Idiosyncrasies

Literally and figuratively. 

I actually survived the San Mig Enduro Adventure Race. Wooohooo! Didn’t think I would…but I did. Yehey! Even though I kinda crashed my teammate’s bike into a canal, accidentally ran over a runner (yep, he got the bike’s front wheel in his butt!), and of course fell off a couple of times (haven’t been on a bike in years, obviously)… I survived! The best part? The freebie shirt that has "race finisher" printed on the back. I just love looking at it. Now if only I could get myself to actually WEAR it outside….Hmmm…

Years ago, if someone told me I would be in love with sports, I would never have believed him/her! I remember my high school self just looking on as the "tibos" played their after-school sports (secretly wishing I could too; and even plotting to chop my long hair off, thinking it would unleash the "tibo-sports-superstar" power that lay dormant somewhere in my body—by the way, that is NOT why I decided to chop my hair off years and years later). I never got to indulge my curiosity in sports in grade school or high school since my parents were strict about putting academics ahead of everything else. But you know what? It is amazing how a little push can send you on your way. Everything certainly changed when I got into college…let’s say I was shoved in the right direction.

Football was the push - er, kick, I needed in many areas of my life. I honestly have never felt more alive (well, except when riding a horse perhaps). When you have the ball in your control, when you let out that powerful shot…it’s heaven. Sheer joy. Bliss. Getting to that point however, is a completely different story. Getting to that point, is HELL.

I remember my first few weeks with the football team back in UPM. What agony! I hated the reality that had just hit me square in the face: here was something I HAD to work on. Here was something I could NOT excel at immediately.  Here was something I couldn’t read/research/prepare my way into being on top. Here was something that literally required blood, sweat and tears (hahaha come to think of it, LOTS of tears). I found it very hard to accept that reality. I found it very hard to accept that after a month, I was still getting nowhere!

I remember one person very well…this person told me I would never be good at the sport I had come to love to the point of obsession (when you suck as much as I did, you’d want to get better pretty bad). This person told me I should not take football seriously because I would be hurt the day I wake up to find I’m the kind of person who just doesn’t get better with practice. He could tell that I was one of those beginners who stayed beginners. In other words, I was not made for the sport. He even went as far as saying I should take up something else! Well, I wouldn’t have any of it. I worked hard to prove him wrong.

I think working hard is an understatement. For a year or so, everything I did had to go through "will this make me a better football player?" thoughts. I even got a  gym membership so I could catch up to the fitness levels of the girls on the teams I trained with.  I actually scheduled my classes in such a way that there were 4 hour
breaks in between so that I could rush off to the gym and still attend afternoon football training.  After training ended at around 8pm, I’d run the academic oval at least twice to build my stamina. (Yes, risky and stupid of me to run alone, but at the time, there was no one to run with) AND, I made it a point to
play football as often as possible - this meant seven days a week (when you dorm on campus, anything’s possible!)

   
   
I miss those days…. endless football days…. sigh. I sucked bigtime, but I was playing a game I loved with all my heart. Just kicking the ball made my day - yes, even on the bad days, football would always make it better somehow.

Interestingly enough, our team won a tourney  not so long ago… and guess what? The very same person who told me to forget about football, was the person who read my name while I was being given the mvp trophy. I know he probably forgot what he said in the past…but it helped me a LOT. It was my motivation. Whenever I’d have bad training days, I’d tell myself I just had to keep at it. I just had to know he was wrong about me. I think it finally paid off. This is only the beginning though. I mean, why stop here, right?
   
   
   
   
Don’t get me wrong, I still suck at football. I’m far from being even half as good as other people I know. I’m just happy I don’t suck as much as before. It’s great to think - and finally know, that yes, practice does pay off. Let’s consider it a work in progress: going from being uber sucky to not-so sucky ain’t bad at all!
   
   

Although I enjoy trying out new things now, football will always be at the top of my list. I’d give up whatever I have to do at the drop of a hat, for a chance to play with my friends. That’s another thing football has brought into my life…friends. Teammates make the best of friends. The bond is different — stronger than ordinary friendship. I love you guys!