Being a very hard-working, responsible and active freshman, Ella Mak is looking very great for her future at Glen A Wilson.
Besides playing and winning the international u17 Portugal open, she also participates in many school activities such as HOSA and Science Olympiad and many other hobbies, including kung fu and horseback riding.
Her star career in badminton all started when she was just seven years old, practicing and preparing until she’s who she is today.
“I’m amazed at how graceful professionals are when moving around the court and the shots they play on the court. I aspire to be like them, so whenever I look back at my games, and I see myself getting better and better, it keeps me hooked to the sport and it’s why I love it.” Mak said.
She explains further that playing and practicing badminton is not as easy as most people think and requires the most amount of time and effort from the person.
“You need stamina, agility, strength, precision, just to name a few things. I train 4 times a week for 3-4 hours each session, and also run whenever I’m free. I also do a lot of physical conditioning, like lifting weights.” Mak said.
She also likes to partake in horse riding during her free time.
“I’ve always loved horses since I was young. Every summer, my parents would let me go horse riding on a trail. When I found a horse riding academy close to our house, they let me try it out, and I immediately begged them to let me take classes.
In school, she chose to participate in HOSA and Science Olympiad because she wants to further pursue a career in the medical profession.
“I would like to be in the medical profession. HOSA and Science Olympiad opened my eyes to other medical professions that I could be interested in. Also, they are both really fun clubs to participate in,” Mak said.
Besides having fun, she also learned many important skills that can help her in the medical field.
“I’ve learned from badminton, my hobbies and my clubs to be more patient, diligent and persistent in everyday life,” Mak explained.
Furthermore, she explains how and why it can help her use those skills in her life.
“For example, homework and projects can really get me frustrated and stressed. But my activities have taught me to be patient with myself and work it out step by step. They have also taught me to see it through to the end and not to give up. Whenever I fail a test, I make my resolve stronger by studying more, asking questions, and asking for help. After that, I see improvements in my grade,” said Mak.
She further shows how strong and determined she is by fighting over her injury and sickness that she received two weeks before the competition to continue to train and practice.
“I was actually injured and sick two weeks prior to the competition, and by the time I was ok to resume training, there was only one week left until the competition. So I had to train every single day in that week, and even though it was tiring, it paid off,” said Mak
To explore how HOSA helps her and other people, she explains that they do projects like giving care packages to workers in hospitals.
“I’m currently in the mental health committee in HOSA, which does projects like giving care packages to workers in hospitals. It is fun to write cards and plan what to put in these packages while also giving you service hours,” Mak said.
Science Olympiad is another one of the clubs Mak participates in. The goal of this club is to try different science-related topics to see which ones interest you and to test those skills with other people in competitions. She further explains why and what she loves the most about Science Olympiad.
“In Science Olympiad, I get to learn more about topics I’m interested in-my topics are ornithology, anatomy, experimental design, and green generation. Because there are so many different events in Science Olympiad, you can try different ones and see which ones interest you. It’s also fun to compete in competitions and compete against other schools,” said Mak.
One piece of advice that she can give to other students is to try and finish your work no matter what, and that it will all work out in the end.
“The pace of lessons and homework has sped up a lot from middle school, but just stick with it and it will all pay off in the end,” said Mak
Mak plans to go to a medical school where she can pursue a profession in medicine, specifically sports medicine or physical therapy.
