Le Nguyen Hoang Lan travels hundreds of kilometers each week to train with the Ba Ria ward football team - Photo: ANH HAO
In preparation for his quest to win the Ho Chi Minh City Sports Festival championship, Hoang Lan spent five hours traveling from the city center to Ba Ria ward (round trip) to train with his teammates. The 23-year-old shooter has maintained this routine for the past year.
Intense passion
Growing up in Ba Ria ward, Hoang Lan developed a passion for basketball early on, even as a middle school student. After more than 10 years of dedication, the 23-year-old shooter now views basketball not only as a sport but also as a way to hone his willpower and pursue his personal goals.
"Initially, I took up basketball for fun and to improve my health. But the more I practiced, the more I loved it. The feeling of scoring a point and being congratulated by my teammates and cheered from the stands made me never want to stop," Hoang Lan said.
Having started playing basketball in the 8th grade, at the age of 16, Hoang Lan became a member of the U17 Ba Ria - Vung Tau team competing in the 2019 National U17 Basketball Championship. In the same year, he and his teammates won the Southeast Region Strong Teams Championship.
Later, even while studying at Birmingham City University (Saigon Ward), he regularly returned to train with the Ba Ria Ward football team whenever he had free time. After learning about the 2026 Ho Chi Minh City Sports Festival, Hoang Lan decided to represent Ba Ria Ward and compete in the city's sports event. In preparation for the tournament, for the past year, he has consistently spent 5 hours each week commuting (round trip) to Ba Ria Ward to train with his teammates.
Sharing his thoughts on this decision, Hoang Lan said: "Although traveling like this is quite tiring, I'm young and I just want to dedicate myself fully to my passion. Moreover, the Ho Chi Minh City Sports Festival in 2026 is an opportunity for me to learn and hone my basketball skills."
Overcoming difficulties
Few people know that behind Hoang Lan's always-energetic performance on the field lies a period when he faced a serious injury. In his senior year of high school, Hoang Lan was diagnosed with a lumbar ligament sprain. This significantly affected his daily life and studies.
For someone who has been involved with basketball for many years, leaving the court is not an easy challenge. Instead of giving up, Hoang Lan chose to patiently recover through physiotherapy in order to return to the court as soon as possible.
During that time, his family became a great source of emotional support for the 23-year-old athlete. Words of encouragement from his loved ones helped Hoang Lan maintain his belief. His teammates also frequently motivated him to overcome the most difficult period.
Recalling that difficult period, Hoang Lan said emotionally, "There were times when I really missed the feeling of being on the field. While my friends were training, I could only stand and watch, holding the ball from the sidelines. That made me even more determined to recover and return."
Choose your direction
After his injury, he appreciated the opportunity to compete and pursue his passion even more. In addition, he also coaches basketball for youth teams from 5 to 16-17 years old to earn extra income and continue living his passion.
According to Hoang Lan, coaching has helped him gain more experience. However, he also understands that he needs a clear direction after graduation to both stabilize his life and nurture his long-term passion.
Therefore, after graduation, Hoang Lan plans to look for opportunities to develop a career related to basketball. "If things go well after a year, I will continue pursuing it. But if the income is not stable, I will return to a job in my field of study, but I will definitely still dedicate time to basketball," Hoang Lan shared.
For Hoang Lan, passion lies not only in matches or titles, but also in choosing his path and not faltering in the face of difficulties.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/chang-sinh-vien-dam-me-bong-ro-20260510080937486.htm
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