(As reported by Mr Lau)

And so it happened...
The clash of the Titans.

Teachers versus students- time to put up or shut up. Time to prove who are the greater individuals- the better competitors...(Teachers lah!)

It happened innocently enough- Mr Mark Chua approached me to play either soccer or floor ball... (of course i was going to choose floorball- I hate running on the soccer pitch, i hate running after one ball with some 21 other guys...and get the chance to get my legs tackled from under me)
But the chance to run after an even smaller ball... and to whack some other person's legs with a giant stick- all in the name of sport...how could i refuse! And there i went hapily thinking about paralyzing some smart mouthed KCPian who dared to yell "you Suck!"...'whack'...oh so sorry...i didnt see you there... Loser! wahaha...

The reality was... i was too busy with the progress report card to care at that moment. I found out- soccer and floorball was being replaced by netball... -_-"

Well- no offence to the netballers...they are great. But which teacher was going to have any experience in netball... which male teachers even knew how to play netball? Its captains ball...without the contact, speed and basketball without the dribbling and backboard for shooting. We were lost!

But i was too busy with the marks generation that by the time

I knew we were in trouble. By the time i was done with the work- the 1st quarter was already complete. By the time i was done with luch- at 330pm- the 1st half ws already complete. Cassy was happily saying- "Mr Lau, you cant play- you are in jeans!" hmph... obviously she didnt see my skinny hairy legs yet! ewww ewww ewww

And so i changed... entered the game at the score of 6-2 ( students 6...teachers 2)
The teachers looked depressed...they were running all over the place- but 4 problems. They couldnt score (didnt know how to), had no technique or strategy (no experience in game) and couldnt prevent the netballers from scoring (Liyana was ridiculously good) and they were running out of steam (no regular exercise)...

And so i came in, replacing Miss Debbie Wong. Less than 10 minutes after eating lunch (big mistake no.1) and started running cold without warmup or stretching (big mistake no.2)

Running alone like a headless chicken was a rather silly idea. I could catch the ball...stick out my tongue at Huaiying...but we couldnt score. Was i supposed to let my 2 Faith girls torment me all the rest of their school years! No... nonononononono......... ("o)

The solution was quite simple. Liyana never even bothered to step out of position. She just took the highballs and shot from her favourite position. If we crowded the midfield...pressured the students...(by asking them how well prepared they were for their EOY) and all i needed to do was defend and mark Liyana- their shot maker. Move to midfield to crowd the numbers- Then Sean with his height would eventually get the chance to score. He does know how to play basketball after all.

And so it did- once i neautralized Liyana- and oh how she complained. Sean's scoring took effect. We slowly clawed back to a 9-9 tie.
But credit to the netball girls, you made us run like crazy. We had no clue how to handle this game of yours. And we still dont know the rules- something abt cant hold ball too long? 3 foot rule???

Well... the truth is you girls depended too much on Liyana- we just got smarter and you controlled the game- but you ladies got pressuered and lost confidence. Fight on...

Oh- and if we had rested. Realistically- you girls wouldnt stand a chance in Captains ball. You wont have the height...all we need to do is post Sean as blocker and he can cancel out all your shot attempts. My speed in midfield will mean i can intercept or snatch the ball away from you. (Captains ball allows for snatching and contact) Mr Bjorn Lim has the height to handle high balls, Mr Patrick Goh can run along flanks cos he plays soccer. And if Mr Tony Lai or Mr Mark Chua joined in.... ahahahaha

But Seriously.

And to the netball girls...You Rock! i seriously dont wanna play netball again.
We consider the round given to you. We had guys after all.

Tennis or Table tennis anyone?

Part 2. Floorball.

A whole new group of students came in this time. Same group of teachers- Mr Sean sat this one out. Mr Bjorn Lim came in.

Seriously. Never played the game. But was loving the big stick... too bad it was plastic (imagine the damage...errmmmm...i mean luckily it was plastic) Yes yes...i heard the Father's day comment. I almost wanted to quit cos of that!

I got to play against Xueni. She looked so cute.... face all red! And Michelle..she was so serious. And never even once went Ahhhhhh...(she screams everytime she sees me close in class- says i sneak up on her or something)

Easy enough.
Speed and with sticks. We didnt have the technique or experience. But it was so much easier and more comfortable. Cos the sticks did the work for us. Just get it in between the students stick and you cancel out their shot. And a lot of the marking strategies were like soccer. Crowd the midfield. Send our attackers to take shots. Just need one person on defense.

It worked cos in the first half we had the students practically stuck in their own half- they hardly managed to even move forward. And i heard Cassy and the screams- brainfreeze- and even being called Idiot...sheesh the insults.

So to answer back. I crossed on the left side, Called for Mr Patrick Goh to pass the corner shot to me. And whacked in the 1st goal. Neber eber (never ever...getit?) taunt and Art teacher...we get artistically depressed and will whip yr asses! woohoo

But after that it was just attempts and attempts at shots. Its not easy to score. The students managed one very good attempt thou. Our Goalie tipped it over.

But during the rest period- the teachers were dying. Mr Tony Tan came in. We played 2 consecutives sport- the students were fresher. I wondered how we can keep up. Mr Lai mentioned something when we played netball- "This girls are proffessional atheletes, this is their CCA, they have the experience- we teachers are just ordinary people with much older bodies trying to play their game) So respects to all my fellow colleagues.

Once Mr Lai came in- there was no contest. He had the ball sense, i even could stop attacking and just concentrate on midfield and flank work, to protect the defense (Mr Bjorn Lim) and cancel out the attacks from the boys. Rush in and interfere with their stick play. It saved a lot of energy on running about. Sure enough- Mr Lai got a solo attempt in. 2-0 teachers up.

I managed 2 more shots at goal. Both not as close as i would like.

In the end: 2-0 (teachers won-woot)
Students jeered and protested. Next year lah!

and i limped off.
Oh and the cost.
MC on Tuesday. I pulled my muscles on my back in twisting too fast and whipping all the shots in- my legs are crazyily aching cos i am not a runner thou i have some speed. I just do gym, dance- or tennis/ table tennis as a sport. Those require no running up and down a field of play- Tennis is largely a lateral game and i tend to make the opposing player run.

So there.


The cost- 1 injured Art teacher.
I wonder if the challenge trophy can hold slurpee??? Apple and coke mix please!

And Joey- i am not spoilt- i spoil 2 Faith too much. hmph...

Off i go to see the doctor.
And to the deep heat muscle rub...seems like nice weather to sleep...dont ya think?