It was 30 years ago when Datuk Nicol David picked up her first squash racket. The sport was initially meant to keep the young five-year-old occupied from running around. Little did her parents know their “distraction” would become a trampoline that propelled Datuk Nicol into the world’s professional squash arena.
Since announcing her retirement in February, we spoke to the queen of squash about her journey as a professional squash player and role model. “I want to help girls realise their full potential through sports. The game of squash has done so much for me and I believe children should be exposed to different sports. Not only is it healthy, but it also develops good virtues and discipline. With my next phase in life, I will remain involved in the world of squash, while impacting the lives of others with what I have learned.”
Growing up, how did you juggle going to school and competing?
Playing squash really helped me learned how to manage my time and be disciplined when it came to my studies. The sport helped me stay alert while I studied. Growing up I understood I had limited time to study because I had to travel a lot for competitions, so I made the most of the time I had.
My family kept me grounded as well. I had the best upbringing with my family. My parents gave my sisters and I so much love that they created this loving and healthy environment to grow up in. They gave us simple but important values to live by, and to respect people always. One of the values that I’ve been taught is to treat people the way you want to be treated, and without this, I believe I would not have been able to become the professional squash player that I am today.