Basketball champions who never give up the fight

Seconds remained in the vital basketball match and the opponents were leading by a single point after dominating the game with their skilled dribbling and fast breaks. The Hospital Authority (HA) Women’s Basketball Teammates were getting nervous. Suddenly, a wave moved across the court. The small forward player of the HA Team seized control and turned defense into attack. In a last-gasp gambit, the HA player took a desperate shot after three quick passing and the ball bobbled into the net as the final whistle blew. The buzzer-beating basket sent the crowd into a frenzy of excitement.

“The whole team was so thrilled that they rushed out onto the court to hug each other and celebrate. That was the most unforgettable battle in the past few years of the Corporate Games,” recalls Senior Manager of Human Resources Division of Kowloon Central Cluster Jan Chan as she describes the come-from-behind victory in the Corporate Games which her team has now won six consecutive times, including the one which has been held recently.

“The way to win is to be persistent,” says Jan, who has played in five of the finals. “Even when you fall behind, you must persist to the last moment. We all fought for the same goal right to the very end, and it was very intense.”

The HA team’s strength in depth is impressive and includes players like Jan from the Hong Kong Women’s Basketball League (Division A) players. “When players leave, other Division A players join the team,” she explains. “In the community of women’s basketball players in Hong Kong, we all know each other. We may have been teammates or opponents, and if we know someone has joined the HA, we recruit them to the team immediately.”

Sport in safe hands

Jan is impressed by an unusual sporting advantage of the team. “Usually there is one medic in a sports team, but we have more than one,” she says with a smile. “There are orthopaedic surgeons, surgical nurses, and physiotherapists in the team. When someone gets hurt, several medical staff come over to check on the injury, which makes us feel very safe and secure.”

Like Jan, Ward Manager of the Department of Surgery at Queen Mary Hospital Fi Lai has played for the HA Women’s Basketball Team for more than 10 years. She is a Division A player and her busy ward schedule means that she is sometimes unable to attend practice sessions with the Division A team. Despite this, she insists on playing for the HA team in the Corporate Games.

“I am so grateful for the captain, coaches, and team members, their fighting spirit has inspired me to keep up the hard work,” she explains. “Besides, my role in the HA team is different from my role in the Division A team, which makes me reflect on what I need to improve in the Division A team and understand the difficulties of teammates better.”

This perspective has benefited her work, she believes. “When I work on the ward, I have more patience to understand others, and I reflect on how to express myself in a way that is more understandable to other people,” Fi says.

The Corporate Games are held every two years. Asked if they can win the tournament for a seventh consecutive time, Jan insists without hesitation, “yes! We are working hard to recruit top players, so we are confident we can win again.” With their passion and strength of character combined with a steady flow of new talent, their persistence and faith will hopefully be passed on to the next generation.