DEC 25 — The end’s around the bend,

Let’s give ourselves a hand,

A rousing cheer for seeing this one through…

We’ve had our ups and downs,

Our days with crooks and clowns,

Now celebrate, go chug some amber brew…

I’ve had amazing experiences playing hockey — from insurmountable highs and heart-breaking lows to downright pants-down, pie-in-the-face humiliating moments. Listing each and every one of them down would be near-impossible. I am limited by column space and vocabulary. Listing them down would also mean YOU now have access to information that would make me look like a complete idiot. We can’t have that now, can we?

There are five distinct moments that defined my hockey career. These are places I go back to when the world gets too difficult to fathom and a place of mental solitude is required. Let’s call this:

LOGAN’S TOP FIVE

HOCKEY MOMENTS

1. My First Call-Up.

I recall my heart beating profusely when the letter first arrived. The envelope was a sickly orange. I ripped it apart and read the contents out loud.

“Congratulations on making it to the National Senior Team’s Training Camp.”

I was 16 years old.

2. 1998 Commonwealth Games Semi-Finals

The crowd was in a manic frenzy. The players were running all over the ground, hugging and screaming their lungs out. Mirnawan scored the winning goal against perennial favourites India and we were on our way to the Finals. Mirnawan had his shirt off, scaled what must have been at least a 5-metre high fence and screamed words of appreciation to the Lord, the fans and probably his barber.

That moment of sheer dexterity, solidified my belief in Darwin’s theory.

We once were apes.

3. 1997 SEA Games Camp

I was 16, with the enviable body of a 15-year-old girl, smooth, lithe and slender. The boys dragged me out of bed one evening, stripped me naked and flung me — like a piece of meat- into the hallway. While I was clamouring for help, I noticed a group of female athletes walking my way. My survival instincts kicked in and I hid behind a pillar, away from the group’s line of sight.

Only to realise much later, my rear-end was visible–in HD-to almost 75 per cent of the athletes in the camp who were in the cafeteria, right behind me, finishing up their supper.

4. 2000 Osaka

We were all in the pool at our hotel, celebrating what was the end of a long, stressful training camp. We danced and sang the night

away.

Someone, brilliantly, brought in bath gels and pretty soon the entire pool was one frothing, foamy bathtub that fit 20. We then decided to take a bath, all of us at once… in the pool.

Who takes a bath with clothes on, right?

5. 1998 Commonwealth Games Prize Giving Ceremony

I collected the silver medal and looked up to the bleachers. Mum and dad were waving at me. I waved back. My heart was teeming with pride.

I was the proud son of two amazing parents who would do anything to see their kid’s dream come true. That medal...and every medal since, was for them.

My dad once told me: All you have at the end of the day are the memories you create. 2014 beckons. What memories will you create?

Happy New Year everyone….

** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malay Mail Online.