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OlymPicks: Q&A with Chinese National Team’s Simon Chen
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In OlymPicks, we highlight news, gossip, and developments regarding the buildup to Beijing's 2022 Winter Olympics.
China's national ice hockey team was cleared to play in the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) this Tuesday, Dec 7, and one of the players to be representing the country on ice is Beijinger Simon Chen. He began playing the game as a pre-teen at China World's Le Cool Ice Rink and subsequently earned a full ice hockey scholarship to play in the top division of the US National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Now, back in Beijing to train for the Olympic games, we sat down with Chen to learn a little more about his path.
You started your ice hockey journey at Beijing's very own China World rink. What got you interested in hockey?A
I grew up in Beijing and lived near China World. I was a bit chubby as a kid, so my parents wanted me to lose weight. When I saw some other kids playing ice hockey at China World, I thought it looked fun and cool.
Chen at the tender age of 8
That being said, hockey wasn’t that popular at the time, and when I started skating at China World at age 6, there were only two to three local teams -- and no goalies. Training conditions were pretty difficult back then. The teams would practice on Fridays and Saturdays after the rink closed, from around 11pm to midnight.
What was the biggest challenge you faced when growing up?A
When I was 14, I left Beijing for a boarding school in the US to further pursue hockey. There I made the varsity team, but there were no other Asian players. Compared to my teammates, I was at a huge disadvantage in speed, strength, and knowledge of the game. What’s worse, I broke my leg shortly after I joined the team.
After entering college, I encountered an even bigger challenge, more serious than physical limits or injuries: competition was more intense, and I didn’t get much of a chance to play. I was under great pressure; I began to doubt myself and even thought about quitting.
What’s your secret to success?A
Self-discipline. In high school in the US, I spent two hours in hockey training daily, plus an additional one and a half hours of other physical training. Since hockey was available only in the winter season at my school, I took additional hockey training in the spring and fall seasons outside of school. I also stayed on a strict diet. I used all my effort during training, even if the coach was not there.
Chen on the ice at an International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) game
You mentioned that you had injuries as well as spent significant time on the bench. How did you overcome these difficulties to make it to the Chinese national team?A
Persistence – and a lot of support from my parents, and a great many years training and playing.
And what was your path to the national team?A
When I was around 16 or 17, I was pretty well-known in the Chinese hockey world. At that time, I was playing abroad in a prep school hockey league in New England. Later, I joined a junior hockey league in British Columbia, playing for a team called the Cowichan Valley Capitals.
I went on to play hockey for the University of Alabama in Huntsville. While I was playing abroad, the Chinese association would track my progress and contact me whenever a national championship game was coming up -- then I'd fly to wherever the national team was, and would train for a month leading up to the event.
I'm currently preparing for Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. A roster of 50 players was first assembled on Jul 15, 2020, but by the end of July 2021, there were only 11 of us left thanks to extensive cuts. The team began training in August this year and will train until the end of this month. I've trained more than 500 times since July 2020 without any breaks, and I keep on trying to push myself.
When you were in school, how did you find the balance between schoolwork and training?A
I really wanted to show my peers that Chinese students are not only academically outstanding but we can also do well in sports at the same time.
I attended Brooks School (brooksschool.org), a prestigious prep school in Massachusetts. There was usually a mandatory study hall from 8pm to 10pm every day for freshmen students. So after I'd finished hockey practice, I'd go to the gym and then grab dinner before going to study hall to get my work done.
Chen on the ice for Red Star Kunlun, one of China's teams in the mainly Russia-based KHL
I balanced my time by utilizing self-discipline. I'd pay attention in class and finish my schoolwork ahead of time if possible. For example, if an assignment was due on Thursday, I'd finish it on Tuesday in order to give myself extra time to do other things.
The most important takeaway from my time at boarding school was that it's crucial to be self-disciplined and hard on yourself. Although this meant less time for video games and movies, I'd still have fun socializing with my friends and teammates when I got the chance.
How do you feel about being part of the first-ever Chinese ice hockey team to compete in the Winter Olympics?A
It's my dream to represent China. Also, it's in Beijing, my hometown. I will use all my effort to win glory for my country.
What do you think of youth ice hockey in China today?A
Ice and snow sports in China have made impressive progress in recent years, especially ice hockey. Ten years ago, when I left China, there were only two high school hockey teams in Beijing. Now a lot of schools – including some elementary schools – have their own hockey team. It's very promising.
Images: Jingkids, Simon Chen
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