happy teacher's day

watching the Singapore 2010 YOG volleyball games brought back fond memories of volleyball training at school many years back.

skills i've picked up have faded over time, but what stays, and comes back to mind easily, is the care n encouragement that i've received.. the kind words, actions and even questions that express concern actually sticks.. for good.

my volleyball teacher is someone whom i look up to.. in many ways. he speaks with authority, chooses his words carefully and is always kind. he looked like superman to me.. he stood towering over all of us, when we started learning the game at 12.. and he protected us like a father, i remember him punishing some cheeky boys whom he had caught teasing us.

on one occasion, he noticed that i didn't have proper shoes for training (my mom wasn't supportive of my involvement in sports, she also didn't quite believe that i could train for so many days in a week) he gave me a pair of volleyball shoes, and even spoke with my mom to assure her that i was indeed training and not gallivanting nor lying..

my teacher believed in me when i didn't. a simple question that a teacher asks can put much faith n confidence in a student.. he asked me how come i wasn't in the selection team, after i had gone for the combined schools selection in the first year i started training.. he knows better than most for sure, how much i loved to play the game.. and how much it mattered.. i think i was the only one who cried after losing our first game at an inter-school competition.. i felt terrible as i thought i had played badly.. but he was really kind, encouraging and technically constructive in the debrief

although he wasn't at the selections to see how everyone else fared, a simple question asked out of concern chased away all disappointment of not being able to train with the selected team. my spirit was uplifted, knowing that my teacher believed in me, that he was actually surprised that i didn't make the team.. the truth was, i had to opt out of the selection team when i heard that trainings would be held in the evenings. i was just 12 then n i knew my mom wouldn't agree to me attending nite trainings..

i'm really thankful to all the wonderful teachers who've showered students like me with care n concern, touched our hearts and shown us that what matters more than theory and skills.. is love in action :)