*Blows away dust*
Then came Team Lions tryouts. Yes I went, to support Andra, Karen and Fai. I secretly wanted to join but couldn't make myself do it as I had unconfirmed school and work schedules, and most importantly, I don't think that my skills are up to it. There are tons of better flyers out there. And I'm not saying this because I'm proud of it or I'm actually good enough to replace the good flyers in SG etc. But I think it was quite depressing to not see the large pool of talents out there to actually come to do this. I promised Andra that I will be there to support him for his trainings and I did. (: Joined in for training as well (FOR FUN because I wanted to improve.). After CAIO and Lions training resumed, I sounded to Weicheng if I could make it to the team, and I would like to tryout. I can't remember if Weicheng or the committee said anything then. Only realised that I was in when they were just about to book the tickets to ATCI. I knew they were still sourcing for flyers, and I was prepared to give up my position (I SWEAR) to a better flyer. ATCI was not an easy journey. It was the start of suiting into a totally different culture of training. I was totally shocked when people sit down on the mats, lay on them, bases training with no shoes, people laughing at each other when on stunt etc etc. The coach too, was very different. Legacy coaches train together most of the times, and are always very attentive to everything. They will be there to physically, verbally, mentally correct your techniques, whereas Weicheng supervises and suggests; a more adult approach. I've no objections against any. I became more comfortable to the environment as time passes as everybody was having fun at training. Most of the times, our goals were not met because we bargain and ask to give 'discount' and if I remembered correctly, only twice that we did what we were asked to. (The must hit 5 consecutive. Drop/not hit any stunt plus 1, ASU minus 1.) It was a great experience competing with other Asian countries. It was not easy standing at the sideline watching them do their routine during rehearsal. A lot of comparisons and judging done which creates unnecessary stress amongst ourselves, or rather me. The only thing that I'm confident is was 2nd basing. I hardly fly any other stunts like regularly, let alone partner stunts. The routine consisted 2. 1 of which I feared most because I've a bad habit of arching. I remembered vividly that after our 1st rehearsal run at the mats on the 1st day, I immediately had asthma. -.- THE FREAKING AIRCON WAS BLOWING INTO OUR FACES FROM UNDERNEATH THE STADIUM SEATS. Was not so bad cos lucky it was rehearsal and my bag was near. I learnt that a good debrief makes a lot of difference to the team. We had an awesome one in Vincent's room, allowing us to discuss and improvise clearly with the help of our clear video of the Day 1. We made last min changes to it which I failed to execute. ): One of my regrets. Though we were 2nd, we could have had this title with more values and achievements. Lions also did a major trash out after the whole competition amongst team mates, coaches and the committee, which I think it was very important as it allows everybody to know each other better.
We were warned and were aware of our commitments towards CWC. But everybody has different school/work/training schedule. All 16 coming from 7 different teams. Same problems arising then. Most of the time, all 16 are not able to work out on 1 training session per week tgt. It was tough having to do partial pyramids every training, but we've got no choice. When the date was nearing, we finally was able to do our 1 rehearsal altogether. And it was really touching when all stunts hit. When dismounting, everybody asked if any stunts dropped, did anybody dance wrongly etc., instead of just walking away when their own stunts hit. Everybody cared for every single stunts, every single bit of that routine. Really, I've never in my entire 3years felt anything like this.
Lions make me feel... a part of everything. There was a sense of belonging.
Haven't touch this space for the longest time. I miss having free time doing this. When you tend to forget about what happened, this thing reminds you of every single bit of it. Actually wanted to do this post quite some time ago but didn't have time to do it.
It's 5.15am (on 2-1-2012, edited and posted on 2-2-2012)
and I'm writing this cos if I don't do it now, am not sure when's the next best time. Heh.
In 2011, there's 5 most significant events/experience that happened in my life.
1) Legacy in SNCC
2) ATCI
3) CWC
4) Karen's injury
5) Decision to do part-time studies
It was one of the toughest nationals that I have gone through. I've trained tons of performance routine but it was only my 2nd Team routine for competition. It's not the routine that was difficult, but the journey was horrifying, and the results, personally, disheartening. As we moved to our 'new' 2nd home, training location was a challenge. Injuries were inevitable because the ground that we usually train at was uneven and rough, space was only enough for 8x7mats. We have aunties in heels/boots crossing over our training ground just to take the short-cut and making holes on the mats that does not belong to us. ):< BRAINLESS AUNTIES. Worse part is when we chase them off, either they scolded us back, or they ran faster making deeper impressions on the mats. -.- We trained under the scorching sun with palms burnt during torturous punishments. We trained under the rain just to piece that particular segment. The number of times we shift the mats in and out during that 3 months didn't matter to us anymore as it became a habit. PS: It was the monsoon period? Then we had the office telling us that we can only train till 9.45pm as they have to shut the cc by 10pm, when us, the working adults could only reach earliest at 7.30pm. We have tons of 'dramas' in and within the team that I think we can shoot a whole 100episodes of The Legacy Story. The worst was when the drunkard uncle (who locks the cc gates) had an argument with the boys and came out with a knife trying to slash us. ): Thankfully we had 2 policemen in the team and no legacy member was injured, but the Taekwando coach from the same cc, who tried to talk to him in hokkien nicely to calm him down, got a slashed at the shoulder. I clearly remember that my legs were jellified and I sat down and stone. LOL. After countless modifications to the routine, frankly speaking, I had no confidence of it. But I went there 2Ts: trust and teamwork.
And after this journey, I've realized what I wanted in cheer. To go to the competition ground with a confident and winning routine because through this my handwork will then be paid off.
We were warned and were aware of our commitments towards CWC. But everybody has different school/work/training schedule. All 16 coming from 7 different teams. Same problems arising then. Most of the time, all 16 are not able to work out on 1 training session per week tgt. It was tough having to do partial pyramids every training, but we've got no choice. When the date was nearing, we finally was able to do our 1 rehearsal altogether. And it was really touching when all stunts hit. When dismounting, everybody asked if any stunts dropped, did anybody dance wrongly etc., instead of just walking away when their own stunts hit. Everybody cared for every single stunts, every single bit of that routine. Really, I've never in my entire 3years felt anything like this.
Lions make me feel... a part of everything. There was a sense of belonging.
): It's sad that everything is wrapping up already.
There's tons of memories, truckloads of flashbacks whenever I think of trainings. Tt happy you aspiring to be the best on stage. Love you bestie!
Of course, many thanks to Xuewei. She came down early in the morning for trainings to get warmed up and get ready for stunts. On the 4 hours plan ride, she was on her earpiece watching videos and doing small motions in the pathetic space in tigerair just to memorise steps. Whenever we had freetime (includes walking ard and on the bus), she was so focus on the videos and trying to get the timings. She kept replaying them just to make sure that she got her counts right. All for the dream of the 15 other members and the rest of FCS committee members. She sacrificed her work and her family time to complete this journey for us, with us. After debrief, she will hide in the smoking corner or xingwei's room just to practice her dance steps. She does everything without complains and as we instructed during training and runs so as to get things done fast. She actively asked us to remind her on timing so that everything can be synchronized. We do not mind when she forgot timing, we do not mind when she ran to the wrong mat, we do not blame her for asking us again or maybe x8462826 times which timing to do what etc. Cos in 1 day training you got to memorise all of one of the main top flyer's role. And this isn't a performance. This is a competition on the world stage. The amount of stress that she got in that few days could have been equivalent to the amount we all had for months. She only had got a day training, a day perfecting, and then it's show time. And tt 'a day' isn't 1 day. It was probly 3hrs? Hence, from the bottom of my heart, I sincerely thank Xuewei for all your sacrifices, hardwork and time. I had never imagined cheering with you, much less being your mid. The 4days spent was enough to build a friendship - laugh and cry tgt. The last full-up was a bitch. I still have tt goosebumps thinking back on how we actually could repeatedly remind each other loudly on what to do and the timing just to get it up. And when it did, joyful tears just rolled. Dramatic? But it's true. Only those who have had similar encounters will understand how it feels.
My big decision to study PT. Yea. A big decision because this is the most pricey thing tt I ever spent on myself. Hah. And it's certainly sth tt I do not want it to go to the drain. I wanna do my very best out of it. 1st/2nd class! Wait for me! Oh! And I'm going to Dublin for my graduation! Yay!
And then came Karen's fall. There are many times I still blame myself why did i let her go? If only I held her tight and not let her down, everything would have been fine. But I guess.. everybody else who were present never expected a fall like this to be this bad. Nobody knows how much she actually meant to me in Lions because nobody encourages me like how she does. Moreover her being a better flyer, her words are my 'tiu dong li'.
Of course, many thanks to Xuewei. She came down early in the morning for trainings to get warmed up and get ready for stunts. On the 4 hours plan ride, she was on her earpiece watching videos and doing small motions in the pathetic space in tigerair just to memorise steps. Whenever we had freetime (includes walking ard and on the bus), she was so focus on the videos and trying to get the timings. She kept replaying them just to make sure that she got her counts right. All for the dream of the 15 other members and the rest of FCS committee members. She sacrificed her work and her family time to complete this journey for us, with us. After debrief, she will hide in the smoking corner or xingwei's room just to practice her dance steps. She does everything without complains and as we instructed during training and runs so as to get things done fast. She actively asked us to remind her on timing so that everything can be synchronized. We do not mind when she forgot timing, we do not mind when she ran to the wrong mat, we do not blame her for asking us again or maybe x8462826 times which timing to do what etc. Cos in 1 day training you got to memorise all of one of the main top flyer's role. And this isn't a performance. This is a competition on the world stage. The amount of stress that she got in that few days could have been equivalent to the amount we all had for months. She only had got a day training, a day perfecting, and then it's show time. And tt 'a day' isn't 1 day. It was probly 3hrs? Hence, from the bottom of my heart, I sincerely thank Xuewei for all your sacrifices, hardwork and time. I had never imagined cheering with you, much less being your mid. The 4days spent was enough to build a friendship - laugh and cry tgt. The last full-up was a bitch. I still have tt goosebumps thinking back on how we actually could repeatedly remind each other loudly on what to do and the timing just to get it up. And when it did, joyful tears just rolled. Dramatic? But it's true. Only those who have had similar encounters will understand how it feels.
Thank you Xingwei too! For being yuenbo's sub (minus Ruth) aka nanny, clearing out shit, bringing us water and snacks etc. not forgetting those random motivation to get us all through the competition. No doubt your presence means a lot to Xuewei too! (No room for her to dance, nobody to look at her dance etc.) :p
Ok, next. Otherwise, this post will my end. Heh.
My big decision to study PT. Yea. A big decision because this is the most pricey thing tt I ever spent on myself. Hah. And it's certainly sth tt I do not want it to go to the drain. I wanna do my very best out of it. 1st/2nd class! Wait for me! Oh! And I'm going to Dublin for my graduation! Yay!
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