【Never Give Up Column】In recent years, several sports-themed TV shows have aired and received significant feedback. For example, for ice hockey, there's "Sparkle on the Ice"; for basketball, "Preseason"; for volleyball, "Man-sized Fable"; for swimming, "I Swim"; for boxing, "The Spectator"; and for karate, "The Impossible 3." Most of these stories depict young people who love sports, are full of passion and drive, and bravely pursue their dreams! This column features an interview with Caleb Chan Yi-him, a sports-savvy young "slashie" with a wide range of skills. Caleb has been involved in sports since childhood, starting with ice hockey in elementary school, then fencing in secondary school, followed by diving, cycling, volleyball, and more... He takes every sport seriously, not just as a casual pastime, even joining the Hong Kong team and training at the Hong Kong Sports Institute.

 

"I'm 20 this year, started playing ice hockey in elementary school, and joined the Hong Kong fencing team in secondary school."

Ice Hockey

Caleb started playing ice hockey in elementary school, which is considered a niche sport in Hong Kong. The rink isn't very large, about 61 meters long and 26 meters wide, which means fast skating speeds, frequent changes of possession, and a strong emphasis on speed, power, and teamwork, making it a very exciting and challenging sport. "My family let me play Ice Hockey since I was young. I really love the sense of speed that skating gives me; I can continuously accelerate on the ice, which is very stress-relieving and relaxing. Plus, the team spirit of ice hockey, that's why I really love playing ice hockey!"

"From foreign Ice Hockey videos, it might look dangerous, but actually, there's a lot of protective gear to protect the athletes. Why do athletes look so big? Because they wear thick protective clothing, helmets, and gloves, all to prevent injuries. So I don't think it's very dangerous." In fact, some serious accidents on the ice are quite rare. For example, recently, a hockey league player named Adam Johnson was fatally cut in the neck by an opponent's skate blade during a game while trying to block them. These accidents are isolated incidents and do not mean that ice hockey is a dangerous sport.

 

"I love the sense of speed; on the ice, I can continuouslyaccelerate!Accelerate!Accelerate!"

Why did you switch to fencing?

"In elementary school, after school, I would go to the ice rink to practice ice hockey. Then, during the summer before I entered Primary 6, a classmate's dad was a fencing coach. After playing ice hockey for so many years, I wanted to try something else, so I started fencing, and I ended up playing for 6-7 years." "By secondary school, I fully dedicated myself to fencing. I trained four to five times a week, and gradually achieved good results, joining the Hong Kong team. After school, I would go to the Sports Institute for training, and on Saturdays and Sundays too. So I started having less time for other sports."

 

What differences do you find when changing your main sport?

"Before I joined the Hong Kong team, I didn't have such high expectations for myself. Maybe reaching the quarter-finals in a competition was my goal. But after joining the Hong Kong team, I had to aim for the top four in every competition. The pressure increased significantly because more people knew me, and some started to study my style of play. I became a perceived opponent."

Caleb transitioned from a team sport to an individual sport, and there must have been significant differences in training methods and mindset. "Ice hockey is a team sport, while fencing is an individual sport. In one, win or lose, you have teammates supporting you; in the other, you face victory or defeat alone. The competition formats are also very different. Fencing might be completed in one day; ice hockey might involve group stages and require several days of competition."

"What's most fun about fencing is that you have to think everything through yourself. When you're in a match, there's so much to consider, like how to execute the next thrust. You have to try it yourself, observe a lot. Constantly thinking about how to counter your opponent's moves, after a long struggle, scoring a point feels incredibly satisfying and brings great joy!"

 

"Ice hockey is a team sport, fencing is an individual sport. There's a big difference!""

Mindset adjustment

"When I'm not performing well due to bad form, after a point, I'll tie my shoelaces to calm myself down and think carefully about what to do next. I constantly remind myself to go back to basics, improve my footwork, and do more preparatory probes, just like warming up in practice, to see if I can find a solution."

"Back then, I performed poorly in some group matches, barely qualifying. At the time, I thought, since I'm on the Hong Kong team, I must help win against all opponents; I had that mindset. So I was very nervous and under a lot of pressure, and I even lost to some opponents who weren't as skilled. I was afraid people might think, 'What kind of Hong Kong team member is this!' But the longer I played, the more I believed in myself. I felt I could do it, tried to play more relaxed, used the simplest and most direct scoring methods, and didn't overthink."

Although Caleb is only 20 years old, throughout the interview, I could feel that he has a strong heart, is self-reliant and independent. It turns out his mature mindset is closely related to his family background. "I think I have this mindset because of my original family. I'm an only child, so I had to do a lot of things by myself. My parents had to work, so I had to go home alone. I had to find many solutions on my own. That's why when I fence, I also calmly think, go back to basics, and consider the simplest and easiest solutions."

 

"I believe in myself more and more. I try to play relaxed, use the simplest and most direct methods to score, and don't overthink!""

Sports Slashie

Besides fencing and ice hockey, Caleb also loves cycling, diving, playing volleyball, and more. He doesn't just play them casually; he takes them seriously, achieving professional levels in each sport and earning various certifications. "I originally enjoyed cycling, so I went road cycling with my friends. It's cool, and I get to enjoy the sense of speed! Then I enrolled in the Higher Diploma in Sports Coaching at IVE Chai Wan, with cycling as a major. I got to try different cycling disciplines, such as mountain biking, BMX, and track cycling. The most surprising was track cycling; it's very different from regular road cycling because it has no brakes, which is so much fun and gives a great sense of speed!"

"I wanted to get certified in diving because I saw how beautiful other people's YouTube videos were. But once I tried it, I realized that underwater wasn't just beautiful; there was a sense of tranquility. You might not hear anything, but you see and feel so much, it's very peaceful. If I'm under a lot of pressure and tension from competitions, diving into the water helps me find that sense of calm and relaxation! I plan to get my diving instructor certification soon. My goal is to teach people who can't swim how to dive, because even non-swimmers can dive! "

 

"Underwater isn't just beautiful; there's a sense of tranquility.""

What does Never Give Up represent?

"Actually, I often tell myself, Never Give Up. Sometimes I'm really tired and don't want to play anymore, but I still tell myself: 'You've come this far, just finish it before you rest!' Sometimes I feel like giving up, but when I get home, I tell myself: 'You've put in so much effort, why not play the next one and do your best? This wasn't your best yet.'" "I really like a motto: 'Diamonds are made under pressure.'. If a person has no pressure, they won't achieve a better version of themselves!"

At the end of the interview, we posed a challenge to Caleb: among all the sports you've played, both individual and team sports, which would you choose? "Out of all the sports, I still enjoy team sports the most, such as volleyball and ice hockey. Because every time you win, there's a group of people celebrating together, and I really love that atmosphere. So I'll be focusing on these two sports in the future." "I have a goal, I really want to play ice hockey again. There are very few ice rinks in Hong Kong, and I want to promote ice hockey. Also, I've just been playing volleyball for a year, and I love the team spirit, so I want to develop a bit more in volleyball."

 

"Diamonds are made under pressure! If a person has no pressure, they won't achieve a better version of themselves!""

 

By Ho.W.K.

NGU