Frustration

This post was actualli meant for yesterday's early morning events. But i guess i didnt feel like blogging yesterday, so i decided to blog about it today instead.

Yesterday was the St John Ambulance Brigade Zone 9 Footdrill Competition 2007 and my secondary school was taking part in it. I'm sure most of you know that i am an instructor for my secondary school's St John corps.... and that i would go back to train the cadets on their footdrill... even after i have graduated from m secondary school.... my 3 other secondary friends terence,chin guan and leon had also gone back to train them..(we were in the same cca)

However due to recent events...such as the recent OBS course...i couldnt find the time to go back to train them for yesterday's competition and when i went to yesterday's competition which was held in Clementi Town Secondary School.... i was hoping the cadets would try their best... and don't think about whether they could get 1st or 2nd....

After they completed their turn... which i was quite frustrated but yet guilty...i thought...they had done their best.... Considering the fact that most of them were relatively inexperienced in this competition..and that they were lower -secondary students...save for mayb a few...who were sec 3s.... their footdrill was certainly not up to standard...and their dressing was in a mess...however... instead of commenting on their performance...i instead consoled them..and told them not to quarrel with each other and that they have tried their best.... Last but not least...also reminded them that there is still next year....

After that me,terence and chin guan went to take a look at the other team's performances...we saw one school which had almost perfect drills....xcept for 1 or 2 mistakes..otherwise...their performance was almost flawless...

Den chin guan was jokingly telling me that i was too busy to come down to train them...and mayb was telling me that i could have contributed more to their training... and mayb it might have made a small difference with regards to our performance...i guess he was right... i should have prioritise my time....gotta improve my time management and fast...

The task of training the cadets for the footdrill competition was to be handled by the 4 of us...and i admit there were times where we under a significant amount of stress...as we tried to ensure they were ready for the competition... Things did not go to plan however...There were many cadets who withdrew at the very last min...and the time was a factor....didnt have enough time....
but i shouldn't give excuses...we should also shoulder part of the blame....


After we left...i was thinking about the competition...n i was feelin angry with myself..angry that i didn't really do much for them...angry at why i wasnt able to make the most of the time i had with them....

Upon reflection...i feel that as instructors...we should portray an image of leadership and i guess i can apply what i've learnt during the OBS during the weekly trainings when i will surely make the effort to come down for training...and mayb make some amendments to the training....make it tougher? perhaps and also impose ourselves on them...let them know we hv a nice side and a not so nice side...where we will b stricter and fiercer...

Yea..guess its time i should do what an SJAB instructor should do and review my role as one... no more slacking around and ..although of course we should also have moments of laughter with them...