Monday, December 16, 2013

The Men and Women of the +PMC Dragon Boat Team
This is about the new Philippine Marine Dragon Boat Team and how they performed during the recently concluded dragon boat race in +Batangas, which by the way is a very nice place. There are two conflicting theories that I was contemplating on before the Philippine Marine Dragon Boat team joined the competition.

They should win and they should not win.

Now my view on this of course since they are a new team is to motivate them to win. What I would always say is that, if you are playing not to win, then why play at all? I mean one can “not win” just by watching! So why in the world would you have to waste your time under the scorching sun if
you have no intention of winning anyways right? Am I making sense here?

the Adam
My other take on this was, well, if they win the first time they try, then, they will not crave for it anymore the next time. You know ego and stuff.

the Eve...yes..EVE
Well since I am the writer here, I am sure you have to agree that both made perfect sense, or else!

We can argue for days, even months on our respective positions on the matter and each of us will claim victory I am sure of that.

Here is how they did both. A classic paradox, bitter sweet situation. They actually won when they lost.

First, the Philippine Marine Paddlers, well, almost made it on top really. Trust me; the last event was really heart breaking. It was kind of like the movie brave heart, when finally, things looked so promising, and then another thing came into play that ruined it all. Oh man, that was the only movie that gave me a heavy heart even as I was going out of the movie house.

Enough about William Wallace, let’s get back to paddlers.

I actually went home with them on the bus because I wanted to observe their behavior after their first ever and somewhat disappointing event they participated on after being organized. I wanted to see frustration on their faces, just so I could prove one of my theories right or wrong.

I saw fatigue, perhaps hunger, and a lot of horseplay. Frustration? Nada! These Jar Heads as their US counter parts would call themselves, shrugged it off just like that!

The paddlers are more motivated than ever that, days after the Batangas incident, they already told me that they will be joining three more competitions in the next three to four months!
Batangas: Day of the Race (picture from Sports Unlimited)

Batangas: Day of the Race (picture from Sports Unlimited)
I am not an expert with the history of the +Samurai but, from what I know, the Samurai does not have the word “NO” in their vocabulary, so when their lord will tell them to do things, they do not have the concept of whether or not it is difficult or easy or if it is even possible. They will say yes and do it, or die trying.

The Philippine Marine Dragon Boat Team is somewhat like that, a modern day samurai, following the code of bushido. A lot of people said, it cannot be done, there is no more time to do it, you do not have the resources for it. But, when they were told to form a formidable dragon boat team, the word “NO” did not exist; they came up with a formidable dragon boat team just as they were told to do so.

Now here is why the other theory is right.

Now don’t get me wrong, they actually didn’t win like I said. I will not say that, on the replay on the television, they won. The farthest they got, was to reach the finals in all categories they participated in. The results are actually posted on +DragonBoat.PH 

The reason why I know they won, first, they all had fun during the competition. All of them had the chance to show what they got and do what they were trained for. Deep inside every one of them is a satisfied feeling that, as an individual, they have helped the entire team reach the finals and there is no doubt that they did and as a team, the feeling that they were at par if not better than the seasoned teams who joined. when you are having fun, well, you are better off than those who actually won but never had fun doing it!

morning routine exercise
morning routine exercise
The second reason has something to do with the number of hours, or days they put on to come up with the team itself. I mean, do the math; these guys are on active duty so they can only put on a few hours each day for practice. Let’s say they spend at least three hours a day five days a week of practice, which makes it fifteen hours per week. Four weeks in a month will make it, wait, too much number; it’s making me dizzy, sixty hours of
practice if I am not mistaken. And let us say they have been fortunate enough to have faithfully completed two months of practice that would make it, one hundred and twenty hours of practice.

A hundred and twenty hours, granting that my math is accurate competed against teams who have been teams for years and they reached the finals and almost won one event if not for that unfortunate thing that happened. That alone, makes them the winner!

Let’s face it, given enough time; this team will make the other paddlers eat their dust! Oh wait, yeah, they are on water! If they all reached the finals with only 120 hours of practice, on God knows what they can accomplish given the time and the resources.

morning routine exercise
Surely the Philippine Marine Dragon Boat Team is a force to reckon with.






P.s.

This team needs a lot more exposure they need all the help they can get from all of us. If you have an idea or the means to that idea, you are most welcome to contact any of the members of the team.

You think you have what it takes to be a paddler? Be trained by the Few Good Men of the Philippine Marines Corps. Dragon Boat Team! find out how on my next blog!

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