The 2018-19 KPMG Premiership women’s player of the year was forced to leave the city for her native Denver, Colorado, earlier than planned because of incoming US government health restrictions, to which her Societe Generale Valley Black Ladies teammates flooded her flat for their inevitable tearful farewells.

“The one something that I really loved about playing rugby was the community and family aspect of it. Amidst all that’s going on right now, that’s going to be something that carries people through,” the 33-year-old forward said.

“It’s not the sport; it’s the community that people build. I’m so thankful and honoured to be a part of the Valley family. That’s the present tense – not something that I was, but something that I’ll be a part of for a long time. I know that’s a bit on the cheesy side, but rugby gave a platform for a lot of people’s stability.”

Sittko cited being stuck in a hospital after last year’s Grand Championship final as one reason why she called it a day – from competitive rugby, at least. Despite her hankering for “big hits and contact”, her final season was ridden with the dreaded injury-rehabilitation cycle.

“I don’t know if my body can physically take playing rugby any more. It would not be smart for my body,” conceded Sittko, an avid swimmer and footballer in her youth.

“Right after the grand final I was in hospital for five days because I had a knee flare-up. [Doctors] didn’t know [what the issue was], that’s why I was in hospital for so long. It’s just really bad arthritis in both my knees from playing sports for so long. I had a lot of injuries this last season, ones that are more long-term.”

“It was quite the anticlimactic finish, to be honest. Before there were over 1,000 people in King’s Park and you can feel the energy. It was weird, I think we had 40 people in the stands per team. It felt like playing in a 1pm game on a Saturday as opposed to the electric energy that happens most years,” she said.

Having patiently waited out in the US since March, Sittko wants to dabble in rugby once it is safe to do so – this time in a coaching capacity. The role would likely come naturally, considering her primary work for youth ministry organisation Young Life, where she helps train its Asia-based staff on how to inspire the next generation.

“Life is not like how it is in Hong Kong where it’s opening up, but Colorado is so outdoors so there’s lots to do,” Sittko said. “I miss rugby a lot and I’m hoping to get more involved here when sports are allowed again. I work with teenagers for my job, so I’d love to be a high school coach or work with youth rugby.”

Introducing rugby to enthusiastic youngsters would be a way of giving back to the sport that provided her with so many avenues.

“I lived in China for five years before moving to Hong Kong. I lived in Chengdu and started playing social rugby just to make some friends. Those people were my family. Then when I moved to Shenzhen it was much more of a social thing. One day, the coach said a couple of the team were going to play more often in Hong Kong and asked ‘would any of you like to try playing 15s there?’

“And we did. Three of us played for Valley Reds for a year and I ended up moving to Hong Kong the following year and got the chance to play for the Valley Blacks. I went from playing social sevens and tough – getting beers after the games – to playing for Valley in Hong Kong at a much more competitive level,” she said.

Sittko’s rugby trajectory continued to soar as she was named the penultimate season’s MVP and last year earned her first two caps with the Hong Kong national team during a history-making excursion. The women’s 15s became the first ever Hong Kong 15s team to beat a European team, sealing 14-12 and 18-0 victories over The Netherlands in a two-tie affair.

“It was really cool that I got to go to Scotland and [The Netherlands] last year. Yes, it is a weird thing being from one country and representing another, but I lived in Asia for a long time and Hong Kong felt like home, so I was greatly honoured that another country was so welcoming to me,” Sittko said, adding that her childhood dream was to be an Olympic swimmer.

“I would never have imagined being a little older to achieve something like that. I thought that would have happened when I was younger.”

As for her beloved former Valley Black teammates, Sittko is extremely hopeful they will deliver for the 2020-21 season slated for November.

“I have so much FOMO [fear of missing out] right now that they’re all back to training. Some of the girls on the Valley Blacks are my really best friends. I’ll be so excited to watch the video when the coach sends it out. A whole bunch of them came to my apartment to send me off in March before I left. Lots of tears were involved,” she said

“They have a solid squad. There are so many young players that are really, really good and I think they’re going to do well. The depth of the team last year was very evident and that’s going to help in the future. They really treat each other like family. Moving through Covid, they will come out the same, just as strong. The only people who are missing are the old and retired people like me!

“In rugby, there was an element of being a fighter – you have to be a little crazy. That’s something I had for sure, at one point. That big contact and running with the ball was an absolute blast. I didn’t play rugby growing up – I played soccer and basketball – but this is the sport I wish I played my whole life.”

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