How does Shiok Grow People?

Every club has structures and set plays. They have dedicated players, competent captains, crazy fitness coaches and a head coach.

Within the organisation, they are many structures and systems. But the players are the most important assets. Set plays cannot be executed without the players. League cannot be run without passionate players. Trainings are not intense or successful without dedicated players.

For a club to remain successful and sustainable, there are no other factors more important than our players. This is especially so in a voluntary organisation, where players need to pay in order to play! How can we keep our players engage and wanting to come back for more?

The reason is to boost the morale of every individual player. Every player is treated with respect, treated like a person in a humane way. They want to come for training and leave the training feeling good. They want to spend the weekend with friends. The synergy created can create a dynamic force that binds every member together. Feedback given should be timely, realistic and relevant to the player. Put yourself in the person's shoe. You do not want to be criticised too right? You do not like to be shouted at right? We are human after all, with feelings and pride.

Nobody want to do the job badly when we start. Everyone wants to do their best and perform at the best when they pick up the sport. As a newbie, the feedback one receive is positive. "Don''t worry, let's try again!" As we play more and more, longer and longer, the expectations begins to increase. "F***, catch that bloody disc! Can't you throw straight?" Our feedback becomes judgemental. We target the outcome instead of the player's development. Coaches have too much to tell and they forget about the coachee's level of knowledge and readiness to learn. We have too many voices in our heads. Keeping things simple sometimes can be beneficial as well.

Machine vs Garden system. Does our club operate like a machine or garden system? Machine system is cold, task oriented, needs oiling or overhaul, needs upgrade, no values or moral and becomes obsolete in this ever changing world. On the other hand, the garden system is interdependence, diversified, lively, allow growth, and even the old dies, it continues to support the young (fertilizers) and the system is sustainable. No amount of quick fix can be used to sustain this system. It takes time to grow initially. Once it reaches the right time, it will grow at an exponential rate! Is our club a garden? Do we take care of every organism in the system? Do we expect every player to behave and play in the same way? Of course not!

As a gardener, I see my role to help my player avoid burnout. They must take care of their PIES. Physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual well being. Players must know who they are. Their strength, gift, talents, capacity, values, purpose and develop them to their maximum potential. They also need to know their limitations, fears and shadows. Can you handle the truth?

Do not be who you are not! Live into a purposeful life and have a purposeful Ultimate career! What are you passionate about? What can I contribute to the club or community? What I can be the best at? These ideas are taken from the book Good to Great and they can be applied to the person as well.

People is our club's best assets. Contribute to the club and the club can serve your needs too.

A good coach imparts, a great coach transforms!

Do you prepare yourself mentally for every tournament?

I believe everyone would agree with me that mental preparation is very important. You need to prepare your body and physical aspect of your game by training hard and maintaining your fitness at its peak. However, most of the time, athletes gave up due to weak mental strength. The body is giving you signals that you need to rest. For the weak minded, you gave in and the body shuts down. But one can see miracles do happen in extreme circumstances. The human body can perform at an amazing strength and speed when the person is met with adversity or danger. Mother saving their children during disasters, human breaking world records etc.

Most people believe that you need to prep your mind a few days before the tournament. May I suggest you change the mindset and consider this. Prepare your mind in every game you play, be it pick up, club training, fitness training, league games, league finals, tournament irregardless of importance. PLAY LIKE THERE IS NO TOMORROW. You never know when is your last game. Any freak accident will be career ending. My point is to always do your best in every game. Trust me you will not regret. I am even happy that I complete another training or pick up without picking up any major injury. Whether you win or lose, if you had put in your best effort, you will not regret it.

The worst case scenario is when you ask yourself, WHAT IF? What if I run a little harder during the game? What if I have train harder before the tournament? What if I did not make the rush decision to throw the disc? What if? Come on. There are many more examples which I can give. These are just excuses. There is no what if, if you have tried your best for every training or game, irregardless of the opponent or circumstances.

Start today. Do your best for every game. I am as busy as everyone of you. I might not be a scholar, a high flyer, CEO or a boss. I am just an education officer. I am busy too. If I can make time for every training for the past 6 years for which ever team I had played for, there is no reason why you guys can't. I never miss any league game which I had signed up for the past 6 years. I missed a total of 10 trainings for the past 6 years for all clubs. 5 were due to medical (sick) 5 were due to either work or personal commitment which is more important than Ultimate. There are not many commitments that more important than Ultimate other than my wife and family.

I have sprined my ankle twice in my Ultimate career. You got to learn to take care of yourself during the game and after the game as well. Health is taken for granted only after you inured yourself. For the 2 injuries, I lost all my fitness and half the distance in my huck. Is it worth it? Is Ultimate worth my time. You bet!

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.