January 2nd
coachg:
een slechtere start van het jaar kan bijna niet!
gisteren is een van onze atleten overleden.
omgekomen bij een gasexplosie in zijn ouderlijk huis.
wat moet je verder zeggen: een ramp!
hier een IM
January 2nd 2006
Me first Coach?
Not for every body the first days in a new environment are the same. Certainly not, if you are one of the big kids. And Rajaab was one of our big boys. Even bigger than his physique showed. Coming to Aspire is living in a small community. And within that small society there are different families. The athletics family is one with different characters. The throws group stands out and many ways. So everybody knew Rajaab from the start.
Rajaab was picked by our talent identification team because of his power and long levers. A really raw talent. A massive arm. A big chest. Sometimes a big mouth, but also a little heart.
He was always close to the action. Close to spot were something was happening. Always close to the coach. Trying to be in the spotlight of attention. If the question was still in the air he was already answering it. If the explanation was still underway he was demonstrating. “Oh coach, very easy”.
Yesterday he was showing of to the rest on the trampoline. Like he did a couple of month ago in my neighbourhood. I was just walking early evening to one of the little shops when I heard an awful noise coming down the street: a motorbike with the loose exhaustion. I could not see it. Suddenly I heard: Hellooo Coach! Rajaab passed smiling. Without any lights and the throttle fully open now. A dare devil.
The last weeks he was testing me in his own way. The firm handshake (we don’t like death fish!) was a real bone cruncher. But I still managed to smile and ask if he was putting all the effort in. He just smiled.
This boy underwent a transformation in the months he was part of Aspire. He loved his sport more and more and was really looking forward to produce something. With the new throws coach coming, a former hammer champion himself, he saw an opportunity in his most favourite event to be a number one.
It is not going to happen.
When team manager Ishmael told the whole group the sad news it was as if the sun suddenly clouded and everything was very quiet. All the athletes on the stands at the warm up track sat still. All the coaches standing behind captain Ishmael stood motionless.
We, the coaches, let them choose if the wanted to train or not.
And yes, all the boys jogged to warm up on the field. Without a word being said.
Where was the big laugh? Where was the answer before the question? Everybody seemed to be thinking in his own way about Rajaab. The training was never a real training. Every body was lost in his own thoughts.
Me first Coach?
Yes Rajaab, your were first. But no one can tell you were first in your group of the Aspire Pentathlon.
The Aspire athletics team has lost one of her promising athletes. His relatives lost someone who they loved and cared for. We think about them and pray for them.
May Rajaabs soul rest in peace.
© Gerard Lenting
een slechtere start van het jaar kan bijna niet!
gisteren is een van onze atleten overleden.
omgekomen bij een gasexplosie in zijn ouderlijk huis.
wat moet je verder zeggen: een ramp!
hier een IM
January 2nd 2006
Me first Coach?
Not for every body the first days in a new environment are the same. Certainly not, if you are one of the big kids. And Rajaab was one of our big boys. Even bigger than his physique showed. Coming to Aspire is living in a small community. And within that small society there are different families. The athletics family is one with different characters. The throws group stands out and many ways. So everybody knew Rajaab from the start.
Rajaab was picked by our talent identification team because of his power and long levers. A really raw talent. A massive arm. A big chest. Sometimes a big mouth, but also a little heart.
He was always close to the action. Close to spot were something was happening. Always close to the coach. Trying to be in the spotlight of attention. If the question was still in the air he was already answering it. If the explanation was still underway he was demonstrating. “Oh coach, very easy”.
Yesterday he was showing of to the rest on the trampoline. Like he did a couple of month ago in my neighbourhood. I was just walking early evening to one of the little shops when I heard an awful noise coming down the street: a motorbike with the loose exhaustion. I could not see it. Suddenly I heard: Hellooo Coach! Rajaab passed smiling. Without any lights and the throttle fully open now. A dare devil.
The last weeks he was testing me in his own way. The firm handshake (we don’t like death fish!) was a real bone cruncher. But I still managed to smile and ask if he was putting all the effort in. He just smiled.
This boy underwent a transformation in the months he was part of Aspire. He loved his sport more and more and was really looking forward to produce something. With the new throws coach coming, a former hammer champion himself, he saw an opportunity in his most favourite event to be a number one.
It is not going to happen.
When team manager Ishmael told the whole group the sad news it was as if the sun suddenly clouded and everything was very quiet. All the athletes on the stands at the warm up track sat still. All the coaches standing behind captain Ishmael stood motionless.
We, the coaches, let them choose if the wanted to train or not.
And yes, all the boys jogged to warm up on the field. Without a word being said.
Where was the big laugh? Where was the answer before the question? Everybody seemed to be thinking in his own way about Rajaab. The training was never a real training. Every body was lost in his own thoughts.
Me first Coach?
Yes Rajaab, your were first. But no one can tell you were first in your group of the Aspire Pentathlon.
The Aspire athletics team has lost one of her promising athletes. His relatives lost someone who they loved and cared for. We think about them and pray for them.
May Rajaabs soul rest in peace.
© Gerard Lenting
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