wtf im shitting my pants cos i havent even started packing :/
k anw for the 6/7/8/9 jan enlistees,
i thought of a damn good idea!
let's all take pics of our botak heads and then post here k!
on a bit pls!
k vic allan nathan and i will be posting tmr(though i havent told them abt this:s)
if you shave already just put laaa!!
greg(:
Updated@2:41 PM
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
shenghao, this one is dedicated to you for being such a pal, all these years...
Updated@10:28 PM
for those who just watched dark knight or are planning to watch dark knight... see whether you can tell which one's the real trailer and which one's the fake. ;p
LOL.
Updated@9:59 PM
hey guys here's something which will aid in the destressing process. Dedicated to nathan tan and his history of screaming.
Updated@9:51 PM
Thursday, July 17, 2008
What exactly is success, and what does it really mean to be a champion? What exactly is raffles canoeing about? Is it really about the medals? Is it about being the best? Or is it about fighting to be the best, and being able to be content with the outcome, secure in the knowledge that nothing else could be done? Would you rather have a team that comes in through DSA with years of experience that clinches the gold, or a team that starts from scratch and comes in unplaced? What exactly is a team and what exactly is our tradition?
At the end of the day, Raffles canoeing is not about winning medals or getting the gold. Hell, it is definitely not about beating nj. What raffles canoeing is about is forging a close knit team of individuals who are willing to fight for what they believe in. It is about nurturing the next batch of raffles canoeist's, passing on what our seniors' have passed on to us. What they have passed on is an unyielding zeal in anything they do, a willingness to excel in all areas of their life - as one of our seniors once said, "The members don't make Raffles Canoeing, Raffles Canoeing makes the members". I have yet to see a canoeist who has given up once the going gets tough, and that is what raffles canoeing is all about, moulding the members by instilling in them the right attitude to face life, to move on and excel in their next phase of life. Raffles canoeing is about letting go, letting go of the result and being content with what you have. Being content with the fact that even if your best is not enough, your best effort is.
At the end of the day we will all(almost all) leave raffles canoeing after 1.5 years. After 1.5 years of smiling, of crying, of laughing and of fighting we will all eventually walk out of macritchie on the last day of nationals and leave it all behind, medalists and non-medalists alike. When the next batch walks out of macritchie, what are the thoughts that will be in their minds? Do you want a team to walk out having given their all to canoeing feeling disappointed if they did not get the gold? Or do you want a team that will be able to laugh and smile on the last day of their career, regardless of the outcome of the races?
The path ahead will not be simple, but the road for Raffles canoeists has never been an easy one. It is from walking across this uneven road blindfolded with nothing but the help of their team that the waves of raffles canoeists before us have learnt to deal with disappointments, fight with resolve and live with passion.
All the best and I hope you will carry on our heritage of what it means to be a raffles canoeist.
RAFFLES ROW FTW!
Updated@8:05 PM
Sunday, July 13, 2008
If we live like this, we cannot lose.
For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto Salvation for all who believe - Romans 1:16
You know guys, this suddenly struck me while I was in my sleep. It was such a wonderful revelation that I felt I just had to wake up at 6 am in the morning on a Sunday to tell you all what God had revealed to me. Whether you are Christian or not, really my teammates, I regard you all as my Brothers.
Our team has quite a few Christians. Eugene, Chinks, Kennedy and I used to frequently remark and rejoice at the fact that our entire EXCO is Christian. We prayed before the next EXCO was chosen. We pray sometimes for direction, for the team. We pray before races. Yet sometimes I can't help but feel that many Christians on the team have led lives seemingly defeated by vulgarities, coarse joking, lack of self-control, etc. etc. I am one of the worse examples. The Bible tells me I'm not supposed to give into this crap, but I do. And whats worse is that when we do so we aren't ashamed of it. I think Brian swear until really funny. You know other than Mongs nobody else tells him not to? We all just join in - as Michael says, by "reflex action". And you know thats not all.
I have heard from my other friends and church members about how Christian family members and friends of theirs fell away from Christ's grace and love because they gave up hope on their Christian faith ... because they were discouraged that God was not working in their lives.
Because they "couldn't feel". They didn't know. But while I was sitting on my bed after waking up, there was one quote that just went through my mind -
If you step out onto the field and lay it all out there, if you give everything you got, then we cannot lose. We may be behind on that scoreboard, but we cannot be defeated.
Then I realised that as a canoeing life ends the big picture of life on earth remains and when life on earth ends the biggest picture of life in heaven with God for eternity truly remains. And even as we fought hard and finished the races of our canoeing life like winners, Jesus fought hard and bled on the cross to redeem us from our sins so that we might finish the race of life like winners.
We may loose the battle to sin daily, but we know that we have a God who loves us, Christ who gave his own life for our victory, and the Holy Spirit to guide us every step of the way. As Christians, we have won the battle. God sees and hears every hokkien vulgarity we use, the nasty shit we say about people, the ungracious behaviour towards others, the unwillingness to help even our teammates, the ugliness of what we think maliciously in our minds sometimes (even with the Jon Neo thing which we whole day laugh about lol), all our hypocrisies ... the Lord sees all this and then he sees Christ's blood on the doorpost of our hearts, and then he says - "ALL IS FORGIVEN." Such is the grace of God through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
So what are we going to do with our life? Are we going to step out onto the field of the world and lay it all out there for Christ? Are we going to give everything that we've got for God? Are we going to make that choice, not just at the moment we said our Sinner's Prayer, but daily, to take up our cross and follow Christ? We may be behind on that scoreboard, but remember that in Christ, we cannot be defeated.
If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ... Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:31-39
Updated@6:06 AM
Saturday, July 12, 2008
"The thing about Raffles Canoeing is not the medals or the championships. Its about the Spirit of Raffles, the dream which is passed on from batch to batch, captain to captain, senior to junior. It is that Spirit, that Hope, which makes Raffles Canoeing what it is, and what it stands for. Its not our dream; its a dream that has passed on from generation to generation. Its something that was given to us and we are to protect it and keep it alive and pass it on. It is this same dream which is to unite us and keep us going, no matter what." - Eugene, NJCC 2008
"Make sure that what's in your heart, is shinier than any medal that you'll ever get." - Michael (To Xin Er), Nationals 2008
"Actually I don't really like canoeing as a sport. I think what really keeps me going are the people, the people who care and push you on despite all the problems and challenges. I think thats what really motivates me to give my best while rowing." - Kennedy, Random Emo Session 2008
"If its just how fast on the water you're talking about, then it doesn't say much about whats in your heart ... but if you've got a heart of Gold, you will naturally be fast on the water. And that's what really counts." - Marcus, Nationals 2008
"Kaiyang said last year that we would rise above mediocrity, that we would give all of them a run for their money. Thats not good enough; I say we give them the fight of their lives." - Chinks, NJCC 2008
"Maybe we are not there yet, but I just want to do something for the team, and thats it. So I'm not going to think about anything else." - Greg, NJCC 2008
"I might have been beaten by others, but at least I have conquered myself." - Michael, NJCC 2008
"I'm prepared to lose. I'm prepared for anything. But I'm not prepared to let anyone down."
- Stuart, Nationals 2008
"Give it your best. No regrets." - Victor, NJCC 2008
"You know, seriously if we had been born a year earlier I think we would have stood a really good chance last year, considering the fact that we were so much faster than last year's team ... but it doesn't really matter come to think of it, cos we all did our best." - Brian, Random conversation 2008
"Don't care just whack." - Sheng Hao, Nationals 2007, Racing with Diarrhoea
"You know what? Every single Saturday morning when I wake up, the only thing thats on my mind is - I'm going to do all I can and try my best to rape Eugene and Stuart today." - Michael, In response to Eugene's question: "How do we feel when we wake up on Saturdays knowing there's training?"
"I swear I will never quit!" - Xian Chen, Nationals 2008
"Raffles Canoeing quite long already right? How many years already ... but there's one batch that'll always be special - our team!" - Marc, 2007
the more nonsensical but memorable ones ...
"I joined Canoeing because I wanted to get a hot bod!" - Liang Jie, Canoe Camp 2007
"NO BURST!" - Sheng Hao
"stop hugging me i can't stop crying la! You know if you never hug me I nothing wan la but you all hug me only then I cry."
-Victor, after his finals race
"SHUNDA!" - Kennedy, Randomly
"A-L-A-N !!!" - Nathan
"Arhm!" - Marcus
"SOO-LIN!" - Victor and Chinks
"I don't mind giving you tuition!" - Michael, Too smart already
"I feel that Kennedy is like ... the Mother of the Team!" - Jarius
"Using a lifejacket (instead of a kneepad) is like ****ing with a condom - it takes away the pleasure!" - Xingda, Ranting
"You nehnehjiao!" - Kennedy, Pissed
"what the hell i was pumping la!"
-Aaron, after smiling throughout his 1000m friendly race
"Sorry, but not funny arh." - Victor
"Wooooooooo!" - Brian (with two fingers pointed)
"Are you planning to stagnate?" - Marcus, after Sheng Hao and Winnie slack row
"WHAT ? ! ? ? !" - Michael, While taking photos of the Girl's team, after we told him to hurry up from afar
"Seeeerious!" - Winnie
"HOBBIT! Hahahaha." - Mohandass
"Nathan stop being a butch/bitch!" - Greg
"huh you talking to me ah?"
-Nathan, to Greg, in the C2, with no one else around
"I Slash your Dick!" - Brian
"Kalaichelvan says he's going to, **** YOUR BRAINS OUT!" - Mohandass, After Brian screamed into his phone
"Next time I go your weddings and ... toot!" - Kennedy
"I'm Doin Preeetty Gooooooood!" - Kenneth
"Eh, you guys keep rowing!You all must improve! I improve enough already!" - Marcus, in response to the rest for saving brian and LJ when they capsize
"Oh ok, you good! World Champ!" - In response to Marcus' above comment moments after the rescue
"So what kind of bikini are we getting?" - Justin, Ideas for Liang Jie's birthday 2007
"R*** C*** can go suck my c**k!" - Bernard, Hwa Chong Team
"Pung-Sai-Gao!" - Chinks
"You think what i said, give head arh"
-Stuart on k4 to Shenghao
"if i win, i'll stand up and play violin on my boat" - Marcus to K4 crew
"Noo, you have an ELDER SISTER" - Winnie to Marcus
"I didnt know you go for older girls, like Kennedy" - Eugene to Marcus
"Two of you can eat little kids together" - Winnie to Marcus
Feel free to edit this post and add on to the stuff. :D
I don’t know what to say, really. Three minutes to the biggest battle of our professional lives. All comes down to today, and either, we heal as a team, or we're gonna crumble. Inch by inch, play by play. Until we're finished. We're in hell right now, gentlemen. Believe me. And, we can stay here, get the shit kicked out of us, or we can fight our way back into the light. We can climb outta hell... one inch at a time. Now I can't do it for ya, I'm too old. I look around, I see these young faces and I think, I mean, I've made every wrong choice a middle-aged man can make. I, uh, I've pissed away all my money, believe it or not. I chased off anyone who's ever loved me. And lately, I can't even stand the face I see in the mirror. You know, when you get old, in life, things get taken from you. I mean, that's... that's... that's a part of life. But, you only learn that when you start losin' stuff. You find out life's this game of inches, so is football. Because in either game - life or football - the margin for error is so small. I mean, one half a step too late or too early and you don't quite make it. One half second too slow, too fast and you don't quite catch it. The inches we need are everywhere around us. They're in every break of the game, every minute, every second. On this team we fight for that inch. On this team we tear ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our fingernails for that inch. Because we know when add up all those inches, that's gonna make the fucking difference between winning and losing! Between living and dying! I'll tell you this, in any fight it's the guy whose willing to die whose gonna win that inch. And I know, if I'm gonna have any life anymore it's because I'm still willing to fight and die for that inch, because that's what living is, the six inches in front of your face. Now I can't make you do it. You've got to look at the guy next to you, look into his eyes. Now I think ya going to see a guy who will go that inch with you. Your gonna see a guy who will sacrifice himself for this team, because he knows when it comes down to it your gonna do the same for him. That's a team, gentlemen, and either, we heal, now, as a team, or we will die as individuals. That's football guys, that's all it is. Now, what are you gonna do?
TEAM.
RAFFLES.
Updated@5:28 PM
Monday, July 7, 2008
hello guys today's boat cleaning and waxing session was quite memorable haha.. besides kenneth's comments on the epoxy and nathan tan's piss in the boat it was nice haha the pond picture session was damn cool also haha. anyway just wanted to say that it's been a pleasure rowing with you guys the past 1.5 years. great team(:
quoting we are marshall: if we lay our hearts on the line, we cannot be defeated
haha or smth like that.. let's go get some points for raffles!
greg
Updated@4:04 PM
Monday, June 23, 2008
Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.
LEGENDS
It's not about the shoes. It's about knowing where you're going, and not forgetting what you've started My Brothers, its time to finish what we started. Looking back, 2007, 2008. It's been two great years of adventure, sweat, tears and laughter. It has been an honour sharing these two years alongside all of you, feeling that same tiredness, crying that same anguish at last year's nationals, feeling that same joy together during NJCC this year, laughing at the same jokes, swearing at the same things, smelling the same odours after each and every training... it has been an honour being on the same team, being able to wear the name of Raffles on our backs.
It's about having the courage to fail, not breaking when you're broken We left Bedok last year with heavy hearts. Some of us had a firsthand taste at the bitterness of defeat. Some of us swore almost to revenge our seniors. Some of us swore to recapture our pride. But all of us had a common goal - that was to prove the true mettle and strength and courage of Raffles Canoeing. We were broken, but we were not breaking. We swore to come back in glory and in power. Kaiyang kept telling us that we were going to give them the fight of their lives, a run for their money. Eugene decided that we'll give them more than just a fight.
Taking everything you've been given, and making it something better By early March, the team of 2008 had already eclipsed the team of 2007. We pulled ourselves together and told each other that we would do a better job than our seniors, that we would train harder, row faster, fight smarter. Out of the comfort zone, with a team we could call our own, we delved head-on into NJCC. We came out stronger, more resilient and more persevering.
It's about work, before glory, and what's inside of you All of us have gritted our teeth, have felt the pain of the last one hundred metres, the lactic acid coursing through our veins before that final crossing of the line. Whether win or lose we have glorified the name of Raffles Canoeing, we have done something beyond the limits of self and pushed towards achieving something as a team. But far beyond the race, the 2K timings, the land sets of no rest, the 500m sprints, the 40 x 10 bursts in the water, all these have agglomerated into the defining moment of: the race.
It's about doing what they say you can't Michael once told me that the Spirit motivating us during NJCC was that of Surpassing our seniors and gaining recognition as a team; the Spirit motivating us during Nationals should be that of Proving to Everyone else that Raffles Canoeing is a team to be revered, respected, looked up to. Rafflesians excel at sports not because we have natural sportsmen, but because it is in the very nature of the Rafflesian to work towards excellence.
It's about doing what all these people, from MJC, PJC, NJC, ACS(I), ACJC, SAJC, say we cannot do and cannot be. They have overlooked the fact that within each and every one of us rests a true blooded Rafflesian (that includes you, Eugene) who will put excellence before pain, before defeat, before difficulty, before fear, that excellence which gives the team, the sport, purpose and meaning.
It's not about the shoes. It's about what you do in them It is this same excellence which has to unite our team, it is this same excellence which should drive every single one of us, whether K or C, whether single or double (or quadruple). It is this overarching excellence residing within the depths of our souls, which all of us should bring forth, and shake the very perceptions of these people who have never believed in the success of our team.
It's about being, who you were born to be Let us open both our eyes and theirs and let them see what Raffles Canoeing can and should truly be.
this is the song i hum whenever shit happens =p random but it's a really nice song!
Fields of Gold by Sting
You'll remember me when the west wind moves Upon the fields of barley You'll forget the sun in his jealous sky As we walk in the fields of gold
So she took her love For to gaze awhile Upon the fields of barley In his arms she fell as her hair came down Among the fields of gold
Will you stay with me, will you be my love Among the fields of barley Well forget the sun in his jealous sky As we lie in the fields of gold
See the west wind move like a lover so Upon the fields of barley Feel her body rise when you kiss her mouth Among the fields of gold I never made promises lightly And there have been some that Ive broken But I swear in the days still left We'll walk in the fields of gold We'll walk in the fields of gold
Many years have passed since those summer days Among the fields of barley See the children run as the sun goes down Among the fields of gold You'll remember me when the west wind moves Upon the fields of barley You can tell the sun in his jealous sky When we walked in the fields of gold When we walked in the fields of gold When we walked in the fields of gold
Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear. Ambrose Redmoon
What's Important Now? Search Your Heart. Then Act upon it by the Hope which we share united as a Team.
I have fought the good fight. I have completed the race. I have kept the faith.
Updated@7:21 PM
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
first things seem impossible. then it becomes difficult. then it is done.
impossible, difficult then done. how many times have we talked about wanting to do the impossible? how many batches have been called the dream team? how many teams have been said to be stronger than ever? we have been called all those at one time or the other, have dreamed the impossible at one point or the other. but how many times have we really put our minds together to doing it?
today, i want us to think about something very simple:
team.
together as a team, we will carry each other's dreams, we fight till the end for each other, for the people we love so much. every sacrifice will be worth it when the fight is over. when the last man crosses the finishing line and the last medal given out, we will stand tall as giants. together as a team, we will do the impossible.
people say winning is everything and it is true. people don't remember the way you row a race. they only remember who wins the race. they don't remember how close it was; only who won. but those people are not the people you know. they are not your friends. they are not your teammates. they are not your family. they are not the people that you love or love you. to those people winning is everything; but to everyone else
fighting is everything.
we come from a proud heritage. canoeing has been in raffles since the 1980s. not every single batch wins, but every single batch keeps on fighting. this is why we still stand today. when we row, we don't represent just ourselves, we represent each and every one of the batches that have gone before us and that will come after us. the sweet victory may not come in our batch or the next batch or even for tens of batches but if we keep fighting there will be a day where raffles will be crowned champions and there will be a time where we will win and keep winning. and when that time comes, not only will that batch be glorified but every single batch before that them be glorified. this is our history. this is who we are. we are Raffles Canoeing - fighters till the end. if we give up the fight today, we will lose our chance to rise from the ashes and grab glory.
when we go out there on 8th july and row our races for raffles. i want you to remember that you are carrying the dreams and hopes of not just yourself but of every single Raffles Canoeist that was, is and is to come. it is not easy but we will be there for each other. we will become each other's pillar of support. we will fight till the end together.
"we will be like ducks.
when the storm comes and thunder roars, ducks stick together."
- Mighty Ducks
so, lets prepare ourselves for one last chance at glory guys. lets grit our teeth and pull each other through till the very end. lets put in the 100% strength into every single stroke, cm, inch for each other. lets not give up but fight on for each other.
i ask you now, if you are willing to step up and put your heart onto the line for the person standing beside you, for the person rowing in front or behind or beside you, join me and let us fight the best fight ever and it shall be forever remembered that we, the batch of 2008, never gave up and stood up against giants and became champions.
The longer I live, the more I am certain that the great difference between the great and the insignificant, is energy -- invincible determination -- a purpose once fixed, and then death or victory.
- Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton
Updated@6:50 PM
Friday, May 9, 2008
Hey all, it's been a while since i've last posted. I may not be the most sensitive detector of emotions, but i certainly know a demoralized team when i see one. Yes yes a multitude of reasons come into play and i wouldn't pass them off as excuses because some are genuine. But for now, this apprehensive/demoralized/lost hope/can't give a shit mood will end now, because it's high time we buck up. I'm going to do away with all big words and whatever quotes now because yes i admit i've become jaded in a sense. Too many cliches, too many water trainings, too many bad experiences and encounters i had with people and yes i guess we're all tired from training so hard and so long. What has the purpose of training become? We all say "PB, PB" and "rape nj" all the time but after a while the meaning fades and what's left is just the words alone. So what remains? What will not fade away in the face of time? Not your boat, not your paddle, not your strokes, not your body. All will die except for your heart and the love found within it. These two years i've been finding what is the best umbrella-termish biggest concept that can encompass our desire to row and train. Here's the closest answer: Love. Undoubtedly, passion, discipline, desire to win, sportsmanship can all come into play. Indeed we all row for that, but there's been a dip in passion, discipline, desire to win etc. And now all we can do is to look back at the biggest main idea: Love. We all say "yea, i love ice cream, i love hot guys, lubz euxx worxx", words to the extent. But this concept of Love is what defines our team so aptly, and it definitely goes far beyond that of those silly examples aforementioned. When we started rowing, what made us continue? LOVE for the feeling of sitting on a chunk of fibreglass and trusting that it can take us 500m in 2 minutes. When we feel like dying at the last stretch of 2k timing, we could have said "oops i'm not feeling well sorry let's not PB", but what made us push that thought out of our heads and continue rowing with the bloody sun on our backs? Not fear of Jiaolian, not for showing off. It's LOVE for the team. LOVE for everyone else who is out there, uncompromising and expecting that you do the same for them, appreciating that the team is a body of canoeists who are willing to die for the cause. LOVE for the people who asked you to hold on one second longer so that your efforts will not be in vain. It is not the loud sound of "jiayou jiayou" from jiaolian's loudspeaker that eggs me to row faster. Definitely not. It is when hear victor's melodious voice singing "peng you" (friends), or when nathan accuses me of slacking behind that my muscles go into overdrive and my the pain is momentarily kicked out of my system. Why do we exhibit sportsmanship and respect our opponents out there? Again, LOVE. Love for them, for without them we'd have no one to own. Love that they are also part of this fraternity of mad people who are dedicated to propelling fibreglass chunks. Why am I so looking forward to Nationals? Because as scared as i may be, trembling under the pressure with the eyes of parents, coaches, match support ppl, friends, teammates, I know that I LOVE the feeling of having one lane entirely to yourself, no stupid boats cutting halfway, and compressing 1.5 hard years of training into that pathetic little 2 minutes, with teammates screaming hoarse for the burst, all eyes pinned on that tiny ray of hope that Raffles can indeed perform miracles. So find your LOVE once again, start afresh, and show that the heart of a Raffles canoeist is bigger than any other canoeist's lats, and that the mind of a Raffles canoeist is tougher than any other canoeist's abs.
Miracles are not random. Yes well maybe to an extent, like if you dont do your tut then your teacher is sick on that day well maybe that's a miracle. But we're not going to pray that other schools will suffer an epidemic of HFMD and we'll win this nationals! Won't happen period. We MAKE miracles bit by bit. Maybe the reason as to why there's this dip in morale/enthusiasm is because we've been losing teammates to illnesses, other commitments etc. Or maybe we see other schools out there looking fast and the fear gets to our hearts. That is when we've lost the battle, completely. Training is something like miracle-making practice. Every improvement to stroke, balance and fitness will ultimately give us that little increase in that little glimmer of hope that we can manipulate the odds. John Paul said in his exco interview, that he wants to change our stupid in-built ideas that we are the underdogs. We create excuses for ourselves for our inferior performance as compared to others: "oh they have 5 water trainings, we have like 3, which is not enough" or " they have 3 coaches eh, that's why they are so good!" or "but they don't study what, 100% of life is spent canoeing" But it has never occured to us, that when we beat them, we automatically prove that you don't need tons of water trainings or tons of cash to be the best. All we need is a heart that believes that we can.
I don't want to keep saying "no regrets" or "nationals is 2 months away! c'mon it's our final year dont waste our efforts", because by now, it is rather damn obvious to all of you. We're going to leave a legacy as the team that stood under giants and plucked their balls from beneath and crushed them. Let nothing come in your way these 2 months, and i promise we'll kickass! Buck up!
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.
Hello all, i've been web-trawling recently in addition to my daily dose of long bus rides, and i've found a couple of interesting and helpful websites to supplement all your daily doses of flatwater.info. Firstly, there's this thing called the Barton Mould. It was created by Greg Barton, 2 time olympic medallist. It's pretty interesting cos of all the theory behind muscles and strokes (only k rowers).
Here's the link: http://www.epickayaks.com/content/?nid=1506 It's quite lengthy, so read it when you feel you need a breather from doing complex numbers.
For C rowers I found this terribly imba website which gives stroke breakdown and comments on world champions' strokes. Plus all the comments are proven by physics knowledge. It's like having an online jiaolian who will come breathe down your neck and ask you to recover high and reach out. Good stuff, do check it out if you want better strokes! Here's the link http://snappyexit.com/ For Soolin and other aspiring C rower girls out there:that's nathan and i converted into female form and i changed to right side. WOW, it's quite an eye opener seriously, so anyone from the girl's team who wish to draw inspiration for rowing C boat, here's the link:
http://www.justcanoeit.com/ <---has uncanny resemblance to our blog name This one is Allan converted to female form
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
that's nathan and i converted into female form and i changed to right side. WOW, it's quite an eye opener seriously, so anyone from the girl's team who wish to draw inspiration for rowing C boat, here's the link:
This one is Allan converted to female form