If you are keen and have queries, please contact Coach Rameshon at 9100 4369 or you can email him at m.rameshon@gmail.com or swift.rameshon@gmail.com. Please refer to website http://flexifitness.com.sg (for more information on him and his programmes)
By Rameshon
Bsc (Hons) Degree in Physical Education, Loughborough University (1992-1994)
Masters in Education (University of Western Australia, 2005-2008)
Broadrick Secondary Story
A story of zero to hero
Broadrick Secondary School came in 6th position in the National Schools' Cross Country Championships 2010. We must take note that Broadrick Sec Sch is not an autonomous or independent school but a mainstream school. It is also a mixed school, unlike the winning schools having only one gender and a large population to work with. Broadrick Sec Sch was, all along, not known for many years as a successful cross country team. This year, however, Broadrick Sec Sch, has catapult its way up on the ladder of success by coming in top 6 in the Under 14 Boys team. Having said that, now let us look at the success story by interviewing the Principal, Teacher in-charge cum Coach and the Team Captain of the school.
Note:
If you are keen and have queries, please contact Coach Rameshon at 9100 4369 or you can email him at m.rameshon@gmail.com or swift.rameshon@gmail.com. Please refer to website http://flexifitness.com.sg (for more information on him and his programmes)
By Rameshon
Bsc (Hons) Degree in Physical Education, Loughborough University (1992-1994)
Masters in Education (University of Western Australia, 2005-2008)
An interview with Mr Phua Huat Chuan (Principal of Broadrick Sec Sch)
1) What prompted you to decide to establish cross-country as a CCA in Broadrick Secondary School, a mainstream school?
We have a track and field team for quite some time. As part of our overall effort to narrow our focus and bring up the quality of the CCA, we decided to focus on middle distance and hence the establishment of cross country. We also believe that cross country is a good platform to inculcate determination, develop physical fitness and instill discipline.
2) What other CCAs are doing very well in your school?
We are also making some headway, at national school level, in air rifle shooting and TKD. Again, we see these as excellent platforms for developing character.
3) What is your feeling on the results attained by Broadrick's cross country team?
I am delighted with the determination and quiet esprit de corps shown by the team. They motivate me to support the cross country team as a platform for character development.
An interview with the dynamic Teacher in-charge and Coach Norshida Ibrahim
Are you a Physical Education teacher?
No. Art and English teacher. I am however passionate about distance running. Therefore, my knowledge on running stems from my own experience as well as from the many books and journals I have read.
Who was coaching your school in getting this kind of excellent result?
I am both the coach and the teacher in-charge. There was no one to assist me with coaching. I worked very hard and made a lot of sacrifices for the CCA.
What was the feeling that you, your team, and the school had on winning the top 6 spot?
My team and I were initially shocked. It was unbelievable. We were expecting a fairly good result but nowhere near being in the top 6. The sudden jump from 24th place last year was unexpected. The team was overjoyed. We made history in Broadrick by coming in 6th position. Our Principal announced the results immediately the next day to honour the students.
Were you expecting this result?
No. I knew we were going to be in the top 20 for the first time. In fact I was expecting 15th position. We are a young team, as we were only formed in 2009. I was hoping to break into the top 10 in another 2 yrs time, not now.
Do you have any regrets?
No. My main group of athletes worked very hard. On hindsight, I believe we could have reduced our team points further if the 3rd and 4th runner had done their foundation training earlier on. A great majority of my runners were affected by the fasting month and the end-of-year examinations which took place right after that. I started my base build-up with many missing members.
Who has inspired you in your life to achieve this kind of results?
I am a believer of the Lydiard system and a great admirer of the man himself. His idea of doing quantity first before getting the quality in makes a lot of sense to me. An athlete will be more conditioned to accept tough training over time using this concept.
As an avid runner myself, Haile Gebressellasie, the current world marathon record holder and the gentleman of distance running is another inspiration for me.
I am also very fortunate and happy to have a supportive husband. He is a sports science major and a lecturer at Republic Polytechnic. He is always passing me many interesting journals on running for me to read and expand my knowledge.
Last but not least, as a team, we are lucky to have a very supportive Principal, Mr Phua Huat Chuan. The financial support we received from the school made possible many trips to training grounds far away from school. We are also able to subsidize racing shoes for our competitors and training shoes for runners who cannot afford it. It made a tremendous difference.
Any strategies to achieve the result?
This is rather difficult for me to explain. My focus has never been on results but on instilling the joy of running. I also see distance running as an opportunity for character building in my school. In fact that is the other focus in my CCA. Our students are unique and challenging. They lack discipline and mental focus. Results should not even come into the picture when you have poor characters to deal with. Sebastion Coe once said that if a coach has to spend most of his time worrying about whether a runner is going to turn up for training or not, it is not going to work. He should move on to runners who already have this worked out. Unfortunately, I don’t have that luxury. I have to work with what I am given and my group of students, as bad as they come, is it. I could not even begin to count the number of sleepless nights I had worrying and thinking about the problems posed by the students in the team. Having said that, when I see students turning over a new leaf as a result of the values I try to impart in the CCA, I feel that all my sacrifices are worth it. Every one of my runners know that with me, its character and hard work first, talent and results second. I consider the CCA as having succeeded if years from now, my current batch of runners are still out there running. My Principal, Mr Phua, is very supportive of the CCA's goals. Any performance based results that we achieve at present is a huge bonus.
How is the motivational level of your team, currently?
Rather high right now. From this year's excellent results, my runners realised that they can be somebody one day as long as they are willing to put in the hard work.
Who is your fastest runner?
Lee Cheng Ang, he came in 11th position and got a medal. Cheng Ang typifies the kind of students I get joining my CCA. He is not talented and was not a runner in primary school. He had an atrocious running form when he first started out with me. He has clearly grown over the one year plus period as a runner. I had a lump in my throat when I watched him sprint the final 100 metres stretch at the Nationals.
Can you name me the other runners in your team?
Muhd Arif
Muhd Muhaimin
Nikko Khong
Muhd Hadi
Alaster Ong
Your team comprises of how many runners as a CCA club?
When I took over in 2009, the CCA had 3 regular cross-country runners. Right now, I have about 52. I generally don't say no to anyone who wants to join the CCA even if they are not good in running. I do however, make it clear to those interested that running is not everybody’s cup of tea.
I don’t get a lot of students signing up for cross-country from the secondary one cohort. Most tend to join my CCA later on through word of mouth. I had two secondary two boys late last year from another CCA. Both came with busted knees and are overweight. I had to put them through rehabilitation and the run-jog programme.
Different students joined me for different reasons. Some joined me for the purpose of weight loss, others, because of friends. As long as they are willing to commit, they are in.
The non-competitors go through training 3 times a week while the competitive runners train 4 times a week. I try my best to ensure that both groups are given programmes suited to their level and ability.
An interview with Yeo Jin Xu (Team Captain)
1. What is the reaction of the team in the past and now to x-country as a CCA?
It used to be that people join the former Track and Field because every student is required to choose one CCA. There was no real commitment and no real passion for running. Now things are different. We have a purpose and running is our passion. More importantly, cross-country is not just a CCA. We are one big family. Everyone is supportive of one another and there is a lot of care and concern going around. We are taught that a team would not be strong if its members are selfish and self-serving. We are also taught that when we compete, we don't just run for ourselves but for each other. In that sense, we are willing to sacrifice and 'die' for another.
2 What are the reasons, if any, for your team to do well?
In my opinion, we did well because of three reasons. First, we have a teacher-coach who is willing to push us and make sacrifices for us. Second, we have a team who is willing to put in the hard work and willing to 'die' for one another. Third, the school is behind us 100 percent.
3. What is the next target you and your team would like to achieve?
Since the success of our C boys team, we know that being in the top rung is not impossible. Everyone must of course be willing to train hard, in fact, harder than before. As the saying goes: no pain, no gain. We have yet to sit down together as a team to set our goals for next year, so I cannot comment much but I am sure that the team as a whole would like to try to maintain the success we achieved this year.
Author : We wish all the success to Broadrick in its future endeavour.
Note:
By Narayanan
Rameshon has taught in Hwa Chong Institution, plus several schools, and Republic Polytechnic as well. He has won many accolades and he was awarded Merit Award for 1991 marathon performance in breaking the national record of Singapore, at that time. He has made 22 male athletes to do marathon in sub-3hrs. He has made 7 female runners to do sub-4 hours for marathon, as well. He was inducted to the ‘Roll of Honour’ by the then College of Physical Education, organised by Singapore Olympic Academy, in 1998, for breaking the National record repeatedly 4 times, till he did 2hr 24min 22sec).
He also has a Coaching group and he trains them on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7pm at Botanic Gardens. Those interested can call him at 91004369 for coaching assistance, to improve performance. There is also personal training that he does for many in a week. You can e-mail him at swift.rameshon@gmail.com.
