From football to cricket, coach to teammate: Two Singapore SEA Games athletes and their sporting journeys

SINGAPORE: Sara Merican is known by some as "the footballer".

But it is a title she has never really liked.

"It's not so much a rejection of that identity of a footballer or sports person, or desiring other identities. But trying to remind myself and protect my heart that we are far more than just what we do, or what we're passionate about," the 27-year-old told CNA.

More than a footballer, Merican is a daughter, a writer, a cinephile, a scholar. Now, add cricketer to the list.

After picking up the sport in September last year, Merican will represent Singapore at the upcoming 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia.

While studying for her master's degree in film and screen studies at the University of Cambridge, Merican chanced upon the school sports fair. 

"I signed up for a bunch of sports, maybe about five, looking to try something alongside football. Something that I wouldn't have pressure to perform well and not have any expectations for myself, and return to that childlike state of enjoying sport," said Merican, who has played football for over a decade.

"I went for maybe three sessions of cricket and then I really fell in love with the game because it's so strategic. There is actually a huge individual element and yet it is still a team sport."

Before leaving for the UK, Merican played football for Women's Premier League side Lion City Sailors. Just two years ago, she was part of the 23-player roster for the Lionesses – the senior women's national team – at the AFC Women's Asian Cup Qualifiers.

But Merican continued honing her cricket skills. When she returned to Singapore during the winter break, she got in touch with Chamal de Silva, head coach of the women's national cricket team.

"I found out then that they were opening up to some players who were converting from other sports and the team was actually preparing for quite a busy year. So I stayed for a few sessions and I was honestly super, super nervous because I was like: 'This is way beyond my standard and way beyond what I was looking for'."

But she stuck with it because of Chamal's enthusiasm. "As long as I was committed to the team, he would put in the time and effort to help me catch up with the others," Merican said of the coach.

And as time ticked on, Merican realised this was a team and a sport she wanted to be a part of. She put her studies on hold for a year, and took a leap of faith. 

"An athlete’s shelf life is so short. So if you get an opportunity, you must run with it," explained Merican, whose master's degree is fully funded as she is on the Gates Cambridge Scholarship. "I wanted to give it a good shot and at least (have) no regrets."

"YOU DON'T HAVE TO CALL ME COACH"

One of Merican's former teammates for club and country was Ernie Sontaril, captain of the women's football national team. Ernie has 56 caps for Singapore and made her debut for the Lionesses in 2008.

But Ernie isn't your ordinary skipper. She shares a special relationship with a number of the provisional 27-player squad headed to the Games.

Ernie was midfielder Dhaniyah Qasimah's football coach and PE teacher during her time at Cedar Primary School. She also coached forwards Izzati Rosni and Raudhah Kamis, midfielders Putri Syaliza, Sitianiwati Rosielin and defenders Rosnani Azman and Farhanah Ruhaizat at the U-19 level.

Today, they are all teammates.

"From the start, I knew that these players had potential and I knew one day they would be part of the national set-up," said Ernie, who has coached Dhaniyah since she was seven.

"I feel proud that they are my teammates, and I hope that can (earn) more caps, and create more history for Singapore."

While some of her former charges may have found it "weird" to share the field with their coach in the beginning, the awkwardness is long gone.

"I told them: 'Forget it, we are teammates right now. You don't need to call me coach,'" she said. "You can call me by my name!"

"I was in disbelief at first as it is surreal to play alongside your mentor and someone who you had looked up to," added Farhanah. "At first, I was uncertain how to address her, but I have gotten over that and got accustomed to having her as my teammate."

And it will be a special feeling heading to the Games with them, added Ernie.

"I coached them from when they were very young, and now I see them in my team. And (to) see how mature they are right now, and being able to play for the first team, that makes me really proud," she added.

This is a sentiment Dhaniyah shares. "It gave me a sense of accomplishment to be playing alongside the same person who once coached and guided me, allowing for my current success in football."

CATALYSTS FOR RENEWAL

Both Merican and Ernie are, in their own ways, catalysts for the growth and renewal of their respective sports. In the case of Ernie, she hopes to introduce the sport to more girls in Singapore.

"Parents will approach me and ask how the national programme for the youth is like, if they can get to know more, if they can send their kids (to these programmes).

"No matter what, I will help them, because we need to grow, (have) more girls playing football. I'm happy to help anyone start football."

And while the interest and participation in women's football has grown over the years, more can still be done, said Ernie. 

"It has grown a lot compared to the past. But what can be better is for more schools in Singapore, primary schools especially, to have football as a CCA (co-curricular activity) for girls."

Her next mission is to encourage more players from the national team to play abroad, added Ernie, who had stints playing in Japan and Malaysia.

In 2022, the Lionesses returned to the Games for the first time since 2003. They finished third in their group, notching a historic victory against a much higher ranked Laos team – their first win at the Games since 1985.

This year, they are grouped with host nation Cambodia, Laos and Thailand, and will kick off their campaign against Thailand on May 3. 

Under new head coach Karim Bencherifa, the team has switched to a more attacking approach, and Ernie believes it will translate to solid results in Phnom Penh.

Within the cricket team, there are a number of players who have switched sports like Merican. One of which is team captain Shafina Mahesh, who used to play netball at a young age.

And with a limited talent pool in Singapore for the sport, it is players like Merican who can move the sport forward, said Shafina.

"She (Merican) gets to share the experience of: 'I was from the sport and I came into the system and this is how it goes.'"

It has also been helpful having teammates who switched sports, added Merican.

"They understand the learning curve of cricket. And they actually appreciate the other skills that you bring," she said.

"For them it's not like a burden that you have to unlearn from, or that you have to unthink certain behaviors, but actually, they sort of see it as a strength."

Competing at the Games has always been a childhood dream, added Merican. But she never expected it to have come via the route that she took.

"You try not to get stuck on it too much because so many things depend on circumstances and nothing is certain in sports. But I was like: 'You know what, there's this opportunity now, cricket is making a comeback (at the Games) after six years, let's just give it a shot,'" she said.

"If the opportunity came up and mentally and physically I was in a place to give it a good shot, I would take the chance."

The women's cricket team began their campaign with a narrow 37-38 defeat in the T10 round robin against Malaysia last Saturday (Apr 29). They followed it up with a 132-68 victory in the T20 round robin against Cambodia the next day.

Merican hopes for a medal at the Games. Not because she wants something shiny to display at home, but because it can lift the profile of the sport locally and provide a case for the team to be nominated for Asian Games selection.

"It will also open more doors, help more girls have the chance to play cricket. So I'm more excited about a medal for those reasons."

11 PLAYERS AND A BALL

While cricket and football seem like two completely different sports, there are some similarities, Merican explained.

"It's quite funny that both sports also have 11 players and there's still a ball so I usually just say step one is done," she said.

"The transferable part (from sport to sport) depends on your role. My main roles are batting and fielding. Fielding, a lot of it feels similar because you're running after a ball. There's obviously catching and all that involved but I felt quite at home."

Playing tennis for a number of years also helped, she added.

"I just needed to get used to the equipment, get used to how hard the ball is, getting used to the different kinds of bowling. And I watched a lot of games to make sure I was learning as much about the sport as quickly as I could," Merican said.

"It was more of trying to correct some of the techniques and getting used to the standard of play, like people throwing the balls a lot faster. The high-performance aspect comes in where there are certain standards expected and it becomes that sort of state where there's less room for error. You've to put in a lot more effort on your own."

Where she once kicked a ball against a wall near her home for football, Merican now uses a tennis ball and bat to work on her batting technique.

And in sport, some things never change.

"Part of what makes sports so interesting are these twists and turns that you don't expect. At the core of it, certain values don't change – that desire to sacrifice, the desire to work hard, the desire to give 100 per cent to something even when the outcome is very uncertain," said Merican.

"Those things that don't change based on the sport you're in."

Merican's initiative and effort have shone through, said coach Chamal.

"She's still at the infancy of her cricket skill, but she is for me a model player, an example for the other players on how to learn and improve yourself," he told CNA. "We can look in a player – their hunger, their interest to learn, them taking responsibility outside squad training and scheduled training."

"In Sara, I see a person who understands what it means to wear your jersey and play for your flag … That you need," added Chamal.

"If you want to be a national athlete, (that's) what you have to strive for."

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