Following an exciting Season 1, our Timberwolves have continued to shine in Season 2, bringing their trademark determination and skill to the SEASAC Tennis Tournament, hosted by Harrow International School in Bangkok, Thailand. The tournament lasted for four days at the beginning of February and brought together some of the best tennis players across South East Asia. Our girls and boys varsity tennis teams rose to the occasion, with grit, sportsmanship, and dedication.
Despite entering the tournament as the 8th seed after recently moving up from Division 2 to Division 1, our girls varsity team made an impressive climb, securing 2nd place in their pool and finishing 4th overall. Their strong performance culminated in a hard-fought 3rd place match, where they narrowly lost 3-2. Hayley C shared her insights, explaining that “competing at a SEASAC Division 1 level was much more different than the ISSFHK tournaments played in Hong Kong. [The team] played against much more experienced players and [were held] to a much higher standard.” The tournament challenged the girls in every way, from waking up at 5:30am on match days to starting play by 7am and playing in 34 degree weather under the blazing sun. Despite these challenges, the team remained resilient and focused, supporting one another both on and off the court. Kimaya R shared her thoughts on the mental aspect of tennis, explaining that “sports are mental games. Your mindset is the most important aspect of any sport,” and “if you go into the game with a driven and optimistic mindset, your chances of winning and fulfillment increase.”
Similarly, the boys team also displayed remarkable resilience and determination. They faced intense competition, going head-to-head with some of the highest-ranked players from schools across Southeast Asia. In the end, they managed to secure fourth place, narrowly losing the 3rd place match against Harrow International School. Their matches were gruelling, with incredibly close scores and matches sometimes ending past 10pm. Captain Bosco L shared that “the tournament atmosphere was electric, and the level of play pushed [them] to perform at [their] absolute best.” His favourite moment from the trip was “witnessing the unity and camaraderie that emerged amidst the competitive pressure.” SEASAC was an amazing experience for their entire team. Players on the team, including Bryan W strongly encourage students who are thinking about participating in overseas sports trips to join, emphasising how “the team environment in SEASAC is quite enjoyable, as no matter the sport, you get to experience playing in matches as a team,” and that it “allows you to meet new people and make new friends.”
The teams would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated staff supervisors who accompanied them on the trip: Ms. Kathleen Lee, Ms. Jacinta Tsoi, and Mr. Geoffrey Slade. Their unwavering support, guidance, and encouragement throughout the tournament were invaluable, and the players couldn’t have asked for a better team of mentors. A special congratulations also goes to Bosco L and Sophie L, who were awarded the Most Valuable Player titles at SEASAC.
Season 2 has been a remarkable journey of growth, resilience, and teamwork, and we can’t wait to see what our Timberwolves achieve next in Season 3. Go T-Wolves!
