i was at the girls' blog earlier and i came across something that minqi wrote and it really struck something within me. she has put some of the most amazing thoughts that i have read about canoeing in a really really long time. i believe that if everyone can look at canoeing from her perspective, everyone will emerge a much stronger person and much more powerful and convicted rower. so yeah, this is many wise words from minqi:
understand that everyone's putting their all into this. and this is what canoeing has taught me. despite being the underdog and despite knowing we're not the hot favourites, we are unafraid and undaunted, and willing to train so hard for the sport, the team and the school we love. we are so enthusiastic about giving our all into something we know may not even give us back tangible rewards. winning isn't the most important part of canoeing. sure, we all strive for the gold, but 10 or 20 years down the road no one is going to remember who got first in 2008, but we will definitely remember the team that has made an impact in our life. the passion is what flows in the blood of every raffles canoeist and that makes us one.
trials and tribulations should not be seen as tragedy, nor should adversity. on the flip side, we should be thankful for them, as it is only in times of adversity that we see those who really care for us. also, it is through them that we build resilience and determination. besides, what doesn't come by easily always is what we cherish for the most. victory is always sweeter when it's hard to get.
through the past one year or so, i've learnt the true meaning of perseverance, determination, resilience and to, as raffles canoeists, never bow down to fate but to, instead, fight on for what i love. i also learnt that our efforts may not translate to results, but dying after a good fight is always better than surrendering without a fight at all. our passion, love and enthusiasm may not dictate our results, but we will still do it, because we want to.
minqi
i think that her last 4 words were extremely impactful -- because we want to-- no one forced us into this, in fact no one can force you into this. not me, not chinks, not coach, not even mr go or your mother. the only person making you come to training, put yourself through all this suffering and enjoying it and coming back for even more the next day week after week is - really you.
so what do you want to do from now to july? think hard guys. because it will only come by once. this is your chance to make history, your chance to leave a legacy. think hard guys. think about your dream, your goal. and i want you to make this promise to yourself, not to anyone else, but to yourself -- that you will work hard every single day and will be willing to go the extra mile, no, the extra 2/3/4 miles to achieve your dream, your goal. promise yourself that you'll put in your whole heart and soul into it. just for this 3 months, everything you've got.
and when the time comes in july, i want everyone of you to be able to tell me that you've have reached your goal, i cannot have spent the last 3 months preparing for this any better, i've done my best, given my all and now i have no regrets. this is a heavy commitment guys, it is not an easy thing to do but to achieve great things, you have to put in an even greater effort. so this is it guys, are we going to fight and triumph as a team or are we going to crumble and fall as individuals?
just dropping by the blog again. i believe many of us have like sunken into a kind of dormant and relaxed mode after NJCC. i know that we did well in the competition but i think we will have to work harder than this now if we want to repeat the good showing again at nationals. nationals is not another NJCC, its going to be ten times harder, ten times more pressurizing, ten times more painful to lose at. but no, this isn't a post to criticize ourselves or anyone. its not like that.
sometime in the future, we're going to look back at our lives and i don't want you guys to look at this 2 years that we spent as raffles canoeist to be a period of regret. i hope you won't go "shit i should have done that, shouldn't have done that; if i have known, i would have put in more effort in that 500m, done that extra pullup" we should all look back and think that it was a well made sacrifice and given a chance, you would not have changed anything. even if you came in 6th in a heat, semi or final. because you've raced a perfect race. not just on the day itself, but a perfect race every single training leading up to it.
having said that, i believe we should all look forward and really very very hard about what we're going to do in this next 11 weeks before the biggest race of our lives. its only less than 3 months. even so, a lot can be achieved during this 3 months. we'll take every single step towards realizing our goals guys. i believe that everyone single one of us have the ability to row a good race and win glory for our team, our school and most importantly for each other. but its not going to be possible if we don't hang in there for each other, support each other - be each other's pillar of strength and support. that is what we really have to do guys, its the only thing that will make us strong and invincible.
11 more weeks, 44 more trainings. i believe in every single one of us. i believe that if we want to do it and if we put all our effort into doing so, we can achieve miracles. you guys have written a wonderful intro to your legacy. now it is the time to finish it with a resounding end. remember, its not a question about ability, its a question about willingness. if you are willing to give each other your 100% dedication to the our team, i can ensure you that i will give everything in me, everything possible and i can think of to make sure our team is up there amongst the greats.
11 more weeks, lets go guys. everything we've got and holding nothing back.
as you all know, i'm not much of a speaker at big events but yeah, i hope this message will get around to all of the guys, both j1s and j2s alike. so yeah here goes, (:
firstly, i would like to thank the j1s for all the hard work you guys have put in these 2 days. they say it is tiring for the competitors but i know it is even more tiring for the supporters. competitors race their own races but supporters race every race for the team. the cheering, the support, the food. our success won't have been complete or even achieved without you guys. so thank you and congratulations on a job well done. rest well and it will be time for you guys to step up soon.
~~~
j2s, 1 word: beautiful.
that is the only way i will describe our performance. from the team coming together to cheer to the way each rower pushed and fought for every single inch, every single stroke, powering our way towards our goals; it was simply beautiful.
i want to say that as your captain i'm really very proud of you guys as my team. you guys showed macritchie what RAFFLES CANOEING really meant today. the way our team stood by each other is the way of a champion team. win or lose, we are always a team. i think that today, you guys have proven it beyond doubt. i believe that if we continue to show this support for each other, we will go very far guys. we must continue to bing this spirit of holding up each other into our training, keep pushing each other and we will climb this summit together guys.
for the victors, you deserve the 100% elation, 100% joy and 100% satisfaction. you guys have trained hard and fought well. for the others, all that is left is 100% resolution and 100% determinaton to do better the next time. the second part of our dreams start now guys. we've been given an excellent chance to make history guys. the chance to leave an inspiring legacy, a motivating story is being handed to us on a plate. we have a chance to put raffles back amongst the big 4 of canoeing. we may have been trodden by others last year but this year we have shown that we've got the grit and the courage to come back and face these giants and that we're not afraid of them.
guys, today i saw a team that was ready to fight to the ends of hell for each other. we race not as individuals but as a team. today i saw a team that believed in themselves. i saw a team that was focussed on what they want was willing to fight every single meter to achieve it. i saw a team that was not afraid of others, a team that knows that they are here to fight and prove a point. but most importantly, i saw a team of 19 individuals held together by a common dream and goal and working together as one single solid unstoppable force to achieve their dream, their goal. this was what we were guys. and this is what we are going to be forever.
4 more months to the biggest race of our career as canoeists-it does not get bigger than that and the only way we are going to be standing tall and victorious on that day, guys, is by pushing ourselves as hard and even harder than we have for the past months.
Know what you want, stare at it hard, and work hard everyday to achieve it. EVERYDAY.
winning is not about going faster than the rest, it is about slowing down less than everyone else.
ps. listen to this with your headphones ya? seriously
Luigi
Marcu
Bowser
Kennedy
Willie
Kee Guan
Xiao Bai Cai
Vic
Bong
Greg
Michael
Maggie
Mohan and das
Xing Da
Jerome
Jeremy
Hong Cheng
Powderman
Eugene
Feng Shuo
Nehthan
Beng Hong
Marc
Aaron
LJ
Shawn
AhD
