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8 members of the dragonboat team took time off from their hectic training schedule on the 25th August and joined forces to introduce the growing sport of dragonboat to a couple of youth groups from YMCA’s Project Bridge and youths formerly from the Toa Payoh Family Service Centre at the Lower Seletar Reservoir. Though the location and setting was familiar, the young teenagers who ranged from 13 – 18 year-olds looked to be a different challenge from the peer coaching the team had been used to. The young teenagers all came from different backgrounds, some of them youths-at-risk with disciplinary issues, experiencing high absenteeism in school and unmotivated to continue with their education. Though the team did not expect to spark a complete turnover in the youths’ perspective towards their education and goals, they certainly did very well to motivate the youths towards one common cause for the day – sports excellence.
Led by team captains Travis Goh and Jason Loke, more than 30 youths were engaged in this introductory session to dragonboat, which is currently witnessing a meteoric rise in popularity. In spite of the difference in backgrounds and the tendency to have fun with the water, the youths were gradually getting into the groove of the paddling techniques, well aware of the need to co-ordinate their moves in order to move forward in a steady and streamlined manner. We all know too well that Rome was not built in a day, but the verve with which they demonstrated to co-ordinate the movements as best as they could certainly showed that they do possess the characteristics that is needed when they eventually decide to build their own special version of Rome.
After a formal induction to dragonboat in the first hour, it was time for friendly fire as the 2 groups were drawn to race against each other. Again, as friendly as it was, the determination to be the first team to cross the finish line was evident. Leading up to the race, every youth on the boat re-grouped and psyched themselves up for an inaugural win at the sport. Keen for another taste in this strive for sports excellence, the 2 youth groups now joined hands as one team to paddle up against the coaches this time. Even though outnumbered by 10 men on the boat, our coaches for the day showcased why the Dragonboat IG clinched the Team of the Year award in this year’s Sports Excellence Awards as they predictably won the race. Granted that the youth groups were mere amateurs at the sport, it still was a very good race.
At the end of the day, it was a refreshing experience for the dragonboat team. They would have realized that coaching is more than just teaching the sport. It’s largely about nurturing one’s charges towards a positive attitude of self-belief, determination and grit towards excellence. Seen in the way that the 2 youth teams came together to complete the mission at hand, it was also evident that sports not only brings people together, it could bridge divides, and keeps one focused and motivated. Students and sports teams interested to reach out to the community through sports may contact Ms. Fazilah at fazilah_alatiff@rp.sg for more details.
Job well done RP Dragons!
RP Dragons Team:
Jason Loke Qi Wen (SAS); Travis Goh Chin Huat (SIT) ; Nurul Hakin Bte Rohaizat (SHL); Muhammad Fakhruddin B Rafie (STA); Ong Chee Yang (SAS); Tan Jin Wen (SEG); Chua Zengzhi (SHL); Norfarahziana Binte Abd Hamid (SEG) & Muhd Rizal Bin Juhari (SAS)
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