Veronica Yue Yu Yin-wing – Hong Kong Touch Rugby Player "I will Never Give Up on my life!"
【Never Give Up Column】Do you have any Taurus friends who are very active, can't sit still, can't get bored, make the most of every 24 hours, and have a very fulfilling life? This time, Never Give Up has invited our first female guest, Veronica Yu (A-Yu), a Hong Kong "Touch Rugby" athlete, who perfectly fits all five of these characteristics and is also an elite in multiple sports!
"Hello! I'm Yu Hin Wing! I'm a Touch Rugby player!"
The entire interview and photoshoot were full of joy. When I asked A-Yu to introduce herself, she immediately burst out laughing: "Let me think first, you want my 'life story,' right? OK! Action!" A-Yu's cheerful and lively personality made the interview process very relaxed. It turns out that she had participated in many sports before becoming a Touch Rugby player.
"I am currently a college lecturer and also a Touch Rugby player. When I was little, I mainly did track and field, focusing on running, and then I got into fitness and even competed in fitness competitions. I only truly got into rugby after I started working. At that time, I played 'Contact Rugby,' but due to a shoulder injury, I switched to 'Touch Rugby,' which involves less physical impact."
"When I was little, I couldn't sit still and loved to run and jump around. Joining the track and field team allowed me to
Track and Field Running Expert
A-Yu started track and field in primary school because she couldn't sit still and loved to run and jump. She was often scolded by teachers in class. "Joining the track and field team allowed me to
"I like to learn everything. You only live once, so try everything! If there's an opportunity, I'll try it!"
College Sports Transition (Track and Field, Cross-Country Running, Fitness, Inline Skating)
After secondary school, A-Yu enrolled in a Higher Diploma program in Sports Coaching, where she was exposed to various sports. She dedicated most of her time to Inline Skating and fitness, and obtained coaching licenses for both. "I wanted to try many different sports. In college, I spent the most time on Inline Skating and Fitness. My classmates would often go to the gym to 'Hea' (relax) during their free periods, but their 'Hea' (relaxing) actually meant working out and doing gym. So, whenever I had free time, I'd lift weights a few times. Slowly, my teachers saw my interest and suggested I continue to develop in fitness and even compete. I thought, you only live once, so try everything! If there's an opportunity, I'll try it. Even if I look bad, I look bad!"
Besides running, high jump, cross-country running, fitness, inline skating, and obtaining various sports coaching licenses, A-Yu will always try any sport she gets the chance to. "I'm quite restless! I love trying new things and learning new things. I'll try anything if there's an opportunity. People might think I'm 'a jack of all trades,' but I just love to try everything!"
"I got into rugby because I found it exciting and amazing! There's no turning back! The feeling of progressing with teammates is great!"
Getting into Contact Rugby, Falling in Love with Rugby
A-Yu had wanted to play rugby since her school days, but she was too busy with many other activities. It wasn't until she graduated and started working that she stumbled upon a Rugby Summer Course offered by the Rugby Union. She signed up, got into rugby, and then followed her coach to join her first women's rugby club, "University Rugby Football Club – URFC," where she began systematic training twice a week.
"I initially got into rugby because I found it exciting and amazing! It really tests your reactions; the ball can suddenly appear in front of you, and you can run at full speed! Secondly, I met many friends, and the feeling of progressing with teammates is great! I like team sports. Although the sports I played before were individual sports, once I got into Rugby, there was no turning back."
"Once, I relaxed during a tackle, injured my shoulder, and it gradually developed into habitual dislocation. I continued playing Rugby for two more years."
Habitual Shoulder Dislocation
Anyone involved in sports understands one thing: injuries are always an athlete's biggest enemy. A-Yu also had to face this nemesis. "At the University, I was a Fullback, which means the last defender on the team. Opponents would charge at full speed to score, so the impact force was quite significant. One time, when I went for a Tackle to defend against an opponent, I might have relaxed, which led to a shoulder injury, and it gradually developed into habitual dislocation."
But having been injured makes you realize you need to be strong. As someone who loves sports, A-Yu would not back down in the face of injury, which did not deter her from continuing to play rugby. "I continued to play Tackle for two years after my injury because the team's Bonding was very good, and everyone was good Friends. I didn't want to just stop playing; I really wanted to keep playing with them, so I kept playing even when injured. Actually, I should have rested and completed rehabilitation before continuing to play." Afterwards, A-Yu discovered Touch Rugby, which has different rules than traditional rugby. As the name suggests, Touch Rugby does not involve violent collisions and tackles; in a game, players can only touch opponents with minimal force to impede their attack. A-Yu's current team is the "Zion Touch Football Club."
"I didn't think that far ahead at first, nor did I aim to become a Hong Kong athlete. I just loved playing this sport and kept practicing."
Becoming a Hong Kong "Touch Rugby" Athlete
In mid-July 2024, a quadrennial Touch Rugby World Cup will be held in the UK, with various countries participating in this grand event. Hong Kong has also sent different categories of representative teams, including men's, women's, and mixed-gender teams. A-Yu was selected to represent the Hong Kong China Mixed 30s team. "This is the first time I'm representing Hong Kong in an international Touch Rugby competition. I feel that opportunities like this don't come around often, so I have to seize it when it does. Honestly, I didn't think about becoming a Hong Kong athlete back then, nor did I make it my goal. I just loved playing this sport and kept practicing and competing."
"I am most grateful to my family; they never said 'you shouldn't' to any of my decisions."
The Person I Am Most Grateful For
"Actually, I'm grateful to everyone I've met. But I'm most grateful to my family, because they've supported every decision I've made throughout my life, which is why I dare to try anything. My family has never said 'you shouldn't' to any of my decisions. I think this really influenced me from a young age; they supported every choice I made, so as I grew up, I was never afraid of making the wrong decision or wondering if I could do something. I'd dare to try anything!"
"From childhood, my family supported every decision I made, so as I grew up, I was never afraid of making the wrong decision."
"In Hong Kong's environment, many parents want their children to study well, or to focus on one sport and master it, rather than trying everything. My family, on the other hand, let me try different interest classes from a young age, perhaps different ones every year. After each one, they would ask if I was interested, instead of making me learn what they wanted. They would see if I liked it."
What does Never Give Up mean to you?
"To me, 'Never Give Up' means 'don't give up,' but does 'don't give up' equal 'persevere'? I don't think so. For me, I might not have such strong determination in 'perseverance,' but I'm more determined in 'not giving up.' I will 'Never Give Up' on my own life! Why do I learn so much to improve myself and experience so many new things? Because I only live once, and I want to decide what I experience and what memories I make."
"I will Never Give Up on my life! I only live once!"
"In Hong Kong, many people give up certain things and only focus on work because of work or lack of time. I don't think life should be like that. The so-called perseverance in a job, working from 10 to 10, to a certain extent, I think this isn't perseverance; it's giving up on your own life!"
Finally, I asked A-Yu, "How do you manage your time when you have to work, travel, play, and train so intensively? Aren't you tired?" "I am tired! But maybe I'm a masochist! I feel very fulfilled. There's never 'no time,' it's about making choices!"
"Persisting in working from ten to ten, I don't think that's perseverance; it's giving up on your own life!"
This July, A-Yu will participate in the quadrennial Touch Rugby World Cup in the UK. Hong Kong athletes need to pay $25,000 - $35,000 out of their own pockets to compete. We hope everyone will support Hong Kong athletes! Please visit Hong Kong China Mixed 30s and A-Yu's Instagram to cheer them on!
One of Never Give Up's founding goals is to secure enough funding to continue operating, and in the future, we truly hope to be able to financially support Hong Kong athletes to compete around the world! As long as we persevere, I believe we can definitely achieve it!
Let's support those who are still persevering in sports! Keep it up!
By Ho.W.K.
NGU
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