (the 'Bah Kut Teh' fan)
AGE: 17
RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS
i. 7TH PLACE in MSSS 2019 (Majlis Sukan Sekolah Malaysia -https://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majlis_Sukan_Sekolah_Sekolah_Malaysia )
INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEW
1) How many hours do you train a week?
I train an average of 9hours weekly; even on weekends
2) Is there a particular ‘diet’ regime that you follow?
No, I do not have a particular diet regime
3) What’s your favourite food/drink after a hard training session?
I will be really happy with Bah Kut Teh (…he lets out a loud chuckle, and so did I!) and a can of cold 100plus.
4) Why do you like this sport, Squash?
I like the sport as:-
- it is a great stress-reliever
- it is fast-paced and energetic as I prefer to be active
5) Do you see yourself (working as) Coaching also in future or join the professional employment market?
Not coaching; I like to try something else.
6) What is your ultimate AIM in this particular sport?
My aim with this sport is to maintain a healthy lifestyle and weight
7) Do you also play or have you tried other games APART FROM SQUASH?
I have tried badminton and football too
8) What do you feel is THE BIGGEST SACRIFICE AS A YOUNG ATHLETE like yourself?
I lose out on time with my friends, so it is a sacrifice on social life. There is also ‘sacrifice on my physical well-being’ in the sense of injury risks plus sprains, aches and others.
9) What is your most significant ACHIEVEMENT so far?
I do not feel I have achieved anything significant...
10) What is your biggest DISSAPOINTMENT?
Nothing so far
11) Is this something you chose or were you encouraged/influenced by your parents/others?
It was my dad who influenced me, but I eventually developed a love for the sport.
12) How much do you / your parents INVEST FINANCIALLY in this sport?
I am not too sure but it is all for the 'love of the sport'.
13) Who is your favourite SQUASH player?
My favourite player is Datuk Nicol Ann David.
14) Who is your favourite NON SQUASH athlete?
Badminton player, Datuk Lee Chong Wei and footballer Cristiano Ronaldo
15) What do you think is important in a COACH – 3 KEYWORDS?
Patience, knowledgeable and motivates
16) What is your fav SUBJECT in school and your CAREER AMBITION?
Economics is my favourite subject, and I want to be a financial analyst as I like to ‘study about money.’ (we have a money-man here!)
17) Who is your favourite artist or band & actor actress?
John Legend, Alicia Keys, Martin Garrix. (FYI, this teen loves his music as he gave me the longest list naming in total 18 artists and musicians!)
18) What/Who is your favourite ONLINE GAME or GAMER?
Ssundee (Minecraft); Gosu General (Mobile Legends); Ninja Fortnite
19) Are you currently sponsored by a BRAND (clothing, equipment, footwear) and what is your FAV SPORT BRAND?
No; but I like brands like Adidas and Nike.
JUSTIN HO (aka STITCH, a nicknamed coined by his Dad for his numerous childhood scars although I spotted none. It must have been invisible stitches N threads)
AGE: 17
RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS
i. 2ND PLACE for MSSS 2019 (U-17) (Majlis Sukan Sekolah Malaysia -https://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majlis_Sukan_Sekolah_Sekolah_Malaysia )
INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEW
1) How many hours do you train a week?
I try to train at least two days per week (an average of 6 hours weekly), but I am not able to put in much time currently as I am sitting for my high school exams this year. Otherwise, it is usually an average of 10 hours weekly.
2) Is there a particular ‘diet’ regime that you follow?
Not necessarily; most of the time, I eat whatever is ‘in front of me.' (... easy task for his Mom!)
3) What’s your favourite food/drink after a hard training session?
Chilled water and 100plus.
4) Why do you like this sport, Squash?
Because it is a sport I grew up with and I really enjoy playing it. I first held the racquet at the age of 6years with my father guiding me.
5) Do you see yourself (working as) Coaching also in future or join the professional employment market?
Yes, I am actually applying for a coaching course after my high school final examinations to get certified. That way, I can earn some pocket money and not have to depend on my parents. Frankly, I do not see myself as someone who can take this sport to a national level as there are more talents out there. However, there is no regret, and I love what I have been exposed to. (this teen appears to be one matured fella; cool, calm and collected)
6) What is your ultimate AIM in this particular sport?
Able to play it well enough until I am old, but the ultimate is to have fun while I am at it.
7) Do you also play or have you tried other games APART FROM SQUASH?
I have tried many sports other than Squash such as basketball, badminton, bowling and racquetball/ aka Squash57. (He then proceeds to show me the main difference between Squash and Squash57 while adding in a unperturbed tone that it is meant for OLDER PEOPLE.. sigh!)
8) What do you feel is THE BIGGEST SACRIFICE AS A YOUNG ATHLETE like yourself?
TIME (for studies and socialising). I feel that time is a common sacrifice among young athletes who want to improve and succeed in the sport of their choice.
9) What is your most significant ACHIEVEMENT so far?
Definitely, the first tournament won which is the Selangor State Close (I was in Form 2). The opponent I faced in the finals was not an easy foe to beat, so it was worthwhile with all the time and effort I put into my training.
10) What is your biggest DISSAPOINTMENT?
Probably the most recent tournament I played which is MSSM 2019 Quarterfinals. It was very disappointing for me because we didn’t make it to the top 4 and it was my last time playing it (for this age bracket for STATE)
11) Is this something you chose or were you encouraged/influenced by your parents/others?
It was very much my father, who influenced me as he is a big squash enthusiast. He puts a lot of effort into learning new things and trained me from young with his knowledge.
12) How much do you / your parents INVEST FINANCIALLY in this sport?
I rather not say but I can tell you that it is quite a huge number
13) Who is your favourite SQUASH player?
Nick Matthews from the UK and he is in his 40s now
14) Who is your favourite NON SQUASH athlete?
Bruce Lee in martial arts (most unique answer amongst the players interviewed)
15) What do you think is important in a COACH – 3 KEYWORDS?
Patience, commitment and passion.
16) What is your fav SUBJECT in school and your CAREER AMBITION?
Biology and English. I still haven't figured out what I really want to do in the future, but Sports Physiotherapy is an exciting option.
17) Who is your favourite artist or band & actor actress?
I have been listening to a lot of Japanese songs lately and Mrs Green Apple, the band, is my current favourite.
18) What/Who is your favourite ONLINE GAME or GAMER?
Pokemon HeartGold. It is a Nintendo DS game, and I have played it three times over!
19) Are you currently sponsored by a BRAND (clothing, equipment, footwear) and what is your FAV SPORT BRAND?
Sadly, I am not sponsored now, although I have been previously with a short term contract. My favourite sports brand would be Dunlop and Salming. The former produces good, durable racquets, and the latter manufactures comfortable quality squash shoes.
RAFU TAKAHASHI (a petite package of cuteness)
AGE: 16+
She has been living here in the country for the past 5 years already and will continue so until her studies are completed. One usually moves across the globe to be with the person they <3 but Rafu moved from Japan for (her love of) SQUASH as there are better coaches and facilities here by comparison (so I was told). The other plus point is with her attending a local international school here also provides the opportunity for her to improve her English.
RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS :
i. Japan Junior Squash Championship 2019 - 1ST PLACE (U-17)
ii. Korea Junior Open 2019 - 1ST PLACE (U-17)
iii. Hong Kong Junior Open 2019 - 8TH PLACE (U-17)
INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEW
1) How many hours do you train a week?
I train about 10 -15hours a week
2) Is there a particular ‘diet’ regime that you follow?
There is no regime, but I do limit my intake of sugar or anything sweet (…and I had handed out a whole bag of gummy bears prior!)
3) What’s your favourite food/drink after a hard training session?
Orange Juice is my favorite drink
4) Why do you like this sport, Squash?
I like Squash because I love being outdoors and being active (she definitely portrays an outgoing/outdoorsy type of personality and is all giggles and smiles during the interview!)
5) Do you see yourself (working as) Coaching also in future or join the professional employment market?
Yes, I would like to continue playing the sport as a player and also continue in this area as a Coach, maybe when I am in my 20s.
6) What is your ultimate AIM in this particular sport?
My aim is to be the top player in Asia and to win as many titles as I can at overseas tournaments.
7) Do you also play or have you tried other games APART FROM SQUASH?
Back in Japan I used to be active in track and field sports as well as ice-skating. I actually loved ice-skating and to be a Pro Ice-Skater, you need to pass a certain exam, but I failed it 3 times! The funny thing is, I then saw a Squash Court near the skating rink and decided to give it a try. Then I was hooked.
8) What do you feel is THE BIGGEST SACRIFICE AS A YOUNG ATHLETE like yourself?
For me, I feel my biggest sacrifice is FOOD! As athletes, we need to watch out for our diet and cannot eat whatever we want as often as we like. (…I pitifully hand her another gummy bear!)
9) What is your most significant ACHIEVEMENT so far?
My biggest achievement is when I was selected to represent Japan team for the World Junior Championships Open (2019).
10) What is your biggest DISSAPOINTMENT?
NOT being able to train for 6 months when I had a bad knee injury
11) Is this something you chose or were you encouraged/influenced by your parents/others?
Encouragement from my parents after I first tried it and I gradually loved it
12) How much do you / your parents INVEST FINANCIALLY in this sport?
I am not sure but I do know my parents have to invest a big amount to send me for training and overseas tournaments
13) Who is your favourite SQUASH player?
Satomi Watanabe from Japan
14) Who is your favourite NON SQUASH athlete?
A Japanese tennis player, Kei Nishikori
15) What do you think is important in a COACH – 3 KEYWORDS?
Understanding, supportive and caring
16) What is your fav SUBJECT in school and your CAREER AMBITION?
Math is my favorite subject and my aim for now is to do well in my IGCSE examination next year; I have not thought about my career yet
17) Who is your favourite artist or band & actor actress?
NA
18) What/Who is your favourite ONLINE GAME or GAMER?
NA (whaaat… a teenager that has no answers for Q17 & Q18? For real?!)
19) Are you currently sponsored by a BRAND (clothing, equipment, footwear) and what is your FAV SPORT BRAND?
I am not sponsored by any sport brands, but my favorite is Nike.
I NOW BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND WHY COACH EUGENE HAS THIS TO SAY
(Quote by Coach Gene Andrew👇🏼
"THIS IS WHY I LOVE SQUASH ...This is why I keep on going even when there are days that my body is sore n feeling under the weather ...WATCHING KIDS PLAYING, ENJOYING and LOVING SQUASH. Some will grow up to be champions, medalist and some will not. But, rest assured, the sport will be etched into their lives forever n hopefully they will pass their love for this great sport down to their kids"
Hope to get some quick PRO TRAINING TIPS from Coach Eugene at a later date!
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