This month, The Blue & Gold are highlighting two students who are making their mark in sports. Samantha impresses with her talent and commitment to ice skating, while Augustine excels as a dedicated member of the varsity swimming team. Their hard work and achievements reflect the spirit of determination and perseverance.

Samatha L. (‘27): Ice Skater

Samantha L. (‘27, she/her) has been ice skating since her doctor told her she needed to build more muscle when she was 6. Discovering her passions early on, she has not stopped since.

Samantha’s skating journey has not always been easy. She has spent countless hours practicing on the ice, improving her techniques, and learning new routines. One challenging year tested her resilience when the fear of jumping almost held her back.
However, she learned an important lesson: “Skating is all about falling and falling.” By embracing her mistakes and learning from them, Samantha overcame her fears and came back stronger. “If you don’t try, there’s no point.”

Her dedication is evident in her daily schedule. Sometimes Samantha wakes up at 5:30 a.m. to fit in practice before school. After a quick warm-up, she steps onto the ice and trains until 7:00 a.m. Then, she’s off to school for a full day of classes.
But her day doesn’t end there—after school, she’s back at the rink for another session, skating from 7:40 to 8:20 p.m. Finally, she heads home to finish homework, eat, and rest before starting a new day.

Despite her rigorous schedule, Samantha finds ways to balance her passion for skating with her academic life. “They are both equally important,” she said, emphasizing the importance of discipline and time management in excelling in both areas. Sacrificing free time is a part of the deal, but for Samantha, the rewards are worth it.

One of Samantha’s most memorable moments was achieving her best score during nationals, “It showed me that hard work does pay off,” she recalled.
When she’s feeling nervous and anxious before a competition, support from her friends and teammates also plays a crucial role in her skating career.

“They always make me laugh and motivate me to keep going,” she shared. Her teammates’ support reminds her that she is never alone, even when the pressures of performing feels overwhelming and stressful.

As Samantha advances in her skating career, she hopes to inspire others to believe in themselves.

“You have to believe in yourself and not be scared, because fear will only stop you from trying new things,” she advised. She encourages everyone; her message is clear: “You’ve got this. Try your best and don’t be afraid.”

As Samantha continues her ice skating journey, she hopes to excel on the rink and inspire the next generation of skaters to dream big and follow their passions.

Augustine H. (‘28): Swimmer

Will Taipei American School (TAS) be able to perform and take home the gold medal this year in our home pool? Four prominent seniors who helped TAS achieve silver and gold medals in the past two years are graduating, so concerns arise about whether or not TAS can continue its winning culture under water. But this year, Augustine H. (‘28) has made it onto the varsity team as a freshman and looks to shoulder the pressure of winning in Taipei.

Despite putting swimming on hold for a year, Augustine impressed coaches with record times and earned a spot on the boy’s varsity swim team. Augustine took a liking to basketball in eighth grade and dedicated most of his time in and out of school to the sport. In part due to the disbandment of his old team, he felt that “swimming was just not fun anymore.” But, after seeing the joy and spirit of the Upper School swim team, he decided he wanted to be part of the team this year.

But after a year of limited practice, his skills had become rusty and he worried he may not meet the demands of the team. However, after receiving the opportunity to be on the team, he feels he has been given a chance to prove his abilities. “It felt like a redemption,” Augustine said. “It felt like a redemption of my past mistakes.”

According to his teammates, Augustine is very reliable and social. “Augustine was to me, a great teammate to his openness and friendliness,” Jackson C. (‘28), one of his fellow freshmen teammates, said. “He was more approachable and fun to interact with.” On Nov. 16, Augustine and the swim team headed to Singapore American School (SAS) to compete in the Pre-Interscholastic Association of Southeast Asian Schools (Pre-IASAS) games. On the first day of the tournament, Augustine participated in the 100-meter freestyle and a 4-by-50-meter freestyle relay. For the 100-meter freestyle, he got third out of ninth, and for the relay, he got seventh place out of eight competitors. “[I] could have done better, but for the first time competing with so many schools, I felt that I tried my best and gave it my all,” he said.

After settling back into the sport, Augustine is now preparing for IASAS. “I know we didn’t perform as well as we wanted to this time, but trust me, when it is time for IASAS, we will show up and show out for the home crowd,” he said.  For the next four years, be on the lookout for Augustine’s uprise to swimming stardom.