Millicent Ng- May 2025
You can’t walk into a room with Millie in it and not notice her. She’s a ray of sunshine, always ready with a joke to share. Millie stands out as our May Contender of the Month thanks to her dedication to both squash and boxing. Check out our Q&A to learn how she manages to balance these two demanding sports.
Q: Can you start by telling us who you are and what a day in your life looks like?
A: By day, I’m a responsible working adult. By night…a crime-fighting vigilante! Just kidding—unless filing legal documents counts as fighting crime. I’m a legal assistant by day and by night, I’m on a borderline unhealthy quest to sculpt a glorious set of eight distinct abdominal muscles. Not six. Eight. Why stop at six when you can suffer more? I wasn’t always like this, I promise! Before the pandemic, I split my time between legal work and photography. Nothing says work-life balance like juggling court filings and chasing golden hour! I will get back to photography at some point soon but for now, the focus are the eight packs, it’s not easy!
Q: What is your history like with sports/athleticism?
A: Once upon a time, Millie was born—and then, boom, she was 7 years old. On every non-school day, her mom would heroically (and questionably) wake her up at 6 a.m. to practice foul shots. Yes, that’s my mama! Oh the joys of my childhood…shooting free throws before the sun is up. Fast forward to adulthood, I started boxing back in 2014 and initially only for self defence. After a few months I realized it was something I could do rain or shine (and snow) and at one point was training to fight. It never happened because we couldn’t find anyone in my weight range. The other sports I used to enjoy like gymnastics, track & field, cross country running, volleyball, badminton, dodgeball…forget it, boxing is essential and squash is life!
Q: And how did you first begin coming to Contenders. What piqued your interest?
A: There were actually two other clubs I was trying out before my first a Contenders class. My first class was Cooper’s Saturday fitness circuit. After that first class I was sold. It took a bit of time and encouragement from other Contenders members before I increased the amount of classes to take each week. These days I take as many conditioning type classes as I am able to help train for the next BC Squash tournament.
Q: And you both box and play squash. Was this something you ever imagined happening and have you always been up to and eager to try new things?
A: I do love trying new things and I never imagined I would ever play squash competitively. In fact, I didn’t realize squash was squash until I did my first drop-in court sesh! I always thought squash and racquetball were one and the same. I highly recommend taking one of Zack’s classes, you won’t understand the ‘squash bug’ until you try.
Q: How have squash and boxing challenged you, and are there any similarities you notice between the two- mental and physical? Which sport has come easier for you?
A: Boxing has been a crucial part of my lifestyle since around 2014. One of the things I love about Contenders is that I’m still being challenged to refine my technique even after all these years. Fun fact: I never learned the southpaw stance until I joined Contenders last year! Boxing is the perfect full-body workout, an excellent stress reliever, and, as a bonus, it keeps me ready for whatever unexpected challenges life might throw my way (literal or otherwise).
Boxing and squash might look different, but they have a lot in common. Both are fast-paced, one-on-one sports that demand quick reflexes, smart strategy, and serious stamina. They challenge your footwork, coordination, and ability to think on the fly. Whether you’re dodging punches or tracking the squash ball, you’re getting a full-body workout, building mental toughness, and learning how to stay cool (and not to swear in a fancy schmancy squash court) under pressure.
Q: Do you have a favorite warm-up or routine?
A: My favorite warm-up is the heavy jump rope, but since I’m almost always running late, my usual warm-up ends up being a mad dash to Contenders—sneaking in before anyone notices. The only problem? Cooper and Sebastian are the gatekeepers I can never seem to slip past.
Q: How have you felt supported by the instructors and community? What are the vibes like? You seem to have a community across both sports.
A: I’ve only taken classes with Kevin, Cooper, Sebastian (and once Max)—all totally different, but united by one thing: a killer sense of humor. Zack just became our squash director, and thankfully, he’s funny too—or at least he pretends to be while putting up with my awful jokes. The Athletic Club takes training seriously, but thankfully, they get that a good laugh is part of the grind. That vibe keeps all members backing each other up because, let’s be honest, nobody wants to be left behind or picked last. And trust me, I’m not going down without throwing a few zingers!
If anyone’s wondering whether you have to bring a buddy to box or squash, the short answer is no—because you’ll most likely end up switching partners anyway. Plus, if you do bring a friend, prepare for some friendly competition… or some hilarious trash talk!
Q: Ever had a moment during training where you just had to stop and laugh? Tell us what happened.
A: One time during Cooper’s famous Saturday fitness circuit, he almost lost the battle with the iPad and kicked off the class blasting an R&B playlist, starting with “Back at One” by Brian McKnight. Nothing like throwing punches to smooth love songs to keep everyone…motivated. Don’t worry, he fixed it quickly, and we all got back on track—after a few laughs, of course.
Q: What are both your short term and long-term fitness goals, and how has Contenders helped you in achieving them?
A: Short-term goal: Win a Squash BC match in August (fingers crossed I don’t trip over my own feet)! Long-term goal: Get an eight-pack, did I mentioned I’ve been obsessed? Who doesn’t want to look like they’re ready to star in a superhero movie?
Q: What’s your dream day look like?
A: My dream day: squash in the morning, coffee with my lunch besties, boxing at lunch (high-fiving my colleague and fellow Contenders member), lunch with the lunch besties, stretch and foam roll, and then home for a long nap. Naps are the sneaky MVP of fitness—silent, underrated, and totally winning the game. Honestly, this would be the perfect “training” day before my upcoming squash tournament in August 2025.
Q: …And lastly, tell us something people would be surprised to learn about you?
A: It’s difficult to believe, but I’ve been boxing for over ten years!
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