Samantha Brincat: If you find something you love to do, or something you enjoy and makes you happy, don’t let anything stop you from perusing it

Samantha Brincat is an Australian-Maltese basketball player. During her professional career, she has played in different countries like Spain, Australia, Italy, Finland or Greece. Currently, she's playing at the Maltese league with Hibernians, the title defender, that recently added another trophy to their showcases, the Louis Borg Cup. Brincat also plays for the Maltese National Team, that expects to get a new success at the Games of the Small States of Europe in May in Montenegro. We also talk to Samantha about her lifestyle and self-care.

- How would you define your lifestyle?

My lifestyle is very simple. I do what makes me happy and I appreciate the little things. I live a quite healthy and active life.

-Everyone who follows you on Instagram can see how hard you are working on your workout, nutrition, self-care… How are you feeling about it? How It's impacting in your life?

To be honest, Instagram has provided me a platform to meet so many wonderful and uplifting people whom I can relate to my lifestyle and the way I live. I share what I do on Instagram in the hopes to help share and hopefully provide some positivity to everyone else. Instagram is like one big community of people supporting other people.

-Self-Care is an important part of personal development. Which are your favorite self-care actions?

Selfcare is essential to our well-being. I am always making sure that every week I take the time to do some little things for myself. Whether it be vegging out, going to the gym, pampering myself or taking a bath. Whatever it may be and whatever I feel like at the time. What’s most important is that I make the time for myself.

-Let’s talk about your basketball career now. First at all I want to congratulate you for the recent success of your team at the Louis Borg Cup. What is the significance of this trophy for the team?. And for you as a player? 

The Louis Borg Cup was a fantastic win for my team. We have now won this cup back-to-back. It’s significant as its apart of the building blocks to preparing for the final stages of the league. And in between that winning a cup is great acknowledgment that our team is on its way to being in good form, in reparation for this. For me personally, its incentive to keep pushing and challenging myself. Work harder and trust the process.

-You also are part of the Maltese National Team. How do you feel representing your country? 

There’s nothing like representing your country. Wearing your country’s colours with pride as you have a nation support you, doing something you love. The feeling can be at times, very overwhelming.

-MNT has won several medals and trophies over last years. What do you think is the key of it?

Yes, the women’s MNT has been in very good form over the past few years, wining many medals and trophies. Which have led to some of the highest acknowledgements in sports in Malta. There are many factors to these successes, some of them being the time invested by the Maltese Basketball Federation, the time and work that the coaches and players have been putting in. It takes many people and a lot of work behind the scenes to help a team come together and be able to perform at its best.

-What is the meaning of basketball in your life?

For years, basketball was my life. It was what I breathed and lived for. Over the years as I became more experienced, I realised basketball was something that made me happy, but it was just a fragment of my life. However, in saying that I knew that if I wanted to do it for as long as possible, I would have to work harder and harder every year. It’s everyone’s dream to do what we love as a job. Which is what I had the privilege to do for many, many years. Basketball has allowed me to travel the world, literally and meet some amazing people. I’ve learnt that as long as it is fun and makes me happy, it will always be apart of my life one way or another

-Do you have a special routine on game days?

I used to have a special routine on game day’s and I used to be very superstitious as well. When it comes down to it, it’s mental and now that I’m a little older and much more experienced, my mental toughness has definitely changed. These days, I just need to eat well about 3 hrs prior, drink a lot of fluids and usually have a foam roll. So, no special socks or game day under garments for me.

-What are your current goals in basketball?

Hmmmm current goals for basketball would be, winning the upcoming BOV Cup final, being crowned Champions of this year’s league and representing Malta in the Small States of Europe end of May, beginning of June in Montenegro and placing on the dais.

-By last, Which tips would you like to share with the readers of this interview? 

If you find something you love to do, or something you enjoy and makes you happy, don’t let anything stop you from perusing it. I had many people tell me I wasn’t good enough to be a professional basketball player and that I couldn’t make a living from it. And yet, I did it and I haven’t looked back since. I’ve also learnt that by uplifting others, and empowering others, you also enrich your life. You don’t have to hate or hurt others to get to where you want to in life