‘Gentle giant’ Lee Pei Shan seeks Netball Nations Cup redemption after study break and injury
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Lee Pei Shan will be looking to contribute to her team after missing out on the Netball Nations Cup last year.
ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
Follow topic:
SINGAPORE – Watching her teammates battling it out on court at the Mirxes Nations Cup last December, Lee Pei Shan felt a sense of guilt, particularly after Singapore finished third behind Botswana and Fiji.
The 1.86m goal shooter, who is pursuing a coaching diploma at Republic Polytechnic, had taken time out from competing in 2022 to focus on her studies.
She suffered a slipped disc in June 2022 while preparing for the Asian Netball Championships and re-injured her back a year later and was sidelined for three months.
The 24-year-old said: “I felt bad. Was it the right time for me to ask (for a study break)? The team was strong, maybe I should have played.”
On Sunday, Lee will get her chance at redemption as she returns to the attacking line-up at the Nations Cup alongside veteran and captain Charmaine Soh, who has recovered from an anterior cruciate ligament injury in her right knee.
The deadly duo will be a huge boost to Singapore’s title charge.
National coach Annette Bishop said: “It’s fantastic that they are both now fit to come back into the team. They both bring a different variety in the shooting circle for us, which just adds a bit more dynamics to our style of play.
“Pei Shan has the height, she’s strong and technical. Charmaine, with the experience that she’s had over the years, who’s calm on court as well, just helps those younger players.”
On Lee sitting out the 2022 edition, Bishop said: “I know she did feel guilty – which just shows how much we talked about being a family as a sport. She wants to be doing her part on the court.
“It’s not just about the player on court, it’s about looking at the holistic approach of it. Once they retire or have an injury, they’ve actually got to have something to fall back on. And it’s about us supporting them as coaches, so they can study (and) work because that is an important part of her life.”
Head coach Annette Bishop (left) will be taking advantage on the return of two key players.
ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
The Nations Cup, which kicks off on Sunday at the OCBC Arena and runs till Saturday, will feature six teams: world No. 19 Cook Islands, Asian champions Sri Lanka (20th), Singapore (26th) and Singapore A, Papua New Guinea (36th) and Canada (unranked).
Singapore will start their campaign against Papua New Guinea on Sunday.
Lee said: “With countries like the Cook Islands and Canada that we haven’t played much (against), we are still trying out variations. But with me and Charmaine coming back, it makes a difference.”
Bishop is gunning for gold, but is also wary of the threat from their opponents.
The New Zealander said: “Just like any Nations Cup, ideally the first step is making the final and, from there, of course going for gold. All the teams are very strong and we take no team for granted.
“At the moment, Cook Islands and Sri Lanka are still ranked higher than us... Papua New Guinea brought some old players back into the team, so they could be a bit of a dark horse as well.”
Lee Pei Shan, who is pursuing a coaching diploma at Republic Polytechnic, had taken time out from competing in 2022 to focus on her studies.
ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
Lee is ready to do her part for the team after the disappointing results from the 2022 edition.
The self-confessed “gentle giant” has faced comments from netizens for her size and she is out to prove herself on court.
She said: “Call me soft, gentle, whatever. I just want to play my best, not to be affected because of my injury, the negative comments I faced.
“If people look down on me, saying I can’t do anything, I will want to prove that I can.”
Tickets are available via ticketmaster.sg
