Football is one of the most loved and popular sports in the world. It was also a very popular game back in my secondary school. Almost all the boys in my class participated in the sport. They usually hung out during break or after school to play.
Although I was obsessed with the game, I only watched my friends play, watched football matches on TV, and also played football video games on my phone, but I didn't play the sport myself.
When I was really young, my mom usually shouted to me and my siblings, "If any of you ever come home from school with a broken leg or hand due to playing football or whatever sport, you'll treat them yourselves!" This was what mainly discouraged me from playing the sport.
Even if I had any inclination to play the sport after entering secondary school, seeing some of my friends twist their ankles or scrape their knees on the ground when they fell added to the discouragement.
Although the only sport that I involved myself in playing then was table tennis. It was the only sport that I was less likely to get injured while playing it. I was really good at it back then because, during the weekend, my siblings and my dad usually played it with me. Although I didn't play it at school because I was a bit reserved.
During my fourth year in secondary school, my school's interhouse sport competition, which usually took place during the first term of our academic calendar, commenced, and we were all grouped into five houses: White House, Green House, Blue House, Yellow House, and Red House. I was placed in the yellow house.
Our house captain started assigning us to the different sports we were capable of doing. But when he got to table tennis, there was nobody who was good at playing the game available in our house.
It was then I knew the time had come to reveal my talent. I stepped forward and said, "I'd do it." They were all looking at me, with their eyebrows raised high in surprise. "You can try me if you're doubting it. It's just that I don't usually play it at school," I added after realizing there were some murmurings and giggling amongst my house members. I was then asked to play with one of the good players from another house. And after beating the boy 2-0 in a best of three, our house captain was relieved, and I officially became the table tennis representative of our house.
The competition comprised football, table tennis, basketball, and some track and field events. The latter and the march past were the only events held on the final day in front of parents, while the rest were done before that day.
For the table tennis, each house representative was to face four other representatives from other houses. Due to my experience in the sport, I managed to beat three of my opponents, and only one was remaining. The boy was my senior and was also very experienced in the sport, having watched the way he played with his opponents. That gave me some chills.
"You have to make sure you win your last match against that boy from the blue house. We're done with football and basketball, and after calculating our total points, we're tied with the blue house. Make sure you win so as to give us some advantage on the final day. I know it's going to be a very small difference, but a point matters in this competition, and we'd also have the table tennis cup to our name" our house captain told me a day before my final match.
We stood face-to-face the next day as the umpire tossed the coin, which was in favor of the blue house boy. The match began as he served the ball, and we started exchanging shots, our paddles moving swiftly as we fought for dominance. The crowd watched, cheering for their favorite house. I had to put in all my strength as he consistently directed the ball to the very edge of my side of the table, forcing me to stretch wide to return his shots. I managed to beat him the first round, and I felt a bit relieved. He took notice of my confidence and adjusted his strategy, increasing the speed of his shots compared to the first round. I couldn't keep up anymore, and he beat me the next two rounds. I started panicking. I looked around and saw the anger on the face of my house captain and the look of disappointment on that of my house members and those who were supporting me. I couldn't let them down. I then told myself, "I won't be beaten in the only sport I could play" . It was a best of five, so I still had a chance to win the game.
It was as though I had gotten drunk on determination. I started returning his shots at a much higher speed than his and trusting that they'd land in the right spot, which, fortunately for me, they did. I won that round, and we were at a draw again. Only one round was left to determine who'd carry the table tennis cup.
I maintained my determination into the final round. We were now both smashing the ball with incredible force, and the crowd's cheers became louder, amazed by the intensity of our play.
I smashed the ball one last time as it went with a very great speed and bounced on his side of the table, but as the blue house boy tried to hit it back with his paddle, he missed!
My house members and supporters shouted in excitement as they ran towards me, and some of them hoisted me into the air, singing.
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"I'm the winner! I'm the winner!!" Was all that rang in my head as I was in the air. I had given my house an advantage into the final day!
