Y Wednesday, April 18, 2007
9:54 pm
So it would seem '07 is a gloom year for VS, at least so far. Band had crappy judges and dropped to a silver from gold with honors and indian dance from gold to silver. Then came the whammy. This year's SYF is turning out to be quite unpredictable. I wouldn't even say CO did perform to expectations. For starters, we are a gold with honors potential orchestra.I dedicate this part of the post to the Victorians in VS Choir.
You guys may have dropped from being the best secondary school choir to gold, but know this: Whatever happens, we're all still Victorians. So long as we sing the same anthem, cheer the same cheers... we'll be right back at y'all. Sure, you may not be good enough for the judges, but you guys sure as hell are more than enough in our eyes. I believe the tears shed after the announcement were not in vain. Just like the band, VS choir will emerge stronger and better than ever at the next SYF. We're capable of it. If it's too easy, it ain't fun. Victorians are something more.
Today marked another dismal day in the rather bleak year of 2007.
The Annual Secondary School National X-Country Meet. Something every Victorian who's lived past the month of April in their first year would be very familiar with. It's the day where we get our half-day breaks as an incentive for going down to turf city to support our X-country team. But that isn't the point. Every Victorian, right down to that annoying prat of a Sec One knows it's about cheering the school on.
Cheer we did.
No, it wasn't nearly as strong as it was say, two years ago. I somehow felt that way. The red and black shirts were not as united, the Victorians more restless than I've ever seen. Some cheers were half-hearted, others died before being able to fully flesh out.
I remember the days where NO school could match our cheers. Theirs would be drowned out mid-cheer and they'd be silenced for a good ten minutes at least. This time around, every other school managed to finish their cheers. Heck, usually, we'd match VJC's cheers whenever we could and support our seniors, it just didn't happen. Co-ordination was lackluster at best.
No matter, after all, the fact is that despite this year's X-country meet not being compulsory, a good chunk of the school (about 70%?) turned up.
From what I've heard, this year would prove to be quite a tough fight. Our Bata poster-boy, Min Hui, was going to be in for a rough time. Some 17 year old chap from Singapore Sports School supposedly beat him easy. SEVEN-EFFIN-TEEN. That idiot should be in the bloody A division.
Let me digress a bit. Pardon my dislike for SSS (Singapore Sports School) while we're at it.
Now, we know that SSS is a VERY specialized school. It's for all those aspiring athletes. THE place to be if you were considering sports in your career. Those guys are hardcore. Training's part of their timetable, they (I heard) undergo strict diets. It's every bit like professional sportsmen/women.
Which means, yes, while us main-stream people are busy mooching around our PC, doing our homework, them SSS chaps are training. This should give them the edge. Their PSLE results are... for a lack of a better word, horrid. I'm not saying all of them can't study, but yeah, in general, the average student does A LOT better.
If you're bad at your studies, you should at least be good in your sports right? With such a strict routine, you fellas should be Singapore's BEST.
BEST? I'm sorry. Come again. We tagged double golds for the X-country meet twice or thrice. Hello SSS? If I'm not wrong, you fellas also manage to FAIL to obtain optimum positions in other sports, losing to main-stream schools. If an athlete has invites to say RI or SSS, guess which one he'll choose?
So anyway, as expected, Min Hui came in second. That's alright, everyone could see you gave your 120%. In fact, that lousy SSS runner should have beat you by a LARGE MARGIN. But you, you ran NECK TO NECK with him. Incredible.
Ashraff (SP?) was positively drained from pushing himself over his limits and came in 6th. Thomas was in the top 20, but he tripped and fell at the last 10 meters. His position dropped by about 10 places.
B division got 3rd place. C division got 4th place.
It's disappointing and unexpected.
RI stole the cheer we used last year, just because their B div were the overall champions. (Why are we so pro? Why are we so pro?...) Go away Rafflesians. L2Originality.
But like the choir, the school knows you guys have given it your all. Some factors are just not within our control. Whether it's first or last, our opinion of you will not change. Everyone knows that, and despite receiving 3rd and 4th places, in our hearts you'll always be number one.
No, it hasn't been a fantastic year for VS at all. Could this be the start of our decline? I refuse to think so. It's just not happening so long as we keep true to our school spirit and values. I quote the VS banner I saw at the stadium.
"The world is our playground. The universe is our domain. But that ain't enough. Nil Sine Labore."
Our sister-school, VJC, were no slouches either.
Victory
Just
Comes
Look sharp Victorians. Next year, next next year, we'll come back stronger and better than ever, I'm sure of it. You can bet your lives I'll be back to check on the CO, because I'll still be a Victorian. That VJC uniform is going to be in my wardrobe next year.
Vi, Viva, Viva la Victoria.