16
LUMEN
Hearts United in Our Football Journey
By Ashlyn Thanaraj( ML611)
HEARTS UNITED IN OUR FOOTBALL JOURNEY
As we eagerly studied the backgrounds of the Year 5 girls on the Football team, one thing stood out with unmistakable clarity: only a handful of us had played sports before joining SJI Football. It was no wonder that one of our first training sessions was spent gaping wide-eyed, with an unmistakable sense of admiration and awe, at our seniors as they played an intense game against their opponents. We quietly wondered,“ will we ever achieve such a standard in terms of skill and stamina in just one year?” Looking back now, I can proudly say that our team has come a long way.
To say that it has not been an easy journey is an understatement. Braving the hottest of days, sustaining one injury after another, and fighting to catch our breath during high-pressure games, we persevered together. As our left back Ridha from FN604 fittingly summarised,“ No matter how difficult training is or how tired I am during a match, I push on knowing that all my teammates are going through the same thing. The faith that we’ d all come out of it stronger keeps me going.” Indeed we have. Anyone who has seen our unity as we step onto the football field would witness our camaraderie and teamwork at its best. Our confidence too has grown alongside our skills. Most importantly, our resilience as a team defines us both on and off the field.
For the 16 of us, football has become more than just a requirement of Creativity, Activity, Service