from green to black

Thoughts after McRa 500

this may be posted a little late, but at least it will
serve as a memory after time leads us to forget.


My brothers,

The hunt after Mr500 has ended, and it is time to
take stock of what has transpired. Reflecting on our
performance, some of us are experiencing different
extremes of emotion. Yet, there is value in the fact
that we still feel, that the costs and sacrifices weigh
in our hearts. For that, I am grateful. As for myself,
the events conclusion left a bittersweet taste in my mouth.

Inevitably, we are forced to ask piercing questions as we
assess ourselves. Taking in mind where we started from,
what we have achieved and where we have missed our targets.
Though that begs the question if we had targets in the first place.

I will place great emphasis on the assumption that each
junior had a target that they sought to achieve. That it
was measureable and that it was in preparation for the race.
I will not rail against those who know they didn’t, but I
will point out that your lack of objective and focus was
your first great failure. If MR500 ended and you did not even
realize that you have been hit, then we have not learnt anything
at all from master series and regatta. One test would be
if we as juniors expected this result.

Indeed it is the fact that we have not learned from
the lessons that we took from our previous defeats that
pains me the most, not our lack of achievement which
was the result of not learning.

It is the precious 1 second that was the difference
between 1st and 4th place. A place in the finals, and
a place to be forgotten. It was that precious 0.01 second
that was the difference between a gold and a silver in the IVP race.

My brothers

I say this with tears and great emotion, when will
you start to believe in yourselves? When will you
realize it is not ok to be just slightly behind the
senior boat during training? When will you realize
that your job is to pull your brothers weight so
very much more than your own? When Jeffery had paddle
issues in the IVP race, every senior was pulling for him.
Race conditions (lane, unexpected occurrences, discomfort,
wind and current) are never ideal but the difference
between the two boats is this, the heart and willingness
to fight to the bitter end. That is the difference that
we could emerge victorious in the IVP and we could manage
a 2nd place despite the odds against us in lane 1.

My brothers, where is that fight in you even as
you train in kallang? We know why we joined and
more importantly why we stayed but have we progressed
to the mentality of why we win and continue to win?

My brothers

Dragon-boating calls for many sacrifices. Our ego
as we have to be humble to learn from others and
respect their opinions. To submit to the authority
over yourself even when you disagree with them. to
take care of your health by avoiding certain habits
and activities that could undermine your wellness
so that you do not fall sick on race day. to be
willing and able give your utmost during training
and allocating sufficient time for rest and this is
just a few, along with time, effort and money.
The list is non-exhaustive.

My brothers, know that a sacrifice isn’t unless
it hurts. The value of such a gift is meaningless
if it costs you nothing.

Our hardened hearts and attitudes showed again
when MR500 ended. People stubbornly refused to
take responsibility for their personal equipment
and left team stores for whoever was left. There
were unclaimed life jackets and bum pads with litter
strewn all over the area. Joseph was left with
the cooler and medicine balls.

As someone who has represented my schools in tournaments
at national level, I am saddened because I have never
seen an ill disciplined team victorious. You may hate me
for saying what I did, and the implications that discipline
carries but I still hope that you will come to realization
one day and be better for it.

My brothers, we must take on the mantle, up the ante
and step up to the responsibilities that will be
thrust upon our shoulders. In a few months, we will
be the next seniors. In a few months some of the teams
strongest rowers will leave. We have to know who we
will and must replace. We have to earn our places to
deserve our juniors respect. We will have to remember
that we are the bearers of a legacy that our seniors
have entrusted us to pass down.

My brothers

Let me end on a note of love. That in this team,
you are important to me. Every one of you help me
stay on. It is in the same manner that I want to
encourage everyone to love your brothers, faults and
all. Reach out to them to help and counsel them before
you condemn them. It is always your blessing to be in
a position to deem others inferior, but a man of greatness
is judged by how he treats those who are in no position
to do him any good at all.

I love you guys and I believe in our family culture,
even when you don’t. even when you feel alone. I want
to reassure you that you are not. Seek comfort in your
brothers. For one never knows his embrace is rejected
unless he reaches out.

Lai guo da!

posted by green unseen @ 1:39 AM