Written by: Benjamin Khoo
Edited by: Chen Kexin and Lydia Ong
Photos by: SMC Publicity
‘Grind’ and ‘Hustle’ were the two most common words that popped up during the interview with our frisbee freshie superstar Thea. Seeing her athletic prowess on the field, I could clearly see why she was highlighted for the freshie article this season. After competing in the netball scene for 10 years, Thea decided that she was done competing in a progesterone filled arena and wanted to play with the Big Dogs, and with frisbee being the only mixed-gender sport back in JC she decided to test her abilities against “man”-kind and give it a shot.
Having played frisbee since JC, Thea said there are mainly two things that she has gained thus far and that is a sick tan and the friendships forged. She hasn’t forgotten those that helped her get to where she is today. Special mention goes out to Glenn (our current touch rugby boys captain) and Keng Han for their unwavering guidance during her neophyte period. While being coached by the two, they repeatedly highlighted the importance of attitude over talent which she has kept embedded in her mind till now which is what drives her rise and grind mentality on and off the field. Having been an athlete for a major part of her life thus far, she believes that talent is a good initial boost, but only hard work can get you to the top.
Standing at an unexceptional height of 163cm, Thea surprisingly enjoys skying her defender (jumping up to grab the disc before the defender can) and scoring, sometimes even against players taller than her. But in her eyes, the taller they are, the greater the degree of satisfaction when she manages to sky and score against them. She recalls a time when she cried when a teammate told her to shut up when she cheered him on during a match. Was it uncalled for? Sounds like it. Was it said in a fit of jealousy against our talented Thea? Probably. Nevertheless, she still picked herself back up and continued cheering for the team and for that teammate with her utmost conviction because she believes that if you’re part of a team, if your legs are not moving then your mouth should be.
Although you may think this seasoned athlete has her mind games all straightened out for matches, her secret actually lies in listening to hype music before each match such as ‘Kiss Me’ by One Direction or ‘Hall of Fame’ by The Script…to each his own yea. When asked what she looks forward to every training, she suddenly puts on a serious look and looks down at her tummy and whispers “to keep this one in check” whilst patting her pretty non-existent food baby. During trainings she also tries to challenge herself by marking speedy teammates such as Tonya, which constantly keeps her on her toes and helps her improve.
“Talent will get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there”
-John Wooden
Before ending our short yet interesting convo, she left me with a quote by John Wooden which she holds dear to keep herself grounded always. To her future opponents, you better not slack off on the field because for Thea, the grind never stops. Can’t wait to see more spectacular action from our very own superstar Thea in IHG!!!
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