Display of Brute Force
Speaking of bullies (yes, we're still on the same topic).. I have a story to tell.
Our staff team won the Netball challenge last month at the Sports Carnival. Although there are no objections to men playing this game, it's primarily played by women. Understand that we won this year, after repeated thrashing by the students' team in the Sports Carnivals of yore.
Our win created an interest and a male colleague issued a 'challenge', disguised in a polite e-mail containing a request for a match against the women's team. We agreed and this game was played last Friday evening. In my mind, the acceptance was on the understanding that it will be a friendly game, with nothing at stake. I took it in good faith that the men will review the rules (or at least find out what the rules are).
My sixth sense was tingling just before the match that I shouldnt play it.
It turned out that there was a prize at stake. And the men didn't know the rules.. at all.
The game was far from friendly- we were tripped and elbowed (rules say that this is a non-contact sport & they have to stay 3 feet away at all times), some of us were rammed into, somebody knocked my nose. I seriously didn't know what possessed us to keep playing. I stopped after the 1st half & decided to play basketball in the next court.. by myself.
I went home and told hubby about it, and he called us stupid. No sympathy there.
Never again will I allow this to happen. While the game was proposed in the pretext of good faith, it projected bad faith when the men came to the netball court not knowing any of the rules. Their justification is that there will be a referee who know the rules. We should've cancelled the game and postponed it to the day when the men have learnt up the rules (if ever).
What saddens me more is the underlying message. It appeared, with hindsight, that the men may have thought that our win was a fluke. Why can't they leave us be with our moment in the sun? Sports Carnival was not more than 2 weeks ago. Can't they just let us have our title for one bloody year without disputing it?
However, to be fair, some members of their team did maintain their integrity. But a good lesson was learnt. Did the men prove that they were stronger? Yes. Did they prove that they were a better team? Maybe. Do they deserve my respect? No. The game, to me, brought out some loathsome characteristics that I won't care to mention.
From now on, I'll stick to Taekwondo. Despite having to do sparring with a male partner (in some occasions), I've never had anyone hit my nose. And taekwondo IS a contact sport. Ironic, isn't it? Chivalry is indeed dead.
Well, another lesson learnt- another key is earned to unlock other experiences. I'm good for now.
Our staff team won the Netball challenge last month at the Sports Carnival. Although there are no objections to men playing this game, it's primarily played by women. Understand that we won this year, after repeated thrashing by the students' team in the Sports Carnivals of yore.
Our win created an interest and a male colleague issued a 'challenge', disguised in a polite e-mail containing a request for a match against the women's team. We agreed and this game was played last Friday evening. In my mind, the acceptance was on the understanding that it will be a friendly game, with nothing at stake. I took it in good faith that the men will review the rules (or at least find out what the rules are).
My sixth sense was tingling just before the match that I shouldnt play it.
It turned out that there was a prize at stake. And the men didn't know the rules.. at all.
The game was far from friendly- we were tripped and elbowed (rules say that this is a non-contact sport & they have to stay 3 feet away at all times), some of us were rammed into, somebody knocked my nose. I seriously didn't know what possessed us to keep playing. I stopped after the 1st half & decided to play basketball in the next court.. by myself.
I went home and told hubby about it, and he called us stupid. No sympathy there.
Never again will I allow this to happen. While the game was proposed in the pretext of good faith, it projected bad faith when the men came to the netball court not knowing any of the rules. Their justification is that there will be a referee who know the rules. We should've cancelled the game and postponed it to the day when the men have learnt up the rules (if ever).
What saddens me more is the underlying message. It appeared, with hindsight, that the men may have thought that our win was a fluke. Why can't they leave us be with our moment in the sun? Sports Carnival was not more than 2 weeks ago. Can't they just let us have our title for one bloody year without disputing it?
However, to be fair, some members of their team did maintain their integrity. But a good lesson was learnt. Did the men prove that they were stronger? Yes. Did they prove that they were a better team? Maybe. Do they deserve my respect? No. The game, to me, brought out some loathsome characteristics that I won't care to mention.
From now on, I'll stick to Taekwondo. Despite having to do sparring with a male partner (in some occasions), I've never had anyone hit my nose. And taekwondo IS a contact sport. Ironic, isn't it? Chivalry is indeed dead.
Well, another lesson learnt- another key is earned to unlock other experiences. I'm good for now.
posted by elya at 4:34 pm
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