Our U20 Girls Volleyball Team Captain Lina Luedi started playing volleyball competitively since Year 9. She also plays on the National U19 Girls Rugby team.
Q: What did volleyball teach you about teamwork?
A: I had to learn to trust my team. I am aware that I hold a lot of influence within the team. I do have the most experience in playing volleyball so sometimes I want to do everything for the other players, especially for the younger ones. But if I did everything then the younger ones would never be able to learn. I have learnt to hold back and let those girls shine on their own. They will learn from their own mistakes.
Q: What responsibilities do you have as captain?
A: As captain, I am responsible for all the administration such as recruitment, kit-fitting and more. I also have to organise training and make lesson plans for coaching. It has been quite tough because there have been many changes in the team over the last four years. That means I need to build a new team chemistry and it can be a little bit difficult. Thankfully, the team this year has mostly stayed the same. For the younger girls who just joined the team, they have less experience so the pressure can get to them when they start to play competitively. Some girls think if you let the team down then it is the worst thing that could happen. If it was you, you would definitely feel that. But I have to remind them that even though this is a competitive sport, if you do make a mistake, it is not the end of the world.
Q: What do you think is the most important quality in an athlete?
A: It is important for an athlete to stay motivated at all times. A lot of people who do not play sports think they will see results as soon as they start training. That is not going to happen so they get discouraged when they do not see results quickly. You need to stay motivated and you have to constantly build up your skills. The results will come.
Q: Are there any teachers you would like to thank for encouraging you to participate in sports?
A: My IGCSE P.E. teacher was the very first girls volleyball coach and it was her who kept me motivated at all times. There were way more guys in my P.E. class than there were girls but she always told me I could do as well as them, if not better. I ended up finishing top of the class for both years so she was really the one who encouraged me to do the best that I could.
Q: How can more girls at YCIS be encouraged to participate in sports?
I think the school has done very well this year in encouraging girls to take part in sports. This year, the girls volleyball and basketball teams have had a record number of participants, especially from girls in the lower years. Mr Hampshire has been promoting sports achievements on a TV screen every week and I think that has got more students interested in sports. I do encourage more students to join the school teams because participation has been growing, especially in basketball!
Q: Will you participate in competitive sports after you graduate from YCIS?
Definitely. I am planning to do a rugby scholarship for university in Hong Kong or in the United States. I will definitely be involved in varsity sports.
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