The Wildcards Blog

The good, the bad and the ignorant.

Even if you can toss hands for 10 times, can you guarantee that your 11th toss will definitely hit?
-Yifang, Magnum Force (2004-2006)




Why is it important to improve fast?

Most of you here would have had at least gone through one National competition. If you're wondering why I am so particular about learning a skill fast, here is some food for thought:

1) There is no such thing as ''improving too fast''

You are a new driver. You just passed your driving. You go on the road and kill somebody by accident.
Qn: Does being a new driver allow you to kill somebody? Is it the lack of focus that caused the accident? Does being panicky on the wheel allow you to kill somebody? Does being new on the road change the fact that you have killed somebody?

CR's comments: You need to master the wheel fast. Or else somebody is going to end up paying for your mistake.

2) The faster you learn, the lesser you get hurt.

You are a base doing a basket toss. The flyer jumps off the basket. Your fast reflexs allows you to save the flyer in time before she lands head down.

CR's comments: The base ''improved fast enough'' to save the flyer in this case.

Consider this in another angle:

You are a base doing a basket toss. The flyer jumps off the basket. Because you did not ''do enough basket tosses'' hence you just stood there not knowing what to do. The flyer crashes head down and has to be rushed to the hospital. You get slapped by her parents for failing to save her.

CR's comments: perhaps the base was not learning fast enough. He could have saved the flyer if he ''improved fast enough'' to know what to do in such situations.

PS: yes i agree with the saying ''more speed, less haste'' as well but when we are able to leverage on the skills and experience of fellow Wildcards, why not?

3) Time and tide waits for no man.

You just started studying in a new course. You don't understand the concepts taught in class. You decide to learn at your own pace. But you forgot that the lecturer will not wait for you. Your classmates won't wait for you to understand the concept taught in class. As you remain confused, their minds are constantly absorbing the information taught in class.

You realise that all of them moved on to graduate with good grades while you failed that module. ( this is chaang's real life story because i forgot how many modules i failed in the past -.-)

CR's comments: your friends are still your friends! But does being your friend stop them from learning faster than you? Results are not everything, but without results you cannot be anything you want.

4) Learn to save yourself

We have all been to RP to train. We are all amazed by what their girl bases can do. I am even more amazed by the level of stunting discipline their flyers maintain.

For girl bases in particular, they do not have the strength and size as compared to guy bases in general. There is a limit to how much they can cradle. The flyer who is tossed in the air will fall through the cradle if she does not keep tight in her V position and hold her own weight. She does not take her bases for granted. She needs to be responsible for her own stunt.

Even our guy bases tend to take things for granted. Being strong does not mean you can neglect using your legs. I think Winston's sore back is a very good example of not keeping good stunting form.

Conclusion?

Somebody help me conclude this?