The life of Izzat S... Worth something... ^^ ( With E.! )

Heyylo Once Again.. =]

2010-07-20T08:42:00.000-07:00

Well well well..

Since like its been forever since i lasted posted on this blog.. ><

I'm back.. And i'll post if i have time.. =]

Keep on checking.. ^^

Izz...

... =/

2009-08-15T01:48:00.000-07:00

Confusion, astonishment, depression, de-motivation, helplessness...
It's killing me.
Going to be the death of me.
Talk about not giving up... I have no confidence.
So it means that Hope = Zero.

If i don't pull through, i'll not be surprised.
I'm contented enough to see the beginning of a new day.

My mind hurts. My heart hurts. Both ripped into pieces.
Being subtle is a challenge. Keeping my sanity, another one.

Can't stop thinking about it. Everything.

Hate me if you want coz i'm keeping all this in the boundaries of my head.
It's too much to share.
Besides, I already hate myself. There's no lower rung on the ladder than that.

Thanks anyway for everything.
Memories are always cherished and desires will always want to be fulfilled...
...

Barely hanging on,
Izz

Sorry... It's not going as anyone wills it to... It's just too much...

Yeah...

2009-05-23T22:56:00.001-07:00

Sec 4...
Well...
Pressure is starting to build up...
Temperatures began to rise...

'O' Levels huh...?
Everyone is scared of the dreaded 'O's...
But isn't the 'O' is 'O's mean ordinary...?
So why is everyone getting so freaked out over not being able to do well...?
If we maintain consistency, there ain't gonna be a problem during 'O's...

So we should take it easy and continue doing what we already are(for those who are consistently stdying)...
Btu not too easy, mind you...
Prelims are to get you prepared for 'O's...
But if you fail Prelims, that isn't such a big problem, if you look at it optimistically...
Learn from mistakes, don't repeat them during 'O's, and you'll be just fine...

So people taking 'O's, loosen up abit... Don't get too stressed... Nothing's Impossible... =D

Since this in my first post after quite some time, let's have a recap on the recent weeks...
Victoria School retained the title of B'Division Soccer East Zone Champions!
After a great game against our street rivals St. Pats, we came away as Winners and Champions after a score of 2-0!
I started the game but got subbed out mid-way through the second half after picking up triple injuries in a space of 10 minutes...
First i got kneed at the thigh, then i got elbowed at the face resulting in a bleeding lip, and got double cramps seconds later... =/
But no matter. =) We won and that was all that mattered. =D

Went on to Nationals where we against all odds lost against the Dark Horse of our group, Bartley Sec. Score: 2-1. We hit the crossbar 4 times! Quite a feat huh?
So we had to win our next two games in order to have a chance to qualify for the quarter-finals...
Next game, we played Juying Sec. I had a horrible game and was at fault at causing their one and only goal for the game. I was taken off soon after. Score: 7-1.

Our next game was really vital. After the results of the Juying-Bartley match before, we had to win or draw against our next opponents, Singapore Sports School(SSS).
I wasn't picked to play due to my inconsistency on the pitch.
The score was 1-0 at half-time, favour to us, after a brilliant volley by Amsyar.
SSS then levelled early in the second half. But Dilip scored an amazing free-kick to put us ahead again. But, SSS Midfielder Naufal then scored a stunning free-kick that leveled the score.
Final Score: 2-2. We have qualified for the quarter-finals.

Having to salvage a draw against SSS was a milestone reached. It shows that we have what it takes to be National Champions.
And that is what we aim for after the Exam break.

Talking about exams, my final paper is tomorrow, A-Math Paper 2.
And i'm very worried. I haven't revised enough. =(
Well... Wish me all the best k...? Thank yous...

Izz...

You swooped down and saved me from the bottomless pit of despair, and now that you have me in your grasp, i know that you will never let me go... I'll hold on too, and try to further improve myself... Thank you...

=P

2009-03-29T03:07:00.000-07:00

I found a pair of soccer boots!

Well...
Actually my friend found it...
It was a Nike Tiempo Legend...
And it was just my size... And no one else could fit my size... [ Size : UK 5.5... o.O]

Found it during training 2 days before the east-zone semi-finals.
Heh. >.<
Lucky for me as my own pair of boots were worn out and looks rugged... =(
So, i thought i could wear those boots...
But then again, i have never worn those boots before, so i have no idea how it feels and whether i can adapt to it...

I wore it anyway... On match day...
It felt funny at first...
But it was too late for me to go home and take my other pair of boots... =/
So i had to pray hard everything will work out as i was expected to play for the whole game as Saufi is out with a ligament injury and the other left-back, Prasith, was sick...

The game started...
And who would've known!
The boots felt nice and comfy after just a few minutes in the game...

Had an awesome game and we came out winners with a score of 8-0...
We now have qualified for the finals where will meet Saint. Pats, who won Greenview 2-1...
We hope to win the East-Zone champion title after a few years absence...
We will win it...! (Should be more optimistic... =/)

Well...
That was 2 days ago... =p
Nothing interesting happened after that until now... =/

Adios people...

Izz...

Where we may come full circle again... Love...

Change...

2009-03-22T02:52:00.000-07:00

Some say it's good to change...
Some say no it isn't...
I used to fall in the category of the latter...
It cost me a lot of dear things for not changing...

But now...
I've changed... Finally...
It took a hell long time...
But, i guess patience plays it's part...
For the things that's lost, well, i deeply regret not making the most out of it...
I still shed a few tears every now and then, remembering...
Remembering what first inspired me to change...
Remembering that it also caused a great amount of hurt when lost...

But now, it's a fresh start for me...
No more keep-to-myself-silence-only-emoish-person...
I may not be entirely open, but, it's still good enough...
Get ready world...
The new me is here...

Izz...

Thanks Naz for being my inspiration, and thanks Miza for indirectly convincing me that change doesn't always change who i really am...
My deepest gratitude to both of you, and to all the others who helped me along my journey...
Thank you...

Sigh...

2009-01-31T17:01:00.000-08:00

This song struck something in me...

David Archuleta
A Little Too Not Over You

It never crossed my mind at all
That's what I tell myself
What we had has come and gone
You're better off with someone else
It is for the best
I know it is
But I see you

Sometimes I try to hide
What I feel inside
And I turn around
You're with him now
I just can't figure it out

Tell me why
You're so hard to forget
Don't remind me
I'm not over it
Tell me why
I can't seem to face the truth
I'm just a little too not over you

Memories suppose to fade
What's wrong with my heart
Shake it off let it go
Didn't think it would be this hard
Should be strong, moving on
But I see you

Sometimes I try to hide
What I feel inside
And I turn around
You're with him now
I just can't figure it out

Tell me why
You're so hard to forget
Don't remind me
I'm not over it
Tell me why
I can't seem to face the truth
I'm just a little too not over you

Maybe I regret
Everything I said
No way to take it all back
Yeah
Now I'm on my own
How I let you go
I'll never understand
I'll never understand
Yeah, ohhh.

Tell me why
You're so hard to forget
Don't remind me
I'm not over it
Tell me why
I can't seem to face the truth
I'm just a little too not over you

Tell me why
You're so hard to forget
Don't remind me
I'm not over it
Tell me why
I can't seem to face the truth
And I really don't know what to do
I'm just a little too not over you

Not over you, ooh.

Izz...
i'm sorry... I'm just a little too stubborn too...

Freedom... Time To Change...

2009-01-17T21:16:00.000-08:00

Change...
Something you can control or you can't...
I hope i get to change for the better...
But i hope that i don't change for the worst...
Relieving me didn't give me freedom... But rather burden...
Well... I've changed i must say...
Being frank might be something that i have attained recently...
So... Memories will just go down the drain for all i care...
Those memories may be the main reason i just can't seem to move on...?
I guess so...
Sigh... Didn't want it to happen... But fate doesn't follow anyone's script...
Let's just wait and see what the future beholds...

Izz...
I don't think there will be a 'next time'...

All The Best To All...

2009-01-16T23:36:00.000-08:00

A New Year...

A Fresh Start To Life...

Putting Everything Behind Me...

Not Looking Back At The Past For It Has Gone...

Not Worrying About The Future For It Has Yet To Come...

But Just Enjoying The Present...

I wish all the best of luck to the year 2009...
May your dreams come and true and always strive for the best...
Forgive me for the wrongs i've done...
I may change in time to come...
But one thing's for sure...
I'll always be there for anyone looking for help...

Yours truly,
Izz...

Why...?

2008-11-23T11:26:00.001-08:00

You want to keep something from someone, but another starts to get angry... A dilemma of some sort keeps bothering me...

I know you care... But i really don't want to become a heavier burden than i already am... Furthermore, the momentary bouts of pain isn't very frequent... Maybe i'm getting better... Maybe there isn't a need to tell them anyway...

I just wish that this stupid problem i have will just vanish... It's causing too much upset between me and others... Especially those i hold dear in my heart... Maybe it's just false alarm... Maybe it isn't really serious...

I don't know... I just want to think of it as something that wouldn't affect me at all... I wish i wasn't so apt in being acquainted by problems and mishaps... Such problems and mishaps are bringing us apart... I don't want it to...

I'm to blame for the arguments we've had... Yes it's always me... It's always about something i lack, something i don't do, something i don't possess... I have bad times too... I face anger too... I lose control occasionally...

But i will try and change... To possibly benefit those around me, close to me... I've always said that i will change... But there's always something that needs to be improvise or corrected altogether... I know i'm testing your patience... But no matter how i try, i always seem to find a way to get you upset... Maybe i'm just not cut-out for this... No matter how much i don't want you to go, maybe we might get seperated... I just hope it doesn't happen... I look forward to each brand new day everyday because of you... You made life more meaningful...

I've contemplated about my existence in this world... And truth to be told, i thought that it was better if i didn't... I've caused many a problem to people even though i try not to... Ever thought that the existence of one person is a burden to whole world...? That was how i felt each time i made someone upset... And it's frequent too...

I'll tell them what's happening to me... For you...

When Nothing Else Matters...

2008-09-19T08:36:00.000-07:00

Today went to school like any other day, except that i had a bandage on my right wrist... It was quite a sight to behold i guess, with people occasionally staring at it... Everyone asked what happened, as expected... As busybodies or genuine care...? I prefer to think it's the latter...

Well... I couldn't write with my wrist being injured and all... So i was excused for most of the lessons... But my Malay teacher is adamant that i do something... So while the rest of the class were doing their composition on a piece of paper, I had the privilege of using Cikgu's laptop... Typing wasn't as painful as writing, but it was still quite a slow job... But i managed to do half of it in an hour...

Then, after Friday prayers, had a songwriting session with Mr Art Fazil... A songwriter who had written songs for some Big Name Singers... He taught us how to make songs from poems... And he showed us a few of his own songs... It was quite an educational and fun programme i think...

After the session, I followed the HML boys and Cikgu Syamira (i'm not sure of the spelling) to break fast over at Kampung Chai Chee Restaurant... We had a scrumptious meal of Thai Fried rice....

After we were done with our food, the HML boys and Cikgu went to walk around Geylang... But i went to meet someone whom i missed a lot... Spent quite some time with that someone since we won't be seeing one another for slightly more than a month... But we had to say our goodbyes eventually and i dreaded it... Well... I suppose i can wait a month...

Reached Khatib Mrt Station at 10.51 p.m... And i was charged for overstay... It was a first but was expected... Now, here i am, relaying the happenings of the day before i start studying... All the best to everyone for End Of Years... And i pray that we all achieve our desired results...

Praying hard,
Izz...

There was this song showed to us by Mr Art Fazil that struck me deep... This is the song... (My deepest apologies since it's in Malay...)

Merindu Kepastian...

Andai kau menjadi pelangi
Biar ku jadi awannya
Agar kita selalu bersama...

Andai kau menjadi sang duyung
Biar ku jadi karangnya
Agar kita sentiasa bersua...

Andai kau menjadi merpati
Biar ku manjadi sang bayu
Agar kita sering bertemu...

Andai kau menjadi puisi
Biar ku jadi melodi
Bersama kita menyanyi...

Andai ku menjadi rembulan
Sudikah kau menjadi kejora
Hingga pagi nanti...

Andai esok aku menjadi tanah
Sudikah engkau menjadi bunga
Menghiasi dadaku...

Time can't erase a feeling this strong...

Such Timing...

2008-09-17T23:41:00.000-07:00

Didn't go to school today... Went to the polyclinic to check my wrist which was hurting... The pain started yesterday but it intensified today... Went for an X-ray but there was nothing wrong to be found with the bones... I was momentarily relieved... But then, the Doctor said that there was still a chance that i'm suffering from a tiny crack which may lead to a fracture... I was devastated... With the End Of Years just around the corner, i can't risk getting my writing hand injured... I'm praying hard that it's just a sprain...

We may not be together physically... But you'll always be in my heart, mind and dreams...

Waiting for the wait to end...
Izz...

Pressure...

2008-09-17T01:14:00.000-07:00

The Inevitable is Approaching...

The Link to Motivation is Missing...

The Dreadful Sense of Loneliness Creeping in...

But... I look at the sky... The Sun, Stars and Moon... And i know that somewhere, you walk under the same scene i'm gazing at up above... Not too far away...

End of years are fast approaching... 2 1/2 weeks more i think... Days just seem to flash by... Fasting seems to end quickly this year... And it also means that Hari Raya are not too far away... So are the start of exams... Revision has started... But the sense of unreadiness is still lingering... Mugging is a must... But mugging does not have to be done for every second of every day... Rest is needed to keep fresh and ready for a new day...

The confisication of my phone is seen as both at an advantage and disadvantage... Without being able to communicate with people i'm close to... I can concentrate better at studies... But it also means that i won't feel reassured about the situation of others... Worry...

Well... I won't keep this post long... Coz time is of the essence... Going of to revise now... Till next time...

always yours... whenever... wherever... forever...

all the best for exams...
Izz...

Hey...

2008-08-31T21:24:00.000-07:00

Been some time since i last posted... Didn't have motivation to i guess... Its been quite hectic since my last post... Life's ups and downs carrying out its duties...

Life is hard... It'll never be easy till you do something about it... I nearly given up in creating my own path in life, to make it easier... But the introduction of one person into my life, changed everything... I finally have the motivation that i sorely needed for quite some time... And i never want to part from the source of motivation... You mean more than the world to me... You have my word...

The fasting month had just started... A test of perseverance and patience... A test anyone can pull off if they try...

Well... That's about it...

Ending off with lyrics from Crush by David Archuleta...

I hung up the phone tonight
Something happened for the first time deep inside
It was a rush, what a rush

Cause the possibility
That you would ever feel the same way about me
It's just too much, just too much

Why do I keep running from the truth?
All I ever think about is you
You got me hypnotized, so mesmerized
And I've just got to know

Do you ever think when you're all alone
All that we can be, where this thing can go
Am I crazy or falling in love?
Is it real or just another crush?
Do you catch a breath when I look at you?
Are you holding back like the way I do?
Cause I try and try to walk away
But I know this crush ain't goin' away
Goin' away

Has it ever cross your mind
When we're hanging, spending time girl, are we just friends?
Is there more, is there more?
See it's a chance we've gotta take
Cause I believe that we can make this into something that will last
Last forever, forever

Do you ever think when you're all alone
All that we can be, where this thing can go
Am I crazy or falling in love?
Is it real or just another crush?
Do you catch a breath when I look at you?
Are you holding back like the way I do?
Cause I try and try to walk away
But I know this crush ain't goin' away
Goin' away

Why do I keep running from the truth?
All I ever think about is you
You got me hypnotized, so mesmerized
And I just got to know

Do you ever think when you're all alone
All that we can be, where this thing can go
Am I crazy or falling in love?
Is it real or just another crush?
Do you catch a breath when I look at you?
Are you holding back like the way I do?
Cause I try and try to walk away
But I know this crush ain't goin' away
This crush ain't goin' away
Goin' away
Goin' away
Goin' away-ay-ay-ay-ayy

A bond forged that'll last...

2008-08-09T01:05:00.000-07:00

VS Dikir Members... After our long awaited performance...

Us performing during our Speech Day...

A photo of us celebrating after our performance...

Ecstatic that we managed a near flawless performance...

Having Dinner over at Swensens to celebrate our success...

VS Dikir members... I've had memorable experiences with all of you... I apologize if i had insulted any of you... And i sincerely hope that the friendship we share shall last a lifetime...

Izz...

Not to forget the one person whom i wish never to part with... You've been there for me all the time... You mean everything to me... My love for you will last as long as the stars continue to shine... You have my word...

Satisfaction...

2008-07-18T09:30:00.000-07:00

Today... Had school as per normal... Then after Friday Prayers, went to Sports School to challenge the U-14 team that will be representing Singapore in the Youth Olympics. The VS team were all Sec 3s. It was a match that heightens the bond between us and forges an understanding that can change the tables of fortunes around. The VS team consisted of 13 Sec 3s, of which there will be a substitute outfield player and a substitute keeper during the game. There were 4 defenders, 2 keepers, 1 striker and 6 midfielders in our team. I played at right-back.

We started off with a bang, hanging on to possession and creating chances here and there. Dilip, our midfielder, scored 20 minutes after the start. He received the ball, looked up to see acres of space in front of him, and lobbed the keeper with a delightful shot which brushed the crossbar on its way in. But a few minutes later, their striker equalized with a shot from an angle which managed to evade our keeper. We reatained our lead near the end of the first half, with Dilip giving Ryson a inch-perfect through pass, who then took a shot with the perfect mix of power and accuracy into the bottom corner. My performance during the first half was average. But i managed to put in a good performance in the second half.

In the second half, i played the ball to another player rather than clearing it with everything i have, how i used to do. Though i made some mistakes, one which almost leaded into a goal, i found my performace better.

During the last few minutes of the match, our keeper caught the ball and quickly played it to our last man who drifted of to the right. I saw space along the middle where i can run and ask for the ball, which i did. Out last man passed the ball to me, i first-touch pass to our midfielder and then continued my run down the middle. Just as i was going to reach the opponents penalty box, i felt the muscle in my claves tightening. Ryson crossed the ball, but it went over my head and was too high for me to reach. The ball sailed over me and our left-midfielder, Jordon, headed the ball to me. I headed it away into space then trapped the ball. When i trapped the ball, i knew that my calves were going to cramp up, so i took every last ounce of strength i had to toepoke the ball to Ryson, then lay down on the floor with double cramps on my calves. I was at the edge of the penalty box. I couldn't carry on playing and was brought out of the game. It was my first time getting cramps during a soccer game, furthermore, it was while i was doing a rare run to the opponents third. So i found it quite hilarious.

Final Score: 2-1. We won...

Izz...

Heads Held High...

2008-07-15T00:44:00.000-07:00

Victoria School B' Division Soccer Team... Our potential was recognizable from the start of the tournament... Despite facing tough challenges from teams such as St' Gabriels, Ang Mo Kio and Kent Ridge... We managed to attain a convincing qualification to the semi-finals... We topped our quarter final group, with three wins out of three...

We faced arch-rivals Greenview in the semi-finals. We had played them two times before this year. Twice in the East Zone tournament. And now the third time at the Nationals... We first faced them at our quarter-finals group stage for the East Zone... And we drew 1-1. We then faced them again during the East Zone Finals... We drew 1-1 again... But lost to them at penalties... Now, we face them at a bigger stage... The Nationals semi-finals... We played a good game. But were unlucky to concede a goal midway through the first half. We were encouraged by our coaches and started of well at the start of the second half. But we conceded another goal 5 minutes into the second half.

We were 2-0 down and had 15 minutes left to play. A defensive lapse by the Greenview defender and a smart move by our striker brought us a goal back. We were 2-1 down and had eight minutes to play... Our dynamic midfielder, Dilip, dribbled the ball with 4 Greenview players on him. One of them put in a tackle and caught Dilip's leg. Dilip fell and we received a free kick near the edge of the penalty area. Dilip went up to take the free kick. The Greenview wall was poorly positioned, and so was their keeper. Dilip ran up and smashed home a beauty of a free kick into the net. How we celebrated. Our coach who was treating one of our injured player on the floor jumped on him and hugged him. We were simply jubilant. The game was brought into extra time then into penalties. For the players who experienced the East Zone Finals defeat to Greenview through penalties, they felt immense pressure.

We celebrated when our first kicker scored. And when our second kicker missed, some of our players broke down, dreading that they might lose again at such a crucial stage. But we celebrated when our keeper, Daniel, saved the Greenview penalty. He was on fire and saved two other penalties which made us win and we celebrated with extreme joy, after overcoming what seems to be our curse at penalty shoot-outs. It was the first time from a 35 year absence that Victoria School managed to get to the B Division finals. The Victoria School B' Division Soccer Team of 2008 had made history.

Our Finals were against Singapore Sports School. The same team that humbled us 9-0 at the C' Division National Finals. But they had a few better players, but we had trained hard to get to the Finals. We matched them at every department during first half... But were unlucky to concede a goal 5 minutes from the end of the half. We started the second half with more vigour after a team talk by our coaches, had as much chances as Sports School to score, but were unlucky to not being able to fins the net. Though we were 4-0 down 10 minutes from time, the Victorian Spirit never died and we played our hardest till the final whistle. Final score, 4-0. Though we lost, we can stillhold our heads high as we were playing against players who are the best at our age group. And the 4-0 scoreline was much more convincing than the 9-0 scoreline.

Kudos to our ever faithful supporters ranging from students to school staff and parents. VS will definitely come back stronger next year.

Here's a picture of the soccer players from my class...

From Left:
=> Our Fast and Tricky Winger/Striker, Ryson Yap
=> Our Gigantic Keeper, Daniel Adam Lighfoot
=> Me
=> Our Dynamic Midfielder and Key Player, Dilip Thapa
=> Our Skilled and Nimble Striker, Amsyar Omar
=> Our Smart Thinking Midfielder, Jordon Tng
=> Our Solid Defender, Khairul Anwar

signing out...

Izz...
(listening to: Kidnap My heart By The Click Five)

A first...

2008-06-17T01:43:00.000-07:00

We had two friendly matches between last week and last Monday. The first against Singapore Fusion School. A school which prioritize in teaching the students playing good football. We played three halves of 30 minutes each. I did not start the game. It was expected, as i missed two weeks of training.

I missed training as my uncle passed away... I went for training the day after he moved on and was buried, to take my mind away from his death... But i ended up breaking down during training... Fortunately for me, my coach was very supportive and he talked me into taking it slow and easy... Well, i took it slow and easy by missing two whole weeks of training. Then went for one session of training before going for the match against Singapore Fusion School. At the start of the game, the way they played possession made me think that they were very good. They played smooth flowing football and created chance after chance. They nearly scored a few times, but thanks to some determined tackles and our terrific keeper, they did not convert any chances. We barely had any opportunity to score during the first half. But our performance during the second half was much better.

I was told to warm-up near the end of the first half, and was brought in at the start of the second half for the right-back position, in place for the current right-back, Khairul. It had been quite some time since i played soccer, so i was eager to see what i can do.

I got into action a few minutes after the restart. I received the ball at the opponents half, and their winger immediately tried to close me down. I did what i never did before... I dribbled past him, and pulled in their left-back so i can create room for our winger, Ryson, to run before giving Ryson the ball. Ryson then had acres of space to cross the ball into the opponents penalty box.

It was the first time i tried to dribble past an opponent. I used a simple but effective technique that most players usually use to get past an opponent. I was commented positively for it by teammates and coaches as i created our first chance of the game. Half-way through second half, our left-back, Masri, was kneed at the calf by our opponent and had to be substituted out. I was then shifted to left-back and Khairul was brought in as right-back.

I was worried at first as my knee injury had caused kicking with my left leg to be inconsistent as the pain is intense. But when i did use it, i endured the pain and kept a straight face. I managed to give a good through-ball despite the pain though. I received the ball from our dynamic midfielder, Dilip, looked up, saw our left midfielder, Jeremy, running, then lofted a left-legged through-ball over their right-back who was marking Jeremy. He was clear on goal with the ball... but then the referee waved offside. All the hard work and endurance of the pain for nothing... We went on to come back from our dismal first half performance to win the match 6-0 after the three halves.

The next match last Monday was against recent Victoria graduates. They were faster than us, but that does not mean they are better in terms of overall play. We played two halves of 40 minutes. I did not start in this game too. We conceded early in the second half, a howler of a goal. We were in possession of the ball, when our key striker, Wan, who was on the bench, decided to run across the field to the other side. While he was half-way through, our midfielder lost the ball then their defender sent a high through-ball over our defense line and their striker latched on to it. Their striker was offside, but the referee saw Wan running across the field and thought he was playing, therefore, ruling their striker onside. They scored another goal few minutes

I was brought in late in the first half due to an injury to Khairul. I went on in for him, in the right-back role. The game was challenging, but great experience for us, pushing us to improve so we have what it takes to win in the Nationals. I received a yellow near the end of the first half. The opponents left winger received the ball from their keeper and started to counter-attack. I ran up to him and gave him a two-footed slide, missing the ball completely and catching him legs slightly instead. The referee gave me a straight yellow card. My first yellow card in all my life. But i did not feel anything, but watched my tackling more instead to avoid a second consecutive yellow card...

I could say that i have improved since the start of the year. I can keep myself more composed in matches and not afraid to ask for the ball. My heading has slightly improved too... I'm more confident then ever to be part of most, if not every, minute of our upcoming Nationals games. I really hoped to score a goal during open-play soon...

signing off...
Izz...
(listening to: Check Yes Juliet by We The Kings)

2nd Picture... Haha...

2008-05-07T02:59:00.000-07:00

A picture that i happened to stumble upon in the internet... Thats me at the back... Getting ready to cover Syakirun who is pressurising the Sports School Midfielder...

My first picture...

2008-05-02T06:11:00.001-07:00

Haha. Finally... My first picture in this blog. This is the team that i was in that came in 2nd for the Nike Cup.

Bottom Row(from left): Izzat(me), Syakirun, Jordon, Ryson, Isaac(Arms around Ryson, Shuvod), Shuvod, Saufi, Khairul, Daniel Adam Lightfoot, Amsyar, Xavier.

Top Row(from left): Krishen, Daniel Ong, Yi Wei, Si Hao,
Bijaya.

Team List:

Goalkeepers => Daniel Adam Lightfoot, Krishen
Defenders => Shuvod, Saufi, Izzat(me), Isaac, Khairul
Midfielders => Ryson, Bijaya, Jordon, Xavier, Si Hao, Daniel Ong, Syakirun
Strikers => Amsyar, Yi Wei

Lady Luck didn't shine on us...

2008-04-26T03:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the Nike Cup Finals between my school, Victoria School, and powerhouse Sports School. The score after the final whistle, 1-0, against us. Though we lost, we can say that we were a match to Sports School. We conceded the goal early in the 1st-half... from a corner. Both our last man and stopper went to head the ball, but both missed. The Sports School attacking-midfielder managed to get a touch on the ball. The ball headed between me and our keeper. I pulled back my leg to kick the ball away, but at the same time our keeper prepared to dive for the ball. Both of us hesitated when we saw the other getting ready to clear the ball, allowing the ball to get pass us and into the net. I felt at fault for i could have prevented the goal but didn't.

Though we conceded an early goal, it did not dampen our spirits, for our ever loyal supporters cheered their hearts out, spurring us on. We attacked and defended as a team. We went close a few times but was not able to hit the net. After the half-time whistle went, we gathered around for the coach briefing. I was surprised that i played well, for usually i was too nervous to play well. I was even more surprised when i did not feel any nervousness while playing the game. for i was usually nervous when i play any game, and even more nervous when playing a final. But i did not feel a hint of nervousness when i played. I was even a little disappointed. Not only because of the goal, but because their left-midfielder, Fareez, who was an ex-Victorian, whom i was looking forward to face, did not start the game. I only slide-tackled once during the 1st-half, but i slid three more times during the 2nd-half.

The 2nd-half started with us Victorians feeling pumped out by the constant cheering of our loyal fans and the positive feedback from our coach. We attacked, and managed to get a few chances that could have resulted in a goal or two, but Lady Luck just did not shine on us. Five minutes after the start of the 2nd-half, the person i was looking forward to face came on as a substitute. I was determined to give him a piece of my mind. He soon received the ball from their midfielder. He turned with the ball, only to see me closing him down. He tried to push the ball past me and sprint pass me. When he pushed the ball, i saw a chance to slide him. It was the kind chance that i usually would not take, for there was a high chance that i would not get the ball, i slid in anyway.

As expected, i missed the ball completely, but i managed to get his leg. He fell due to my slide. I awaited for the whistle to stop play because of the foul i commited, but surprisingly, the whistle did not go. There was a whistle signaling our throw-in instead, as the ball rolled out after i slid Fareez. Fareez got up angrily and looked at me, i ignored him and took the throw-in. Many of our supporters, my team-mates and our C'Div coach, Mr Leo Hock Leng complimented me for my slide against Fareez. After the game, I heard that Mr Leo said that he did not mind if we lost 10-0 as long as Fareez does not score. Later on in the game, i slid him two more times, but he was shifted to the center-midfield.

After the game, some team-mates of mine said that their coach changed his position for he was afraid i would injure Fareez. Haha! What a joke. A year ago, when I first joined soccer, and when Fareez joined Victoria, i would try to avoid playing against him for i knew he was too good for me. But when i faced him yesterday, I knew that i was a match for him. I was proud of my achievement of being able to improve myself to match Fareez. He managed to get a good shot on goal though, which was Brilliantly parried away on to the crossbar by our fantastic keeper, Danial Adam Lightfoot. We had played a very good game, and our coach was proud of us, but Lady Luck was simply not with us. We were so close...

I SHOOK hands with Lions Players Khairul Amri and Baihakki Khaizan when we went out to receive our runners-up medals during half-time of the Gombak United vs SAFFC S.League game. I was amazed by their presence. They really stood out from the rest.

Now is the time to concentrate on examinations, and after the holidays, concentrate on our Nationals. I'd would not be online for the whole of this week until exams ends.

Till then, good luck for all your respective exams and may we all pass with flying colours.

Izz...
listening to: Just The Girl - The Click Five

nil sine labore... nothing without labour...

Wish us luck!

2008-04-24T08:27:00.000-07:00

Just letting thoughts out before the start of tomorrow... Approximately 16 hours from now, the Finals of the prestigious Nike Cup will begin. The clash of expected finalist Singapore Sports School and Underdog Victoria School.

We sure had come a long way and had trained hard to reach this stage. It had been invaluable experience going through the stages of the Nike Cup and finally to the finals. I feel that the experience will better prepare us for the Nationals Quarter-Finals that will resume after the holidays.

Today was a day to be remembered... We were awarded a full-day holiday by our principal due to the hard-work of our victorious x-country boys. The B'Div team clinched the coveted gold and the C'Div clinched fourth position, triggering us Victorians requesting, or should i say... demanded, for a half-day. But much to our surprise, we were awarded a full-day instead on the Wednesday of the next week. We Victorians started cheering, but stopped after a few minutes, remembering that we were 'Gentlemen'. That was probably the most exciting event at school, other than that, lessons continued as per normal. But somehow, i managed to be engrossed with lessons (Except Physics. Slept through first ten minutes of lesson until my Teach woke me up just to make me sit for a test.).

After school was soccer training, to better prepare us for tomorrow's game. We focused on defending, set-pieces and penalties. I was the 3rd kicker in case the game went into penalty shoot-out. I tried to adapt myself to a style of taking a penalty. Out of four, I managed to score three, while hitting the post for the missed penalty. I would say that it was a fair result, but i do not think that it would be wise to apply the style for tomorrows crucial game. I played the keeper for a few times during the practice penalty shoot-out, doing enough to convince a few of my team-mate to pick me as the keeper during penalties.

I'm having mixed emotions now... Part scared, part nervous, part excited and part confident. I am looking forward to face the Sports School left-midfielder, who had a stint with Victoria for a year during Sec One until he decided to join Sports School. I want to give him a piece of my mind for leaving Victoria when we were bonding together as a team that could achieve Anything.

Wish us luck and May God Answer my Prayers...

Faithfully your's: Izz...
( currently listening to: Dance Hall Drug - Boys Like Girls)

nil sine labore... nothing without labour...

A goal achieved...

2008-04-19T03:00:00.000-07:00

Today was the semi-finals for the Nike Cup tournament my school team had worked so hard for. Our match was against Regent sec, a team we beat in the second round by the score of 1-0. We expected to come to us better than before, for we knew that they would want to get back at us following their defeat to us during the second round.

The usual starting XI was played, with me at the right-back position. Instead of the usual 10 minutes per half game, it was 20 minutes per half. We were advised by our coach to pace ourselves. I was sick with flu a couple of days prior to the game, and was still slightly sick when i played the game. My nose was constantly blocked, and i had to breathe through my mouth unless i wanted to faint from the lack of oxygen. Because of that, i had chest pain throughout the match, and my stamina was affected. I had a bad game, with only a few good tackles here and there. Tension was running high. Shouting could be heard throughout the game. The first half was unpredictable, we kept attacking at each other, but it was clear that Regent was playing better. The first half ended in a stalemate... But the second half was slightly better...

We started the second half better, we had more attacking chances. We managed to draw first blood from an unlikely source, our left back, Saufi. He over-lapped and received the ball from a marvelous back-heel by our left midfielder. Everyone was shouting at him to cross. Kick the ball high towards goal he did. And the ball sailed over the keeper and into the net. We cheered in sheer jubilation. We were a step closer to the finals to the Nike Cup, or so we thought.

In the dying seconds of the game, our goal-scorer conceded a free kick from right outside the penalty box. And unfortunately for us, Regent scored from the free kick. Our keeper could have saved it, but it took a deflection from the wall and hit the back of the net. We were devastated. The final whistle sounded after a few kicks from the center start. We could not believe that we conceded a goal at the last seconds of the game. The game was to be decided by a penalty shoot-out.

When our coach asked our players who wanted to take the penalty, only two were confident enough. I wanted to take penalty, but was scared that i would miss. I managed to sum up enough courage to try though, so when our coached asked me whether i wanted to take the penalty i said OK. I was the 3rd kicker. I was very nervous. The penalty would be the first ever penalty i had taken in my whole life. I was really nervous. When our 1st taker went up to take the penalty, the whole field was quiet, you could here a pin drop (Actually no... It was just very silent...). When our 1st kicker took his run up, we held our breaths... When the ball swished into the net, we cheered and congratulated him. Our celebration was short-lived for the Regent player also scored his penalty. When our 2nd kicker went up, the same situation happened again, the place was quiet. We gasped when the Regent keeper managed to get a touch on the ball, but the ball was too powerful for him to parry away. We rejoiced again.

It was soon going to be my turn to take the penalty. And when the Regent player scored, i was shaking like a leaf in strong wind. Before i stepped into the center circle to wait for my turn, i picked up a pebble and clenched my fist around it, focusing on the pebble. It was a method taught to me by a friend. I asked her how to calm my nerves during a practical situation, and she told how she does it, which was what i did. I must say it worked, but a little too well. I managed to calm my nerves down to think properly. I did not want to hit the ball too hard for the fear of missing. I lined up for my run-up, which was about 3 steps... And when the referee blew his whistle, i ran up and hit the ball... When my foot connected with the ball, i knew that i under-hit it... The Regent keeper dived the correct way and i held my breath...

And the ball hit the net via the bottom corner. I blew out a sigh of relief and with it all the tension that had gathered up. Truth to be told, i was lucky with my penalty. My penalty was slow, but managed to elude the keeper. When i kicked the ball, the Regent keeper dived. But the ball was slow, passing the goal-line just after he hit the ground, just missing the keeper's finger tips. He could have taken a step nearer and saved my shot, but he dived too early. I was exhilarated. I had scored my first goal while representing my school for an 11-a-side game! Though it was a penalty,nonetheless it was still a goal.

Our next kicker went up... struck the ball... and the ball hit the crossbar and went out. We were devastated, but lucky for us, the penalty was to be retaken as the keeper was off his line too early. His retaken penalty was parried by the Regent keeper and hit the post, and bounced over the goal-line and barely went in. We again gasped in relief. The next Regent player took his run... kicked the ball... and it went past the post and out. We cheered loudly, but quietened down when our last kicker went to take his penalty.

He ran up... kicked the ball to the corner... the Regent keeper dived... to the wrong way. We celebrated like there was no tomorrow. We at first thought that our penalty curse would happen, but we managed to elude it's grasp this time. We were really very elated. We had qualified for the finals! The finals is this Friday at the Jalan Besar Stadium! It'll be my first time stepping in there and first time playing there too! I can't explain how excited i am! Wish us luck! Thanks!

Izz...

The Victorian Spirit...

2008-04-13T07:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the quarter-finals of the Nike Cup. We had quite a tough group. We had Hongkah, Siglap and... our toughest opponents in the group... Sports School.

Hongkah was considered an A team, for they only sent one team for the Nike Cup. Siglap was a B team and fortunately for us, Sports School was also a B team. Though Sport School consist of Sec 2s and a few Sec 1s, they were still a strong team. Hongkah was also not to be taken lightly. Siglap was the easiest among our three opponents.

Our first match was against Sports School. As expected they were good.. but we were slightly better. matched them in nearly every department. Our defense were split apart a few times, but we managed to scrape through. We drew first blood from our prolific striker. He received a ball at the flank then challenged the last man. He ole-ed the poor defender twice before slotting the ball home at the bottom-corner with a cheeky toe-poke. We were ecstatic. We SCORED against Sports School. Doesn't matter whether they were a sec 2 team or not, they were still expected to win. They had plenty of parent supporters who shouted at every chance Sports School they had. But they were silent after our goal.

Our keeper, Daniel Lightfoot, nearly conceded a goal. The ground was slick and wet, causing the ball to skid unpredictably. The Sports School midfielder took a shot from just outside the box, our keeper was already on his knees to collect the ball but the ball skidded on the ground and increased in speed. Daniel was taken aback, but managed to parry the ball and gather it to his chest. It was kind off scary. Final score... 1-0.

From the start of the tournament, other than the Clementi Town match which we humbled them 10-0, our wins were usually 1-0 wins. But our next match changed it all. We were up against Siglap. As usual, I was deployed at right-back. I was warming up when our dynamic attacking midfielder/forward said that the number 17, their left- winger, was from Sports School, but was kicked out because of smoking. I was a little worried cause i did not know what to expect from him. Furthermore, he was small in size, but skill-wise, very big. I knocked him down once, and he started complaining to the ref for not issuing a foul against him. I had knocked him down fairly, a shoulder push, but maybe a little too hard. After that, i kept a close eye on him but tried not to tackle too hard again. Final score... 3-0.

Next game was against Hongkah. They were a good team, but i am not very worried. We matched them in every department. But there was a moment where we nearly conceded a goal, i injured a player while trying to prevent the goal. Our stopper missed the ball, which too our last man completely off guard. The ball bounced over our last man too. Their striker was clear through with the ball bouncing slightly in front of him. I jumped for the ball to head it away, and my shoulder connected with his cheek quite solidly. But the problem was not over, their other striker managed to get the loose ball over our keeper who was charging out, but i managed to challenge the striker, allowing our keeper to get the ball. Final score... 0-0.

We and Hongkah had qualified for the semi-finals. We are the first batch of Victorians to get this far, and we will try our best to go to the finals. And if we do get to the finals, might as well win it right...?

Thats all for today...
Izz... zZz...

Further Than Ever...

2008-04-05T04:04:00.000-07:00

Today was the second round of the prestigious Nike Cup. And our team may already look like contenders. Today's group consists of us, Tanglin, Serangoon, Regent and Bartley. All of them are B-Div Teams.

Our first match was against Serangoon, the team that we hate the most. Some players from Serangoon have really bad attitudes. Especially their number 7 right winger. Last year during the C-Div nationals, we had a match against Serangoon, the number 7 was playing. I went in for our left winger during the first half. I was slotted into the left-back position and the current left-back,our vice-captain, was pushed up to the left wing. At that point of time i did not know the number 7 style of play. Soon enough, i did. I was elbowed, tripped and kicked intentionally by that idiot of a soccer player. Our vice-capt, was also harassed by him. Both of us really felt like giving him a piece of our mind. As though the foul play was not enough, he spat at our vice-capt and tried to look for a fight after the match.

During the Nike Cup match against Serangoon, i played at right-back, not facing their right winger. I had a bad game, much worse than usual for my timing to go in for the header was off. Though i made countless mistakes, the game ended in a draw where both us and Serangoon could have won. They drew first blood in the second half when our stopper misjudged the bounce of the ball resulting in the ball bouncing over him. Their striker capitalized on the mistake an released a left foot shot that was just out of reach of our keeper. The ball went into the goal just below the crossbar. After the goal, we pressured them with all out heart. Our hard work paid off with our striker equalizing in the second half.

After the disappointing draw, we resolved to win the rest of our games. Lady Luck was with us during the win against Bartley(And i had a good game against them). After we scored, our keeper made a mistake which almost resulted in a goal. The ball was bouncing at the penalty area with the goal at his mercy, but the Bartley striker completely missed the ball, allowing our last man to put in a tackle. Even before we had time to breathe out a sigh of relief, the loose ball fell to their other striker which proceeded to guide the ball towards goal with his left foot, but our stopper was at the right position at the right time. The shot went straight to him, which he cleared. BUT, the loose ball went to their midfielder who shot straight and true. Fortunately, our keeper managed to get a hand on it and put it out for a corner. I finally managed to breathe out after half a minute of holding my breath in. Another instance of close call was when it was their corner. Their huge striker got a touch on the ball with his head which headed towards the corner of the goal with our keeper beaten. Fortunately, i was at the right place at the right time. I managed to get my knee to the ball and cleared it away. We managed to hold on for a 1-0 win.

We could have scored more during the 1-0 win against Tanglin, but seems that Lady Luck loosened her hold on us. A wins a wins though. The game against Regent however, was a challenge for they had good wingers in the number 18 and 11. I was facing the number 11, but i felt strangely at ease when facing him. I had a particularly good game against them. I managed to contain the number 11, but i had to say that he was a handful. I faced the number 18 once, during the dying seconds of the game. Our cleared corner fell to him, who dribbled past our midfielder, but i was on hand to get the ball away from him. After the throw-in, the final whistle echoed in our ears. We had managed to snatch the top spot in our group with 10 points out of a possible 12. And we had qualified! From what i heard, we are the first batch of Victorian soccer players to get through the second stage of the Nike Cup. That is some feat. I would be overjoyed if we reach the semis.

This Monday, we have a Nationals B-Div match against Ang Mo Kio. This match is important if we want to fortify our spot for the quarter-finals. Wish us the best of luck!

Thanks...

A Day Of Mixed Feelings...

2008-03-29T03:53:00.001-07:00

Finally, the prestigious Nike Cup begins. Winners of this competition gets to play the Man U Cup(If i am not wrong.) And get to play at Old Trafford if they reach the finals of the Man U cup. Last year, when i was part of the C-Div team, we did not make it through the 1st group stage when we lost all three games during that fateful day.

Today was the 1st group stage matches. My school sent two teams to compete at the U15 level. 1 B-Div team and 1 C-Div team. I was part of the B-Div team. The matches were held at St. Patricks Sec School. Our 1st match was at 8.30 in the morning. One game was 20 minutes long. 10 minutes per half and a 5 minute interval in between the two halves. Our group consists of teams from West Spring Sec, St. Patricks Sec and Clementi Town Sec. All were B-div teams except the team from Clementi Town.

Our match was the opening game against St. Patricks. I started the game at right-back. We were not performing during the game, only managing to get a draw. As usual, my knees were hurting, (and the pain is increasing everyday)but i am beginning to learn to endure the pain. Unfortunately, there was another problem, part of the skin at the front of my left toe was torn off while playing soccer during a PE lesson. It was painful enough to make me afraid of using my left foot to kick the ball for the vibrations that was produced during impact of my foot with the ball was enough to cause staggering pain.

BUT, during a game, my left foot was occasionally, if not constantly, to be called for action. For instance, like clearing the ball as soon as possible. After kicking the ball, I stayed rooted to the spot to let the pain recede a bit. The wound even causes pain when i run, but i was able to endure it as the pain was not as intense as kicking the ball. I thought i was only playing a half of each game, so i did not complain, but little did i know that i will be playing every minute of the three games.

Our performance in the second game against West spring was better. I was a little nervous as they had just destroyed Clementi Town 6-0. During the 2nd half, when i cleared the ball, one of my opponent stamped on my left foot and one of his boot's studs struck spot on of my wound. How i felt like hitting the ground rolling. But had to be called in for action the very next moment. I was needed to support the attack that cooked up when our striker controlled the ball i cleared. From then on, playing was like hell... The pain was friggin' intense. I managed to hold on though, but just barely. Final score, 0-0...

We needed a win with the margin of 7 goals apart in our final game against Clementi Town if we were to have any chance of qualifying as St. Patricks also beat Clementi Town 6-0. We headed into the game, full of spirit. The Clementi Town players were fooling around, for they knew that they had no chance of winning. They adopted a formation 9-1-0. They played around, wasting time and having the time of their lives while we were getting increasingly frustrated. I wanted to laugh along with them, but during that critical moment, i simply wanted to strangle them... We were so desperate for goals that during our corners, everyone of our players went into the opponents six-yard box except for the goalkeeper and me who stayed back in case the opponents wanted to change their tactics and attack. The 1st half ended with the score 4-0 to our favor.

The second half started with us attacking right from the start, nearly scoring another goal. We went all out attack during the second half, i even managed to assist one goal. I went for the over-lapped, ignoring the pain, bent on helping the team increase our goal tally. Our striker actually did not see me running up along the flank, only when our coach shouted at him my name that he spotted me sprinting down the line. He played to me the perfect through-ball which i controlled it towards the by-line. I initially wanted to cross the ball to the far post, but when i took a look, i saw no one. Instead, i crossed it to the near-post, aiming for the head of our striker. Unfortunately, he missed, but luckily, our left-wing, who already scored a hat-trick, was at the right position at the right time to tap the ball home.

I was elated to help out one of the goals. I trudged back to my position, and immediately received pressure by their striker, who suddenly felt like dribbling the whole opposition team. While i was trying to contain him, i suddenly felt oh-so sensitive to all the pain i had ignored. I figured that i would had to put a tackle in for if the opponent were to get pass me, i was as good as stranded. I tackled, but a little too slow than usual mainly cause of the pain. By the time my foot landed on where i wanted it to be, the striker had already read my intentions and dribbled past me and i had not the leverage of running back as the pain was too much and i stayed rooted to the spot. I instinctively grinned as it was quite amusing to see a small size kid like him get pass me even though i was in much pain. I was heavily reprimanded by our team striker who caught me grinning. The final score... 10-0. We had qualified for the next stage of the tournament!

After the game, i told our striker that i stopped running because of my injuries, he told me that he did not shout at me because i did not run back, he shouted at me cause i grinned =(. Right... But my spirit was soon lifted when my coach said to me, "Izzat, i want you to call Nishant(my soccer senior)." I asked why, he replied, "I want you to take both his jerseys and join the team at the 1st nationals game against Kranji Sec." How i felt like pumping my fist at the air in jubilation.

That was basically what happened today. I am very excited for Monday's game against Kranji Sec. It will be my first official B-Div match for the school! Yeah... Wished me luck yea... Thanks!

Back...

2008-03-22T02:31:00.000-07:00

It has been quite some time since i last posted my last post... Mainly coz nothing eventful happened throughout the holidays... Having the pox really calls for serious quarantine.

Some may say that staying at home, skipping school is nice. And i DO agree to a certain extent. But it gets pretty dull after some time. And i am lagging way behind in studies. It may seem that i was unlucky as i was sick during the holidays, i thought the same too... But after i got back to school, i was astonished on how behind i was. I really need to do some catching up...

Having the pox is no fun thing during the 1st few days. I slept nearly 18 hours a day for the 1st few days. Felt feverish with body temperatures as high as 38.9... Felt weak with a mentality to sleep sleep and sleep... Didn't really care what was happening around me such as the Malay proverb, Seperti Katak Bawah Tempurung(I am not really sure whether its correct... Never was good at Malay...). But eventually the weakness began to fade and I started to move around more. I didn't felt like posting on my blog as THINKING was an issue. I couldn't really think straight...

The doc said that i was able to eat anything unless i had an allergy or something. But my mum and aunts didn't agree with the doc.

They said,
"Yelah tu! Nanti kalau Izzat salah makan, gatal! Lepas tu pergi jumpa doktor lagi! Doktor cakap gitu jadi nanti dia dapat lagi banyak duit!"
In English...
"Yeah right! Later if you(they meant me) eat the wrong food, itchy! Then need to go see the doctor again! Doctor say that so later they get more money!" I must say they made sense. And its better to be safe then sorry. So it was soup, vegetables, soup, vegetables, soup, vegetables..... and so on and so forth. The strict diet was driving me nuts... I couldn't take it so i stop eating altogether.

I started to eat again when fishballs were finally allowed. I was 'overjoyed'. Felt quite good to taste good ol' fishballs.

Its feels great to be able to breathe in fresh air after being confined at home for a couple of weeks. For the 1st time in my life i was delighted to go to school. And my long overdue dose of soccer was going to be given on Wednesday. I couldn't wait for training. I really felt at home when i stepped on to the field.

I wasn't paying much attention to my knee. I was too occupied kicking the ball around. But after a few minutes of warm-up, my knee started to act up with such intensity that i abruptly stopped whilst jogging. But even after the pain receded, i still didn't resume my warm-up. It wasn't my right knee that was acting up, much to my horror, it was my left knee. I resumed warming up after accepting the terrible fact that now my left knee may be in the same condition as my right. The pain returned when my coach intensified the training. Both my knees hurt. I had to force myself to walk, not to mention sprint, through the pain barrier that suddenly seemed difficult to pass.

The last exercise was a two-sided game compromising two teams of 8. This means more work, which basically means more running, as there was more ground to cover for the lack of players. I play as a full-back, which meant all-out sprinting while covering or attacking. My coach was part of my team, not like he helped out at all. He purposely made mistakes which resulted in the defenders rushing back, including me. I was pushing myself more than ever. I really couldn't run, but forced myself to give my all. There was an instance when my team was attacking, i ran nearly half the length of the field to go for an over-lap, but the ball went too far from my reach. If my knees were not hurting too much, i would have gotten the ball.

But my forced-running were not in vain. The resulted throw-in was given to my opponents defender who was in his own penalty box, i then had this thought of challenging him for the ball, but my legs thought otherwise. I managed to convince my ravaged legs to run. I surprised him and managed to get the ball from him, lay it off to my team's midfielder who promptly made no mistake from five meters out. Unfortunately, i had no time to give my legs a chance to rest a little for my coach told me to get back to my position which was 3 quarters the field length away. My knees screamed in agony, but i forced myself to pull a straight face. The nationals are only 2 weeks away and i want to be part of the team badly, and this is the time for me to show that i am worthy enough to get the jersey.

I really pushed my limits during that training session. Now i have to take much care of not only my right, but my left knee as well. Life really can get harder than it already is...

Life is unfair, but life is a test set by God upon us. Patience is a key to prevail... But my patience is bound to crumble soon...

A Fastidious Passion For Soccer...

2008-02-18T05:10:00.000-08:00

My knee had posed many problems for me nowadays. Walking is already a slight challenge, not to mention that my classroom is on the sixth floor and i had to climb the stairs every morning. To avoid from causing my knee to hurt was near impossible. The pain is unpredictable. I would receive occasional pain even though i did not apply any pressure of any sort on my knee, such as sitting 'attentively' during lessons. I am starting to think that i would have to get used to the daily suffering, should i not pay a visit to a physiotherapist. Even though the pain was unbearable most of the times, I would never fail to join in the fun of a soccer game.

Yesterday, in the early afternoon, I asked Mustakim whether there was soccer later in the evening. He told me there was, then questioned me about my knee and whether i was fit to play. I told him it would be fine for i won't push myself too hard. He merely said 'ok' den emphasized that i be extra-careful. I then sat on my bed and started to mug for my upcoming CA whilst waiting for time to pass. I planned to study for around four hours, after which i will leave for the field. But, I studied for only three hours and slept for an hour and a half. I awoke to find myself unprepared and late. I zipped frantically around my room, looking for my boots and socks. I then did my prayer then dashed of to the field which was fifteen minutes away if i were to stroll there. In the speed i was going, i managed to reach the field in five minutes time(My best timing so far). My knee was throbbing, but the adrenaline i get whenever i was going to play a game of soccer, blocked the pain sufficiently enough to make me ignore the pain.

Fortunately for me, the game had not started, and was not about to start for another ten minutes. We warmed up by kicking the ball around. Through this exercise that i found out that i will experience unbearable pain whenever i kick with my left leg. I could not withstand the pain and fell on my knees. I felt the pain on my right knee when kicking with my left for the weight shifted onto my right leg when my left legs goes into the follow-through. It makes my left leg as good as 'dead' leg, much to my frustration. But i eventually accepted the fact that i am only able to kick with my right leg during that particular game.

The 1st few minutes was painless and comfortable. Only until the 7th minute. My cousin, who was my opposition, dribbled the ball at the by-line. I sprinted towards him, confident that my knee would not cause any problems. I managed to reach him before he could cross the ball. Fortunately, just as he was about to kick the ball, i stretched to my fullest extent and toe-poked the ball out. Unfortunately, before I could withdraw my leg, my cousin did not react fast enough to stop his leg, that was already traveling towards the position of the ball before i kicked it away, thus, he swept me off my feet. My attempt to stabilize myself failed horribly and i fell to the ground, injured knee first.

The pain was excruciating, but i managed to keep a straight face, but only barely. Though my face was straight, my actions betrayed it. I was clutching my knee so tightly, that my knuckles were white and i was rolling from side to side, trying to keep from screaming. When they asked me whether i was alright, i meekly said that i was fine and tell them to continue with their game. I stayed on the ground only for a few minutes, for i was eager to get on playing. I played through the pain barrier for my passion for soccer was fastidious and i just could not get enough of playing soccer. I ignored the pain throughout the rest of the game, but when all had ended, my attention was instantly diverted to my knee.Thankfully, the pain had subsided. I quickly changed into my spare set of clothes and set off home.

At home there was nothing interesting. Other than the fact that my aunts visited me at 10 at night to present to me a mp3. It was a Samsung 1 gigabyte mp3 worth $99. I was totally taken aback by the present for they had suddenly appeared late at night and suddenly presented to me the mp3. Now, i have currently 50+ songs in my newly acquired mp3.

This morning, I had history CA. The test was ok and not too hard. It was not too easy either. I feel confident enough that i will pass.

I have to stop here for my mom is pestering for me to stop. I'll continue on another day when the opportunity arises.

signing off;
Izzat...

Stressful Everlasting Pain...?

2008-02-16T03:42:00.000-08:00

My knee had produced some excruciating pain throughout the past week. I'm getting a little worried now. Last Thursday, i was fooling around with a classmate when he suddenly jabbed me on the knee spot on the exact location of my injury. The moment his hand landed on my knee, mind-boggling pain erupted from the injury. I clutched my knee in agony and writhed on the floor. The pain was unimaginably painful. Tears started to well up in my eyes much due to the extreme pain. My classmates gathered around me, curious on what was happening. Several of them asked me whether i was ok. I didn't answer, but my actions during that time answered them, crystal clear.

I tried to get up upon my feet a few times, but my leg just won't seem to hold and the pain got even worse when i tried to put weight on my injured leg. The pain was intense and i cried out in agony a couple of times. My classmate who struck me on the leg apologised profusely. He didn't realise that i was injured when he playfully jabbed me. I forgave him but he still felt guilty on befalling the unimaginable pain on me. I was on the floor for five minutes before the pain resided sufficiently enough for me to get on to my feet. I staggered while trying to walk. I eventually had to settle on limping as my way of moving around. I winced every single time i put pressure on my right leg. I would have had to limp down the steps of the staircase in much discomfort if not for my teacher who saw the seriousness of my condition. He allowed me access of the lift that was only allowed for staff and cleaning staff.

The pain lingered throughout the whole day. I had training the following day, and a few of classmates who were also my soccer buddies insisted that i pay a visit to a physician and not to go training. But i love soccer and i am fastidious. I wanted experience of training and i knew that i can get ample of experience from a single training session. Plus the temptation to kick the ball was overpowering. I ignored their advice and attended the training session anyway. We had a drill where we were suppose to overlap and run a great deal of a distance. I wanted to run, and i had my chance when it was my turn to overlap.

I ran slower than my usual speed though. My knee slowed me down. Every step i take, a short pain ran through my whole leg, but most concentrated on knee. Not only was my running effected, my accuracy was and power were sometimes affected as well. The last exercise was sprinting drills. I did the first two but couldn't take anymore of the rapidly growing pain. The four-month old injury was hurting much worse than before my classmate hit it. Ever since that training, I tried my best not to pressurise my knee. It took much effort to prevent any sudden pain. Today was no different. I tried to walk normally and not wince on every step i take. I successfully achieved it, but knew that i cant possibly take anymore after a lengthy period.

During a seminar this evening, my knee unexpectedly sent a stabbing pain a few times throughout the whole seminar. I was in great discomfort throughout the seminar, though i tried not to show hints of being in pain. I was concentrating not to apply pressure that will trigger the pain of my nowadays delicate knee. Nearing the end of the seminar though, the pain dissipated for a few minutes, but occasionally acted up.

The pain since Thursday has been much more painful than usual. I am getting very anxious. I hope that my knee is only in a minor state of injury. I really hope that my knee would not hamper my goal of being in the school soccer team...

A slightly better than normal day...

2008-02-09T01:11:00.000-08:00

Today was kind of tiring considering that i went to bed at 5 last night... or should i say this morning. Woke up at 7, realised that i was late for training, and simply sat on the bed for another 15 minutes. "What's the use of rushing when i'm already late?" was what i had in mind, and even considered to take my on sweet time to prepare for training.

Then another thought crossed my mind. I should make an effort to get to training faster so not to waste the precious experience of training. I quickly took a 5 minute shower then got dressed into something nice(to my opinion). Then i wolfed down a slice of bread and gulped down a cup of hot cocoa, while in the process, almost choked myself. I was suppossed to be at school by 8, but i left at 7.30. I wasted another precious 2 minutes at the doorstep, thinking on the fastest way to get to school. When i had finally made up my mind, i dashed to the bus stop, only to see the bus i had planned to take pulling away from the bus stop. I tried to make a dash for it, but in vain.

Crap... If i had not wasted time to plan my route to school, i would be on the bus already. I sat at the empty bus stop, silently contemplating myself. I was later than before. In the process of silently contemplating at myself, i nearly missed another bus. If i had missed that bus, all the vulgarities i have in my mind vocabulary would have come flying out of my mouth, regardless of whether there were people or not. But, thankfully, i need not do all those sinful deeds, thus not breaking my new year resolution to keep 'clean' throughout the year. I flagged the bus than boarded the bus. I found an available seat, sat on the seat, then continued to silently contemplate myself (i have written contemplate three... no... four including the one within this bracket... in one paragraph... All of you who are reading must be terribly bored on seeing that word. Very the sorry. I have limited creativity in this brain of mine. Okay, enough of me, time to get back to my day...) throughout the whole bus trip... no no... until i fell asleep.

I woke up to find myself at my destination. After i alighted, i ran a fast as i could to the field. The time was: 0850 hours. I was nearly an hour late and i prayed hard that the coach was having a good day so that he won't scream at me. My constant prayers were answered. My coach simply asked me to get warmed up and join in the training session a.s.a.p. I rushed through my warm up and soon regretted it. After 10 minutes of training, my left hamstring was in much pain. I wanted to be excused from training, but then, i remembered that i had wasted an hour of training, so i countinued to train, forcing myself not to show signs that i am in discomfort. I may not be in the soccer team, but all the experience that i receive in this training session will help me be a better soccer player next year.

After training, Mr Yan Siong gave us players a drink and an orange each. We ate and drank gratefully, thanking him constantly. He is a nice man. He coaches us for free, then give us food. His training sessions maybe very strenous, but worth it. His reason of punishing us in training is so that we will enjoy in the game.

After training, i went to an open house organised by my assistant form teacher,Mr Randell Siow. My form teacher,Mr Su, was present as well as a number of my classmates. I was super-hungry and gobbled down 2 full plates of fried fice with lemon chicken and nuggets. I then continued to consume a doughnut and ate 5 ferrero rochers. All of that were washed down with 3 cups of drinks. It may seem slightly unbelievable, but i do have a great appetite. After that satisfying meal, Mr Siow swiched on his ps2, so that we can enjoy more. We started of by playing a game called puzzle fighter 2, recommended by Mr Siow. It was the students of class 3B versus the wushu boys. We were owned. I played three games, managing to notch up only a solitary win. We then procceded to play fifa street 2, i played a match, ended up being thrashed by khairul 5-1. Then we played winning eleven 7. I played a match against the classmate proclaimed best player in the virtual game of soccer.

The match was intense. I scored 1st, only for him to equalise soon after. Both of us them had chances to win the game. He hit the goal frame once, while i hit it twice. In extra-time, it became more intense, it was attack and counter-attack by both of us. Then in penalties, he won 2-4. He saved two of my penalties and i hit the woodwork once. He missed one too. We then played DOA 2:Hardcore. I didn't play though. After a few matches, we decided to return home. I took the bus service 854 Transit link bus. I dozed in the bus, narrowly missing my stop. I reached home to find nobody at home. I then switched on the computer and thus started to write this blog.

There's nothing more that i can relate for today. And i'll leave it as that. Hope that tomorrow will be another day filled with sufficient events so that i can write tomorrow...

A new strength unrevealed

2008-02-07T07:46:00.000-08:00

I woke up today, quite dreading the day. Another holiday wasted at home was what i initially thought when i woke up. I craved some soccer action. And after going to religious class in the afternoon, i wanted to get back home and stone at home, for the possibilities of a match suddenly springing up was pretty slim.

BUT, fortunately for me, Mustakim, my sister's friend who consults me whenever there is a match, told me that there was a match later in the evening. Man was i ecstatic. I couldn't wait for the match. All i wanted to do from the afternoon till 5 was too jump about and pretend playing soccer while imagining what extraodinary things i was going to do while playing. And when playing, the extraodinary things always do not happen.

When the time finally came, i quickly changed into my school jersey, for it was the only dri-fit shirt i have, and after performing my prayers, rushed of to meet up with Mus. After meeting up with others and after another bought his lunch, we headed to the field where we the match is being held. We started with 5-aside matches. I had to admit that i was not performing up to my standard while playing the 5-aside. I lost possesion too easily and caused unneccessary trouble to the defence.

But during the second 5-aside match, i played an attacking role. To be honest, i was not comfortable in that position. I was not one who is reliable enough to get some goals for i prefer seeing myself as one who create chances or as someone who denies opposition chances, rather than converting chances. But after linking up plays that could have resulted in goals, i just could not apply the final touch or giving it to someone who could finish the chances. The field was unfamiliar and bumpy but i managed to get a hang of the field.

After two 5-aside matches, we proceeded to an 11-aside match. We just had enough players to go on with the match. I was allocated in the left-back position, where i had experience playing in. But after 5 minutes, I asked for Mus, who was currently playing as a centre-back position, to switch. I felt that i had not enough space to play on the flank. When i was at the last man position, I felt more at ease and started to play better than during the 5-asides. The striker was taller than me(like all other players my age or older are) and pulled my shirt a couple of times when challenging for the ball. He even smacked my face once causing my specs to fall off. It was all part and parcel of the game of soccer. I managed to hold him off a few of times though.

A couple of times, skirmishes happened on the field. One incident was that our midfielder accidentally kicked the opponent between the legs and the opposition started to shout vulgarities. Luckily our midfielder kept a cool head and ignored him even when he started to get rough. The ref broke up play and told the furious opposition player to get out of the field. The other happened when our big striker barged into their left-back. It was purely accidental. But their left-back shoved our striker, who then retaliated. The ref broke them up hurriedly. I do wonder now and then why some people make such a big fuss over something that happens in every soccer match. Soccer is a physical sport and aggression is needed. If you're not aggressive enough, you will be a target for opposition. Our opposition today played rough today, but was not overall happy when we played aggressively too.

Soccer is a sport to be enjoyed, it does not need all those meaningless scuffles in the pitch. It will only make the game less entertaining to watch. This what i had experienced today and hope more will come my way.

Not good enough...?

2008-02-05T06:08:00.000-08:00

I DID NOT MAKE THE TEAM. The first few days after the final confirmation of the team, i was totally disappointed. But a few encouraging words from our outside coach, Mr Yan Siong, made me think otherwise. On the 1st of February, on Friday, there was training and a short match with the current VJC team. I played for about ten minutes but it was enough to impress Mr Yan Siong. After the match, those who were substituted told me that Mr Yan Siong praised me throughout the match. Praises following my solid defending and sliding decisions.

He said that i will slide the opponent when the situation calls for it and i never shirk away from a challenge, even if it's from the huge striker who could send me flying if he shoves me with all he's strength. Despite his massive bulk, i tackled with everything i had and successfully managed to get the ball away from him a few times. I guess this new found confidence and courage is all thanks to a friend of mine. She gave me the confidence and courage that i was missing all this while. And due to my new found confidence and courage, Mr Yan Siong said that he would have picked me for the team if he were the official coach. He even told the current full-backs in the team to learn from my style of play. This gave me even more confidence to try harder in training and get a shot on the team.

Before the match, there was training. There was this drill where we had to feint past a defender(which was a flag pole) and went for a try on goal. I failed to hit the net with my right foot, but i managed to score a nice goal with my left. I lofted the ball up and over the keeper and it sailed into the net just below the bar at the far post. The keeper during that time was the current 1st choice keeper, and even he admitted it was a nice goal. My shots with my right foot contained a considerable amount of power but lacked accuracy while my shots with my left foot contained sufficient accuracy but not that power-packed. A left foot volley from me will contain power but will most probably go the direction where i did not want it to go. But i feel that i am improving with my new level of confidence.

Thousand thanks to Naz for the advice. Its helping me a lot. Thanks a bunch!

Damn... Tough luck...

2008-01-25T01:37:00.000-08:00

Today was great. We were released at 9 because of the excellent 'o' level results that the secondary 4 of 2007 reaped up. Everyone was completely ecstatic. Not for those who had mothertongue for their first lesson though. I have a nepalese friend in my class who was upset. He grumbled that it was a waste of time that he went to school cause he did not have to study at all.

But his spirit lifted when our soccer coach announced that soccer training had been made earlier till 10.30. I too was waiting for the moment for training to start. Though the weather was damn hot, the training was fun though. I used most of the training time to practice kicking with my left foot. I have to admit that it was getting worst and worst during the past few weeks. But i managed to gain back my usual accuracy and spin during that one training.

There was another thing that i was waiting for. The announcement of the B division soccer squad. I couldn't wait to know who will be in the team. I was praying that i will be able to make the squad.

But greatly to my disappointment, my coach had not made the decision whether i will be able to included in the squad or not. I was mortified. I had waited so anxiously, but i still did not know whether i made the squad. My coach said that he will let me and some others know whether we made the squad or not during the weekend or during the next training that is on Monday.

Right now, i am absolutely terrified that i will not make the team. I worked hard and tried to go to every training. I will only miss training for 3 reasons, that my parents won't allow me, i am sick or i am injured. I did not go for the December holidays training for my knee was injured. It is still injured but the pain had subsided. I trained my left leg so that i can be more useful cause i can play in other positions and would not be hesitant in using my left leg.

About the match against Ping Yi on Thursday. We had a hard time in the first half, only managing to score a solitary goal. But in the second half, we managed to score two more goals, one from a brilliantly taken shot from our stopper. I wanted to take a shot, and went for many overlaps to achieve it. But every single time i overlapped, no one would give me the god damned ball. I was wasting my energy during the useless bursts of speed while overlapping. And i still had to sprint back if the ball ended up in the possession of the opponent. I played for only half an hour, but i was already panting, plus the wound that i received a week ago had reopened from another slide i made. The opposition was hard to break down. All their players can really pump the ball and throw the ball damn far during the throw ins. Their players were skilled too.

In addition, our first choice last man and stopper were missing. One was injured while the other is sick. But the two players who played in the positions of the missing players were solid too, though some attacks almost resulted into a goal. The keeper was excellent too. He made two superb saves in the first half. I played a game that was below par during that game. I was not properly warmed up and my knee was hurting.

Hai... I am damned freaking stressed out... hai...

Another normal day...

2008-01-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

Today was as normal as any other day... except that it was the release of my 1st A-Math test results. I received a 9 out of 10. I made a silly, silly mistake that made me lose the sole mark. I was frustrated, but my mum was totally ecstatic. She felt as though it was only the beginning of my excellent results... sianz... zZz...

Furthermore, my expected MSG(mean subject grade) is a 1.4. I was completely shocked. Even me myself couldn't think that i can achieve those marks. But my mum is determined that i get the expected marks. This means more, more, more and more studying.

The year keeps getting better though. My form teacher planned a Sentosa outing for the whole class on the 2nd of Feb. He rockz! Furthermore, i am going on a expedition to mount. Stong during the holidays! I can't wait for all the upcoming events of this term. And i really hope that i can get into the B division soccer team. The upcoming match tomorrow may be one of a few chances that i have to perform and book a place in the main team. Man... I really hope that my nerves won't get the better of me during the match. Whenever i get nervous, i tend to make silly and atrocious mistakes. And i really hope that i will score a goal tomorrow. The goal should be nice for my first ever goal for the school. Maybe a long-ranged shot. Or maybe a bullet header!

I think not. I don't think that it is possible for to soccer a nice goal. I think i should be contented with an assist. Nothing to big. I should try to help the team win instead of hogging the ball hoping that i can dribble all the way and score a superb goal. I hope to play as well as i did in the malaysia soccer trip...

Well... That's about all. Pray hard that i can shine in tomorrow's match! Thanks!

A ROLLER-COASTER Start to the new year

2008-01-22T06:55:00.000-08:00

Its only the third week of school. But i have a feeling that this year will be better than the last. In terms of academic, well... i am coping well to the lessons. Its not as hard as i thought it was. Its making me feel REALLY confident.

3B of 2008. The first sports class in Victoria. The class i am in. Its a very... wait... no... its an EXTREMELY fun class to be in. The class is full of laughter throughout the day, regardless whether there is a teacher present or not. Our form teacher is one teacher who likes to join in the laughter. Last friday, he caught one of my classmates using his phone in school. He practically ran a big round to the back of the class to sneak behind him to snatch the phone. On the same day, he spotted another one of my classmates with both hands in his bag a seemingly looks as though he is handling a phone. Our form teacher again ran a big round and caught him. But instead of a handphone, he found a calculator. By the time he realised that he had been tricked, the whole class was laughing their heads off. Our teacher even admitted that it was a good trick.

On the same day, i had a soccer match. It was the third match since the start of the year. All three matches are against junior colleges. We lost the 1st game 3-2, but won the second 4-0. Considering that we were facing a team of 17-18 year olds, we did pretty well. On the third match, i started the game, feeling unusually nervous. I was terrified of making mistakes, so i was trying real hard to avoid mistakes. But as it turned out, i made uncountable mistakes. I was afraid that i would not make the main team due to that particular match. We eventually won the match 6-0. The score was surprising as most of the players from the opposing team were malays and was expected to win. But we won anyway. It was probably embarrassing for them to be beaten 6-0 by a secondary school team.

We had another match today against Bendemeer secondary. I played in the second half. I wad looking forward to challenge the number 8 of the opposition. He looks like a typical mat and i felt that i should take him on hard to shut him up. Though he played dirty, i had my fair share of dirty players during last year's tournament. I was determined to show him that i was not intimidated by him. But sadly, i faced him only for a few minutes as he was shifted to another position. I then had to face a chinese player. He gave me lots of problems due to his trickery and pace, but i soon got the hang of his style of play. After eighty minutes of frenzy football, we won the game by the score of 5-0. Even though the gap in the score was resounding, the opposition was still a force to be reckoned with. I hope that we shall meet again during the nationals. So that i can face the number 8 mat.

There is another match on the 24th. Against Ping Yi secondary. I really hope that i can show my worth for the team during the match. I do not know how strong they are. But i really, really hope (even though its almost impossible for i am playing as defender) that i will score a goal on the match. I always wanted to take a shot, but never confident enough. But i will definitely shoot on the match for who knows? Maybe i will score my 1st goal in a full game!