平凡的写实——KE Hallplay!

written by Shi Yangyang

Edited by Mao Yinan

2012年2月3日和4日绝对是一个值得KEVIIan们纪念的日子。我们又再一次地把一部经典的英文喜剧呈现给大家。台上2小时，台下3个月，作为成员之一的我可以百分之百理解幕后的辛苦。我们把一切都熬过来了，听到满堂的掌声和不断的笑语，那种成就感是不言而喻的。

满场的观众，感谢你们的支持

一部六十年代的喜剧，一个有着两个孩子的平凡家庭，31岁的孩子在亲情和感情上的抉择和犹豫，就是这么简单温馨的一出戏，可却实实在在地让大家觉得这一个晚上真没有白费。整整几十页的台词，临危不乱的演技，演员传神的演出让各位观众折服了。不曾身历其境的我们都没有办法想像演员在台后面临的是什么样的心理压力。我们真的得给五位演员们大大的掌声。

当天晚上7时许，第一幕准时开始。Alan和Peggie从瑞士度假回来，很是惊艳的出场，让所有的观众都开始期待他们会不会擦出一些漂亮的火花。

不要 Alan: 不要走，就多两分钟。这是我印象最深刻的两句台词

不料Peggie忽然离去，Buddy进场。原来二十一岁的Buddy很勇敢地离家出走，投靠Alan来了。十几分钟兄弟之间掏心掏肺的对话，Alan很大方地把自己的公寓借给Buddy暂避风头。

兄弟两人达成了什么共识呢？

在第一幕的尾声，Alan的正牌女友进场了，带来了Alan期待的礼物，却也听到了一个令他震惊的消息：她决定隐退江湖，不要继续在模特儿界打滚了，她当Alan的贤内助。Alan一时之间接受不了这个消息，想到自己从此将被婚姻所约束，他拒绝了她。妈妈忽然地造访，幕随着Alan的尖叫落下。

Alan: 为什么要逼我呢？

第二幕，妈妈待在Buddy的公寓里，找不到纸和笔来记录讯息的她因为接听一通又一通的电话让她濒临崩溃的边缘。

妈妈欲求无助的眼神，赞！

不久之后，妈妈离去，爸爸却在这个时候登门造访了。将近20分钟的训话，爸爸气匆匆地离开。

愤怒中的爸爸，可以看见头上的那把火吗？

Peggie又在这个时候回来了，Alan假扮成王牌制作人，Mr Manheim把Peggie骗得团团转。

全身火红的Connie！

Connie在第二幕的尾声带着自己所有的家当来找Alan，想要和他永远在一起。第二幕就在这一团乱中结束了。

高潮才正要开始。在最后一幕，不断地争执和吵架把现场的气氛都给炒热了。Connie来到Alan的家意欲求和，妈妈逃到Alan这里，爸爸来到这里找妈妈。简单地来说，他们有一个完美的结局，Alan向Connie求婚，爸爸同意让Buddy自己一个人出来闯一闯，妈妈同意和爸爸和好。“一家团圆，和气融融”这八字真言可以概括今年喜剧的结局。

完美的落幕，恭喜你们！

KE今年第一个大制作就这样结束啦！感谢台前幕后的所有工作人员，没有你们不懈地劳苦，今年的制作不可能那么成功。

敬最伟大的导演一杯！

Interview with-Xu Nan

Written by Shi Yangyang

Edited by Mao Yinan

Special project——徐楠采访记

徐楠，新加坡国立大学大四工业系统工程（Industrial and system engineering）和business 双学位，于2011年当选为King Edward VII Hall 11/12 学年JCRC, 主要负责special project。平时为人平易近人，有抱负，有理想，今天我们就对他进行了采访。

采访主人公：徐楠

问：作为一个学engineering的学生，当初为什么会选择King Edward VII Hall 呢？

答：说实话，当初想进KE是因为我听说KE的Chinese drama很好. 因为之前在JC的时候，当时我们学校是第一年办高中，我和几个志同道合的人一起做Chinese drama, 当时也算是有一点小成绩吧，我们的drama从初中的水平上升到了一个高中的水平。后来就一直很喜欢chinese drama, 很想继续做，于是便顺理成章地选择了KE。

问：那这几年在chinese drama 中做得怎么样？还开心么？

答：第一年进来的时候是做了《过客》的演员，第二年便自己做出品人，《我和我，他和她》，接下来每年都会去帮忙，现在在JCRC中也是做special project，时不时地也跟他们说点什么。在KE这几年，一直都很开心。这么多年了，也有了自己的一些朋友，也是很有感情的。希望大家越做越好！

问：徐楠喜欢摄影是吗？我看过你一张很给力的彩虹照片，当时拍的时候，真的是凑巧，还是等了很久？因为这张彩虹感觉恰到好处。

彩虹

答：8年前刚来新加坡的时候，随便拍的。。现在还OK，那个时候就只是还很普通的摄影。

问：什么时候想要加入JCRC的？

答：去年选举的时候吧。当时和Eddie一起做KEWOC Eddie 邀请。刚开始的时候有点顾忌，因为毕竟已经大四了，会比较忙，但后来仔细想想，这学期只参加这一个活动，Eddie又是一个很有效率的人，所以应该没问题，所以就接受了。

问：为什么选择现在的职位？（special project( Hallplay, Chinese Drama)

答：毕竟我对production相对比较熟悉，也想好好做好这个职位。

问：关于KE，你最喜欢的是什么？

答：喜欢很多啊，房间很好，待得时间也长，朋友也很多，大家都很友好，很喜欢这种氛围。

问：那最不喜欢的又是什么呢？

答：没有电梯吧，毕竟我住B4，还是要爬一段时间的。

问：对于KE的看法，跟之前刚开始进KE相比，有改变吗？

答：开始的时候因为在Engineering，很远，确实觉得有点麻烦，但后来时间长了，就有感情了。大一和大二的时候认识了很多朋友，有感情了以后就想跟大家住得近一点。这里有家的感觉。可能也是习惯了，后来倒也不觉得远了。

问：学业和活动的强度都很大，你会觉得累或是压力大吗？累的时候是什么促使你坚持下去的呢？

答：有时候会有点，累的时候我觉得最重要的是要有取舍。

问：对于新生，你有哪些建议？对于keviians，有什么话想说吗？

答：新生进来的时候多了解下这个hall,  这个Hall有很多很有意思的文化。多投入，多付出。付出得多才会有那种激动的感觉。不要浪费自己能够进入Hall的机会。

问：在KE中，你觉得自己做过的最出色的一件事是什么？

答：官方来说手机做Chinese Drama, 《我和我，他和她》，但实际上我最满意的还是找到了一个很好的女朋友（满脸微笑，幸福），哈哈。

问：对于自己的工作，有什么要求和期待吗？

答：希望Hall 的production 能演出成功。期待大家可以享受这个过程，认识关系特别亲密的朋友。成就不是这么重要的。。。

Up Close with the 55th JCRC: Eddie, President

Interviewed by Adrian Chia

Eddie Tan, 55th JCRC President

As the JCRC President, almost everyone in Hall knows Eddie. But how many of us truly know him in person? In this interview, Eddie shares with us some of his insights and experiences, both as the President and as a KEVIIan.

Q: You have been staying in A2 (Block A level 2) for 4 years. What is so magical about that place?

It has the right balance of everything – it is near the bus stop; I only need to climb one floor to reach my room from the dining hall; it is at the top of the slope so I get a lot of wind.

Q: Before you became the President, you have been one of the most active members of this Hall. What have you joined since Year 1?

I was in AB Block Committee for 3 years, for which I was AB Block Head when I was in Year 2. For HallPlay I first joined as a Tech member, then I became the Tech Head  in Year 2. I have been in the Merit Awards Board twice, being the co-head during one of the years. I joined KEWOC (KE Welcoming and Orientation Committee) 3 times – once as a programmer, once as logistics and flag member, and once more as counsellor. In Year 1, I was in Hall Marketing as the bazaar in-charge, as well as KEVision…

Eddie's KEWOC 09/10 Poster

Q: Wow! Those were just the committees right? How about sports?

In Year 3, I took up 6 sports – softball, touch rugby, road relay, volleyball, floorball and squash. I have been joining softball and touch rugby every year.

Q: Gosh, how did you cope with so many sports??

Haha towards the end I realised it was a bit hard to go for all the trainings.

Q: As a final year student, you have heavy academic workload and the make-or-break  final year project (FYP) to handle. How have you been coping with your studies?

Haha not very good lah, only 2A+s for the last semester. In Hall, between grades, Hall activities and sleep, you can only choose 2 at a time. I chose to sacrifice sleep. For my FYP, I am not putting in as much time as the rest of my coursemate! *Exasperated look*

Q: What about other commitments?

Trust me, I have no more other commitments in life at this point in time.

Q: Haha okay then. What motivated you to take up this heavy responsibility in the first place?

I am doing this because I know there is something special in this Hall that we need to uphold. When I think back about my friends and experiences in Hall, they don’t just happen like that. Somebody must make sure they happen. So this is my way of giving back to Hall.

Q: Any regrets thus far?

To be honest, there were times when I wished I had more time for myself – FYP, recreation, sports. A lot of sacrifices had to be made. There were episodes when I thought, ‘What if I did not become President? Would I be happier otherwise?’

I guess at the end of the day, it would turn out to be like the NS kind of feeling – you finished it then you feel proud of yourself that you actually went through that much sh*t.

I hope in the remaining time we can make some changes that will benefit KEVIIans, that will make a difference to this Hall. So that there will be a meaningful memory, because you have made a difference and given back to this community. I think it will be a rewarding experience.

Softball

Q: One semester into your job as the JCRC President. How do you feel now?

[The semester] has passed faster than expected. [The JCRC was] kept very busy all the time with very urgent issues.

Currently I am starting to settle in. But the challenge for me is still as big as before. After the semester ended, I had a lot of opportunities to meet with JCRC members from other Halls during the leadership camp. We talked a lot during the camp, especially on the topic of how we go about doing things in Halls. I feel that we have a lot to learn from other Halls, but there are also things which we are doing very well.

For example, our Hall Master is one of the most supportive ones around. His vision for Hall as a place for learning, exploration and self-development is really great.

Q: Looking back into the past semester, how much do you think you have achieved?

I think in terms of tangible, visible changes, not much. But we have started to lay the foundations. The start was very rocky for us, because we started late and there were so many things to be done. That period was not good for us.

One of the biggest breakthroughs for my team was the December holiday subsidy. Our Hall is the only Hall to offer up to 100% subsidy. The SCRC has been very supportive about it.

Q: If you were to start again, would you have done anything differently?

Hell yeah! I think at the start I was being too nice to certain people. When they said they would do something, I trusted them. But in the end things were not done properly. If I were to start again, I would have kept a more watchful eye to ensure things are carried out properly. I realised there are times when I should be little more heavy-handed, because everyone knows that I am a very nice person!

Ultimately, you need to find the balance between trust and control, and there were times when I got the balance a bit wrong.

Q: What are your future plans for KE? What would you try to achieve in your remaining term?

Our Hall is really weak in terms of marketing and sponsorship when compared to other Halls, because we don’t have the framework to attract sponsors. For example, we have very little cash sponsors. We are trying to improve on this by branding our Hall, such as through our productions.

In terms of sports, I hope team KE can make it into all the semis. Any gold medal will be great. We have pumped in the money, hired the coaches and provided ample support. We have pulled in a record number of new residents in Semester 2 under the sports category. Many of our teams have been training hard. I hope all will do well.

KE has never had a pre-IHG supper. IHG has always started quietly and before you know it it is over. This year in Week 1, we will try to organise one to mark the start of the season and to rally support for our sportsmen. We are also putting up an encouragement board in the dining hall. We hope to receive support from all KEVIIans for these initiatives. We want to create the atmosphere of mutual encouragement, to make all our sportsmen feel like they are playing for this Hall, and they have the whole Hall behind them as their supporters.

As for KEIPS, we are devising a way to track the contributions of KEVIIans across the years, so that by the time KEVIIans graduate from Hall their contributions can be recognised. We are hoping that this would eventually be recognised by NUS as well.

For all KEVIIans, especially our sportsmen and sportswomen

Q: In your opinion, what is the most unique feature of KE Hall?

Hmm… *deep in thought* we have been thinking about this for a very long time, especially when we think about branding. I wouldn’t say this is a unique feature, but it is a special thing – among all the Halls, we have the most accommodating and homely community. I think everybody can find a friend here. The culture against foreigners is not so bad – they can join almost any CCA they like. I think we are nice people.

Q: What is your leadership style?

I don’t like to take an authoritative or domineering style. I try to influence or ‘infect’ others with my actions.

Q: So you lead by example?

Hmmm, that’s not exactly correct either because there are times when I’m not such a good example. *Chuckles* I want to win other people’s trust by showing an honest and sincere side of me.

Eddie is infectious!!

Q: Finally here is the last but toughest question: between popularity and practicality, which is more important to you? Why?

I think it is more about doing things at the right time. It is about doing practical things while trying to maintain a certain level of popularity. Sometimes managing your popularity is the means to carry out practicality. If you think long term, you cannot keep doing things at the expense of your popularity. But if I die die have to choose one, it would be practicality, because no matter how people will dislike me, there will always be God to support me.

NUS Student Achievement Awards Ceremony 2012

Written by: Adrian Chia

Edited by: Celine Yeap

Congratulations to the 4^th Overseas Community Involvement Project (OCIP) team and the 13^th Xin Qing Rong Ji (XQRJ) for bringing glory to KEVII Hall!

On 17^th February 2012, the annual NUS Student Achievement Awards (SAA) Ceremony was held at the University Cultural Centre (UCC) Auditorium. The SAA is an initiative of the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) to recognize exceptional individual students or student groups who have made noteworthy contributions to the University outside of their academic curriculum. This year, KEVII Hall was represented by two student groups – the 4^th OCIP team and the 13^th XQRJ, both in the Community Projects (Group) category.

Unlike the past, all nominees were invited to attend the ceremony this year. Suspense was kept to the maximum as the winners were only made known during the event itself – in the words of NUS Deputy President and Provost Prof. Tan Eng Chye, the Guest of Honour, it was like “the Academy Awards style”.

First up from KEVII Hall to receive an award was Mr. Eddie Tan, President of the 55^th Junior Common Room Committee (JCRC), who represented the Rag & Flag team 2011 to receive the Special Commendation Award. He was soon up on stage again to receive the Special Achievements to Student Organizations Award, in recognition of the contributions made by the 55^th JCRC.

When alas it came to the Community Projects category, a video clip showing all nominees was played before the winners were announced. Our hearts began pounding violently; the intense palpitations were symptomatic of our immense anxiety. When the 4^th OCIP team was declared the winner of Trophy Award, we nearly jumped from our seats in sheer delight. We took our time to bask in the glory and limelight; we went up on stage, received the award and took a group photo with Hall Master. It was truly a moment to savour.

A sumptuous buffet dinner marked the end of the ceremony. Amidst all the feasting and mouth-watering food, it was also the perfect opportunity to cam-whore as we sought to preserve the glamour and glory of the night in the form of photos.

 

KEVIIans at the ceremony

A brief introduction of both committees that did us proud:

The 4^th OCIP team, led by Chen Haojin, was in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, between 16-31 May 2011 teaching English and building libraries. Seeking to better the lives of the impoverished communities, the team served in an orphanage, a rural secondary school as well as a primary school at the heart of a slum. This year was the second consecutive time the KEVII OCIP team received the honour.

On the other hand, the 13^th XQRJ, headed by Andy Sim, organised the annual regional Chinese song writing and composition competition in 2011. Attracting over a hundred entries from Singapore and Malaysia, the competition culminated in a Grand Final held at the UCC Auditorium. Adding much vibrancy to the NUS and KEVII cultural scene, the committee members had put in countless hours making the event a great success.

Eddie, our JCRC president also commented, “It was comforting that the University is recognising what we do in Hall as an important part of NUS. I also wish to congratulate the OCIP team and XQRJ, for they truly deserved the awards after putting in so much, not for the CCA points, but for what they believe in and what their committees stand for.”

Haojin, leader of the 4^th OCIP team, wishes to express his gratitude to the SAA selection committee for the recognition; KEVII Hall for providing the team unwavering support; and of course, all OCIP team members for their effort and sweat! Even though the group of started off as strangers from different backgrounds, the same spirit of volunteerism allowed all difficulties to be overcome and the project to be accomplished. He believed the award should not be the destination, “It is the beginning of more enthusiastic people joining volunteer work.”

IHG Closing Ceremony

Reported by : Koh Pin Lang

Edited by : Victor Lee

Months of grueling trainings and matches officially ended on 13^th February with the IHG Closing ceremony. The ceremony wasn’t particularly well received by certain halls. Seated at the grandstand were mainly participants from EH, TH and RH while the remaining three halls had a dismal turnout. Despite having few KEViians turning up at the ceremony, those of us who were there were highly supportive of the wonderful performances by our KE Titans and Smoking Marshalls.

Associate Prof Tan Teck Koon (Dean of Students, Office of Student Affairs) was invited to grace the event. To kickstart the ceremony, AP Tan and the conveying committee head gave brief speeches. The first performance of the ceremony was by KE Titans. Starting the performance with a lively and cutesy song, our cheerleaders captured the attention of the audience. The upbeat music brought a lively feel to the stadium as we enjoyed the performance. The cheerleaders performed the dangerous stunts effortlessly as the girls climbed onto the guys’ shoulders and balanced with a single leg. What was more amazing was their ability to remain calm, smiling all the way while dishing out neat routines with superb precision. For a team that is only three years old, I would say that they have indeed showed their potential and perhaps exceeded their expected progress. Words cannot do justice to them, so please view their performance here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0j2bN4RcFk&feature=youtu.be

Other than our wonderful Titans, the Smoking Marshalls were awesome as well. Performing that night was Jerusha, Claris and Keith. Though the band was small, it was lovely to hear good vocals. To show our support, KEViians had positioned themselves right in front of the band. Singing the first song (Put your records on) was Jerusha. In a husky voice, Jerusha gave a melodious rendition of the song. Unfortunately, the ballad was unsuited for the large crowd, who instantly drowned out Jerusha’s voice. But for those of us in front, it was indeed a pleasurable experience. Up next was Claris, singing Price Tag. This song was slightly more upbeat and popular among the crowd. As Claris crooned to the mike, KEViians sang along with her. In fact, the chorus was particularly loud as most of us were much more familiar with it. To end off the performance, Jerusha sang “More than Words”. The song was specially picked for the next day, 14^th February, Valentine ’s Day! As Jerusha sang, I could see that she was emotionally engaged. The rest of us clapped and sang along with her. The mood was oddly relaxing, considering the noisy crowd behind us. Perhaps, that had something to do with Ruth’s constant declarations of love to people around her during the song. Personally, I feel that Smoking Marshalls put up a great performance despite the not-so-conducive environment. Great job guys!

In addition to the sterling performance from our hall, other halls also sent out their representatives as well. RH’s band performed three songs. Their songs, such as ‘Mr Brightside’ and ‘Superstitious’, were more suited for a large open aired stadium with a noisy audience. TH sent their cheerleading team, TH Twisters, for the event. Though the Twisters are currently 9 years old, I must say that their performance was less than satisfactory. Their moves were untidy and most of the time unsuccessful. At one point in time, they even forget to keep up to the beat of the music, and seemed lost during the performance. Despite being told that some of their moves/formations are particularly hard, I would prefer to watch a simple but well-executed routine as compared to a difficult but sub-standard one. KR Steepers (KR’s cheerleading team), on the other hand, were impressive. With their well thought formation that was both clean cut and impressive, they wowed the crowd. Even Alvin, our KE Titian’s cheerleading head, was impressed by the Steppers’ moves. The standard of performance corresponded well with the 13 years of experience.

The ceremony ended with the prize giving ceremony. The fact that EH won the overall champion was no surprise. As the residents of EH gather their trophies and celebrated with a jog around the track with their flag flying, the ceremony came officially to an end. In that moment, I felt a little sad. Though KEViians trained hard and did our best, we had to settle for last place. But nevertheless, as long we have hopes in our hearts and continue to put in effort, we can fly our flag just like EH someday!

KEVII Atheletics : The speediest of them all

Reported by: Koh Pin Lang

Edited by: Victor Lee

Today marks the end of the Inter Hall Games (IHG) with the final sport, athletics. Though I must confess that I didn’t put too much hope into KE winning at this particular sport, I must say that we did a fabulous job for a team that is at most weeks old. Our athletes gathered at the SRC track in the late afternoon, eager to complete the last stretch of battle with the other 5 halls. Though athletes from other halls were running on the track and practicing their baton passes, our athletes seemed remarkably calm and relax as they stretched in preparation for the subsequent races.

Before long the 4 x 100m males, CK, Isaac, Arjun and JK (in order of running) were ready to roll. The crowd waited in anticipation as the athletes took their starting positions on the track.  With the blast of the horn, they were off. CK was swift on his feet and was running as hard as he could. He almost overtook SH before handing the baton to Isaac, who sprinted off immediately. However, the second runner of SH was incredibly fast, making it difficult for Isaac to shorten the gap. The brief lag in baton passing between Isaac and Arjun compounded the gap. Fortunately Arjun, with his long strides, ate up the distance between us and other halls quickly and soon we were back in close competition with the other halls. As JK, our last athlete took the baton our supporters cheered and screamed. With our view of JK blocked by hordes of EH supporters, we could only wait nervously while JK sprinted towards the finish line. Much to our delight, JK was well ahead of KR, with SH nowhere in sight.  Indeed, we never saw the fourth SH runner come in, which lead to a moment of confusion for the conveyors. However, we couldn’t care less except for the fact that we were fourth!

This 4 x 100m females race was relatively uneventful. As soon as the horn sounded, the girls were off. Veronica was our first runner but she was quickly overtaken by the KR, EH and RH. However, she gave it her all and tried to shorten as much of the gap as possible. Germaine was up next. Like a little swallow, she flew across the track in an attempt to catch up with the rest of the halls, which were unfortunately far ahead of her. At this point in time, SH was lagging badly and it seemed to me that it was unlikely for KE to be last in this race. We had a change in fortune with our third runner, Sarah. Formerly a sprinter, she dashed off immediately with the baton in hand. With our terrible spectator position, we only managed to see the end of the race where Cherli completed the race, leaving us in 5^th position.

The 4 x 400m males race was particularly interesting. With a long distance of 400m, this race represents a real challenge. First up was Isaac. Having run the first race of 4 x 100m, I admired his endurance to run a second time. Though he was off on a good start, KR’s runner was well ahead of all other halls and Isaac’s speed had slowed down, leaving us with another gap to shorten. Feng Fei was our second runner and he tried to narrow the distance. However, much to our dismay, the gap continued to widen. With the uncomfortable notion of a possible last place, our third runner, Eddie, was determined to change our fates. He sprinted off quickly but at this point in time, we were lagging by more than 100m. Our last runner Prakash gave it his all but the gap was too wide and we ended up last.

A fresh start with the 4 x 400m females gave us hope to redeem ourselves from this nasty position of last place. Bee started off the race effortlessly, overtaking RH. As the athletes made their way back to the starting line, the supporters from all halls cheered. EH and TH came in neck-to-neck while the SH runner almost collapsed after handing her baton.  Our second runner, Sharlene, was highly pressured by second SH runner, who tried closing the gap. However, we managed to fend off this possibility when Vicki took the baton, dashing off as swiftly as a comet. At this point in time, TH, EH and KR were well ahead of us with the runner of each hall well separated from each other. It was clear that we have redeemed ourselves with a fourth place. Vicki came running with a slight smile on her face before sending Sophie off with the baton. Sophie though small, was packed with speed but by the time she completed 200m, the last EH runner was already back at the finishing line. We came in 4^th.

The last race was the medley run, which consisted of 100m female, 100m male, 200m male, 400m female, 800m female and 800m male. The initial start of this medley was slightly disappointing as Cherli was outrun by the other halls. However, KEViians remained supportive as we cheered her on. JK was up next and he dashed off in bid to narrow the distance. But a 100m seemed too short a distance to narrow the gap as the fresh runners from other halls took off again. Arjun’s long legs were assets and we quickly gained on TH and overtook them in the 200m race. Next, Dolly overtook KR and SH. Unfortunately, TH managed to overtake us yet again, leaving us 4^th in the race. By the time Bee took the reins for 800m, EH was at least 200m ahead of everyone. After a distance of 300m, KR’s runner seemed to be making a move on Bee in an attempt to narrow the gap. However, Bee remained calm and unfazed. Another 200m later, KR was lagging and well behind us.  The last male in this race was Terence. At this point in time, the SH 800m female runner was embarrassingly lapped by EH and TH’s last runner. RH remained close in sight of KE and we were pinning our hopes on Terence. However, RH’s last runner was Madhan, previously from KE and he is an insanely fast sprinter. Despite the unfortunate circumstances, Terence was quick on his feet and gave his all to catch up with Madhan. After about 400m, the positions for each hall were more or less fixed. EH and TH’s runner had returned while RH, KE and KR were well spread with about 200m between each other. For our efforts, we won ourselves a fourth place.

All in all, our males were awarded a 5^th place while our females got a 4^th place, which lead to an overall position of 4^th. For a team formed in haste, we performed wonderfully well. Kudos to the athletes who ran their hearts out, you guys were FABULOUS!

What the floorball girls are really made of

Reported by : Annisa Rakun

Edited by : Victor Lee

The date is February 11, 2012. The long awaited day for the floorball girls’ carnival, one of the last IHG events of the season. The girls had been practicing exactly for this day, together with coach Hussein who has been teaching tactics and strategies to the girls for the last three months. The coach’s philosophy is one that is very encouraging, one that prioritizes the kind of game that we play instead of the score that we get. After our dynamic warmups and gearing up, the girls were ready for anything the day is going to throw at them.

KE vs TH 1-6

The match to kick off the carnival was none other than our match against Temasek hall. The whistle blew right on the dot of 9:00. KE set out with Veron, May-Ee, June, Dolly, and Jasmin Koh. Everybody fought valiantly throughout the first half, but Temasek managed to find their way through our defense and scored three goals. In the second half, their shooting spree continued, scoring another three, making the score 6-0. Just as the second half was about to end, KE managed a brilliant play-up, starting with Dolly making a board pass to Honqi who deftly flicked the ball to Ruth. Our captain Ruth had no trouble capitalizing on the golden opportunity, turning it into a well-deserved goal. After the goal, the KE team seemed infused with a newfound energy, but unfortunately the match ended shortly after.

The beautiful goal by Ruth that left the opponent's goalkeeper awestruck.

KE vs RH 1-0

The second match started at 11:20 against Raffles hall. Properly warmed up from the first match, KE fared significantly better in this match, even though the opposing team has an IVP player. About two to three minutes into the game, our funnelling strategy worked. A careless pass was made by RH into our centre, which was intercepted easily by Dolly. In a perfect case of the defender’s stigma (in which defenders are not perceived as real threats by the opposing team), Dolly was left unmarked, which meant a relatively clear path to the front of the RH goal. She dribbled and attempted a high shot. Goal! 1-0 for KE! Down by one goal, RH fought back ferousiouly. However, our defense successfully held them at bay, which alternated between any combinations of the trios of Dolly-Jasmin Koh-Jasmine Chua and  Jiani-Jerusha-Felicia. The girls held their ground, securing our first win of the day!

Juanmin : the epitome of belligerence

KE vs EH 0-1

Refilled and refreshed by the energy packed lunch of banana, energy bars, bread and tuna, the girls were all fired up and ready to take on EH. We played more defensively against EH; our defense was rock solid during most of the first half. Everyone was playing on the top of their form. EH attempted to score in rapid succession, but our defenders were able to block most of them. Frustrated by the outcome of the match, EH placed a screener in front of our goal, whose job was to block the keeper from properly viewing the ball in play, and a series of plays led to EH scoring a goal. During the last 3 minutes we played more aggressively, taking some chances at the goal. However, we were unable to turn the tables but nonetheless it was a match that demonstrated our fortified spirit and teamwork.

KE vs SH 1-1

The match against Sheares was an emotional roller coaster. Expecting an easy win, we were surprised that the opponents were that strong. The ball was played in SH’s side of the court most of the time and being accustomed to playing defensively we found it hard to score. The scoreline stagnated at 0-0 right up till minutes into the second match, when a series of good plays by the opposing team led to their captain scoring the first goal. It was not till a change in formation that Dolly intercepted the ball in the middle of the court. In a déjà vu moment that reminded us of her first goal of the day, she dribbled the ball to the center-right side of the goal, skillfully curving it into the upper left corner of the goal and scored! Never before did the KE team break into such a relieved cry of joy. A few minutes later, the final whistle was blown, ending the match at a 1-1 tie.

Tired but Tenacious

KE vs KR 0-5

It was the last match and at 6pm most players were tired but everyone was determined to give this last lap their all. Due to the fatigue our defense was shaky and this, compounded by the fact that KR boasts a national floorball player, led to 3 goals by KR in the first half. During the second half, Veron had more than her share of shouldering and slashing, as did Dolly. In one particular tussle for the ball, Dolly was sent stumbling out of the court into the horde of KR supporters. Unfazed, she got up quickly, jumped over the board right into the game and intercepted the ball, eliciting a roaring applause even from the KR supporters. As the final whistle was sounded, the score was 5-0 for KR. The better team won and we walked out of the court with our head held high, knowing that we have done everything that we could that day.

With one win and one draw under our belt, the girls came in 4^th in the Floorball carnival. According to our previous coach Nelson, it has been three years since we came in 4^th. Good work, girls! Keep on training and let’s hope for the best next year.

Floorball [M] Preliminary Round: KE vs. EH, lost 7-1

Reported by Zachary Low

Edited by Celine Yeap

February 7^th, and Liangxun and I are back at the MPSH getting ready for the second game of the men’s floorball group stage. This time though, there’s no camera and notepad and pen – this time we’re wearing KEVIIan red and we’re holding our floorball sticks. It’s the real deal now. The day before, we beat Raffles 7-2 to guarantee a spot in the semifinals. But we’re not going to throw the game against Eusoff. We’re here to put up a fight, and we’re here to play for the win. There’s a whole bunch of people in red here to cheer us on and give us a reason to fight for. If you were at the game and you’re reading this, here’s a shout-out to all the boys and girls who came them to show us some love. Kudos to you all.

And the first picture goes to the supporters right here!

The team finishes its warmup and we get onto the court. The whistle blows and KE gets possession off the initial face-off. At first glance the game looks pretty balanced, and we’re moving the ball around. But as much as it pains me to write this, Eusoff puts the first goal into the net. This is the problem with a player writing the report: it’s ridiculously difficult to admit defeat. I kid you not when I say that I am hesitating right here at my keyboard.

Near the end of the first period Eusoff is awarded a penalty. They convert and the floorball team goes into the break down 2-0. It’s still early in the game, and our coach JQ is reminding us to stay focused.

JQ gets us to focus. Best. Coach. Ever.

The second period starts and as much as I hate to admit it, Eusoff’s superior speed and passing begins to tell. They score three more goals in the second period. We’re getting our chances but we’ve got to do a better job in making them count. When I get onto the court it’s a full-court press: our coach wants us to keep up the pressure so we can get a chance to steal the ball. But the Eusoff defence is swarming and even though the full-court press is allowing us to pressure them in front of their goal, we can’t capitalize on what we have.

The third period begins and we’re down 5-0. But we fight on. On a scramble behind the Eusoff goalpost, Joel Soon wraps the ball and puts KE on the scoreboard, and injecting new life into our squad. But Eusoff scores again, utilizing speed and precision passing to create a scoring chance and coming in from the weak side. The referee awards us a penalty, but Ming Zhou’s make is ruled a foul and we don’t get the point. Things get a bit emotional (as most sports matches do) and some of the Eusoff players aren’t being very nice, to put it mildly. But I’m proud to say that we didn’t let them get into our heads. Sure, on the bench we mutter amongst ourselves, and we react to the referee’s calls (who doesn’t?), but as a whole we maintain our collective cool.

Joel Soon – never giving up

The match ends 7-1 to Eusoff.

What’s there to say about it? The more skilled team won. Nobody likes to lose. But we come away from the game with our heads held high. If you want to win, you’ve got to work for it. I come away from the game disappointed, of course. But it just means that we’ve got to work harder – the holidays are going to be secret mountain training time. You know, the hermiticize-yourself-on-mountaintop situation in order to find Inner Peace. We’ve got to build a winning culture from the very beginning. It might sound idealistic and impossible, but if we want to turn things around in KE we’ve got to start now. Call me naïve and impressionable and a believer in one too many inspirational sports movies, but words can change things, can’t they?

In other news, the floorball men’s semifinals against Temasek Hall will be on Thursday. Please be there.

IHG Floorball [M]: 1st Preliminary Round vs. Raffles Hall, WIN 7-2

Reported by Ng Wee Yang

Edited by Celine Yeap

KE7 Males Floorbal Team!

The evening of the 6^th of February was the 1st preliminary round for the floorball males. This time, KE7 faced off against players from RH (Raffles Hall). Before the event started, our team was seen busy doing their warm-up and shooting the ball back and forth amongst themselves. Just a few minutes before the event, the players gathered around to discuss their strategy and was treated to a final motivational talk. Floorball is a game played in three thirds, each lasting 20 minutes.

A prep talk from their coach

GO KE!

The whistle was blown to signal the start of the game at around 7pm. Almost immediately, players from RH seized control by tucking the ball to their side and nearly scoring a goal. Agrression was the name of the game with RH, as our players were shoved from all sides, resulting in calls from the referee. Our team gained the opportunity for a free shot. During the first half of the game, our line-up of players were substituted every 5 minutes in quick succession. With intense excitement, our team almost scored a goal, were it not for RH’s goalkeeper who caught the ball on time. During the duration of the first round, both teams scored several goals, with RH scoring one point. Half-time was called at around 7:25 pm.

Ming Zhou and Wai Kit with good teamwork!

The ball in the safe hands of our goalie, Yan Shi

The second third commenced almost immediately and proved to be an extremely fruitful one for KE7,  managing to score goal after goal. The first success for this third occurred merely 5 minutes into the round and it was followed by a collective applause from the many supporters from our hall. The second and third goals were secured nearing the end of the third. Though RH managed to stand their ground after these victories, our goals were a morale booster for the guys of the team. At around 8:05pm, the second round ended but the coach gathered everyone to discuss the strategy for the final round. Confident and ready to win, our players trudge in for the final battle.

Wesley scores one of our many goals!

The last third commenced with a string of coordinated and organised offensive attacks upon RH. With this strategy brought to life, the boys managed to score a point only 5 minutes into the round. RH also managed to make a comeback by scoring a point and their players were commendable in their solid defense. In an accumulation of events, KE7 managed to score a final goal at around 8:20pm. With that, the game was concluded with an overall score of 7-2, our floorball males emerging victorious.

A defensive formation

Well done to the KE7 floorball males team! Let us wish them luck in the upcoming game against Eusoff Hall and show our show our support in future games to come!

Male Volleyball: KE VS RH, lost 0-2

Written by Shi Yangyang

Edited by Mao Yinan

As a very popular and interesting game among the world, volleyball is usually played with hands or arms, but players can strike or push with any part of the body. First, a team serve the ball. Then each team tries to score points by grounding the ball onto opponent’s court and wining the rally. However, at the same time, no one is allowed to touch the ball for consecutive two times.  The most competitive thing about volleyball I think is that no one is fixed in the court. Everyone is going to change his place during the game. Today’s male volleyball is KE VS RH. It plays best-of-three to 25.

Here came the game. The first race, Raffles kept ahead of us. When the score is 5:1, Eric asked for a break. All the players got together, talked about the opponent’s advantage and disadvantage. At the same time, we are a little bit rush. Experienced senior also shared his experience and judgement.

Analysing, discussing and improving

Just after the break, we got a very beautiful rally and got one more point.  Although Raffles is all the way ahead ofus, it seldom reduced our passion. Everyone was trying to do his best and gave the audience an awesome match.

Look! A nice spiking!

A spiking!

What impressed me most was the beginning of the second race. First, we got a nice first point, which made us 0:1 ahead of Raffles.  After that, as Raffles player commit some fault and we were ahead of them for some time. The supporters even shout for “KE, coaching”, which inspired players very much. At that time, both confidence and hope came back to us.  Everyone was in his place without rushing.

Everyone is in his place

The match finally ended with the mercy rule of Raffles. They managed to get the success of the first two races. Although we lost the game, our passion and confidence are still with us. All the Keviians will be with the players towards the next challenge, which is KE VS TH. Thank you, guys! And Good luck for your next match!

IHG BADMINTON (M) vs SH: Lost 5-0

Written by Hariharasudhan Ayyappan

Edited by Ong Hui Shan

Sunday evening marked the end of the KEVII badminton team’s IHG campaign as they played their final group game against Sheares Hall at MPSH 5. With KEVII being grouped with Eusoff Hall and Sheares Hall, qualifiying for the semis was definitely going to be a tough task, but we were not going down without a fight. Confident of a good showing, the team warmed up with some grueling practice. The format of the competition was as follows: three singles and two doubles matches adding up to a total of 5 matches between the two teams.

The 1^st match kicked off at around 7:45pm with the KEVII captain Yeo Yun Han taking on his counterpart from Sheares hall. Within minutes, his opponent had raced off to a 7 point lead with the score at 11-4, displaying his technical prowess through a wide variety of shots. Though Yun Han put up a spirited fight, he lost the first game 8-21. In the second game, Yun Han was unfortunate, injuring his knee while trying to retrieve a drop shot. His injury dashed any hopes of a comeback as SH wrapped the game up 2-21 to obtain a 1-0 lead.

The first doubles match of the competition saw Colin Peers and Haojin from KE7 take on Min Hau and Keith from SH .It was a good display of aggressive game play by both teams. Nevertheless, the experience of the Sheares team was evident from their victory in straight games 21-10, 21-13.

Next, Sudibyo Gunawan from KE7 played against Yu He from SH – this was a crucial game as we had to win it to remain in the running. The left-handed Sheares athlete dominated the game as he first took a 5-0 lead and then an 11-2 lead with his accurate cross-court smashes. Gunawan was unable to recover from the onslaught of attacks from his opponent, and lost the first game 7-21. Though he improved considerably in the second game, he was unsuccessful in stopping Yu He from winning the game 21-11, sealing the deal for SH with an unassailable 3-0 lead.

In the 4^th game, Fang Hau and Gregory took on their opponents from SH in hope of a consolatory victory. They took some time in finding their feet and conceded the first game 21-10. However, they took their opponents head-on in the second game: after some breathtaking rallies, the score was evenly poised at 6 points on both sides. In a see-saw battle, they conceded 4 pts on the trot but made a spirited comeback to lead 18-17. In another twist of events, SH took a couple of quick points only for Greg and Fang Hau to return the favour. This nail-biting sequence of alternating fortunes carried on till both teams were tied at 22 points. What followed was a beautiful back-and-forth which ended in KE7 taking the game 24-22. However, the previous game had worn the players out, and they lost the deciding game 12-21.

In the final game, KE7 was still fighting for a win with Jet Chun taking on Kaya from Sheares. Both players gave their best and Kaya prevailed in the first game 21-10. Nevertheless, Jet Chun hit back with a stirring comeback as he outplayed Jet Chun with some superb smashes and well-disguised drop shots to win the first 5 points, making it 11-3. He then took the game 21-14 with a particularly jaw-dropping sequence of 4 well-earned points. But alas, it was not KE’s fate to earn a victory: Kaya won the last game 21-6.

In retrospect, the badminton showdown on Sunday was one of those matches in which the scorecard was a bad indicator of the game quality. Even though KE7 was outplayed 5-0, all the games were fought to the tooth and nail, with our players displaying technical prowess and agility. Kudos to the KE7 team for playing their hearts out! We are confident of a much improved showing in the coming year!

IN KEVII, WE BELIEVE!!!