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So, why did you pick up squash?
Sandra : I like the game, the challenge. And John Black, my
coach then, encouraged me to train and play it more competitively…at a
competitive level.
What made you quit playing competitively
then?
Sandra : I’ve reached my targets so, there was not much to look
forward to. And I was going back to my studies.
Kay…serious question now, haha. In your
opinion, what’s the difference between women squash in Malaysia during
your time and now?
Sandra : Er…the level has definitely gone up a lot, simply
because the women now are doing it professionally. Last time, we
worked or studied and just played squash on a part time basis. Even
though you’re hard working, you still can’t improve much. Now, you
guys travel so much and play with all the top-level players. Last
time, we just traveled 2 or 3 times a year. There were not enough
funds that time. It was amateur.
And what about the difference between the
women players?
Sandra : Last time, the players were more self motivated and
competitive among each other. We played for the love of the game, more
towards the old way of thinking. It was more fun. We enjoyed training
although it was suffering doing it. When you play for the love of it,
you tend to enjoy it better. And when we went for tournaments, there
were more team spirit…the team spirit was very high. Now…I don’t know.
It’s more of a career. I find that the Malaysian players are bored, as
though squash is a chore. Now, everybody is on their own as
individuals. We did it for the love of the game; no incentive, no
salary. I had to pay so much to go training last time. There was no
allowance…nothing. Everyday, I had to take a taxi to the squash
courts. I paid till I was broke! And last time, there were no taxis in
Duta. I had to wait for 1 hour at night by the main road to get one!
Oh…I went through that taxi stage as well! So,
what do you think it takes for women to do well in squash?
Sandra : You’ve got to be hardworking, very focused,
disciplined and main thing is…you’ve got to set your targets. You’ve
got to know what you want out of squash, and what you’re training for.
If not, you simply train…for what? After a while you’ll lose focus
so…you must set the objective.
Yeah…that’s true. Umm…But what do you think is
the negative side of women squash?
Sandra : Haha…wait. Let me think first.
Do you reckon that the men squash players get
more privileges or priorities compared to the women’s?
Sandra : I don’t think it’s a men or women issue. I think it’ll
be the people motivating…the administrators. It is them who are
causing dissatisfaction among the players. It’s not just in this part
of the world. I think it’s in most countries. It’s still the
hierarchy, you see, where you’ll have the administrators, the
officials at the top who makes the decisions, as no.1. Then, the
players are below them. As a trial, new strategy in some countries of
the Olympic sports, they put athletes above the officials and it
worked. They produced better results with the same team of people
because the athletes are satisfied, you see.
Yeah…I think more countries should try that.
What was your best moment in your squash career?
Sandra : I think…when I beat Leong Siu Lynn in the semi-finals
of the Asian Squash Championship in 1998. She was the top seed so, it
was an upset; 3-2 and 9-0 in the fifth. She was crying while she was
playing.
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