This is my second time participating in ACSIS U19 Girl’s badminton competition. The previous one was in 2016, and I still could remember the excitement but also anxiety I felt participating as a double player. This year, representing UWCSEA – East Girls’ B team, I have upgraded to become a single player due to my improvement in skills during pre-season.
Unlike pre-season, participating in an actual, nationwide competition requires two roles: role of a single player and of a supporter for my teammates. Despite being trained as a single player for months after being double player, I was still anxious about the reaction and foot speed required in the competition initially. It was also a great challenge for me to bear the expectations put upon me from my entire team and even school. Thus, I developed a “coping mechanism” to deal with stress: to sleep well, think about something light and funny, chat with friends, and always keep in mind that since I am trying my best, everything else is based on luck — the skill of my opponent, my physical health that day, emergencies are all factors I can never predict or avoid. This have had not only calming effect for me during the competition, but also helped me coming across a lot of challenges and down times in life afterwards.
Even though we could not make it to the top 3 of the competition, my teammates and I all pushed ourselves to the best and we formed inseparable bonds. During losses, we comforted each other through hugs; during anxieties, we encouraged each other through a pat on the back; during successes, we screamed with excitement and maximum volume that it “frightened” the opposing teams. The competition have taught me a tangible form of team spirit, and deepened my love to badminton.
