Danelle Tan discovered her soccer talent by accident.
At just six years old, she joined a soccer club in Singapore where her brothers played every Saturday.
“I used to be feeling a bit lonely at home… so I asked my parents if I could join,” said Tan.
In her first 12 months, she scored 12 goals – a formidable performance that was just the starting of her achievements in the sport.
Last month, the 18-year-old made history as the first Singaporean woman to play in the European league after debuting for the London Bees.
The young athlete shares her thoughts on success, sacrifices and essential life skills with CNBC Make It.
Not only men’s sport
It took some persuasion before Tan was capable of set foot on the court – as a result of her mother’s initial reservations about the sport.
“Perhaps it’s just the proven fact that girls don’t play the sport fairly often,” she said.
The perception of football as a “man’s sport” is just not recent, but Tan believes that’s changing.
“I feel women’s soccer is mostly gaining momentum, the most three [attended] games in Europe it’s women’s games – it’s heading in the right direction, and it is very nice to see that.”
Since then, Tan has received full support from her parents to pursue an expert football profession.
“I knew my development as a player would stall in Singapore. If I wanted to attain my goals of becoming an expert footballer, I’d should move abroad,” she added.
Danelle Tan (12 years old on this photo) scored 12 goals in her first grade when she was six years old – a formidable performance that was just the starting of her achievements in the sport.
Daniele Tan
In early 2022, Tan decided to maneuver to London and since then she has been studying at Mill Hill High School – where she can be the first player on the local football team.
“After I first joined there was no girls team… The unique intention was at all times to affix the boys team to be certain that I could challenge myself,” said Tan.
This means she has to “work harder” than the remainder of her team.
“At the same age, they’re rather more physical and faster, so I actually have to think faster, I actually have to maneuver the ball faster to match that physicality,” she added.
Tan had never considered that an obstacle. As an alternative, she took it as a reason to buckle up.
“Growing up, I wasn’t the most talented or the fastest. I feel I worked very hard, put my head down and kept working,” said Tan.
“It’s about not settling for less.”
Hoses and ladders
I’m only 18 so I do not know where life will take me. I at all times imagine life as a game of snakes and ladders.
“I never really thought of it. I’m only 18 so I do not know where life will take me. I at all times consider life as a game of snakes and ladders,” she said.
“Lots of us would probably like our journeys to be linear and continuously improving. But it surely’s up and then down and then you definitely can get right up the ladder and then you definitely can get the snake down.”
Considered one of her most difficult experiences was being absent from the games for 4 months after she tore a ligament.
“The entire rehabilitation process was incredibly long… You didn’t even [set] with your foot on the court, you do not touch the ball,” said Tan.
“I had a extremely good support system. A whole lot of my friends have been very supportive, especially my family – that helped me bounce back.”
But one thing’s obviously: the very last thing Tan wants is to “stagnate” her athletic profession.
“Can I develop into a Singaporean of all time [best] goal scorer or can I be top scorer in my club? I just need to keep fighting for more and reaching for more.”
Discipline and dedication
Reconciling a sports profession and school isn’t any mean feat. A typical Tan day starts at 8am and classes proceed until 4:30pm
“Then I normally work with a strength and conditioning coach after school for about an hour and a half to 2 hours,” she said.
After a fast lunch, training with the London Bees.
“I normally come back to the dorm around 10pm, take a shower, do laundry, dry my hair, and then I normally try to seek out a while before bed to read.”
I do not think there’s anyone in the world you may motivate day by day… It’s discipline. It does it even once you don’t need to.
When asked what motivates her to do it day by day, Tan said “it isn’t the motivation” that keeps her going, but “plenty of discipline and dedication”.
“I do not think there may be anyone in the world who will be motivated day by day. I just need to go to bed and watch Netflix. But I haven’t got time for that,” she added.
“It’s discipline. Doing it even when you don’t need to do it.”
The largest sacrifice is being 11,000km away from my family and friends in Singapore, which Tan says will be “a bit lonely”.
Still, she stressed that discipline and dedication to what matters are “very essential skills” she is going to need later in life.
“I’m lucky that sport taught me that at an early stage. It focuses on what’s going to make it easier to make long-term gains as a substitute of short-term losses.”
Tan set her sights on an even bigger stage.
“I would love to sign an expert contract, that is what I’m aiming for and it is going to be a pleasant culmination of all my exertions,” she said.
And he or she is hungry much more.
“Even when I sign one, I’ll proceed to strive for more. It’ll just be a pleasant checkpoint.”
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Fix: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported the variety of goals Danelle scored for her team.