The spirit that has made Sam Wallace the rock of the competition-leading NSW Swifts this season is summed up by the tattoo of an anchor on her right shoulder blade.
It illustrates the 25-year-olds determination to succeed despite all odds, especially the turmoil at her home in Trinidad and Tobago, 16,000 kilometres away from the netball courts shes lighting up in Australia.
Tattoo you: Sam Wallace with Helen Housby after the win in the Sydney derby last week.Credit:AAP
Its been widely reported that Wallaces father, Hendrickson, suffered a second stroke on the eve of this seasons opening Super Netball match. However, her coolness to nail 360 goals so far this season honours the symbolism of her anchor.
“The meaning of the tattoo is I refuse to sink,” Wallace said. “No matter what life throws at me – even with my dads situation – I refuse to sink. Im doing what he wants me to be doing.
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I think about him before Im on the court and I think about him afterwards. Win, lose or draw, I play with more determination because of him.
Sam Wallace on her father
“Every time we talk he says, make sure you win. Thats all he says, make sure you win, dont go callin me, telling me you lose.
“I think about him before Im on the court and I think about him afterwards. Win, lose or draw, I play with more determination because of him.”
Up for the fight: Sam Wallace battles for possession with Kristiana Manua of the Giants.Credit:AAP
Wallaces form has gone a long way to justifying the faith of Swifts coaches Briony Akle and Anita Keelan, who told her at the end of last year that she has the ability to become the worlds best shooter.
“From the time we saw her in the 2015 World Cup she had such a natural, really good rhythm in her shot,” Keelan said. “We just thought shed been given nothing to be where she is and figured if we brought her into a daily training environment the sky would be the limit.
Its been lovely to sit back and watch because weve always believed in Sam. You cant teach what shes got.
Swifts coach Anita Keelan
“All that was stopping Sam was her self-belief. But she has shown amazing growth – not only as an athlete, but as a person. And its been lovely to sit back and watch because weve always believed in Sam. You cant teach what shes got.”
Her life story is the stuff movies are made of. As a self-confessed tomboy who picked mangoes with the boys on her island in the Caribbean, she also played sport against them and hung out at the picturesque surfing beaches.
However, her direction changed when one of her nations netball legends Peggy Castanada-Phillip – "Miss Peggy, who I thank every day" – took Wallace under her wing.
“To be honest, I was probably a lazy kid,” Wallace said. “I just got by on my natural talent. I never trained, and while not everything in life was handed to me, sport came natRead More – Source
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