I was never athletic as a child. I guess I was because I was sickly as a child. I mean really sickly. We used to stock so much Calpol, it was like a pharmacy. I was taking antibiotics for my tonsils so much, by doctor pretty much started to ban me, lest I develop immunity. So, a pathetically thin kid was not going to be the first kid chosen in games.
To be fair, I was a pretty good runner. Not fast over long distance, but I could sprint pretty well. When I was very little, only one of my schoolmates could beat me. (Ah yes, Mulukumbala! I will beat you one day at a race. OK, we were 5 years old, but that guy could run.)
As I got older, I knew that there would be inevitable comparisons to my elder brother. Don’t get me wrong, I was always proud of his achievements. There is a reason why he is arguably the best goalkeeper Central Philippine University ever produced. Heck, they still talk about him fondly, even now. Not that I would ever admit to it. But with that came the unceasing pressure of everyone asking if I would follow in his footsteps. "So when are you joining the football team? " " What position did I play?" " When can you start? "
Are you serious? I was more chess team material. I love football, don't get me wrong. But I wasn't about to join just to pander to them. And let's be honest. I sucked at the game. Better to not tarnish the family name.
Perhaps it was fortunate that I left CPU to go to high school elsewhere. It was typical that I end up in the nerdiest of schools available. At least then I wouldn't have to worry about athletic achievement. But it was here that my love affair with a bouncing ball and rusty hoop began.
I had played basketball with my friends in my elementary days. There was a court next to the university church that we would frequent. It wasn't much, but it was far away that we could mess around even if we had no idea what we were doing.
But in high school it was different. First of all, I was taller than most my age. So it was assumed that I played basketball. I couldn't even dribble the ball properly. It was embarrassing. Especially amongst the guys. I was awkward. I jumped like a hippo. Couldn't see without my glasses and couldn't shoot the ball to save my life. Not exactly the second coming of Michael Jordan.
It would get worse. I got slotted with my best friend on a basketball team. He always was very good at the game. He also took the time to give me tips on how to improve. From positioning, dribbling, shooting to simply holding the ball. I probably learnt more from him than anyone else.
Unfortunately, I sucked. Badly. I blew passes. Missed shots. Couldn't defend anyone. I even tried to redeem myself by pulling off an ally- oop shot. That shot has gone down in infamy as one of the silliest exhibition shots ever. Thank God there was no You Tube back then. So much so I was crying after the game out of embarrassment. I had never been so humiliated.
Where could I go from there?
