TKP NETBALL... 1 Team, 1 Soul: National Semi-Final (Seniors)

National Semi-Final (Seniors)
TKP vs CHIJ Kellock
23-26

My hands were trembling as I wrote this match report. It was as if I was penning an orbituary. Tears trickled down as words became sentences and sentences became paragraphs. The whole tragedy of how the match went began to unfold before my very eyes.

As I interviewed Mr Njoo on how the match went, I was given an account on how this team reached its greatness. FLASH BACK...This team was coached by Ms Mary Lee, a reputable coach when they were in Pri 4. Already boasting great basics, they managed to defeat the mighty St Margs at the Cross Straits Tournament in KL when they were in P5 and won the Cup competition. A feat so far no other TKP team has managed. They won the East Zone comfortably but disaster struck when they were pitted against St Margs in the National Semi-finals. They lost! Worse still, during the 3rd/4th placing play-offs, they arrived late and did not do their warm-up and subsequently lost to CHIJ OLN during extra time. What happened to the 'greatness' that Mr Njoo had predicted for this team?

The whole senior team was disbanded and a whole new array of fresh faces started training with the regulars. It was BAD! The Seniors started the year losing to Evergreen Pri in a friendly. Lost to St Margs in the SSS carnival. Lost to St Margs in the Cross Straits Final as well. Though they won the East Zone competition, not many had high hopes for this team. They lacked height and only Liz was a seasoned shooter, the rest were actually new to their positions. But like all wonderful fairy tale, there was a remarkable turnaround. Just like the song in this blog 'When You Believe' , the girls never lost their belief and faith and they fought on!

The seniors had a tough route to the semi-final. They had to face St Margs, Evergreen and Yumin. They had lost to St Margs and Evergreen before but still they believed... Miracles do happen and they defeated St Margs
(argubly the best team in the nationals) in their first match and Evergreen was next in line...VICTORY...They defeated Evergreen and finished the job by defeating Yumin to top the group! What a turnaround! The seniors were getting the respect they finally deserved.

FLASHBACK to the present...against CHIJ Kellock (last year's National Champs), they faced an uphill task but they know they have the ability to do it and make it to the National Finals for the first time. Disaster struck! Sarah (GD) got injured during training and had to limped out of training. Until the last minute before the game started, Mr Njoo was still unsure if she should start...

Sarah mentioned she wanted to play through the pain barrier and assured Mr Njoo that she would give her best even if it meant aggravating her injury further. IT gave the whole team a boost and the seniors started the match in a spellbinding manner...up by 4 points without any reply from Kellock...It was destiny for the seniors!

The first quarter ended 8-7 in favour of TKP. Good start but not nearly good enough yet...The second quarter exploded in another topsy-turvy manner. KEllock found their rythm and their shooter (GS) was in devastating form never once missing a shot! On our part, the attacking quartet consisting of GS, GA, WA and C fought back scoring every time they had the possession.

At the end of the 2nd quarter, TKP seniors were up by 4 points. We were nearly there!

To their credit, Kellock never gave up and came back strongly in the third quarter. Perhaps the seniors were complacent, they did not perform as well as the first two quarters. Both Liz and Dayanara missed important shots. Still, they did just enough...Third quarter, TKP seniors were still up by 2 points.

What can I say about the 4th quarter? It seemed pretty hazy to me now...All I can say that it was an emotional and tragic end for the seniors. The seniors again were rocked early by the well-drilled machines of KEllock who caught up and were in the lead this time by 2 points. The seniors didn't give up. All seven of them with the supporters behind them encouraging every move, tried to intercept the rampaging Kellock players. Finally, We got the interception we needed and the magic quartet advanced forward into the shooting zone. PHEEET! The female umpire blew the whistle claiming Liz was hopping. Our hearts sanK! that was an important call...Did she get it right...many of us wondered. Nevermind, the seniors fought on...PhEEET! She blew the whistle again just as Dayanara was about to shoot...she was adjudged to have some footwork problem...My mouth was wide-opened..though I was not an expert in netball but it did seem pretty normal and the call was very close...I could see Mr Njoo's wide mouthed expression in shock...usually he would be in his element by now with his motormouth giving out instructions and encouragements...he collasped back in his seat...resigned to the fate that the match was not in anyone's hands but the UMPIRE! Phheeeeeeet! Olivia was called for stepping....PHEEEET! Vikki was called for something I could not even make out what it was...HOw can the seniors fight back when they are no playing with 7 players but were outnumbered fighting their battle with 8 players including the umpire...In the end, TKP seniors lost by 3 points - 23-26...

Tears erupted from the players immediately from the players and some of the supporters. MAny were still shell-shocked by what happened. I remembered what Mr Njoo always teach us and that is the most important thing in sports is not about winning but about giving our best so that at the end of the game, we could look into each other's eyes and not felt any guilt...we were a TEAM! We have suffered defeat before and walked away without guilt but this time was different...somehow I felt we were robbed...robbed of an equal chance for a fightback...robbed of a chance to be in the final...We were not sore losers...we just wanted a fair chance to compete...BUT...were we given that chance today? Somehow I left the match with sadness and many unanswered questions in my head...SIGH!

One thing I was pretty sure...The seniors are already CHAMPIONS in my heart! TKP Seniors is the best, is the best, is the best!