There is a high school nearby was holding their sport day in the school field, I heard they played the National Anthem about noon. I stood up from my desk. How long have I did that?
I respect State and National Anthem dearly. Mostly for all who representing their countries and states would feel the the flame of glory, proud moment and their once active youth.
I didn't get to sing for my gold award because it's was a national junior competition, unless it's well known national tournament like SUKMA.
How I got to know SUKMA?
The first time I heard about SUKMA is in 2002, it was a conversation from my parents. SUKMA is a recognized national competition title in Malaysia which hold once in every two years in different state in the country. All the chosen athletes from all sports will gather and compete in different locations within the city, and I heard this year will be in Sabah, my home state.
Wushu, one of the sports will be held in Sabah Tshung Tsin Secondary School, the school which my big brother and I study. I grew up watching action movies especially Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Cheng Pei Pei Hum, Kam Bou, Cynthia Rothrock, Aaron Kwok and other comedy movies related to martial arts.
My Lucky Stars 福星高照
Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars
Millionaires Express 富贵列车
Shanghai Knights
I lived behind the secondary school, so I thought it was my very chance to see some LIVE competition. It was my first year of secondary school, everything I saw was full of inspiration and motivation. There were 52 types of clubs, unlike other schools, all students are not allowed to choose more than one club, and if you choose wrongly, you will remain in the club until next year.
How I chose my first club?
First impression
There was this orientation week, a few strangers in their club attire entered the classroom I was attended. They introduced themselves as the committees from Wushu Club, that's how I got to know the existence of this club. With the burning motivation of learning in self-defense, that's how I joined, and met people in this path.
I did like to continue chess but there wasn't a western chess club, so I took my second choice and became a Wushu Club member along with my childhood chess schoolmate, Yong Hui Suan. My mother was opposed of my choice that first year.
When I heard about this LIVE Wushu Competition, I became curious how's a Wushu competition was like. Was it sparring with other opponents like Karate and Taekwando? I went into the school hall alone one recess time, starting with a peek in.
There was this athlete I first admired from the audience seats, I blushed seeing his face, he
was handsome with that cool smile, like in anime, I can see bubbles in my spect. And I admit it, I started going to the
school hall whenever I had my free time. Gradually, I paid more attention to Sabah Team members. One of them was girl with short hair. I watched them practiced bare hands and with weapons, and all the incredible jump moves.
However, I missed many as the
competition was held during school days,
the only time I have my cheers was during the recess time.
I was nervous back then, I thought it was some serious occasion that I must not approach or disturb the athletes, so I often watched from the audience seats upstair and never walk up close. But then one competition day, I saw a sight of the committee members greeting with hand gestures to the Sabah team, they seemed close with the team and their masters as they spoke in the hall during recess.
For Karate, Taekwando etc, they stand firm with closed legs and greet with a 90 degree bow. As part of the Wushu member, we stand firm with closed legs and greet with both hands, right fist and left palm to Wushu teacher, judges, seniors and peers.
Through one of my committee members, I got to meet rest of the Sabah team members so close, I saw them as mentors. Somehow I jested around whether to call the master as Teacher or Sifu.
I sat with the cheer leading team there were Malays, Kadazans, Dusuns, fewer Chinese races, I feel unique. When the mates cheers, it gave me the thrill of how the cheer-leading and members-cheer for
their mates, it's completely different from school sport day. It was so charismatic.
I learn bit of knowledge about Wushu's basic weapons and fist name from the watch.
How I became double life?
In secondary school life, it is full of activities I wish to take part with classmates starts with PE , club and sports. I mean coping up with those heavy subjects and long hours studies, no wonder the school has 3 recess time. So I'm quite looking forward with outdoor activities than books, except the sketching part.
After the SUKMA 9th ended, by chance, we and the master met again on club activity every Friday, he brought two of his apprentices to teach us, which I was very happy. I got to play with them in their speed games. It was very fun. By end of the year where most club would have training camps, I was glad that my club had as well despite fewer members and budget struggling.
During the training camp, master brought two of his apprentices again, that time were two girls. The way they stretched their legs on that bars, makes my legs shake, but felt amazing. I didn't get to see their face clearly, but assure I had seen them from SUKMA. It was after the training camp's last day, my master got to meet my father and asked permission for me to train under his association. It's a throw in opportunity and thus began my journey.
Training under the master's association, I got to meet with members from other schools. As a new member, I was treated unfairly and lots of nicknames in my first year because of my inexperience, but that was the way it is, like a tradition.
There was a big differences between training in club and association.
In club, I only learn the most basic style and 1.30 hour time once in a week, with club members for fun learning and killing time.
In association, it opens my heart wider with burning passion to do better and more chances to experience outside of books.
There are 3 standard categories in Wushu.
Changquan, Nanquan and Taiji.
Each of the categories has its own weapon skills.
Changquan category - Changquan, Jianshu, Daoshu, Gunshu, Qiangshu
Nanquan category - Nanquan, Nandao, Nangun
Taijiquan category - Taijiquan, Taijijian
It was decided before I join the association, which was that I would be placed in the Nanquan category by my master, permanently. By fully mastering skills, one must only focus one category and improvise them, yes, them. ( I would be learning 3 skills)
That first week, I was mentored by a senior of the same category, there is four parts to play in one Taolu (skill). I was never know that I actually good in imitating. It took me only two days to memorize the standardized nanquan. (but years to master, honestly)
I remembered one embarrass moment, I accidentally tore my tight during a warm up stretch in fornt of everyone. It was told to wear short tight in the training, (so that master could monitor bent knees) but after that (accident), I never wear it since, even I did I never reveal.
Wearing tights is quite revealing.. to me.. so I blushed alot seeing others (girls) wearing but surprisingly they were not bothered with it. Getting all that sexy sitting gestures, almost killed me on sight, especially one I had crush on.
I was enlisted to take part on my first junior Wushu competition in Melaka and Kuala Lumpur respectively in one trip on June 2003 after my mid-term examination. The team trained 3 hours from 6.30pm to 9.30pm for 4 days a week, other than concentrating on study, it proved difficult to have double life. I was 13-14 years old.
Besides concentrating on competitions, we also did performance in some open ceremonies on streets, stages, and malls. So, we did rehearse when there's a call for performance. By performing, it builds better teamwork, strong bonds together, braveness and self-confidence. One thing I like about performing was we could show off each of our best and unique tricks in taolu, everyone has its own unique tricks, mine was twisting-kick-landing, although sometimes I succeeded by luck.
I remembered one first time in performing without a proper stage (stage was too small) and master decided to proceed on the wooden floor inside a ballroom. We were panic that time as we never did measure the area and did a proper rehearse in the real location. Everyone were worried about me, as I was the only girl to do the trick. (fuck! I admit my physical gender) It was risky. However, I daringly did the twisting-kick-landing which all my mates thought I would skipped it, and I earned it. The rest of the bros did theirs, and earned the applause from the crowd.
The more I stay in training, the more difficult it became, therefore getting the right nutrition, rest and taking care my body is part of an athlete's full responsibilities. It was not long before, we were put into real training, preparing for the next SUKMA 2004.
When school holiday 2003 started, it was all about training and performing. Few days later, we were introduced to our special trainer from GuangDong, China, and she will be training us for the next 6-7 months. There was no shortcut to success, we only tried and tried and trained hard to meet her standards.
There was one time, I was brought from school by our master straight to
attend a nutrition seminar which was compulsory for all athletes. There, they were in sport
attire, surprised to see me in my school uniform; white shirt, big logo
and blue skirt.
The surprise came was because we
always met in our training with sport attires, so it's rare that they
saw me in school uniform, skirt more precisely....
So, I was like,
' Oh shit, I should had change earlier! ',
The last 3 months was the hardest, realising how serious it was? The government even placed all the athletes from all sports to stay in one hotel for as long as I couldn't remember, we got to eat free meals and stay in hotel suite, that was actually a privilege for us and also for government to monitor and held gatherings easier. With immediate arrangement of two training session a day at Likas Sport Complex, 12pm to 2.30pm, and 4pm to 6.30pm.
That was the first time, we went to school together in our uniforms everyday, training, eat and study together. We were quite grateful that there were seminars to attend, meaning we could cancel or leave the training earlier of that day.
We felt fatigue everyday and time passed like a walking snail on our training, the hardest part was enduring the pain, as the training always ends after stamina training （体能）, without fail. Having period that time? Even worse...
When we beg to skip stamina training, we were given two choices :
1. the less tiring but longer time and
2. the extreme but the shorter time
both with 3 tiring sets for 30 second break each. That was a hell experience, some of us cried of pain. I could see lines forming around my belly, resembling 4 abs. Even my classmates saw me walking in school and they felt pity about me.
A week before, one of my teammates got a scratch on her forehead, I was absence on that training session and only knew when I returned after school. Didn't know that would happened to me a week later, I was the last member for the practice before final end of our long training, it was the last day, I probably felt excited that I play with enthusiasm but injured myself on the last day of training on my Nandao practice, I managed to finish the last part, before receiving first aid from the advisor.
It was fortunate that it only a scratch bleed near my left eye. That was the first time I close one eye on the left. and finally pack up home and next day was the flight day... Fear that my mother would notice, I wore a cap and sat on her left side when she treated me dinner nearby eatery.
Having active in 4 years, I matured faster and grew more thoughtful in result, I even earned the recognize figure in my school days, and criticism as well.
When I retire?
I became less and less active in association when I turned 17 / 18 for my SPM, UEC, and final examination. Tough year of concentrating studies that when my double life met its end.
