Stay tuned next week for part 2!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Lactic(k) Acid: Your New Best Friend
I skim The Straits Times occasionally. I want to keep this board updated and interesting for passer-bys (yes you!). And every once in awhile an article or commentary like Rohit’s “Tour de Suffering” inspires me to think; to pen my thoughts (in this case type); to share with you what’s going on. Dear TJC friends, today I would like to acquaint you to your new best friend. No it’s not Mr Francis Tong, neither is it Mr (OM) Chang… It is Lactate, or more commonly known as Lactic Acid. I think that the more we know about something, the better we understand it, and the more we will know why we do what we do, and how we can do whatever we’re doing even better.
Most of us have experienced that burning sensation in our limbs from doing squats during Mr Lee’s mass PE class; from my “S” paper gallery stair climbing; from the last round in your NAPFA 2.4km run (OMG… tell me about it!); to your PDP trainings, where you feel like if you go on another minute you’re going to die, and you can’t wait for the suffering to end. That burning sensation… is Lactic Acid at work!
But what exactly is Lactic Acid?
When we exercise, a metabolic reaction called glycolysis breaks down sugar into different chemicals, to produce energy for muscles to do work (eg. Lifting a weight, or throwing a ball, or running a little faster than normal). This reaction releases lactate into the blood and muscles. As long as your muscles get all the oxygen they need to perform that particular exercise/activity, the lactate produced reacts with the oxygen present to form the final products of carbon dioxide and water (which is passed out as perspiration and exhaled air). Bottom line is… NO burning sensation!
But if we exercise so vigorously that our muscles can't get the oxygen that is needed to perform the exercise/activity at the desired intensity and work load, the lactate produced reacts with hydrogen ions in the muscle to form a chemical called lactic acid, which accumulates in our muscles and spill into our bloodstream. This is our good friend (Lactic Acid) causing the burning “pain” in our limps when we exercise and push ourselves hard.
Our good friend causes muscles to hurt and makes us feel tired. We breathe hard and fast and slow down in our exercise/activity to catch up with our oxygen debt, therefore helping us to convert lactic acid into carbon dioxide and water that are released as we breathe. The faster and harder breathing causes blood levels of lactic acid to lower and therefore our muscles stop “burning”. This is the exact reason why we (PE Teachers) tell you to walk around and not sit down after your runs!
Best Friend or Foe?
So why good friend, or good thing, when Lactic Acid causes pain? Because… it shows that our muscles are working hard and that our body is finding ways to create energy and therefore ensuring that we can keep doing the exercise/activity that we are doing. It is also an indication of how fit and conditioned we are (ie. The fitter we are, the longer we can sustain the same vigorous exercise/activity before feeling the Lactic Acid). By acquainting ourselves to Lactic Acid, and learning how he (maybe it’s a ‘she’?) ticks, we will be effectively ‘teaching’ our muscles to handle him/her better. The ‘burning pain’ and suffering will become more bearable, and a thing of the past!
Mr Alex Loh
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Man of the Match: Paolo Di Canio
Picture source: http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/2008/12/01/cristiano-ronaldo-and-the-top-10-classic-handballs-115875-20939209/In the early years of his playing career in England, Paolo Di Canio was an Italian footballer respected for his silky ball skills but chastised for his volatile character. In 1998, he pushed the referee to the ground after being sent off during an English Premiership match.
Two years after that infamous incident, the zero was to turn hero. Di Canio gave up a goal scoring opportunity and caught the ball from a cross instead as the opposition goalkeeper was lying injured on the ground after he twisted his knee attempting a clearance on the edge of the box. He was awarded the FIFA Fair Play Award for that special act of good sportsmanship.
Awesome Youth Games (AYG)
The inaugural Asian Youth Games (AYG2009) has come to a close. Temasek Junior College had the privilege to have 3 teachers and 18 students involved as reporters, production assistances, and liason officers.. and this site is specially dedicated to our awesome shared experiences. With this, we hope to bring you closer to the action; closer to the AYG2009; and closer to the Singapore2010 Youth Olympic Games in 14th August 2010. Read on to discover the trills and spills as your friends braved sun and rain… to bring you the action from the Thai double whammy at the Sentosa Siloso Beach, to the record smashing events at the spectator-packed Singapore Sports School swimming pool.
Asian Youth Games: Mr Alex Loh
Who: Alex Loh
Role: Liason Officer for Mr M.C Chowhan - the Chef de Mission of India
“If there’s one thing that I gained from the AYG, it is that one has to take pride in our roles and responsibilities… because when we do that, going that extra mile becomes miraculously easier to accomplish. And at the end of it all, the journey culminates into an indescribable feeling of satisfaction and achievement.”
Having traveled for a good 7 years with the Singapore Water Polo Team as a player from 1996 to 2002, and having made life difficult for many an LO (Liason Officer), I thought it be interesting to be on the receiving end of the bargain for once… and therefore volunteered for the position.
Despite the transport woes and accommodation glitches publicized in the local dailies, the AYG2009 has left an indelible impression on me - as a liason officer, as a coach, as an educator, and as a Singaporean.
As the CDM LO of India, I was given the responsibility to plan Mr Chowhan’s daily routine and to make sure that he was ferried punctually from competition venue to the hotel for meetings, and from shopping centres (Mr Chowhan had a knack for sniffing out good bargains for polo tee-shirts, which he promptly bought for his 3 son-in-laws, and dozens of staff back home) to little India, where we would end the day at Ananda Bhavand (a North Indian vegetarian restaurant that became our daily dinner hang out).
In thirteen days, I realized that:
1. Singaporeans at the youth level CAN (and will) compete with our Asian counterparts on equal ground - be it in athletics, swimming or bowling.
2. And more importantly, with the crowds cheering at competition venues… that Singaporeans do care, and are not apathetic to our fellow country boys and girls competing for the Nation.
3. I am proud to be a Singaporean. I know it because every time Majulah Singapura is played, I sing with my head held high, knowing that Singapore is a force to be reckoned with, and that WE, managed to pull off the first ever Asian Youth Games, where we’ve set the bar very high for the 2010YOG, and also for the country that will host the 2nd AYG.
4. First impression does count a great deal. I managed to make that, but also experienced how others who did not make their impressions count did not have as good a time as myself.
My little expectation of my role as LO to the 69-large Indian contingent, has helped me embrace and understand the importance of good service, and left me a more patient, better person. I am thankful for being given the opportunity to serve the College, and to serve my Nation.
Come this September or November, I look forward to meeting my new found friends in Delhi, when I set foot on the beautiful sands of a continent once populated by Maharajahs and Kings of the past.
Role: Liason Officer for Mr M.C Chowhan - the Chef de Mission of India
“If there’s one thing that I gained from the AYG, it is that one has to take pride in our roles and responsibilities… because when we do that, going that extra mile becomes miraculously easier to accomplish. And at the end of it all, the journey culminates into an indescribable feeling of satisfaction and achievement.”
Having traveled for a good 7 years with the Singapore Water Polo Team as a player from 1996 to 2002, and having made life difficult for many an LO (Liason Officer), I thought it be interesting to be on the receiving end of the bargain for once… and therefore volunteered for the position.
Despite the transport woes and accommodation glitches publicized in the local dailies, the AYG2009 has left an indelible impression on me - as a liason officer, as a coach, as an educator, and as a Singaporean.
As the CDM LO of India, I was given the responsibility to plan Mr Chowhan’s daily routine and to make sure that he was ferried punctually from competition venue to the hotel for meetings, and from shopping centres (Mr Chowhan had a knack for sniffing out good bargains for polo tee-shirts, which he promptly bought for his 3 son-in-laws, and dozens of staff back home) to little India, where we would end the day at Ananda Bhavand (a North Indian vegetarian restaurant that became our daily dinner hang out).
In thirteen days, I realized that:
1. Singaporeans at the youth level CAN (and will) compete with our Asian counterparts on equal ground - be it in athletics, swimming or bowling.
2. And more importantly, with the crowds cheering at competition venues… that Singaporeans do care, and are not apathetic to our fellow country boys and girls competing for the Nation.
3. I am proud to be a Singaporean. I know it because every time Majulah Singapura is played, I sing with my head held high, knowing that Singapore is a force to be reckoned with, and that WE, managed to pull off the first ever Asian Youth Games, where we’ve set the bar very high for the 2010YOG, and also for the country that will host the 2nd AYG.
4. First impression does count a great deal. I managed to make that, but also experienced how others who did not make their impressions count did not have as good a time as myself.
My little expectation of my role as LO to the 69-large Indian contingent, has helped me embrace and understand the importance of good service, and left me a more patient, better person. I am thankful for being given the opportunity to serve the College, and to serve my Nation.
Come this September or November, I look forward to meeting my new found friends in Delhi, when I set foot on the beautiful sands of a continent once populated by Maharajahs and Kings of the past.
Asian Youth Games: Jamie Lim
Name: Jamie Lim
CG: 13/09
Sports Covered: Athletics, Swimming and Beach Volleyball
Venue: Bishan Stadium, Singapore Sports School and Sentosa Siloso Beach
I was a reporter for the official Asian Youth Games website, in which I had to watch events, interview athletes and write articles for the website. The whole experience has been extremely enriching. It was definitely an eye-opener for me and I enjoyed every single moment of it. Although the games only lasted for one and a half weeks, it was a roller coaster ride from the beginning to the end.
From the start of the June holidays, the reporters and I had gruesome articles to write, so as to prepare us for the actual games. One thing I learnt immediately was that writing an article is actually not as easy as it seems. The research alone was extremely tiring. We were required to source for our own topics, get our own quotes and read up on facts that we were not sure of. As a reporter, we had to sound like we knew everything there were about the topic, even when the given information was minimal. It was also extremely important that we do not misunderstand anything, which will greatly affect our credibility as a reporter. Next comes the planning on presentation. In an article, the most important or interesting information would always comes first. The following paragraphs should be sufficient to keep the reader’s interest before ending with a short summary. The paragraphs too should be kept short (only 2-3 lines)! With such limitations, it was a challenge to write with your own style and angle for a particular story. However, with the help of my liaison, Mic, I manage to grasp the concept of article writing in time for the AYG.
Being a part of this event also allowed us (reporters) to attend the organising committee’s meetings. Through these meetings, I got to experience how it was like to organise a large-scale event. I got to observe how heads discuss their ideas and how they evaluate their plan to ensure everything will be smooth sailing. This was an eye-opener for me and I believe that this experience will help me in the future when I am required in any sort of large-scale planning.
Once the games started, I felt as if I was sucked into the whole event. My days were packed with reports as well as research and catching up with the current happenings for the AYG. For most days, I had to travel down to Bishan Stadium, where the athletic events were held.
At Bishan Stadium, I joined a small group of photographers and reporters who were also helping out for the official website. I had to work closely with most of them, especially the photographers to get my photos for my articles. Many of them were older than me, some from polytechnics and others from universities. Hence, working with them was a great experience. I learnt a lot about writing, taking photos as well as their personal experience in such fields. Through the whole event, we fostered a great friendship with each other and that is something I cherish the most.
While writing the articles for the events, the reporters were required to interview the athletes. That was an area in which I faced the most difficulty. One problem was due to the language barrier. Only a few athletes could speak fluent English. There were many who did not understand the language or could express themselves well. There was also another problem with getting the athlete’s attention as there were many other reporters from different media sources present. Hence the media zone was rather packed. It was difficult to pose questions to the athlete with so many others fighting for his attention. I was also at first quite shy in fighting for an interview these athletes. However, I definitely learnt and grew from this experience. Firstly, I gained more confidence in myself and managed to speak out and ensure an interview with the athletes. I too learnt on how to work together with others reporters to share the information we gathered. Lastly, I also learnt the importance of Chinese and am more determined to master it to my advantage.
I also manage to mingle with some of the athletes after duty. It was a really interesting experience and I found them really polite and friendly. I was really glad to have taken photos with them too!
I also helped out in other sports event such as swimming and volleyball. The management at each venue were slightly different due to the nature of the sport, thus I feel working there was enriching and it gave me a better understanding of the individual sports. I too manage to make more friends with other reporters and athletes!
All in all, I totally enjoyed myself and I treasure every moment spent during this AYG. This is a once in a life time experience and I am so glad that I got the opportunity to help out. The lessons learnt are extremely applicable to me life now and I am sure that this experience has changed me as a person. I now understand much more about reporting, organising events as well as the different sporting events. I truly treasure the friendships I have shared with many others during this journey.
CG: 13/09
Sports Covered: Athletics, Swimming and Beach Volleyball
Venue: Bishan Stadium, Singapore Sports School and Sentosa Siloso Beach
I was a reporter for the official Asian Youth Games website, in which I had to watch events, interview athletes and write articles for the website. The whole experience has been extremely enriching. It was definitely an eye-opener for me and I enjoyed every single moment of it. Although the games only lasted for one and a half weeks, it was a roller coaster ride from the beginning to the end.
From the start of the June holidays, the reporters and I had gruesome articles to write, so as to prepare us for the actual games. One thing I learnt immediately was that writing an article is actually not as easy as it seems. The research alone was extremely tiring. We were required to source for our own topics, get our own quotes and read up on facts that we were not sure of. As a reporter, we had to sound like we knew everything there were about the topic, even when the given information was minimal. It was also extremely important that we do not misunderstand anything, which will greatly affect our credibility as a reporter. Next comes the planning on presentation. In an article, the most important or interesting information would always comes first. The following paragraphs should be sufficient to keep the reader’s interest before ending with a short summary. The paragraphs too should be kept short (only 2-3 lines)! With such limitations, it was a challenge to write with your own style and angle for a particular story. However, with the help of my liaison, Mic, I manage to grasp the concept of article writing in time for the AYG.
Being a part of this event also allowed us (reporters) to attend the organising committee’s meetings. Through these meetings, I got to experience how it was like to organise a large-scale event. I got to observe how heads discuss their ideas and how they evaluate their plan to ensure everything will be smooth sailing. This was an eye-opener for me and I believe that this experience will help me in the future when I am required in any sort of large-scale planning.
Once the games started, I felt as if I was sucked into the whole event. My days were packed with reports as well as research and catching up with the current happenings for the AYG. For most days, I had to travel down to Bishan Stadium, where the athletic events were held.
At Bishan Stadium, I joined a small group of photographers and reporters who were also helping out for the official website. I had to work closely with most of them, especially the photographers to get my photos for my articles. Many of them were older than me, some from polytechnics and others from universities. Hence, working with them was a great experience. I learnt a lot about writing, taking photos as well as their personal experience in such fields. Through the whole event, we fostered a great friendship with each other and that is something I cherish the most.
While writing the articles for the events, the reporters were required to interview the athletes. That was an area in which I faced the most difficulty. One problem was due to the language barrier. Only a few athletes could speak fluent English. There were many who did not understand the language or could express themselves well. There was also another problem with getting the athlete’s attention as there were many other reporters from different media sources present. Hence the media zone was rather packed. It was difficult to pose questions to the athlete with so many others fighting for his attention. I was also at first quite shy in fighting for an interview these athletes. However, I definitely learnt and grew from this experience. Firstly, I gained more confidence in myself and managed to speak out and ensure an interview with the athletes. I too learnt on how to work together with others reporters to share the information we gathered. Lastly, I also learnt the importance of Chinese and am more determined to master it to my advantage.
I also manage to mingle with some of the athletes after duty. It was a really interesting experience and I found them really polite and friendly. I was really glad to have taken photos with them too!
I also helped out in other sports event such as swimming and volleyball. The management at each venue were slightly different due to the nature of the sport, thus I feel working there was enriching and it gave me a better understanding of the individual sports. I too manage to make more friends with other reporters and athletes!
All in all, I totally enjoyed myself and I treasure every moment spent during this AYG. This is a once in a life time experience and I am so glad that I got the opportunity to help out. The lessons learnt are extremely applicable to me life now and I am sure that this experience has changed me as a person. I now understand much more about reporting, organising events as well as the different sporting events. I truly treasure the friendships I have shared with many others during this journey.
Asian Youth Games: Pratika Yashaswi
Name: Pratika Yashaswi
CG: 2B/08
In AYG, I had novel experiences that were truly memories for life. I have never fathomed just how much work and planning went into events like this and every moment that I was involved in the AYG, I had the opportunity to stop, think and revel. I was so proud to be contributing to such a large scale event as AYG was really overwhelming and the fact that I'd finally get to try a hand at reporting was part of the charm.
I will never forget the exhilaration that I felt as I stood and watched the assembly of over 40 countries at the opening ceremony, many of which I considered exotic. I was exposed to the variety of cultures that they represented, and learnt more about them. Whether it was the thrill of watching international sports, or whether it was meeting people, being there and seeing it for real was so different from watching it on TV.
It wasn’t all a cakewalk. There were pre-AYG articles to be done and meetings to attend. It was rather overwhelming at first, but we got used to it. During the games we had to be fast and meet deadlines that were only a few hours after the games. We had to be aware of whatever was going on so we could act accordingly. We had to hunt for athletes to get quotes from them, at the same time coping with the language barrier and trying to get the most out of the little time we had before they lost their patience.
However the seemingly hard work was completely manageable because the people I met there were amazing. They made me want to do better and to be fully into this job doing my best. By the last day of athletics, the photographers and reporters had formed a great team together and it only hit me properly on that day that it was the last day we'd be working together. We all came from a variety of backgrounds and were of different ages, and yet it was only such a short span of time that it took to connect.
Throughout the course of the AYG, I was too excited to sleep every night after returning from a game. I couldn’t believe how much value the experiences added to my life. Every day after the games, I was left with a fuzzy feeling. This was a mixture of joy and a sense of achievement. Time flew so fast because I was on a thrilling adventure and I had thoroughly enjoyed it. My participation in the AYG is one of the best decisions I have ever made to date.
CG: 2B/08
In AYG, I had novel experiences that were truly memories for life. I have never fathomed just how much work and planning went into events like this and every moment that I was involved in the AYG, I had the opportunity to stop, think and revel. I was so proud to be contributing to such a large scale event as AYG was really overwhelming and the fact that I'd finally get to try a hand at reporting was part of the charm.
I will never forget the exhilaration that I felt as I stood and watched the assembly of over 40 countries at the opening ceremony, many of which I considered exotic. I was exposed to the variety of cultures that they represented, and learnt more about them. Whether it was the thrill of watching international sports, or whether it was meeting people, being there and seeing it for real was so different from watching it on TV.
It wasn’t all a cakewalk. There were pre-AYG articles to be done and meetings to attend. It was rather overwhelming at first, but we got used to it. During the games we had to be fast and meet deadlines that were only a few hours after the games. We had to be aware of whatever was going on so we could act accordingly. We had to hunt for athletes to get quotes from them, at the same time coping with the language barrier and trying to get the most out of the little time we had before they lost their patience.
However the seemingly hard work was completely manageable because the people I met there were amazing. They made me want to do better and to be fully into this job doing my best. By the last day of athletics, the photographers and reporters had formed a great team together and it only hit me properly on that day that it was the last day we'd be working together. We all came from a variety of backgrounds and were of different ages, and yet it was only such a short span of time that it took to connect.
Throughout the course of the AYG, I was too excited to sleep every night after returning from a game. I couldn’t believe how much value the experiences added to my life. Every day after the games, I was left with a fuzzy feeling. This was a mixture of joy and a sense of achievement. Time flew so fast because I was on a thrilling adventure and I had thoroughly enjoyed it. My participation in the AYG is one of the best decisions I have ever made to date.
Asian Youth Games: Annmarie Pang
Name: Annmarie Pang
CG: 33/09
Sports: Various
As a volunteer, I worked on the television aspect of the Asian Youth Games (AYG). It was an irreplaceable experience for me, as I hope to go into Mass Communication in the future. At the briefing, we were told that basically, our main jobs were to collect and disseminate information. We served as translators between the graphics operators (who were from China, and didn’t have strong English skills) who were in charge of the display of the little scoreboard that everyone sees at the corner of their television screens, and the person reading the scores, via walkie-talkies. This was because the graphics operators did not have direct access to the scoreboard at most of the venues. So basically, the flow went like this:
Person reading the scores (volunteer) -> Translator (volunteer) -> Graphics operator
Luckily, I was also assigned to the broadcast section, which was in charge of recording the data, both digitally and on tape, in the case of the live feed failing, and also for the repeat telecasts of the Games.
For on-site volunteering, I managed to get to quite a few venues; Football, Diving, Shooting, Fiba 33 (Basketball) and Bowling. Seeing all these different venues and different camera set ups was very intriguing. It really is exhilarating to see how everything goes on behind the scenes, how so many people and so much equipment has to be coordinated and checked just to get up a single image for the viewers.
Also, being very sports-oriented, the AYG was a great chance for me to see athletes from all over Asia come together. The highlight for me was definitely FIBA 33, which is 3 on 3 basketball, where the team plays either to the end of the third quarter, or to 33 points, whichever comes earlier. It was shocking to watch the China Girls trio team play against Bahrain, where the former won 33-0. The highlight of the matches, was on the day of the finals. It was exhilarating to watch the Japan Girls and China battle it out, tying at the end of each quarter, with Japan finally beating China, 33-32, with a free throw, because of a defensive foul that the China team committed. I was cheering myself hoarse, yelling and being awed by the play. Nothing can take that experience away from me.
I also think that this was a fantastic experience, because I was the only one who got to experience both the broadcast and on-site aspects of the AYG, thus I was able to see the relationship between both sides, and I was fascinated by how both sides worked together. This further fueled my interest to pursue a career in mass communication, and I shall treasure and use this experience to motivate me to reach that goal.
CG: 33/09
Sports: Various
As a volunteer, I worked on the television aspect of the Asian Youth Games (AYG). It was an irreplaceable experience for me, as I hope to go into Mass Communication in the future. At the briefing, we were told that basically, our main jobs were to collect and disseminate information. We served as translators between the graphics operators (who were from China, and didn’t have strong English skills) who were in charge of the display of the little scoreboard that everyone sees at the corner of their television screens, and the person reading the scores, via walkie-talkies. This was because the graphics operators did not have direct access to the scoreboard at most of the venues. So basically, the flow went like this:
Person reading the scores (volunteer) -> Translator (volunteer) -> Graphics operator
Luckily, I was also assigned to the broadcast section, which was in charge of recording the data, both digitally and on tape, in the case of the live feed failing, and also for the repeat telecasts of the Games.
For on-site volunteering, I managed to get to quite a few venues; Football, Diving, Shooting, Fiba 33 (Basketball) and Bowling. Seeing all these different venues and different camera set ups was very intriguing. It really is exhilarating to see how everything goes on behind the scenes, how so many people and so much equipment has to be coordinated and checked just to get up a single image for the viewers.
Also, being very sports-oriented, the AYG was a great chance for me to see athletes from all over Asia come together. The highlight for me was definitely FIBA 33, which is 3 on 3 basketball, where the team plays either to the end of the third quarter, or to 33 points, whichever comes earlier. It was shocking to watch the China Girls trio team play against Bahrain, where the former won 33-0. The highlight of the matches, was on the day of the finals. It was exhilarating to watch the Japan Girls and China battle it out, tying at the end of each quarter, with Japan finally beating China, 33-32, with a free throw, because of a defensive foul that the China team committed. I was cheering myself hoarse, yelling and being awed by the play. Nothing can take that experience away from me.
I also think that this was a fantastic experience, because I was the only one who got to experience both the broadcast and on-site aspects of the AYG, thus I was able to see the relationship between both sides, and I was fascinated by how both sides worked together. This further fueled my interest to pursue a career in mass communication, and I shall treasure and use this experience to motivate me to reach that goal.
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