WE have a lot of traditions that we follow concerning the new year, ones that have merchants and traders of round-shaped fruits laughing all the way to the bank. It’s supposed to usher in good fortune for the new year.
For 2018, here’s my sports palihi.
Smile some more. This is for grumpy sports officials who seemingly get no joy getting assigned in sports meets and begrudgingly go about their jobs. You see them mostly in DepEd-rganized meets and you can easily spot the ones who love being there from those who were assigned there. They smile a lot. So come midnight, start smiling.
Enjoy the game. This is for those who see winning as the end-all in sports competitions. They sometimes cut corners or think the winning team cut corners. They’d love to argue over the minutest of details and would demand NBA-level officiating in their games (while their own coaching sucks). Learn to enjoy the game. Appreciate the fireworks, don’t go out and aim to have the best fireworks show in the whole world.
The nightmare parent. Every sport, it seems, has one. They live their frustrations as athletes through their kids’ careers, pestering coaches to give them a starting spots or ample minutes, to the detriment of the team’s progress. They are sometimes demeaning too, to other coaches and parents and their conduct doesn’t bode well for the team.
Take a backseat. Let your kid enjoy being a kid for once. There’s a reason we’re celebrating 2018, not the year when you were 18; your time is over, it’s your kids’ time to shine so let them.
And lastly, to the athletes who forgot to study. Every year, we see lots of athletes whose performance in the classroom is a stark contrast to that of the field. There are gifted athletes, for sure, but there are those too who think they can shoot their way out of an F. The real world won’t be as forgiving, so at the stroke of midnight, do the dishes. Don’t just enjoy the party and drink yourself senseless, do the dishes, arrange the table and take out the garbage. Do the “nitty gritty” that will make you a better person.
Happy new year!