our team

Hi White Heat,

Here I am writing again to the team with my utmost sincerity. I think recently some issues have been bothering me with regard to the team, not withstanding my personal problems. The first general problem is obviously - the attendance. In fact I do not have a problem with the attendance as long as there are valid reasons. However, poor attendance does significantly contribute to team morale and it shows during training and friendly games as well. Imagine you try to run set plays with 5-7 players when all of us (15 of us) should be familiar with? Is that training proper?

Another side of the problem does not necessary lies in the training itself but rather how we start to perceive each other. I believe you can understand that being at the training means you forfeit something you could have done. But why not put it this way: those who are making that kind of sacrifice will start to feel their efforts, be it consciously or sub-consciously, not reciprocated. This will subtly influence the level of morale and consequently the team performance. It is undeniable that priorities shift as we grow older. I believe every reason given for the absence from training and friendly games. My purpose here is whether you give a thought for those who is willing to arrange the time such that going training is possible and forfeiting priorities which may, in many cases, seen by others as more imperative.

Besides attendance, I feel that another weakness of our team has started to creep back, albeit subtly. This issue actually affects and bothers me the most. As we look at the team spirit and morale, we can hardly deny we are not very driven towards having a successful season here. And from the perspective of team building, we are hardly near our true potential, never in our lives since we have been playing together. Not in Seng Kang Cup. Not in Men’s qualifying. Not in division 2. My request to the team is to take a step back here and look at White Heat in the bigger picture. What is the reason for and the purpose from the time White Heat is formed? Are we grouped together just to play basketball or are we playing together because we want to play basketball with that group of friends whom you trust and probably grow old together?

The latter is my vision.

Is that your vision too? Is that the reason for and the purpose of Team White Heat? You probably already have the answer.

Now, let’s us take a look at our situation. There is no doubt we have moved into adulthood which holds beliefs and values we all so prided about. Nothing’s bad about that. In fact, those are what governed our lives and making them worthwhile. Yet, sometimes, we may fail to understand that as we grow older, we become more senile (stubborn). That is being too full or conceited of our ideas and principles, and I am probably guilty of that.
How often do we take teammates’ criticism constructively? How often do we encourage each other, especially nowadays (as compared to the past)? How often do we put the team and teammates before ourselves? How often do we bail our teammates out or allow him to suffer the consequences of his mistakes? How often do we play the game for ourselves and not for each other?

I want to take this chance to apologize to anyone whom I have offended and to everyone where I am guilty of the earlier circumstances. I have not felt great lately playing with the team and I am trying to articulate what I am feeling and have observed to everyone. Being engulf in groupthink is not something desirable for the team. This is why I am trying to solicit for everyone’s thoughts and feelings here.

Let’s not reach the point where the team will lose its purpose for that White Heat is born. Let’s put trust in our teammates and give encouragement. Let’s take criticism positively. Let’s discuss. Let’s bail each other out and yet not to be easy with ourselves at the same time. Let’s play the game for each other. Let’s beat the hell outta opponents. Let’s win,

and let us win together as a team.

I believe we have yet reached our potential, and that is good –

we are just gonna get better.

Heat, on three.

Hui Jie

7:30 AM ·