Friday, February 26, 2016

Swim The World (STW) - Learning that Makes a Difference.

My Shaun TiTi and I learn swimming at Swim The World (STW), UCSI University, Taman Connaught. STW has two branches, Swim The World at Taman Connaught and Splash the World, Bandar Mahkota Cheras. I understand that the Bandar Mahkota Cheras branch not only provides swimming lessons, but also lessons for babies. The pool is smaller, but it is a heated pool. Perfect for babies and younger children.

I wish to share my experience in this swimming club. I have experienced another swimming club, but have settled for STW as I am very comfortable there.

STW has good dedicated teachers.

The senior coach, Coach Ronald is very good in teaching with a variety of teaching methods, tailoring to the uniqueness of each student. I know this because Shaun Shaun TiTi and I had different learning stages with him. He made each student comfortable in learning at our own pace. I had a bad experience previously with a different coach, and it really shattered my swimming confidence. I refused to learn swimming. I certainly wished I did not need to learn to swim. Shaun Shaun was so fearful of water at the beginning. I still remember him hugging Coach Ronald like a koala bear, refusing to enter his head into the water. Coach Ronald was very patient with him, rewarding him for the little achievements he made. Coach was also able to push us to our limits without us even knowing it, or realising it. He knows our strengths, he knows our weaknesses. With his constant encouragements, Shaun Shaun and I were able to continue our lessons, and strive to do better.

Coach Ronald is not the only good coach that I had experience. Coach Kai was also good but a little more stern. He is great with kids who requires a more strict teaching method. Having said that, he too is able to tailor his teaching methods to the student's character. Both Shaun Shaun and I do not suit a strict and stern coach. We needed a coach who could insert a little fun into our lessons. Coach Kai was also able to make my lessons fun as well. I guess the coaches in this swimming club seem to be able to understand their swimmers, and are able to switch their teaching methods to motivate and make swimming fun, yet effective.

I had the opportunity to also experience a lady coach, Coach Zahra. She taught the Advance Class for a few months. However, she was then reassigned to build up the lessons at the new branch at Bandar Mahkota Cheras. I was very sad to hear the news when she left. With a short period of time teaching us, she has helped us improve our swimming endurance. Even through she has gone to teach in another branch, she was still supporting the advance team indirectly. She would send encouraging texts to the Advance Group WhatsApp.

As a child and student, we have to be quick in adapting into lessons we attend. The coaches at STW makes a whole lot of difference in shorting our adaptation period. They also have apparatus to assist them in making their lessons fun. These are normally used for younger students. Swimming lessons are meant to be enjoyable and fun.

I am grateful to to be a student in STW. Now that I have advanced to the elite team of the club, I am experiencing new things day by day. I am learning the meaning of focus, discipline and endurance. I am learning the meaning of working as a team, and supporting each other, especially when one is weak. As the coach emphasized in one of our advance training lesson, if a member is swimming with the wrong technique, we are responsible to correct him/her. We are responsible for each other. We have to back each other up and support each other. This is why STW makes a great club to be in.



MILO / PRAKL AGE GROUP SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIP 2016

I participated in PRAKL this year, representing my swimming club, Swim The World (STW). It was a great time of fun with my coach and friends. It provides a platform for me to gain more experience in competitive swimming. I may not be the best to win anything, but I am still proud to be able to participate and improve myself in every competition that I have participated in. It promotes great teamwork within our swimming club. Friendships will also blossom in time.


With my friend and coach

Our relay team.

Belated Post - New Year's Eve

My Ah Ku and Ah Kim were so generous to give our Homefellowship a treat by renting a Penthouse downtown for New Year's eve celebration. It was a great time of togetherness. I have always enjoyed my time with all the Kor Kors and Cheh Chehs in the Homefellowship. I enjoyed playing a card game called Bang! with them all night till 3a.m.

This is probably the last time I can celebrate with them because almost all of them have left to another church, forming another new group. I hope I get the opportunity to have more celebrations in the future.




Monday, February 22, 2016

My farewell post to 2015

I have not posted anything since end of last year. The year 2015 ended very well for me. God has been good and gracious. The most joyful part of being a student was that I did well in my studies academically and I am also part of the school's worship team to play the piano. It was an honour for me to play the keyboard during the school's Speech Day last year. I pray that God will continue to grow my talent in the area of music. I was also very proud to see my younger brother Shaun TiTi to received two awards with me. He certainly worked hard for it too.

My Shaun TiTi




In addition to that, Shaun TiTi and I also received a Kumon Award for excelling in maths. We were doing worksheets 5 years ahead from our age group. I was also honoured to be selected as a Moderator for a session, and received RM250 MPH vouchers as a moderator. It was certainly an auspicious occasion for us at JW Marriot.





God was certainly faithful to see us through. I know that He will continue to be faithful to see me through.

I bid 2015 farewell and now that I am in 2016, I know that there will be lots of work for me. It will be a challenging year as I start serving in church on the keys. I pray that God will use me to do His work. I pray that I am able to manage my time well, as I am very active in my swimming training now. I pray that I am able to excel in swimming as well. I have participated recently in 2 swim competitions over the past month, and I pray that through these exposures, I am able to be a better swimmer.


God bless.