PUTTING HIS BEST FOOT FORWARD
PUTTING HIS BEST FOOT FORWARD
Born with a shorter left leg, Mr Loh Yong Jie shares with NUR KHALIDAH his pursuit in going against the odds of playing in a fast-paced sport and proving others wrong.
Standing at 176cm tall with a “lift” on his left shoe, Mr Loh Yong Jie, 19, has been playing floorball, a sport known for its high intensity and fast pace, for more than seven years.
His passion for the sport has allowed him to play for Woodlands Skyhawks CSC’s Division 1 team in the Singapore Floorball Premier League, the highest level in the league system. However, Mr Loh wasn’t your average Joe.
Mr Loh suffers from a condition called Leg Length Discrepancy (LLD), where one of his legs is shorter than the other. According to the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA), the difference in length can range from 2cm to 20cm.
LLD usually affects the growth of a person’s limb and height. Despite being born with a shorter left leg, he did not let this setback stop him from striving to pursue his floorball career.
He says: “Apparently, I’m a miracle [because] people like me are not supposed to do whatever I’m doing now.”
At eight years old, Mr Loh underwent a surgery to replace a small part of his left ankle bone, which connects the leg to the foot, as it kept shattering. After undergoing the surgery, Mr Loh had to go for physiotherapy to learn how to walk again while getting used to having a cast around his shorter left leg and a “lift” on his left shoe.
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“It definitely wasn’t easy. My left leg didn’t have much strength due to the [lack of active muscles] around my left leg. As much as you want to exercise, it’s impossible,” Mr Loh says.
As an adventurous soul, Mr Loh prefers to “go with the flow”. He did not have any doubts about getting started on playing sports after the surgery.
“I think it’s partly because of my brothers who are sportsmen. I told myself I wanted to be like them since young,” says Mr Loh.
His two older brothers have always encouraged him to play sports despite the discouragement from their parents due to the constant worry for their youngest son’s well-being.
“I didn’t want him to miss out on a fun childhood just because of his condition. He never over-exerts himself and knows when to stop to rest,” says Mr Loh’s oldest brother, Mr Loh Yong Cheng, 35.
However, his brothers were not his only source of motivation to push through the difficulties he faced.
Having been born LLD, Mr Loh has encountered endless doubts regarding his capabilities from the people around him, even strangers.
“...especially in the sports world, there would be judgements all the time. If [they] see [someone like] me come out on court playing this kind of fast-paced sport, they would think “this man can keep up or not.” I [would] always tell myself [to] prove them wrong,” says Mr Loh.
This mindset has been stuck with him throughout his life and has inspired him to keep going in his floorball journey.
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He started playing floorball since he was in Secondary One, where he managed to secure a spot in the Top 20 to be in the floorball competitive team.
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Having coached Mr Loh in secondary school, Mr Rozaidi Razali, 32, says: “Initially, I thought it was going to be a challenge for him [but] he surprised me with good discipline and determination. Even with his limitations, he managed to strike the impossible and made it possible.”
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Mr Loh was even more motivated to excel in the sport after seeing how his coach had faith in him. He decided to try out for external floorball teams like BLACKS floorball club and his current team, Woodlands Skyhawks CSC.
“To be honest, I was quite scared the coaches wouldn’t put me in because [of my lack] in physical strength… [because they are] scared I [would] get injured,” says Mr Loh.
When told about his concerns, his Skyhawks coach reassured him that he “didn’t think of that in the first place”, which encouraged him to go further.
Mr Loh’s optimistic and goal-driven attitude has left a positive impact on the people around him, be it his family members, peers or even his coaches.
“I believe his peers look up to him on his achievements. Even my fellow coaching friends were saying that he’s an inspiration not just to them but [also] their students,” says Mr Rozaidi.
Despite his condition, Mr Loh has been comfortable with himself and is very determined to strive for the best.
“You cannot change how society looks at you… It’s up to you whether you want to prove them wrong or listen to [them]. You need to do whatever it takes,” he says.
Mr Loh hopes to continue his floorball career playing in the Premier League and improving himself to be an important asset to his team.
“Ultimately, my dream is to inspire [and] help people [while] living life to the fullest,” he says.
Despite facing doubts and stares from the people around him due to his lifted shoe and cast on his left leg, Mr Loh Yong Jie strives to prove the naysayers wrong.
Photo by MR LOH YONG JIE
Mr Loh Yong Jie (second row, second from the left) together with his secondary school teammates at one of their competitive matches.
Photo by MR LOH YONG JIE
Infographic by NUR KHALIDAH
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