David, you are DA MAN!

The 3rd term is supposed to mark the beginning of mugging but instead, I find myself more relaxed than ever and doing something I never thought I would be doing : playing touch rugby.


I had always wanted to play rugby since secondary school but it was only made possible in JC since most secondary schools do not have rugby. Going for touch trainings were the highlight of the week and there was this thirst in me to keep improving. Every night, I would visualise certain moves and nothing less than perfect was enough. I guess that was what caused the crunch eventually. The pressure to perform and the pressure to improve. I had my injuries, which translated from physical barrier to morale barrier such that even when I recovered, my passion didn't return. I had insomnia for months from stressing over reaching a plateau in rugby but to most of my teammates, this insomnia was due to stress over academic work rather than anything else. It was my fault really, because I didn't want to be viewed as a weakling and thus kept everything within me. The vicious cycle continued till the end of the season and I have never touched touch rugby (no punt intended) ever since.


As most of you know, I carried on with contact rugby, which is rather different from touch rugby. So even though I was still in contact (no punt intended again) with rugby, I didn't dare to play touch rugby again. It held too many bad memories and honestly, part of me was afraid that I would feel the familiar feeling of frustration. Every dropped ball, every failed move, everytime I let someone through, it felt like I was hitting a wall repeatedly. I didn't want to experience the same feelings again.


So when David, the newly elected IC Singsoc sports rep, organised a game of touch rugby, I made a lame excuse to myself that I had work to do. But under some persuasion by Ade, I thought that perhaps being out-of-touch (punt intended) for 3 years and being in contact may change how I play and how I handle a game. Boy, was I right! After 3 years of not knowing whether I would dare play touch again, of being afraid to play touch, of trying to avoid touch, all these negativity disappeared within 10mins on the field. I can't remember when was the last time I felt so exhilerated playing touch. Of course, I probably had the same kind of thrill 4 years ago, but it is especially thrilling because this time, I am more skilled than I was when I first started. Same passion, different skills level:P


I had told David of what a turning point he had made in my life. He brushed it off as "it's different playing with guys". It wouldn't matter perhaps to any1, but to me, this is more than rekindling the passion in touch. It is the relief from the burden and regrets that I had carried for years. Finally, I can rest them at peace. I feel like a newborn.


David, you are DA MAN!