When you start to feel overwhelmed, what motivates you to keep going? For sports science student and table tennis athlete Jacqueline, all it takes is simply telling herself that anything is possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jacqueline picked up her first racquet when she was just five years old. Then, she was barely tall enough to see over the table. Now, she\u2019s been competing professionally for years, having recently brought home a few medals from her latest national championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Growing up with a dad who was once a high-level table tennis player, Jacqueline always knew she was interested in the sport. At first, she played for fun, like many of the other sports she tried when she was younger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eventually, her dad suggested she pick one sport to train hard at, one sport that she could hopefully become successful in. Jacqueline chose table tennis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPeople have the mindset that table tennis isn\u2019t a big deal, that it\u2019s not as competitive. But they haven\u2019t seen the competitive side of it. It\u2019s such a passionate sport!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since the age of 10, her dad has been her coach, helping her train up for each new curveball that comes her way. Though at first this made it difficult, as Jacqueline often got lectured by her dad before her games, ultimately she is grateful for her dad\u2019s encouragement and support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBecause of Dad\u2019s training, I\u2019ve got into the habit of making a choice for myself to not use my phone [before a game]. I stretch, sometimes listen to music just to relax me while I\u2019m stretching. It helps clear my mind.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over time, Jacqueline began to compete professionally, with her team winning a gold medal in the Junior Nationals in Tasmania when she was just 14. More recently, at the 2022 West Coast National Championships in Queensland, her team brought home a silver medal, while Jacqueline herself won a gold and a bronze medal for a doubles event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With her table tennis career taking off, Jacqueline decided to find a uni course that would complement her growing love for sport. And so, she decided to enrol in Exercise and Sports Science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When deciding on which uni to attend, Jacqueline focused on what courses they offered, rather than which would best accommodate her table tennis career. Once she\u2019d applied for Curtin, only then did she start searching for opportunities for athletes like her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n