Page 12 - Al Ain Gazette - Abu Dhabi University

A Club Leader’s

Perspective

Interview with the President of the Female

Sports Club

Mursheeda Mannath Pudhuparambil

 Question 1: Can you share your It has also taught me a valuable les-
experience while participating in son: the most important thing is
sports activities and how it to give it your all, not to win;
has helped you develop the main thing is to feel good
physically? about yourself and learn
valuable things. It has also
taught us the important
Having played sports since
high school, one of my lesson that perseverance
main concerns entering and a positive approach
university was figuring to obstacles in life are
out how to manage both what lead to success ra-
academics and athletics. ther than the efforts of a
Sports have always been a single person. It has also
big part of who I am, ever aided me in making con-
since I figured out how to nections with alumni from
balance my passion of ath- other universities studying
letics with my academic re- related subjects.

sponsibilities. I used to play bas-  Question 3: In what ways has
ketball and badminton before the athletic scholarship financially
coming to ADU. I later improved my supported you and how has it helped
swimming skills by taking swimming clas- you with your academic journey as a student?
ses throughout the sports training. It is cer-
tainly fair to say that participating in sports has Receiving an athletic scholarship felt more like
allowed me to experiment with different ap- a prize for all of my hard work and dedication
proaches to maintaining my fitness. It has also
helped me maintain a healthy lifestyle and in- to my training. I have been granted a 25% tui-
creased my cardiovascular fitness and agility. tion price waiver for each and every course this
Remaining persistent in my sports pursuits has semester. The capacity to balance academics
also assisted me in integrating discipleship into and sports is one of the biggest obstacles faced
my life and inspires me to do so even more. by athletes. I felt supported and reassured to

match my academic life with an athletic schol-
 Question 2: To what extent do you feel you
have gained a personal development by par- arship. Additionally, maintaining my physical
ticipating in sports activities? fitness through athletics has improved my aca-
demic focus and provided me with emotional
Participating actively in the athletic sessions as support. In my opinion, there are numerous
a student has tremendously benefited my per-
sonal growth. ways in which an athletic and intellectual life-
Specifically, it has aided in the development of style can enhance one another if they are
certain critical skills such as coordination, con- balanced.
sistency, and teamwork.

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