I grew up together with a group of likeminded school mates who are enamored by the grace, swashbuckling style and power of gymnastics in our teens during our primary and secondary years. We had regular practices three times a week after school and sometimes even on Sundays. A point of contention was raised by some worried parents that the long hours spent and rigorous training might affect our studies adversely. However, on hindsight, most of us could absorb our studies better as the serotonin, a brain enzyme that gives one a satisfied and blissful feeling after a good physical workout was the main reason for our better concentration.
The mats we trained on were not made of sophisticated fortified rubber material but just handmade coconut husk mattresses. There had to be pieced together horizontally to form an elongated stretch for us to do continuous exercises – forward, backward rolls, hand springs and cartwheels (with and without hands), front somersaults, flyspring, back handsprings and the more advanced arab spring back handspring somersault, layout etc.
An accident did occur, when Peter Yong’s, one of the Form 1 trainees, right hand was fractured when it was trapped between two mats. Not long after recovery he made a comeback with the blessings of his parents.
There were even more serious and life threatening injuries as these are part and parcel of life of a sportsman. I want to share my thoughts of the enormous fighting spirit and resilience of two of my contemporaries, Mike Ng and Chin Wah Yin who suffered serious neck injury but made a strong turnaround from their setbacks.
Mike Ng fractured his neck as he attempted a double back somersault but awkwardly landed on his neck while Chin Wah Yin suffered neck compression from a horse vault’s Yamashita over spin. Mike Ng underwent emergency surgery while Chin Wah Yin had to be strapped to his bed with his skull hooked to a 5-10 lbs weight to stretch the compressed vertebrae back to place. Both had extended hospitalization stay and temporal paralysis before making a full recovery.
Mike Ng continued with his love for gymnastics as if nothing had happened and went on to be among the top three gymnast in the country before finishing his career and the honor to lead the gymnastics team as manager for the Commonwealth Games Melbourne 2006. You cannot imagine that once his life was tethering between life and death. He stared fear in the face and won. His life is still centred on the sports he loves and is now running a successful and flourishing gymnastics centre.
Chin Wah Yin, now a successful hardware entrepreneur, possesses a strong camaraderie spirit and was himself a junior champion in a Singapore Gymnastics Invitational Meet. He related that how at that moment of the mishap he had an out of body experience with his spirit staring down at his limped body as Siew Hoong was rendering him first aid. When he was jerked back to consciousness, the throbbing pain hit him like a thunderbolt to almost unbearable level. Just a few years ago, he underwent a corrective neck operation that lasted more than 10 hours to rehabilitate his injury successfully.
Both endured perhaps the darkest hours of their life not knowing what their future was going to be. A second chance was given to them by the Almighty so that they can relate their miracle to their grandchildren or anyone who like to listen to good old real life story.
My other story has more to do with the light hearted and warm volunteering spirit of Edward Tham and Siew Hoong. They were volunteer gymnastics coaches for two schools, one in Seremban and the other at Jln Davis respectively. In fact we harbored the desire, after leaving school, of becoming coaches with the aim of fielding a school team to compete in the state school gymnastics meet. None of us except the two of them fulfilled that vision although they were not career school teachers.
Edward Tham volunteered his gymnastics coaching services to a local school while serving in Seremban in a sales and commercial capacity. His labour of love bore fruit when his charges were selected to represent Negri Sembilan to compete in the National Inter State School Gymnastics Championship.
Siew Hoong was another good example of giving back to gymnastics his way when he volunteered to coach the gymnastics club of Jln Davis Girl School. He worked hard with the students and resources given and managed to raise their standards during his stint. His sincerity was appreciated with growing number of students joining the club and a few could do back somersaults, a difficult exercise then. Their motivation in volunteerism must be applauded and held in high esteem. Their charges who had gone through their hands have even become firm friends with them.
