My interest in sports

Sports, besides singing (yes I do sing!), is one of my utmost hobbies. Hence, my rantings about tennis and footie as of late. My love for Sports stemmed from my days at The Leys School, for everyone was allowed to take sports of your interest. And the annual allowance by my sponsor of about £350 a year did tremendously help too!

So I took up squash, tennis and volleyball - sports I never got to do when I was in my secondary school. I wish I'd started on sports much earlier in life, but I started at the age of 17 - not too bad. I could still remember, my tennis racket was Prince, which is still in my possession now. I got it for £60 (on sale) and I used it first, playing on a graveled court in Hyde Park in the middle of spring - and I tripped, dropped the racket on the floor and I fell my back first onto the racket/ground and my head hit the hard court! Oh my, that was my first tennis experience. I guess I am natural lover for tennis - I grew to love it even more after that.

+ Serbian Ivanovic is the darling on the court, of course. But this No 1 seed bowed out following string of cursed top seeded players to leave the lawn in Wimbledon. The tournament is just getting more interesting now.

Speaking of sports - I could well reflect the way sports are instilled in schools in Malaysia. At least I felt it when I wanted to be involved in sports more seriously. There is no clear programs for people/students to follow the sports of their likings. I wanted to play volleyball - which I believed I had the natural talent for. Instead of nurturing my talent the coach tended to expect so much out of me, and expected me to be good and make it through selection. I failed to make the cut. It disheartened me for a bit. I wanted to stay active. I wanted to play sports. I think it it is still major issue in Malaysia that, if you were the sort of student who secure good grades - chances are you are in the line of becoming debater, science quiz team etc. The same goes to the sports - chances are you'd be in rugby team, basketball etc. Hence, the inability to produce balanced individuals as they step out of school.

+ Too bad, Italian Simone Bolelli (above) lost to Hewitt, but sure he's impressed me with his controlled back-hands today! Come back next year, and show us what you are made of, Bolelli.

I was amazed myself when I was given numerous opportunities during my time in University/A Level school. I did get to nurture sporty talents (and of course nurse the injuries that came with it), and the icing-to-the-cake was - to be able to represent the Univ and school in the sports I like. I played for the National Varsity League for Volleyball. How cool is that? I did not aim for it. I did not even pay for the membership to the volleyball society - instead I turned up with deep interest and one night the captain came close to me "Would you come to the varsity selection this Sunday?" The rest was history!

In short, I do feel something is not right in the education system of Malaysia - in the pursuit of building the characteristic of the student. There is so much stereotyping going on. I think years spent in school should be regarded as formative years - where you form young individuals into becoming someone who is comfortable with their inner-self, able to nurture their aspiration and having the comfort to pursue their interests in academic as well as non-academic activities.