PAGminton

My whole body aches like hell since morning. Why? My dad and I participated in the first ever PAGminton Badminton Tournament. We played four games of two sets each for crying out loud!

Even weeks before the tournament, my dad had been teaching me some tactics and also pointed out my mistakes. We practice at least once a week to get in shape. No... Actually, it is I who practice to get in shape.

I was still full of energy during the morning. Mervyn and Jan Derrick were our first opponents. Dad and I won two sets against them, and it was a good start. I didn’t feel that tired yet since they were not able to smash the shuttle back to me, and I didn’t do that much running. But during the second match (at around two hours later, before lunch) was when I started to pant. Since our second opponents were the bigger guys, and they somehow saw slightly through our plight, they began bringing the ball to me more often. But I was able to return them and at the same time make them run too. Guess we’re pretty even then. And in the end, we had another 2-0 in our favor!

Because of the two straight wins, we were able to go to the semi-finals! I had to rest a lot for a tougher fight and at the same time recover from the morning. It was a coincidence that we had to compete with my Uncle Alex and his brother. But that didn’t matter during the game; I still smashed, placed, and ran just like what my dad previously told me to. Although it was a harder fight for my part because I was tired, we again won 2-0. Off to the finals!

Our opponents for the final match happened to be acquaintances of my dad who I think are the toughest opponents that I faced during the whole tournament. (I almost got smashed straight to the head! But the moment I saw his racket smash, I immediately dodged. Of course I knew that it was unintentional; it’s actually a tactic to smash the shuttlecock straight to the opponent’s body.) This time, despite my being exasperated, I gave my 101% and along with it some full-force smashes with accompanying “battle cries.” Even if they were able to race up to thirteen points, we still claimed the set, and the match, and my dad and I emerged triumphant! (I would have felt better if it was I who last hit the ball, not the opponent making an error.)

I was able to get to know some of the second-year and third-year badminton players like Herschel, Erika and sister Audrey, and many others better. I didn’t know that my member Kelsey played, and he won the gold with his dad by the way in their class! Sharms was their too with her best friend Herschelle. Of course my cousin Matthew, being the son of my aunt who is a PAG officer, played too, garnering the silver medal.

When the day ended, my dad and I, along with many other victorious players, received our medals. I feel contented because of winning and at the same time being able to learn new things about the sport and correct my erroneous shots.

By the way, Herschel, Audrey, and I ran to Fr. Miranda (who attended the closing ceremonies) and we asked him if we could have a break today or be exempted from any GE or quiz today. Of course he said no, but he admitted that he also wants us student-players to get a break from a very tiring day.

...Good thing I wasn’t late for school today even if my body aches so badly!