Savai’i surely rocks

Dear Editor,

Win it once, luck on me. Win it twice, fortune befriends me. Win it thrice, victory is my destiny!

Once again, after months of gruelling preparation, the fruits of our collective labours bear victorious fruits of success as LDS- Church College of Vaiola captured the overall Champ of Champs 2017 title for the third time in a row since 2015.

None of this would be possible without the necessary sacrifice made by the mountain warriors of Vaiola College.

Without question, these students are perfectly ordinary kids, however, when the stakes are high and the spotlight is on, these ordinary kids shine perfectly bright!

Kindly allow me to acknowledge each of you without mentioning your names for ye are as one body (team), with many unique different parts,’ hence each of you deserves equal applause. 

Thank you student-athletes for sharing your talents with us. Thank you for sacrificing your morning sleep. Thank you for your desire to excel in your chosen sports in order to make your school, your village, your family, and yourself proud. 

Your breath-taking performance on the track and field is the product of out-and-out dedication paired with discipline and passion. If these same attributes are employed in your academic life similar result will come with it, only this time lasting and more satisfying.

Boys and girls, you may now pat your back and have someone give you a nice massage. 

We also acknowledge the parents, the villages, and the students of Vaiola College for their boundless support. A toss of victory to each of you! 

To our behind-the-scene catalyst, our administrators and support staff, we thank you for supporting our student-athletes in their preparation. To our dedicated teacher-coaches, we recognise your selflessness in giving your precious time for the sake of our school and the student-athletes. 

These heroes of men, shine the brightest, not when the spotlight is on, but under the canopy of darkness even when EPC is out of service.

Thank you Colleges of Samoa.

History may be written by the victors of the war, or in this case, the competition. However, this is an exception our friends, for we all write our own history. 

Kudos to all the Colleges of Samoa, faafetai lava to all of you, our friends. You guys made us train harder, longer, and better all these months. 

Be it known to our college equals of Zone A, Zone B, Zone C and Zone D, we stretch our limits, not only to win but to display our deepest respect knowing we are against the best. Or, in other words, our performance is our tribute to the fine student-athletes of Samoa. 

We also take off our hats because our young student-athletes are meek in victory and graceful in defeat. Indeed, the true spirit of sportsmanship is in every one of you. 

To you, our friends, we share the laurels of victory!  

 

Closing thoughts.

I’ve seen some tears of joy among our supporters today together with satisfied faces among the people involved. Each of you has earned it so please savour the sweet taste of victory today. 

Today’s victory or defeat, no matter how sweet or unpleasant this may be, is not final or real. Fact is, tomorrow’s victory or defeat is more lasting in its effects and enduring in its consequences if we dwell in victory or defeat longer than we should.  

Healthy body, wealthy mind and educated soul are how I describe a complete victory for all our student-athletes of Samoa--these should be our end-goals.

All the wonderful adjectives expressed today will lose its flavour when, you and I, fail to lead and prepare our student-athletes in securing the far more important victories of tomorrow. 

Surely, our victory lap will be much sweeter, exponentially sweeter, when these student-athletes become victors, not of track and field only, but of life. For not all victory is written on the scoreboard but in every heart and soul of our student-athletes. 

Finally, I salute the people of Upolu for supporting the Champ of Champs. To the people of Savai’i, I say, Savai’i rocks!

Samoa Observer

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