I miss:

On a sidenote, Coach is very photogenic.

HAHAHAHA <:)

Prelude.

Tomorrow marks the end of a journey. It's been a long one. There is a part of me that is thankful, because I am physically exhausted and I don't think I could last for a lot longer. It has been a long, twisting and arduous one. But I've grown so much it's incredible. 

And I thank God for being there every step of the way. Nothing would have been possible without Him, at all. There is a lot I want to say and express now but I'm not going to. Tomorrow is our last match and let's just go in there and play our floorball. We started out as a team, tomorrow we cross that finishing mark as one team too. 

Shannon, I know you're feeling really awful and sad about this. It's not easy because you're the only one amongst all the seniors. And you're probably worried about how everything is going to be like with the new team and how everyone else is going to be like. Let it all go. You'll be okay. This team remains. And it always will, in eighteen beating hearts who dared to believe. Who fought hard to make it happen.

And we'll - they will - write a new chapter on their own, to carry on this story. I have so much hope and confidence in my juniors. We have time. And we have Coach. On that note too, Coach you need to stay. You have no idea how much you mean to us and how much the team needs you. Why stop now? We've barely begun. Stay to carve this legacy. First chapter's closing, but "the job's not done yet, the job's not done yet" - we have a novel to write, Coach. 

Say, ten more chapters? When you're 38 and really a father then but still touching lives and seeing this team grow.

See the thing about trials is that you really want to give up and hang up your coat and go to bed and curl up in a ball and sleep forever - or maybe only I'm like that - when you're in the midst of it. The problem looks like an unconquerable mass and there's really no point amidst the murky water. It's probably like Coach and his key-finding experience - to which can I add that the navy is really kinda cool - when seriously it's easier to give up than to continue ploughing through.

But at the end of it all, you look back and you laugh and you cry and laugh some more. And then spend time with those who went through it all with you and shake your head at how incredible everything is.

And that's our team. That's Hwachong floorball. We still have some nonsense ahead of us to settle. Administrative nonsense that we've been tussling ever since our seniors embarked on this. But we'll get it done. Like how we've managed so much independently. We'll be fine. We'll be more than fine. The team is young and tomorrow onwards eyes will be turned towards the new blood but we've just taken off and we're raring and ready to go.

Next year we'll be proud seniors sitting on the bench and cheering for them who will continue this story and this belief that they have passed on to us. And now us, to them. And next year we'll probably go in very differently from how we entered the scene this year.

Tomorrow doesn't mark any end. It's the beginning. We've barely begun.

-

Lord, I am weak but Thou art strong. Help me remember this.

H. T. I. A. F.

We didn't win the last three matches because of Coach. We won it because He was the one leading and moving the team. And He will be there. This friday.

Our God is a constant. He is never-changing, all-powerful and our God is in control. Lead and guide the team, Lord. And may Your will be done.

Lord help me never lose sight of You and never lose focus on the goal.
The goal is to play for Your glory.


Thank You for being there.



And the title is meant to be read backwards.

T.O.M.O.R.R.O.W.

If anyone at all ever doubts you and thinks you can't,

turn around and say to them,

"Watch me."

Lord help me truly surrender to You!

Feeling like a whirlpool right now really want to let go and give it to God.

Let's goooooooooooo...

Thank God for prayer!

Thank God for you (:

And this is what happened after training ended today...

Battling it out with Shannon. Hahahahah.

Total collapse. Read below for story.

Shannon and Joline laughed for FIVE MINUTES non-stop!! -___- Like literally ROFL-kinda laugh. Madness! Hahahahaha! (: JolinePuppy is epic. Shannon is a classic. Jo collapsed like er, 1 metre after turning ten rounds on the floorball stick. Apparently, in a matrix revolution fashion. That Shann witnessed... and then they laughed till they went a bit crazy.

It was good. Hah (: Thank God for these funny little ridiculous moments!



Semi-team ice-cream outing after training last week @ Sogurt! :D 

After night training (that Coach surprised us with a relatively light/sweat-less session) (Ten rounds of upslope and downslope slow jog made me think... and the team felt so... together doing our slow jog in the evening sun (: ), okay so after night training we were all craving for yoghurt ice-cream/something to eat so we went to Sogurt! I like these photos (:

It says "Our Sogurt Family" :D

One more match to go before we go into the semi-finals (and finals, perhaps), God-willing. Next week's match against MI decides whether or not we'll proceed into the next round. It's crazy to pause and turn around and see how far we've come... It's our second year taking part in A div, and last year's lacklustre results really stung us pretty bad I think.

But look how we've progressed! I truly, truly, truly thank God for how everything turned out - through so many twists and turns and detours and dead ends and disappointments and seemingly hopeless situations - ... We've grown a lot. As individuals and as a team. I know I've grown. Abundantly in faith as well. The period last November/December was extremely frustrating because we were struggling so hard to find a venue to train and to find a coach to take up our team. And it was really difficult, because we tried so many options but nothing fell through.

I rem feeling really annoyed and angry and just feelin' pit-bottom trying to get around the admin stuff (I hate admin work )< ) (Aiyoh, but 'll def need to do a lot of admin as a teacher in the future.) and trying to figure out how exactly the team could train properly and progress. Joline and Pam were extremely patient when I was really very 'off' and quiet. Tab and Hazel were gems in offering solutions and ideas. And I remember us reminding each other to pray about it, for the team, in our little own ways. 

And so... we prayed. I prayed really really desperately, asking God to take control and guide the team because I really didn't know what to do already. And for His will to be shown, for the team to grow... and for a National Top 4. Had no idea how it was going to happen or when it was going to happen, but only by faith and faith alone.

And okay this is getting a bit wordy but anyway, to cut the story short,

Coach popped up one training.  

Thanks to Paxton who found him and contacted and liased with him all this while. Was kinda kept in the dark and knew nothing about it as usual, HAHA. But I think that was His way of surprise. Like TADA! kinda surprise. I rem the whole team expectantly waiting for Snoopy to appear but turns out that it was another Kenneth. 

But anyway, just wanted to say how much I thank God for Coach and what an incredible coach he's been. I really respect him a lot and I think the team does, too. It was quite baffling why and how he even agreed to take us up in the first place... but now, I think this is exactly why he did. I don't think our team is what it is today without him. We wouldn't be here right now, with one match to go, into the semis. And finals... Heh. 

And to free up space in my phone inbox... here's what Shannon SMS-ed some trainings ago.

19 Apr 2011, 09:41pm - "... Oh, and i'm so inspired by coach kenneth! He's seriously the best coach I have ever met:D"

19 Apr 2011, 09:44pm - "... Yeah! And he's the kind of person who's really sincere! Yep, i'm so glad(: though he can be scary sometimes, he commanded my respect:D"

Training's been with its fair share of sweat, blood and tears (exactly as Coach said, on the very first session). The term "soaked from training" has been redefined time and time again, with the hat and wise-hat championing the cause for soaked t-shirts and hair and fbts.

Wise-hat (Vice-cap) Tabby doin' her thing.

Re-drawing the 'H'...

Allow me to quote - from an online quotebook -

The more you sweat in practice, the less you bleed in battle.

Melikes the quote.

Okay anyway. I think I shall end this post in a bit. Just want to say that this team has been the most incredible team, and we've really come quite a hula of a long way.

For now, we have only one direction to turn our heads towards. Forward. We're going in on Tuesday against MI and we're going in to get the game and get it strong. I don't want to disappoint Coach, let's make him proud. He deserves it. We deserve it.

Lord I surrender it into Your hands, that Your will be done, and more importantly, that all glory will go to You and no one else. Lead the team and be in absolute control of the game, and teach us what You want us to learn. (: Thank you for teaching me thus far to walk by faith and not by sight. And with faith we'll go into the game and play our best for Your glory (:

Adios. It's Friday (: