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| blankThis week.. or rather the academic semester has come to an end rather badly. Well, my grades for various assignment sucked and the impeding exams means that I must work doubly hard. it sucks even more considering that I am doing 1 less module than my other classmates. Sigh. I feel rather jaded about SPLAT! but still happy to contribute whatever I can. And somewhere somehow a part of life is going change and I might just lose a love one. The only thing that probably went well this week was that I clocked a decent timing for my run despite my fitness. | | |
| I was discussing with some people what type of captain I would be if I were one and I would probably be very rational and pragmatic. I would create a boat line-up simply to win. My focus would be on the product. I don't care if the person comes for training 3/5 times or can't run 400m under 1.20, if he can row well, I am taking him. Hahaa but thats hypothetical.
In any case, the truth is out and my speculation is wrong. Indeed, I was not chosen because the captain deemed me to be not that strong. Sigh. Guess only strong enough for the mens open but not IVP.
So right now, I am just gonna focus on 2 things: strength and stroke. Forget about the attendance. Forget about the runs. So what if I always hit the above average timing for running? People who hardly run are also in the boat line-up. Sure, I know the importance of cardio for racing but other than keeping up my stamina and cardio, I gonna hit the weights.
I was wrong also, on closer examination, there is one junior on the right side and the rest seniors. Weird why the junior was there. I could have been. weird decision but alas.
Now's the time to kick some ass and row the shit out of the men's open. | | |
| stuff... and stuffI realised I only blog nowadays when its stuff concerning dragonboat. Well, considering how much time I have sacrificed for it, I supposed its would also spur me enough to get down my lazy ass to start updating this dusty blog.
In anycase, the IVP line up for MR500 (next week at bedok reservoir) was announced and I am seriously, seriously shocked at my omission. Its been one year already. I was not surprised last year when I was not in for obvious reasons but this time its different. I have improved, stronger, better stroke but alas, not inside the IVP (even as some juniors did made it). sigh. I am waiting to ask the captain about the decision this weekend, since it has been bugging me since Thurs.
Excuses, reasons keep running thru my mind as I justify their decision and also my own objection. I am definitely not the slowest runner in the boat, or the weakest- that I can safely say. My stroke cannot be the worse also. So I have no idea why I was not included. The ONLY reason I can think of and possibly accept is the weight issue. Not many people know this but when you select a line up for the boat, you have balance 10 men on each side. So I thought: the reason why I could not be in the line up is possibly due to weight management. My inclusion would have made the right side lighter.
I dunno, but thats my speculation. I just have to wait for the real answer.
Why is this so important and bothering me? Obviously... I spent 1 1/2 years of my time training up for this. How long more must I wait to get into the IVP team? 2 years? 3 years or perhaps even til my honours year then I am good enough? If I am unfit, tell me. Where I go wrong, I need to know so I cant correct it now and change!
Neither am I am questioning the captain's decision. He has his reasons I am sure. I just need to know why.
In any case, this has been a relaxing and enjoyable semester for school work as I take on only 4 modules and all of which I like. So far, so good. I am really aiming for the best CAP ever. Must not be complacent like last semseter. On a better note, I scored for my mid term which is the best mid terms ever! (I have a tendency of screwing up mid-terms) I am looking get a decent score for today's 2nd mid term as well.
On a personal note, I am beginning to love academia more and more. I can so totally imagine myself as a professor! geek alert! But who cares, brains are sexy. | | |
| More than a sporting problem. (Sent to New Paper on 28 Jan 2009)
I refer to your three-part sports series called Face to Face (27 Jan 2009, P. 54) in a discussion on what’s holding Singapore back from succeeding in the sports arena. I like to applaud the editors for featuring such unaltered and frank opinions of various sporting leaders. I agree in principle that the one problem that besets Singapore is the mentality of being afraid to lose and our general perception of success. I am a sportsman myself and have gone through phases where my team has lost continuously but I always tell my teammates to look up and work harder. (We have barely 2 years of experience) Sporting success do not just occur overnight. These power divas have correctly identified the problem but have not gone deeper. What makes us like this? Why are Singaporeans afraid to lose? The reason arguably lies in the construct of our society viz-a-viz the education system.
What is common among Singaporean sportsmen and normal Singaporeans is that we are all products of an education system that places academic excellence above all. Where getting second is to fail, where scoring less than perfect is recipe for depression, where improvements are overshadowed by perfect scores, where societal pressure is to qualify for the best schools and where going to a polytechnic deems you a failure. Jessie Phua correctly identifies this in your article.
While it was imperative during our nation’s beginning that the government focused in education were the sciences and creating a literate population. This inevitably relegated the ‘soft skills’ of life to a backseat. Creativity and exploring was never an emphasis in Singapore. What are important are grades and perfect scores. Failing is taboo. Admittedly, the education system has begun to tackle these problems as shown in recent years. The inability to accept losing and giving second chances is a mentality of all Singaporeans and not just our sportsmen.
Therefore the problem does not just affect the sporting industry but the very fate of Singapore. The divas’ interviewed were right on. Perhaps it is time to reevaluate our notion of success and merit not just in the sports but also in the entire education system, which is the very ideological nurturer of all our young and future generations to come. Some of whom, may become our next Olympic medalists.
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| 2009Ok shoot me. The last time I updated this was last year and look at the banner above! Its still National Day 2008!
Anyway briefly, my last semester results sucked so much that my CAP drop. Sigh, thats for being complacent. It was my cap puller sem but turn out the opposite way. Well my strategy this sem would be taking 1 less modules then the usual student, hopefully i can concentrate with lesser modules, plus I've got the PM cup this sem, so i suppose it won't hurt to devote a little more time to training. As I always and still believe, this being our second year is also our important year as its essentially our very own race.
Speaking of dragonboating, training has been tough. I guess I did improve from year 1 generally. I am a slow bloomer and I generally take a slower path in improving... i think. After today's gym, it hit me quite drastically that my juniors are catching up or have already surpass me in lifting weights. i feel shitty of coz. whats wrong? No one can accuse me of not working hard. I can honestly say I work hard when I have to and did my bit. Obviously, why would anyone join the team if they dun want to work hard? So I wonder.. what's wrong? Maybe I just take a longer time? But oh well, 4 days straight of gym work is taking its toil. Lets see if my rowing improves... since thats all that really matters.
Oh other matters, I have taken an increased role in my social work endeavors. No longer just designing for SPLAT! I have signaled my commitments to the project. Anyway SPLAT! is a project initaited by a group of volunteers to help promote public education and remove social stigma around ex youth offenders and help youth-at-risk get back on track in society. For more info please visit www.splattt.org
Thats for now. I am sian of writing again. hah
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