SEA Games - Phones taken


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eastwest

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Sep 20, 2006
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My wife is Singapore national hockey player and left for the SEA games on Wednesday last week. When she arrived at Changi, she texted me to tell me that her phone was being taken by the manager for the duration of the trip (12 days) and gave me an emergency contact number in Thailand.

To me, this is quite unbelievable. They are treating her and the rest of the team like children and I am sure they are all pretty annoyed by the whole situation. I am sure it is a measure to try to get them to focus but given that they only have three 70 minute matches in 12 days, it seems extreme to say the least. I am sure that she will be worried about things here and if her parents are ok and this isn't conducive to being focussed at all. I would totally agree with a ban on handphones on matchdays or during training, but to deny them the opportunity to communicate with friends and family in the evening is unfathomable.

I have not heard from her since Wednesday and would like to wish her luck for the first match. But I cannot - just have to hope she is ok.

Why treat adults representing the country like school children??
 

Abit kaisu leh... Don't tell me they are doing this as they don't trust the team to not leak out play tactics to other teams or maybe to take pictures or pass on information to families or press? That is going abit too far and without advance notice. I wouder if this will hamper their ability to play their best with something like this hanging over their head.
 

Many strange things are done in the name of 'excellence', and many stranger things needs to be done with elite atheletes to achieve high-performance, except that normal atheletes or bystanders (you and me) would never know or understand why.

It's hard to describe in one or two short paragraphs, but I am lead to believe that it involves a holistic approach which may include cutting off all outside influences or distractions.

Please don't take it too hard, but if it's any form of consolation, some countries' sports schools are run almost like military institutions where kids as young as upper grade aren't even allowed contact with their parents except for very limited and strictly controlled periods.

We can speculate what is conducive or not as we are not coaching professionals or sports psychologists, but no doubt, I know where you're coming from and had I not been at least a bit familiar with some of the methodologies involved in high-performance sports training, I would feel the same exact indignation that you expressed, or even more.
 

They were afraid that photo may leak out to press. Security reason.
 

My wife is Singapore national hockey player and left for the SEA games on Wednesday last week. When she arrived at Changi, she texted me to tell me that her phone was being taken by the manager for the duration of the trip (12 days) and gave me an emergency contact number in Thailand.

To me, this is quite unbelievable. They are treating her and the rest of the team like children and I am sure they are all pretty annoyed by the whole situation. I am sure it is a measure to try to get them to focus but given that they only have three 70 minute matches in 12 days, it seems extreme to say the least. I am sure that she will be worried about things here and if her parents are ok and this isn't conducive to being focussed at all. I would totally agree with a ban on handphones on matchdays or during training, but to deny them the opportunity to communicate with friends and family in the evening is unfathomable.

I have not heard from her since Wednesday and would like to wish her luck for the first match. But I cannot - just have to hope she is ok.

Why treat adults representing the country like school children??

i applaud your extreme maturity and hope that your wife delights in this post.

i personally, would suggest that you exercise some self-restraint.. and do the right thing.
 

I dunno much about being a sportsperson representing a country but I do know that its a honour to represent your country and scarifices have to be made. If its a security issue, then no choice I guess.

The most frequently news about such banning I know is regarding football's major competition. Sex is banned for a month and some teams even ban wives and GF from their hotels. :bsmilie:
 

night86mare said:
i applaud your extreme maturity and hope that your wife delights in this post.

i personally, would suggest that you exercise some self-restraint.. and do the right thing.

Congrats on your sarcasm - you have obviously been in England too long.

Why do you always have to be so provacative? My wife WILL delight in this post as she will see the situation as ridiculous as I do. She will be very angry at this move and it will probably affect her performance in a negative way. This was not a pre-planned team-building strategy that was explained to the team before they left, it was sprung on the team at the airport, presumably as they thought people would sneak other phones in.

What do you suggest the right thing to do is? Delete the post?
 

I dunno much about being a sportsperson representing a country but I do know that its a honour to represent your country and scarifices have to be made. If its a security issue, then no choice I guess.

The most frequently news about such banning I know is regarding football's major competition. Sex is banned for a month and some teams even ban wives and GF from their hotels. :bsmilie:

You are right, it is about honour and respect. My wife is proud to play for Singapore and has given up much to give everything to the team.
 

Congrats on your sarcasm - you have obviously been in England too long.

Why do you always have to be so provacative? My wife WILL delight in this post as she will see the situation as ridiculous as I do. She will be very angry at this move and it will probably affect her performance in a negative way. This was not a pre-planned team-building strategy that was explained to the team before they left, it was sprung on the team at the airport, presumably as they thought people would sneak other phones in.

What do you suggest the right thing to do is? Delete the post?

provocative? i only meant well, if you cannot see blunt comments as blunt comments and choose to take offense, that's your choice and i cannot make that for you. i have my style of online posting, you have yours. i think giving the benefit of the doubt when there is reasonable room for doubt as to one's intent is always the best policy. if you have been acquainted with my style of posting be it in kopitiam or in the photog sections proper, as you should be, since you obviously know that i am in england and thereby browse around considerably (by logical deduction, unless you are yet another "let's stalk night86mare" club member).. then you will see it for what it is, i hope.

i think the right thing to do applies across the board for any situation. get past the upset, think with your head, and see again, whether blaring this out loud is going to give benefit, or potential loss. i think the answer while not immediately obvious, may come by eventually. but of course that's my view, you may not share it. i have no idea why your wife's phone was taken, but i am certain, for sure, that people have a reason for doing what they do.. it is definitely not a bid to upset your wife and the other team members, nor is it an exercise of their authority and the amount of control they have over singapore's team players. if people have a reason.. then wait and listen. before just oozing pure negativity and throwing a very skewed view on the situation, and worse still, presenting it to others.

as to whether your wife may indeed be pleased, i am not married to her. i am just passing comment on what you have posted. if you do not like comments perceived as negative posted then.. why not just post it up and lock the thread? from what i see from a brief search you are a moderate member who usually takes the balanced view on issues.. so why choose the dark path this time? :dunno:
 

You are right, it is about honour and respect. My wife is proud to play for Singapore and has given up much to give everything to the team.


Well your wife and her team does their best and do us proud man. I was pretty involve in sport during School and semi national level and springing something like this is crazy. If you know sports, it is not just a physical game...that last bit that can make the difference between winning gold or bronze is how your mental game holds up. If you already feel defeated in your mind, you already lose the game even before it begun.

So leading up to any competition, you tune the mind too in preparation. so it means no surprises. So even things like taking away your phone..why was this not told before hand? As coaches ( i personally think feel we don;t have many good ones, at least not in every sports) if you know what it takes to condition your players, you would have been careful about something as mundance as taking away someone's phone. Phone to you but it might mean alot more to that player for one reason or another.

I am not saying the phone can't be taken away but why a sudden surprise like that? They are dealing with adults and I am sure the team would understand if they had to surrender their mobiles prior to the games. I remember some of the (weird) stuff I have to NOT do like weeks leading to a competition..like no sex( not even HJ leh heheh), eat more raw eggs, specific food group to eat, sleeping hours blah blah blah. Being fully aware in advance prepares you physicall and mentally so there is no surprises to distract you. That's focus.

If I dare to take the next step and imagine, could the coach or manager of the team been bought out by others. Doing this to discourage or lower their confidence level enough to throw the game in the opponent's favor? Okay this is pure speculation by me so one ear in one ear out. heheheh.

In any case, I am rooting for your wife's team to do their best. I am on eof those who are always 100% behind any true blue Singaporean Sportperson who participate, wins or just does their best keep trying for themselves and country.

We need more competent coaches and team managers that much I can say. We keep emphasing so much on players ( or buy foreighn talents that choke) but we don't seem to have enough good coaches in all the sports. But that's another topic and can of worms. I shalt OT. heh
 

i applaud your extreme maturity and hope that your wife delights in this post.

i personally, would suggest that you exercise some self-restraint.. and do the right thing.
I see extreme maturity being exercised here. Well done. I see a new Blair in the making.

Singapore sports management does some of the most stupid things at times and I am not amazed that this would happen. They might meant well but this is taking things to the extreme.
 

Actually Sammy has a very valid point, one which I over-looked, but yes, I just recalled recounts of how some Team Managers or Coaches sometimes (possibly under the influence of powers that be) spring all sorts of wierd surprises that throw their athletes off just before a major competition.
 

Welcome to the world of competitive sport.

Ruthless, spartan, extreme.
 

Singapore sports management does some of the most stupid things at times and I am not amazed that this would happen. They might meant well but this is taking things to the extreme.

Before they left, my wife was telling me that they had made a special request for super high carb meals on the plane! Great, just what you need when you are sitting down for two hours on the plane and then four hours on a bus. They pay little regard to nutrition (my wife is very particular about what she eats due to her personal training and long-distance running background) and is often mocked for her choice of healthy foods, whilst everyone else tucks in to unhealthy fried food. On a recent trip to play Malaysia, they stopped at KFC for lunch.

It seems to me that they should get the basics right before imposing strict rules on personal communication.
 

Before they left, my wife was telling me that they had made a special request for super high carb meals on the plane! Great, just what you need when you are sitting down for two hours on the plane and then four hours on a bus. They pay little regard to nutrition (my wife is very particular about what she eats due to her personal training and long-distance running background) and is often mocked for her choice of healthy foods, whilst everyone else tucks in to unhealthy fried food. On a recent trip to play Malaysia, they stopped at KFC for lunch.

It seems to me that they should get the basics right before imposing strict rules on personal communication.

lol next thing you know they'll be handing out cigarettes!:bsmilie:
 

garou12 said:
lol next thing you know they'll be handing out cigarettes!:bsmilie:

Haha maybe. Anyway, hockey is scheduled for today but no idea if Singapore are playing, what time the game is and if it will be shown on Ch5. Doubt it, maybe they will have some highlights later.
 

Haha maybe. Anyway, hockey is scheduled for today but no idea if Singapore are playing, what time the game is and if it will be shown on Ch5. Doubt it, maybe they will have some highlights later.

Call the number they gave you and ask what time they are playing, what the weathers like, if everyone is enjoying themselves, if the hotel is nice, if they had a good flight ..... so on and so forth :) Im sure the organisers would appreciate it.
 

Before they left, my wife was telling me that they had made a special request for super high carb meals on the plane! Great, just what you need when you are sitting down for two hours on the plane and then four hours on a bus. They pay little regard to nutrition (my wife is very particular about what she eats due to her personal training and long-distance running background) and is often mocked for her choice of healthy foods, whilst everyone else tucks in to unhealthy fried food. On a recent trip to play Malaysia, they stopped at KFC for lunch.

It seems to me that they should get the basics right before imposing strict rules on personal communication.

heheh that is what I meant about coaches and trainers. Now I am not going to say I know how many but from what I know from others in the sport scene ..alot have trainers and coaches who took on the job just "because" or some had been there so long they are entrenched ( some still with the old thinking about how to coach) and can't get rid of or organisation can't find suitable personnel so they pick the 'next best' thing ..past (good) players to be coaches and trainer now.

Problem is..they might be great at sport as an athelete but they might not make good managers or trainers of teams. No chance to be sent to sport school to learn how to be coaches, trainers or sport managers..etc.

That is what also hurts the Singapore sport scene. Also if they don't get good pay, how they are motivated to train the players under them? These day, almost all sport (including individual solo events) is a team event like Formula 1 for example. Winning is not just about the driver of the car, the engineers play a part, the pit crew that change the wheels and fuel the car, the tactician at the control center that is monitoring the car perfromance, their competitors...eg. Some race are won even just by taking one less fuel stop over the other cars as most of us racing fans have seen. Till we can get our act together, our best sport people will never see their truest potential bear fruit.

heheh great man...KFC, the food of champions hahahahah...

My past coach would have killed me for eating that stuff.
 

heheh great man...KFC, the food of champions hahahahah...

back in the us whenever i stopped in an outlet that had the buffet i'd go on a kfc marathon haha
 

Before they left, my wife was telling me that they had made a special request for super high carb meals on the plane! Great, just what you need when you are sitting down for two hours on the plane and then four hours on a bus. They pay little regard to nutrition (my wife is very particular about what she eats due to her personal training and long-distance running background) and is often mocked for her choice of healthy foods, whilst everyone else tucks in to unhealthy fried food. On a recent trip to play Malaysia, they stopped at KFC for lunch.

It seems to me that they should get the basics right before imposing strict rules on personal communication.
Because they are not professional in their approach to competitive sports, they are management and bean counters first and foremost rather than athletes.
 

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