starstruck

Friday, May 27, 2005

so season's over, ending wonderfully with our victory over AJ, a reverse of last year's 3rd-4th placing match. from 3-9 down in the first quarter to 26-24 at the final whistle. to say Anderson are our closest rivals is an understatement; it's the only game we've played in which the score margin was less than 10. but what i've seen in this team i haven't seen anywhere else, the way we fight together when we're down, the way we work the ball down the court by inches in a way that frustrates everyone.
kittheng's shots, desiree's moves, hannah's runs and falls, juelin's squares, layming's rebounds, michelle's interceptions. but in a few months, a few years, we'll forget the plays, and the adrenaline rush, and maybe even how it felt to fly. what remains is our team, this team. the team that started training with 5 people. the team that nobody expected to get far. when i play, when i fight, when i give everything i have and then wonder why my muscles are aching, it's all for you. and one last time for this season, this is for you.

kittheng because you've worked so hard this past year, because you have muscles that i appreciate even if some people don't, because you were so calm this game and because your shooting percentage was 100% in the last quarter. i owe you a treat.
jaya because you're SO TALL, because you get to all my imperfect lobs, because you only picked up the game a year ago but you're so good now, because your shooting percentage is always aus-nz test series standard, and because you were sick.
sinhui because your face is harder to read than a Chaucer book, because you shoot in a funny way but it always goes in, because your feet move so fast and because you can do sneaky things.
des because you always brighten up my day with your smile, because you always tell me the most random but important things, because you always notice my attempts to intercept balls, because you always message me nice messages, because you have sneaky moves and because you're a wonderful player.
hannah because everytime i see you i feel like smooshing your head, because you always run too fast and trip on yourself, because you do the long runs for me, because you support me so much on and off the court, because i smashed chocolate cake on you, because i don't know what i'd do without you and because we work so well together.
becky because you have an elastic face and happy dances, because you eat breakfast with me when people abandon us, because you're not afraid to fall if it means you get the ball, because you bake me brownies and give me doughnuts, because the way you run is quite classic, because your centre pass runs are so good and because when i pass to you i know you'll get it somehow.
trier because i always scold you on court and i'm sorry, because you're always giggling wildly, because you stick so close it annoys me, but it annoys everyone else as well so it's good, because you barrel into everyone just to get the ball and because you put in everything you have.
juelin because we don't need words, because you're always supporting me whether i've taken half a step extra or not, because you're always one step away from the pocket ball, because your look of intense concentration has misled some people to think you are quiet, because we bring the ball down by infuriatingly short passes, because you're a great player and because we've played together for 6 years now.
raymond because you see us as interesting specimens, because you're always analysing out behaviour, because you can click your knee back, because you're always right in front of your shooter to turn and let the ball fall into your hands and because you've been a great captain and defender.
chinleng because you work so hard, because everytime i make an interception or i try i can hear you shouting from the sidelines, because you've given so much for this team, because your enthusiasm is infectious, because you've been so encouraging and because you do naughty things.
michelle because you've kept our post so well guarded, because you jump so high and intercept the lobs, because you always cheer me up, because you float without knowing it, because you're an awesome keeper, because you run in a ridiculous way, because you speak like you're answering comprehension questions, because i don't know what our team would do without you and because you're a smurf and i don't wish you weren't the captain because i think the team'll go far with you as papa smurf.

posted by gruff at 8:05 AM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------