Why Are You Here?

Coach Carter

I can’t believe I have miss watching a great show such as Coach Carter until now.

The truth is, I had actually wished to catch the show when it screened last year but due to one reason or another, I skipped it.

And it wasn’t till yesterday when I went to rent the show then only I realized how much I missed. Perhaps the simple reason I like it so much is because it is related to basketball.

The show is about a coach named Carter who mould a bunch of young, ill-discipline basketball players into a team who is disciplined, responsible and overcome hurdles with hard work and pure determination. Something like what the army teaches you huh...

As the story unfolded, I got caught in their waves of emotion and of course, became engrossed with their journey to improve their skills, improve their life so they are able to become a better person than they previously were.

I sat in anticipation as I saw the shooting clock run out, wondering whether did they won or lost the match.

I clenched my fist when they overcome all odds and went into the state championship tournament.

I nodded my head in disapproval as they misbehave and did something stupid.

I tried to hide my disappointment when they lost and went home.

I felt proud of them when they achieved what they previously thought they could never dream of.

And what I took away from the show is this simple equation.

Success = Discipline + Determination + Pride

And this is what the Army thought me all these while. Even when the chips are against you, even when the odds are down, you must shoulder on and carry out the work entrust to you.

You completed the task well however much you hate it, because you do it for yourself, you do it for the entire platoon. You do it for yourself because you don’t really like to get your backside blasted by your CSM. You do it for the entire platoon because you don’t want the entire platoon to be criticized and get punished for a single mistake you committed.

But of course, not everyone might have the same thinking. But there is definitely no doubt life is definitely easier when there is this bunch of fellow mates sharing the joys and pains encountered along the 2 years journey.

And somehow when I walked along the streets these days, I thought to myself young Singaporean teenagers can definitely get better with a huge dose of discipline instill in them. A lot of them are just aimlessly wasting their youth away, prowling the streets looking for trouble. (Thank you if you are trying to catch litter bugs while prowling but I’m sorry you definitely are not doing so) But it’s fine. There is always the Army to take care of them when they get enlisted. To knock some sense in them or rather the army slang “To Wake Up Their Ideas”. As long as they don’t try to Chao Keng go see specialist to get their status dropped.

Because let me tell you why? I truly DESPISED these people. They are the Real Weak Shit.

posted by Immortali @ 12:03 am