Floorballer Yeap makes the big leap

When Amanda Yeap leads the Singapore team out for the first time at the inaugural women's Asia-Oceania Floorball Cup (AOFC) today, it will not only be a testament to her dedication, but also her ability to overcome failures repeatedly.

WOMEN'S ASIA-OCEANIA FLOORBALL CUP

SINGAPORE

INDONESIA

The 24-year-old Singapore Management University accountancy undergraduate has withstood her fair share of setbacks to get to where she is today.

Four years ago, Yeap was even rejected from the national team, with her first trial ending in tears.

She told The New Paper: "I was quite sad. At that point, I wondered what I lacked that others didn't but, when I reflected later on, I realised that I lacked in many aspects.

"I let the discouragement stand for only a few days, but I had to refocus and made it my motivation to get into the team."

Undaunted, she stayed on in the training squad and put in extra effort. After a successful trial eight months later, she earned a spot in the 2015 SEA Games team.

While the team struck gold at the biennial meet on home soil, her personal experience was forgetable, marred by a costly defensive blunder she committed in the final against Thailand, which the opponents pounced on to grab the lead.

Her involvement in their campaign ended there as she was benched for the rest of the game.

Yeap, however, is not one to be sunk by her setbacks.

In fact, she shared that she still watches replays of her gaffe. To the forward, every obstacle has helped shape her into the player she is today.

She said: "Mistakes happen. They've made me a tougher person in terms of my mind - to learn from my mistakes and not let them affect you."

Channeling her frustrations into motivation has been crucial throughout Yeap's time as an athlete.

In her early days as a floorballer, she hit a plateau.

She was unsatisfied with her progress and felt that her form did not reflect her three years of commitment in the sport since picking it up at the start of polytechnic. But that was not a sign for her to quit - it was an impetus to improve.

Before entering university, she took a gap year to immerse herself in floorball.

She joined a floorball club and worked at Valhall, a floorball arena in Singapore, where she also trained under Swedish coaches and brothers Stefan and Filip Dahlgren, known for pioneeringthe sport in Singapore.

Her desire to improve has not gone unnoticed.

Singapore women's floorball coach Louise Khng, a former national captain, attributes Yeap's significant leap to her work ethic, noting that she does extra training on her own and always reviews her performances through videos.

LOTS OF EFFORT

"Amanda puts in a lot of effort in trying to improve herself as a player," said Khng, 35.

"She's willing to go the distance to prove herself and, at the same time, with the improvements in her own field, she can also lift the team on the court."

Khng has confidence in Yeap's ability to lead the team, saying: "She has matured so much over the last few years that she is able to carry herself well and also take on the responsibilities of being a leader."

The upcoming AOFC poses new challenges as Singapore's women floorball team take on opponents from the region, some of whom they have not met before, but Yeap believes her team will give their all.

While she admitted that the captaincy has given her pressure, she knows that she can count on her teammates, saying: "The team have made the transition easier.

"The dynamics between the older and the younger ones is good, and it's very heartwarming to see."