Written by: Gladys Loo
Edited by: Chen Kexin and Lydia Ong
Photos by: SMC Publicity
Let us get to know the promising individuals who will be continuing the legacy of Eusoff Volleyball in the near future! :) Our freshies, Nikki and Mark were the chosen ones for the freshie series and you will soon find out why.
Nikki started playing volleyball at the ripe age of 8 when her teachers picked her to be part of a sports programme. (Her teacher definitely knew talent when she saw it) Nikki went through several sessions where there was a series of competency tests that graded her sporting abilities in different sports. The sports included basketball as well as volleyball but her PE teacher thought she was definitely cut out for volleyball, and they were spot on!
She had an early growth spurt and was one of the taller ones in primary school. Since being tall is definitely an advantage when it comes to volleyball, she got the chance to begin playing the sport. She was given the position of the spiker in the primary school volleyball team. Nikki grew up in a sporting environment - her dad and brother are both very heavily invested in the sporting scene. Since she was young, they have always spent their free time engaging in different kinds of sports and took breaks from academics to do sports. Hence, she was more inclined to join a sports CCA instead of an art-related one .
For Nikki, volleyball is a game of anticipation. While it is true that having a strong attack can help a team win a point, she leans more towards the idea of playing smart and not hard. She believes that if one very quickly outsmarts their opponent during a gameplay by setting up an unanticipated move, there is a higher chance they will score the point!
The greatest gift Nikki got from volleyball is the friendships forged. Her friends saw her at her best and worst. And for that, some of the girls she has played with for a very long time feels like family.
Volleyball also allowed Nikki to understand a new language - Mandarin! Having been in the sport for a long time, she picked up Mandarin along the way as it was the main language in which her coaches and friends conversed in during training and game play.
When asked for a vivid memory related to volleyball, Nikki said that she remembers a time when her team was playing against the Philippines and she could not react to their attack in time. She unfortunately got spiked in the face and her vision went blank for a while.
Finally, Nikki believes that volleyball has taught her the importance of trust. As everyone on court has a role to play, players must trust that their teammates will definitely be there for them to either set up a good attack or bring on a solid defence. Nikki thinks that only when players have mutual trust and have each other's backs on court can the team flourish and excel to greater heights.
Next, we have Mark Lim! Mark is truly a man of very very few words but this is what he had to say about playing the sport. Mark has been playing volleyball for close to 7 years now. He started the sport “for fun”, and unexpectedly found a growing passion in volleyball ever since secondary school. He says he genuinely loves everything about the sport, especially the adrenaline he gets from playing it. Mark has made many good friends while playing volleyball, who have stuck by him through his ups and downs. When asked for a memory he can never forget related to volleyball, he said “keeping the bench warm as possible.” Mark believes that one of the most important things he has learnt from playing the sport is that “size matters”, adding an “smh” at the end.
Nikki and Mark both are talented, passionate and promising student athletes. Definitely look forward to their performance on court!
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