1. Hobbies are important.
I may have just found mine.
Show us an activity you enjoy doing. Tell us how you think it
contributes to your personal and professional development.
2. Although I’ve played many sports since I was young,
including Tennis and Cricket, Squash has been special.
SQUASH
3. Watched a
friend play
April
2009
Signed up
for coaching
Squash: 4
hours a week
The journey so far…
Squash: 9
hours a week
Competitive
SMU Team
March
2011
DAWN DEDICATION DRIVEN
4. Watched a
friend play
Signed up
for coaching
Squash: 4
hours a week
An invaluable teacher…
Squash: 9
hours a week
Competitive
SMU Team
DAWN DEDICATION DRIVEN
Discipline Adaptability
Team
work
Overcoming Failures
6. The stories behind…
After the first few months of playing squash, I realised I was not
making as much progress as I would have liked to. I was doing
things right on the court and trying hard, but that wasn’t enough.
A sport, any sport, but particularly one as intensive as squash
needs more than just the hour long sessions when on court. It
needed discipline in every aspect of my life.
Proper sleep and proper nutrition – skip one for a single day, and
the dip in your game that day will not go unnoticed.
Squash instilled in me a discipline in lifestyle.
Although I’ve always been somewhat disciplined in life when it comes to work, squash
taught me a different kind of discipline, one I had never given much thought to earlier.
8. The stories behind…
After playing a few competitive games, I realized the same
strategy can’t be applied to every opponent. I was becoming
more and more predictable. Each opponent had different
skill sets and a different style of play. In order to win, I had to
adapt my game to regain the edge. As each opponent
presented different tactics I had to adapt my game with
different responses.
Squash made me more flexible and alert. It helped me to learn
that one has to adapt to changing circumstances.
Adaptability is the key to growth.
Like Charles Darwin said, “Its not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the
most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change”.
10. The stories behind…
When I look back at the year with the SMU squash team, I can remember all
the matches, from the most painful defeats to the best victories. However,
what I will truly cherish is the time that I spent with my teammates, during
training, travelling and matches.
My SMU teammates helped me learn a lot. They helped me improve my
game, the cheered me on when I was down and out, they taught me the
meaning of being part of a team. They showed me sometimes someone has
to take the fall for the betterment of the team. There were times when I had
to face an opponent that I was sure I was going to lose against, so that my
team mates could get easier opponents. In the starting this used to frustrate
me, but soon I realized that it didn’t matter if I won or lost as long as the
team won. All these valuable lessons I have learnt could not have been
taught in a classroom.
Squash taught me the importance of teamwork and made me realize
sometime sacrifices are necessary for the betterment of the team.
Unity is strength. When there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be
achieved.
12. The stories behind…
After I lost my first few competitive games, I used to get very agitated.
The game helped me realize that losing is a part of life.
I accepted that no matter how hard I tried, it would not be possible to
win every point and every game. This helped me learn to accept defeat
and be ready for the next point and the next game.
I learnt to channel my energy by focusing on the future instead of
dwelling on my past. Squash had given me a chance to learn from my
mistakes and fight hard everyday in training. I knew that only then I
would be able to conquer the upcoming battles.
Squash taught me that people are not judged by how many times they
fall. They are judged by how they get back up, dust themselves off and
learn from their mistakes.
Squash has taught me how to deal with failure. As C. S. Lewis once said, “ Failures are
finger posts on road to achievement.”
13. Conclusion
My experiences have been truly been a rewarding and fulfilling. I
have learnt from my team mates, my opponents, my coaches and
from the game itself. I am convinced that this activity will hold me
in good stead as I move on to the next stage of my life. I am better
equipped to face the challenges ahead in my academic, personal
and professional life
