Story by Joseph Lee/Red Sports
Evangeline Poon is part of the team that won floorball gold at the SEA Games. (Photo © Sasha Christian/Red Sports)
Floorballer Evangeline Poon, 20, is at her first-ever South-East Asian (SEA) Games and was part of the team that won the gold medal today. As floorball is a demonstration sport at the 2013 SEA Games, no official medals were given out. The competition was also held ahead of the Games’ opening ceremony on December 11.
The younger of two children, Evangeline is currently a second-year Accountancy student at Singapore Management University (SMU).
Red Sports caught up with Evangeline to hear about her floorball experiences.
Joseph Lee: What challenges have you faced heading into the SEA Games?
Evangeline: Since this is floorball’s inaugural appearance in the SEA Games, our team faced a great amount of uncertainty, in addition to the pressure to sufficiently represent our sport and make the nation proud. Also, another challenge faced – as many other athletes can empathise – is time management in terms of balancing school and training commitments.
What do you hope to gain from this SEA Games?
Evangeline: The team and I, along with the fast-growing Singapore floorball community, hope to see the sport integrated as an official competition for the 2015 SEA Games. Personally, I’m excited to take part in my first overseas competition and hope to gain more game experience as well as get to know other international members of the floorball community.
What was your training like in the lead-up to the SEA Games?
Evangeline: Our team started training more frequently and with higher intensity, focusing more on decision-making in game situations and play-up strategies, while still maintaining the strong emphasis on being responsible for personal fitness and our own physical conditions.
How many times have you been to the SEA Games?
Evangeline: This will be my first-ever SEA Games.
Who is your role model?
Evangeline: My most influential role model is Jill Quek, my coach in Raffles Institution and SMU. She introduced me to Albatross FC (a Singapore Floorball League Division 1 team) to further hone my skills outside of school trainings, and nurtured my skills from scratch.
Beyond her coaching mantle, Jill is an exceptional floorball player with unrivalled technical skills. Being a former national player with an outstanding reputation, she exemplifies the spirit of a true athlete. Her dedication and perseverance continually inspire me to work even harder to achieve greater success.
When and how did you get started in your sport?
Evangeline: I started playing floorball in 2010, when I was in Raffles Institution (Junior College). I wanted to try out a new sport and floorball drew my interest. Now, it has become my passion. Since I used to play softball in secondary school, the psychomotor and hand-eye coordination skills I learnt then were highly transferrable to becoming a floorball goalkeeper.
What was your best school sport memory?
Evangeline: Some of my dearest memories come from representing my schools at competitions and often involve strong camaraderie with my teammates, be it on or off-court. Especially when facing formidable opponents, the fond memories of how the team rallied together and remained focused as a cohesive unit forged indelible friendships that continue to last off the court.
What are your some of your significant achievements?
Evangeline: I was part of the Albatross FC team, which were champions of the Singapore Floorball League Div 1 from 2011 to 2013.
What is your favourite food?
Evangeline: If I had to pick just one favourite, it would (arguably) be liu sha baos.
If you did not pick up floorball, what other sport would you do?
Evangeline: Probably softball, the sport I used to play before starting floorball.
Any pre-match rituals?
Evangeline: I have a specific music playlist that I listen to only before matches to psych myself up and get into the right competitive frame of mind. Other than that, I mostly just stay hydrated on game days as well as the day before.
What is your biggest motivation?
Evangeline: My biggest motivation comes from my family and close friends, who have supported my floorball journey from the start. Heavy training commitments often involve sacrificing time otherwise spent, but they have always been extremely understanding and even come down to support my major matches.
Evangeline Poon Bio
Age: 20
Date of Birth: March 15, 1993
Height: 153cm
Weight: 48kg
Event: Floorball (Demo)
Position: Goalkeeper
Current Occupation: Student, Singapore Management University (SMU)
The Red Crew would like to congratulate Evangeline for winning gold at the 2013 SEA Games! Do drop Evangeline a note of support in the comments section if you can. We’re sure she’ll appreciate it. Upload photos showing your support of Evangeline on Instagram using #ourteamsg, or on the Team Singapore campaign’s website: www.ourteamsg.com
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