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It rained on Sports Day, so the tug-o-war and closing ceremony had to be postponed to the Friday before the holidays. All the tents were stripped bare, but we decided not to risk climbing onto the roof to take down the name board. And so Shaw became the last house standing.
And this year, we weren't last as people like to expect. The greatest irony was that Mr Kali kept mocking Shaw on Sports Day with his usual sarcastic "There's no hope for Shaw ah, Benjamin. No matter what you do it will still be last," with an emphasis on the 'last', and in the end, his house (Treacher) finished last.
It was my very last Sports Day, and the one in which I was most involved (with the house). I was glad to make up for missing Sports Day last year due to the Forensics finals, and it was an added bonus to help see Shaw through to a record-breaking year in which we won the March Past and finished Second Runner-up for Tent Decorations.
Also, I discovered that I actually have more stamina than I thought.
The general theme for this year's Sports Day was '50 Tahun Kemerdekaan dari Aspek Kesukanan Negara' or something like that. So we had to think of something patriotic, and with someone like me on board, the last thing I wanted was a stereotypical 'Glory Malaysia' kind of theme.
So we attempted a twist on the idea of independence and decided to use Shaw's colour (red, blood red) to suggest the other side of independence; that behind every grand victory lies unspeakable sacrifice. The flag at Iwo Jima, the photograph of the Japanese samurai sword surrender at the VI, the Tugu Negara: we don't see the blood, the gore, the dust and the destruction. At least, that's not the first thing that comes to mind when considering the nation's 50th anniversary of independence.
As a result, we trashed up our tent, making it look like a half-destroyed army barracks in the aftermath of a battle. And we had to marching boys' costumes spray-painted red for blood. All in all, I think I was very much influenced by the themes underscoring U2's 1983 effort, War, and that's probably where the white came from: the idea that peace is still possible and innocence redeemable.
This was easily the hardest part of the march past: the hormat. Hard because nearly everyone has a different interpretation how to hold the hand up, and because it is executed when the squad is nearest to the audience and judges. We spent some time on Friday (the day before Sports Day) perfecting this command, and believe me, it isn't easy teaching a squad comprising mostly of Form One boys.
But in the end all the effort paid off, and Khin Yew (left) and Shamsul (centre) are certainly very happy, considering all the effort they put in for the March Past. Not to mention Zailaha who resurrected the cadet drill master in her to inspire some discipline in the boys.
And then there's Wei Leng (right) who tirelessly helped out with the Tent Decorations. I do suppose my minimalistic and U2-like metaphorical approach cost us some points, as the winning house (Thamboosamy) boasted styrofoam/cardboard models of the Petronas Twin Towers and the Eye on Malaysia ferris wheel. I wanted something more evocative and less concrete.
A close-up of the trophy we won for the first time (and hopefully not the last).
And here are some of the key players: Shamsul (House Captain, standing), and seated from left to right, Wei Leng, Amirul and Li-Shia, all three of whom brought everything together for the Tent Decorations.
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While talking to Li-Shia on Sports Day, I realised that the kind of people we have been inviting as Guests-of-Honour for our major events in the last few years leave much to be desired.
This year, of all people to invite, we had Malaysia's Head Commissioner of Sports. And I'm thinking, shouldn't we get people who actually have something to say about sports, rather than just some big-shots who happen to hold some important office in the country's bureaucratic system?
Let two major VI events, i.e. Speech Day and Sports Day regain their worth. Bring in educationists and scholars (most recently Prof. Kamal Hassan, the IIU Rector, in 2005) for the former, and sportsmen for Sports Day. And please, please let them be Victorians, not some fellow who carries a 'Tan Sri' in front of his name but has no attachment to the school whatsoever.
For if we are to inspire the students in the class and on the field, we need people who have been there and come back again. We need to meet and hear Victorians who have gone on to be successful and academia and athletics alike to bear testimony to the present students; we need to maintain this legacy, being as we are a school rooted in tradition, and no less than the oldest school in the nation's capital.
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And in the end, two questions and a statement:
What is the point of this sacrifice?
Why did I swing the stick and pull the wire?
Fillers plug holes where there's a need.
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