Post-review of the much awaited opening of the Marist School Employees’ Athletic League 2015

Yesterday was the opening of the first MSEAL (Marist School Employees’ Athletic League) with our team, MAPAC, combined with some staffs to complete the blue team. Some highlight? I represented our team as our torch bearer. After that, some extra formalities with hilarious yells that we did spontaneously.

Bad news: Last night, my shooting streak was over. Last year, I didn’t miss an attempt in the perimeter. Last game, I shot two attempts and it just clanked the iron. We went into overtime, was just trailing by two in the last two minutes but we never scored during that period due to exhaustion. Final score: 79-89.

Good news: First time that I stole a ball in a fast break attempt while the opponent is on transition. And since we didn’t have any center, I have to grab the rebounds from our more than six feet tall opponents whenever I subbed in. I think I had five or six rebounds.

The best part of the game: On the last 2.9 seconds of the regulation, we had the last possession. Only down by two points, we can win or tie the game. the opponents are holding our players during the inbound since they have three more fouls to give. They can actually foul us until the game ends. So they gave two fouls and left us with 0.5 seconds. That means a catch and shoot situation. But some screen play and presence of mind did trick our opponents. It was so fast that our tallest player was suddenly open near the basket and the inbounder just took the opportunity. That was not in the play! Presence of mind did the trick! He caught and shot the ball. Overtime!

We don’t have enough gas in the extra period. A bittersweet loss. No regrets. We did our best. Maybe some hydration drinks will help us in our next game.

When I lost something, I found a hidden treasure (Part Two of Three)

When I was ten, I broke my left arm. I left the varsity since I can’t baseball for two months. Though my left hand is useless, I wanted to be active as much as possible. I didn’t know that with the freak accident, I would discover a special talent in playing chess. In the fourth grade, I started playing competitive chess. Without formal training, our team entered the finals. That’s already a great achievement. Too bad, we just couldn’t win our matches since our opponent blanked us, 4-0. A silver medal? Not bad for a first timer.

During the vacation, the sports coordinator would invite me to join the summer chess clinic. From baseball, I would then join the chess team until I graduate in high school. I would bag medals every year. In studies, I would notice a sudden increase in my Math and English grades. I know there’s a scientific explanation for this.

Years later, I fractured the same arm as a teenager. This would leave its form grotesque and smaller compared to my right arm. That time, I can’t swim or play basketball. So, what did the fifteen year-old boy do when he can’t do extraneous physical activities? Just play chess.

But the following year, I would then give up this hidden treasure that I found. Circumstances would help me retire in competitive chess.

To be continued…

Writing Prompt: Writing 101 — Serially Found (Assignment Thirteen)

The reason why I tell lies about our house when I was twelve

If you ask me about our house when I was twelve, I might have told you a lie. I might have told you that I live in a big house with rich neighbors in a subdivision. As I recall it, I refuse to tell where I live in whenever someone asks. Why? Reason: bullying in school.

I’m bullied most of the time in school. My classmates call me names such as a “son of janitor” or a “squatter”. In truth, both of them are not true. Yes, I am a son of an employee but my father was a school electrician not a janitor. I might be living on a poor settlement site but we are not squatters. Though we are still playing our lot, we still own our house. Our house is just small, only a mere two-storey building with an area of 40 square meters. The house exterior is not even painted. Why we were living there is a painful story to tell.

We just transferred since we got booted out with the government demolishing our house. I do not really know why and how that happened but I heard that we raised the issue in court. We had a document proving our grandfather owned a title of the land but the court said it was invalid. Too bad, the document was still written in Spanish and not renewed. That explains why we live in a cramped house. We desperately needed a house to stay in. We are seven in the family but we have no other choice but to stay in a small place.

During sleeping time, we roll in some sleeping mat in the first floor. This is where I, our youngest sister, and my parents would sleep in. My other siblings would sleep upstairs with my eldest sister in a bed, my two brothers in a double-deck.

Like any other kid with my age, I spend most of my time in school. If not studying, I’m with the chess varsity training. If I’m not in school, I’m playing games with kids in the neighborhood. I’m usually out of our house. Now, I wonder why is it I’m always out of our house? I guess I’m just enjoying the best out of my childhood. I’m still a kid, right?

This was thirteen years ago.

Writing Prompt: Writing 101—Size Matters (Assignment 11)