Olympic Education in Action in Bukit View Primary School

My project in Bukit View Primary School.

http://www.schoolbag.sg/archives/2008/05/getting_into_the_olympic_spiri.php

How do we tie in Olympic Games or Olympism in Ultimate? I wonder whether these values and tradition can be infused into this emerging sport. Does anyone take steroids to enhance their performance? How about prosthetic legs or hands? Will there be any legal issues if one commits illegal issues in Ultimate Frisbee?

At the end of the day, infusing the right values to the children at an young age is important. IQ is important, but EQ (emotional quotient) and AQ (adversity quotient) is even more important. How I wish I am so fortunate to be exposed to these activities when I was young, just like these kids in my school or other schools. All of us in the same generations might turn out better. Anyway, there are no bad schools in Singapore, all schools are great schools striving their best to provide a holistic and worldclass education to our pupils.

Finally... I am back!

I was actually waiting for the results of the very very important interview which I went 2 weeks ago. So far no news... Worried. It's not my scholarship of course, as I have not apply for it yet... I was thinking the first post will be on the results. Nevertheless, I hope I can win something this year again after Bali. Lucky didn't wait too long in my playing years to win something.

Some points about LEADERSHIP from Jack Welch.

1. Leader must possess vigour and energy. If people see you sian sian everyday, how to be a leader? I think leaders must sleep very little, look fresh (handsome/pretty) at all times and still able to think when damn shag. I think must drink red bull everyday, at least 4 cans a day to be able to do that. Must ask Clive how he do it. Also, remember to dye your hair too since this kind of lifestyle will lead to white hair.

2. Leader must energise others. Give your teammates some red bull. Buy them some dye for their birthday and remember to ask Clive.

3. Leader must have an edge and the ability to make good decisions. Not all decisions made by the leader is correct. But if the leader looks and sounds very convincing and the people believe in him, the decision will turn out right. A leader, in my opinion cannot spoon feed his colleagues or subordinate. He needs to guide instead of providing with the answers. The people must learn to innovate within the constraints and not wait for answers. You mark A, you play handler. CANNOT!!! You must speak up. You know yourself best and a leader needs advice and suggestions too.

4. A leader must be capable. Basically good in what you do. Please, and I must emphasise that you do not need to be a good player or be good in your work to be a leader. You must understand your strength and weakness so that your team mates can complement you. You can lead at the sidelines, baseline, maybe not goal line. A loud voice or a cocky character helps too. But remember, do not quote me, there are nice leaders which pack a punch too.

5. Passion is the key to be a great leader. How to motivate your players or workers if you are not convince that they are capable to meeting the goal at the end? How to convince everyone that they should work for you when you are not even sure what is the end-result? How to motivate people when you are panting at the back of the group of players during the suicides?

6. Want to be a great leader? Failures are always due to you and success must be shared with the team. Never see success due to you. You are definitely going to fail.

Step up and be a leader. You never try, you never know.

Striving for accuracy

Everything we do is about accuracy. Some professions require more accuracy. However, in every occupation, one needs to be accurate in their facts. How can we apply this concept of accuracy in our game of Ultimate?

The first thing that comes to your mind is throws. Yes, and you are right. Throwing accurating can save your team lots of turnovers and unneccessary layouts.

Accuracy in your cuts. Determine when you are ready and suppose to cut will prevent clogging. Knowing where and when cuts is key to getting free. This is especially important if your team is executing a set play.

Accuracy in calls. Spirit of the Game...

Jokes about accuracy.

At an international convention, a speaker was introduced with great panache. He was said to have made a million dollars in oil in Saudi Arabia. When he got up on stage he made the following corrections; "Firstly, it was not Saudi Arabia, but Nigeria. Secondly, it was not oil but coconuts. Thirdly, it was not a million dollars but it was half a million. Lastly, I did not make it, I lost it.

So moral of the story, get your facts right. :)

Can we develop a Pawn into a Queen?

Sometimes we must see each player as a gem. Our success is not to get athletic players and make them great. We get players who have the potential and develop them to their fullest potential. They maximise their strength to contribute to the team. Can we see beyond the player's current potential? How do we bridge the gap of each player? Does every player know their current reality? Do they know the desired outcome?

Do you know that you need to know subconsiously what is your REAL target? If your target is to be the best player in Singapore, you will need to dig deeper to find out why you want to be the best player? Is it the respect that you will get? Is it for your self-esteem? Or it is simply the recognition that you have put in the effort?With this subconsicious mindset, you can achieve more. Why get good results? A better job? Better pay? One must understand there is another goal further away from your current desired goal. Look for it can you will be performing at your optimal level.

Laws for Organisation Greatness (Systems Thinking)

Any team or committee can be considered an organisation. The number in the committee does not really matter, however, 2 people is a little hard, but nevertheless, the people around them will make up a system.

11 Laws of Systems Thinking

1. Today's problems comes from yesterday's solutions - The approach you adopt today will come back to haunt you, be it good or bad.

2. The harder you push, the harder the system pushes back - only one example, and I am still learning

3. Behaviour grows better before it gets worse

4. The easy way out often leads back in - Quick fix (think foreign talent, eating a panadol when suffering from headache, etc)

5. Faster is Slower - think give and go in Ultimate (minus the turnover from rush decisi0n)

6. Cause and effect are not closely related in time and space

7. Small changes can produce big result, but the areas of the highest leverage are often the least obvious - Can you find it in yourself? Your strength? Can we find it as a team or organisation? Can we find it as a couple? Can we find it as a community?

8. You can have the cake and eat it too, but not at once. - Be patience, Rome doesn't take one day to fall.

9. The cure can be worst than the disease. Think of actions that have good intention. Do I need to elaborate on my own example again? Good intentions can turn about and bite. In the end, the cure is worst than the problem that you are trying to solve.

10. There is no blame. I cause my team to lose twice during universal. I also throw and score and win during universal. Everyone makes mistakes and everyone has a chance to be the hero. Ronaldo is the hero for the whole season but he miss the penalty.

Lots of changes happen at a very slow rate. Think frog in pot and heat slowly. But the time you know it, the frog is cooked, ready to be eaten. Patterns are hard to see. Improvements are slow. Do not only see urgent problems that requires attention. Sometimes leaving urgent matters as it is can be the best solutions, as time will tell.

Chess and Ultimate - What are the teaching points?

Chess is basically a war between two people, but played with the pieces on the board. The chess player is the coach at the sideline and the pieces are the players on the field. It is all about outsmarting your opponents and capitalising on your opponent's mistake.

Rule of the game.
1. Never let your opponent come back when you are leading. The more you are leading, the more motivated your opponents will be when they make the come back. What's worse is when you have field your best players for all the points and they still make the comeback. The worst situation, they win the game when the margin is huge.

2. Always castle and protect your king. The king is the most vulnerable piece on the chess board. But it is also the most important as the loss of the king = to loss of the game. Protect your weakest players and develop them to their potential. Work on their weakness first and the player will transform. Working on their strength does not increase the effectiveness of the player significantly.

3. Never allow yourself to get pin. Even if you get pin, find a way out. Never get trapped. If trapped, make sure you have a plan.

4. Plan 3 moves ahead. Enough said.

5. Control your emotions. Be patient. Wait for your opponent to make mistake. It is all about personality. Always play your game according to your personality. If you are type A, fake fast, cut fast and always yell at the thrower to get the dump. If you are type B, relax, fake convincingly and wait for the dump. Never do the opposite...

6. Setting up your traps! Never make a move that make the trap so obvious. Set it up. Disguise your intentions and distract your opponents. Let them worry about the first threat. When they are busy handling the first threat, execute the second trap and this time, the second one is going to be more deadly. Game over. And remember, once the opponent falls into your trap, do not allow them to come back or they will be more vicious than before. Think about getting the disc all the time, faking your opponent. If you turn the disc over, good luck. You will have to pay.

7. Sacrifice. Pieces are sacrificed to get a bigger gain. Players must be willing to sacrifice for the better of the team. Be it training harder,getting lesser playtime, shouting and encouraging at the sidelines or risking their bodies for a layout D. Make sure your sacrifice is worth a bigger gain or you risk playing on an unequal field. i.e. if you layout D, make sure you get the disc, or your opponent will gain a few yardage while you are still moaning on the ground.

8. Control the middle of the board. Depending on your strategy on in Ultimate, control the key areas is crucial. Hold your force and stop the open side at all cost. In chess, it is a battle of the middle. Make sure you gain control and you will have an easier time during endgame.

9. Invade territory. Patience. Do not push growth or the system will push you back further.

10. Are you offensively aggressive or defensively thristy?

11. Pawn chain is key to control. But the weakest link in the pawn chain is the last one. Lose that pawn and good bye to your chain. Always protect the anchor of your team. Protect your greatest asset especially when this asset is protecting and holding on to the rest.

Enough of talking cock.

Seeking volunteers to be part of the Ultimate Frisbee coaching system in Singapore

Seeking volunteers to develop the coaching system in UPA (S). You will be in a team to draw up a structure to systematically develop the coaching system in UPA. You may need to liaise and collaborate with external stakeholders such as UPA and WFDF to certify players in Singapore. You might need to organise events such as coaching clinics, beginners clinics or other hat events to promote the game. Through these processes, you will impact more beginners to stay in the sport or encourage more people to pick up the sport.

These are only ideas at the preliminary stage. We will need like-minded people to be part of this team.

Requirements:
1. Passionate in developing Ultimate Frisbee in Singapore
2. Passionate in developing and implementing a systematic approach in UPA(S) coaching system
3. Work beyond one's role as a member in UPA i.e. look beyond developing club system and the development of Ultimate in the long run
4. Passion to develop youths and beginners
5. Passion to develop others so that they are equipped with the knowledge and skills to develop more people

If you are keen to be in this project, please drop me a note @ sweenee2002@yahoo.com