Scalding Shower
We've been training at the Academy's other club called Tennis Mar for the past week. The place is run down, shabby, but has training courts which the coaches drill us on. Unsurprisingly, the facilities are just as old.
I was taking a shower in the ladies' changing room after practice this morning, when one of the other girls from the WTA group came into take a shower too. I took my usual cubicle, the one second furthest from the water point. The shower facilities are so old, there is only one hot and one cold water pipe from which all the shower heads work. When one takes a shower, one has to turn on the hot water faucet and the cold water faucet separately, and mix the temperatures manually for preference.
Well, this girl took the first cubicle point to the water pipes. It also happened to be the one furthest from visual view from mine. I thought nothing of it and continued my shower.
A few minutes into my shower, as I closed my eyes, enjoying the strong, gushing warm water spray on my back, the water turned into a SCALDING HOT spray. Even though my cold water faucet was turned on, there was no cold water coming from it, only hot gushing fiercely from the shower head. It took me a second to feel, then realise, as the heat shocked my skin and I slammed my body against the wall in an effort to dodge the boiling water. I staggered a little into a corner, felt the hot water painfully couching my naked arms and feet as I tried to reach through the spray to switch off the hot faucet.
I figured out what probably happened soon after.
This girl, knowing that she was in the first cubicle, turned on the cold faucet full blast, so that drained the pipe of all cold water coming towards my unit. And so, all the water I got, for those few seconds, only became scalding hot water. And that's how my back got burnt.
Thankfully, it's not that serious. It was burning painfully right after, but I ran it under cold water and now, after a full day, my skin is okay. Thank God. I'm past feeling sore, but still surprised at how vicious that was. She's the best player in the team, but has once remarked to me a few months back how I'm hitting the ball with so much power and pace, that "It's only a matter of time."
And it's strange too, because I seldom speak to her, preferring always to mind my own business. Part of me wants to believe this was just an honest mistake, that the showers have gotten really warm before. But they've never been scalding scalding hot.
For the reason I could have burnt my bare back major time, I really have my doubts.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Friday, July 22, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Player Balance
A great youtube video on balance to share:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZl7Iysd2pk&feature=mh_lolz&list=PL87E272025A70B2D4
And the following write up:
There are 3 primary components of good balance: Feet, hands, and head.
First, lets cover the feet. Players should move and set-up to hit in a lower playing height, rather than upright in their standing height. To find your playing height, bend your knees to the point that you can no longer see your shoelaces.
There are also 2 ways to be on balance with your feet: Static balance and dynamic balance. Static balance is being on balance and stable while hitting. To develop this basic skill, play mini tennis and hold a cup of water, trying not to spill a drop.
As players progress they often have dynamic balance, meaning that although they may be in the air while hitting, they still land on balance after the shot. This occurs due to the sheer velocity of the swing generated through the legs, body rotation and arm speed. Some examples of dynamic balance:
First, on short high balls, players will push off their front foot and land on their front foot.
Second, on wide and deep balls, players will often load on their outside foot and push off to land facing in the direction they will have to recover.
Third, on wide balls to the two-handed backhand, occurs when players have time to load on both legs. They push off explosively, rotating and landing on both feet, helping them to quickly face and recover in the right direction.
Finally, players today also often take an extra step forwards after contacting the ball. I call this the follow-through step. It happens naturally when players set up early and lean in towards their target. One of the hotly debated questions on this topic is whether or not to teach these various footwork patterns. My feeling is to observe the player over time and help them to evolve their own set of athletic skills.
The second balance issue deals with the non-racquet hand. Often overlooked, the left hand for a right-handed player plays a huge role. It may be to line up a forehand. Or, during the contact and release phases of the slice backhand, the non-racquet hand is an important part of overall good balance.
The third and final balance issue to discuss is the head. The concept of keeping your head as still as possible while hitting a tennis ball is quite simple. Try bobbing your head up and down the next time you are playing, and youll quickly understand. The more your head moves, the harder it is for your eyes to stay focused.
http://www.oncourtoffcourt.com
A great youtube video on balance to share:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZl7Iysd2pk&feature=mh_lolz&list=PL87E272025A70B2D4
And the following write up:
There are 3 primary components of good balance: Feet, hands, and head.
First, lets cover the feet. Players should move and set-up to hit in a lower playing height, rather than upright in their standing height. To find your playing height, bend your knees to the point that you can no longer see your shoelaces.
There are also 2 ways to be on balance with your feet: Static balance and dynamic balance. Static balance is being on balance and stable while hitting. To develop this basic skill, play mini tennis and hold a cup of water, trying not to spill a drop.
As players progress they often have dynamic balance, meaning that although they may be in the air while hitting, they still land on balance after the shot. This occurs due to the sheer velocity of the swing generated through the legs, body rotation and arm speed. Some examples of dynamic balance:
First, on short high balls, players will push off their front foot and land on their front foot.
Second, on wide and deep balls, players will often load on their outside foot and push off to land facing in the direction they will have to recover.
Third, on wide balls to the two-handed backhand, occurs when players have time to load on both legs. They push off explosively, rotating and landing on both feet, helping them to quickly face and recover in the right direction.
Finally, players today also often take an extra step forwards after contacting the ball. I call this the follow-through step. It happens naturally when players set up early and lean in towards their target. One of the hotly debated questions on this topic is whether or not to teach these various footwork patterns. My feeling is to observe the player over time and help them to evolve their own set of athletic skills.
The second balance issue deals with the non-racquet hand. Often overlooked, the left hand for a right-handed player plays a huge role. It may be to line up a forehand. Or, during the contact and release phases of the slice backhand, the non-racquet hand is an important part of overall good balance.
The third and final balance issue to discuss is the head. The concept of keeping your head as still as possible while hitting a tennis ball is quite simple. Try bobbing your head up and down the next time you are playing, and youll quickly understand. The more your head moves, the harder it is for your eyes to stay focused.
http://www.oncourtoffcourt.com
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
Fighting Spirits
Had a very, very tense day today.
Woke up late cos I was so tired. Rushed for work (feeding balls to small kids for two hours under the heat of 10-12noon sun), rushed for lunch, had a short nap that I didn't want to wake up from, went for my tournament match (played like a sloth but held it together well enough to win), headed back to the Academy. Had a little time to work on my drops against the wall, stretch a bit, then it was back to work doing summer programme with the kids. Was tired and assaulted often by too many thoughts and requests for more, better work. It was frustrating, because there is only so much I can give. Came back at 10pm to the Bungalows to do check-in with the kids, and just when I thought everything had settled down, someone comes knocking on my door, telling me to check on girls crawling out of their windows into other boys bungalows.
It's midnight now. I have a difficult match tomorrow. Sometimes I do wonder if it's just better to keep it all inside. Don't talk so much about it. Silent suffering seems so much better. That's probably the reason why I don't puncture the air here that much, or that often. Simply because I don't like that style. Throughout my life, talking about difficulty has always been akin in my books to complaining. And I don't like complaining.
I believe in the bigger sum of things, God is slowly teaching me not only to be more resilient, but to lean on His word as the absolute truth in my life. Namely, 1Cor10:13:
13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
When the going gets tough, in my frustration I sometimes ask God "Where are You in all of this?"
I don't mean to be a pessimist, but sometimes it really is. Difficult. It's so difficult I tear on bus rides, thinking about how much I miss my family. I feel the strain between my shoulders and back from tired muscles and a lack of proper, holistic physio care. I feel the strain and (literal) hardening of my heart, experiencing vicious office politics in a difficult work environment.
I feel frustrated that no one seems to care.
But no, Sarah.
There comes His voice again.
"I care."
And do I believe it?
Do I really believe that Your grace is enough to tide me through my fears and insecurities and doubts over... well, everything? How I don't have enough money for more physio, or how I don't have the means to get better care or living over and above the rats crawling above my bungalow unit. How my mattress is so bad, it probably perpetuates the bad backache that's slowing down my play. How because I don't pay but play a full barter of work for training with the Academy, at a whim, they can take away 50% of my training for the next two weeks, simply because they don't have enough coaches to feed balls to little summer children. Yes, just as I'm five weeks away to coming home and in the thick of preparing to play the Singapore Open, they take away 50% of my training, and 2 of the 4 hard court tournaments I was planning to play in prep for the SG Open. I was so upset when that happened, I was close to tears.
Do I really believe, with all this, that You are still here. That You are still in control? That Your grace is more than sufficient? That you will work all things together for my good.?
To be honest, it takes a lot of guts to let go and say "You know what, Lord? My feelings don't matter. You'll make that way for me." Like Gideon, I don't see it, but I see You.
And that, is more than enough.
Had a very, very tense day today.
Woke up late cos I was so tired. Rushed for work (feeding balls to small kids for two hours under the heat of 10-12noon sun), rushed for lunch, had a short nap that I didn't want to wake up from, went for my tournament match (played like a sloth but held it together well enough to win), headed back to the Academy. Had a little time to work on my drops against the wall, stretch a bit, then it was back to work doing summer programme with the kids. Was tired and assaulted often by too many thoughts and requests for more, better work. It was frustrating, because there is only so much I can give. Came back at 10pm to the Bungalows to do check-in with the kids, and just when I thought everything had settled down, someone comes knocking on my door, telling me to check on girls crawling out of their windows into other boys bungalows.
It's midnight now. I have a difficult match tomorrow. Sometimes I do wonder if it's just better to keep it all inside. Don't talk so much about it. Silent suffering seems so much better. That's probably the reason why I don't puncture the air here that much, or that often. Simply because I don't like that style. Throughout my life, talking about difficulty has always been akin in my books to complaining. And I don't like complaining.
I believe in the bigger sum of things, God is slowly teaching me not only to be more resilient, but to lean on His word as the absolute truth in my life. Namely, 1Cor10:13:
When the going gets tough, in my frustration I sometimes ask God "Where are You in all of this?"
I don't mean to be a pessimist, but sometimes it really is. Difficult. It's so difficult I tear on bus rides, thinking about how much I miss my family. I feel the strain between my shoulders and back from tired muscles and a lack of proper, holistic physio care. I feel the strain and (literal) hardening of my heart, experiencing vicious office politics in a difficult work environment.
I feel frustrated that no one seems to care.
But no, Sarah.
There comes His voice again.
"I care."
And do I believe it?
Do I really believe that Your grace is enough to tide me through my fears and insecurities and doubts over... well, everything? How I don't have enough money for more physio, or how I don't have the means to get better care or living over and above the rats crawling above my bungalow unit. How my mattress is so bad, it probably perpetuates the bad backache that's slowing down my play. How because I don't pay but play a full barter of work for training with the Academy, at a whim, they can take away 50% of my training for the next two weeks, simply because they don't have enough coaches to feed balls to little summer children. Yes, just as I'm five weeks away to coming home and in the thick of preparing to play the Singapore Open, they take away 50% of my training, and 2 of the 4 hard court tournaments I was planning to play in prep for the SG Open. I was so upset when that happened, I was close to tears.
Do I really believe, with all this, that You are still here. That You are still in control? That Your grace is more than sufficient? That you will work all things together for my good.?
To be honest, it takes a lot of guts to let go and say "You know what, Lord? My feelings don't matter. You'll make that way for me." Like Gideon, I don't see it, but I see You.
And that, is more than enough.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Sunday, July 3, 2011
One after the other.
I have one week more to train and I have fallen sick.
As I type, a fever is wrecking my brain and a cough is hacking at my chest.
Phlegme is a greenish yellow, started feeling the oncomings of this last weekend. It has manifested and I´ve just come back from the doctors. A week´s worth of cough meds, 3 days antibiotic course, and lots of ibuprufeno (paracetamol equivalent here in Spain).
I feel cold all over.
I have one week more to train and I have fallen sick.
As I type, a fever is wrecking my brain and a cough is hacking at my chest.
Phlegme is a greenish yellow, started feeling the oncomings of this last weekend. It has manifested and I´ve just come back from the doctors. A week´s worth of cough meds, 3 days antibiotic course, and lots of ibuprufeno (paracetamol equivalent here in Spain).
I feel cold all over.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
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