Tell us about what do you currently do?
I am currently a student at Loughborough University, studying Sport and Exercise Science but I'm currently in my placement year. I’m working for Loughborough Sport in the Sports Development area for my placement year, specifically with the Coach & Volunteer Academy (CVA), as the Data & Projects Operations Support.
Alongside this, I’m volunteering for the Recreational Sport programme at the University, as the Vice Chair!
Tell us about your sporting background?
I grew up fortunate enough to be able to try a few sports within and outside school, such as swimming, kung fu, and tennis. However, the sport which I stuck with was rugby. I started playing rugby when I was eight at a local club, then quickly time passed and I was soon part of the Hong Kong Podium Programme, essentially the national youth elite academy. At this point, rugby took over my life, but as it did, I realised more and more that elite sport wasn’t for me. By the time I got to University, I soon only played rugby recreationally, and now, not at all.
Now, I participate in a variety of sports recreationally at the university, ranging from tennis, to athletics, and most recently, I’ve joined the trampolining club and attended my first few competitions.
What is your particular area of interest when it comes to accessing sport?
I am particularly interest in Equality, Diversiona and Inclusion (EDI) within sport across all areas, though my personal interest is within LGBTQ+ people within sport, particularly the hidden barriers affecting participation. Through volunteering, I’ve picked up some experience within disability inclusion within the sport.
Why did you want to become a member of the Youth Board?
Growing up, I didn’t necessarily always have the best experience within sport, and at times, it was why I had some of my biggest lows. I never want anyone to feel the way I did in sport, and I wanted to be able to make change so sport is welcoming for all. Fundamentally, I wanted to be able to make a difference within sport in the wider society.
If you could change one thing about sport or physical activity for young people, what would that be?
I want to change the perception of sport many people have, and I mean this in two ways.
For young people, it could only be as little as one bad experience for negative perceptions of sport to form and stick. I want to be able to show everyone that sport can be a welcoming place for all, and to reduce bad experiences people have, or change the perceptions of those who have had bad experiences.
In the other sense, I want to change perceptions where sport can be seen as a hinderance to other things, such as academia. Sport should be seen as something which can co-exist alongside work or academia, given the wealth of positives it brings, making it more so a benefit, rather than a hinderance.
Tell us a fun or interesting fact about yourself.
It ties in with my sporting background, but it always surprises people when they learn I did figure skating alongside rugby, especially when I was really into rugby.