Friday, April 30, 2004

Victory

as i watched the ajc volleyball girls lose to sajc in yesterday's final, i cant help but get reminded of my secondary school's football team which i played for in sec 4. the similarities were there, the volleyball team had a few combined-schools players, we had 2 national players and a few s-league youth players. they were unbeaten in their group matches all the way to the final, we were unbeaten from our very first friendly match all the way to the final, even thrashing AJC 7-2 in a friendly game. and similarly, we lost the final. a final that was winnable. even the score's interesting, the girls lost by 3 sets, we lost by 3 goals. the thump of the last ball landing on the court reminded me of our match's final whistle, signalling the end of the game and confirming our loss. as i saw the girls slumped outside the sports hall crying in each other's arms, i remembered how our team sat in the dressing room of the present CCAB, each of us quiet and lost in our own thoughts. i never did ask, but i guess all of us were thinking of the same thought, "if only". i still remember we were down 3-0 in the first half, we managed to pull it back to 3-2, but conceded 2 more goals after we went for broke trying to get the equalising goal. yes, if only, if only we managed to equalise. all of us took the defeat badly, some of us even cried, just like the girls. as our medals were draped around our necks during the prize presentation, by ironically the current AJC principal Mr Tan Tiek Kwee, most of us simply took the medal off after he shook our hand with a soft word of consolation. however, our coach told us to put the medal back on, for it was something that we earned with our effort. in time to come i understood why he told us to be proud of the silver medal. to the volleyball girls, remember this, the silver trophy that u got today is not just because u were beaten in the final, but instead think of it as a culmination of the hard work and effort u have put in all season. my silver medal hangs proudly now on the wall above my bed, and not hidden in some corner of shame. it reminds me that although we were beaten in the final, the spirit in us is unquashed still. all of my former teammates have bounced back from that defeat and moved on, many of them are now playing for s-league clubs. in many people's eyes u all are already champions, and most certainly in mine. although im not a AJCian, as a sportsman myself i salute the effort u girls put in. u girls fought, and fought well, but sadly fell at the last hurdle. but take heart in the defeat and come back stronger next year, for the greatest victory is not in never falling, but in rising each time u fall. that's the mark of a true champion.

Well done girls.