For his first assignment as a newly minted teacher, Mr Francis Tang joined Outram Secondary School in 2008 and was put in charge of the water polo CCA.
At the time, the CCA was suffering from poor attendance.
The team had not tasted victory in a while and morale was low.
“You can do it. Who says you can’t?”
Mr Tang’s first training session with the team started with a pep talk. He didn’t think it was impossible for Outram Secondary School to build a stronger team in the water and take on reigning champs in national competitions.
“People told them ‘it’s a fairy tale’. I told them, You can do it. Who says you can’t?”
Training was scheduled three times a week. He ramped things up. He and Ms Tan Xi Ling, the other teacher-in-charge, were present every single day from Monday to Saturday for the team’s morning and afternoon training sessions.
Mr Tang was a stickler for punctuality.
Nicholas Tan, 17, an ex-student shares, “For every one second late, he made us do 10 push-ups.” He was never late again.
Mr Tang wanted every student under him to become a person with these two traits: selflessness and a willingness to work hard.
“You make them do something again and again until it becomes…something natural to them in the end.”
The boys started showing up more frequently, and showed better and better form every week.
At Mr Tang’s encouragement, they also started to look out for one another, ensuring they hydrated, exercised, and studied hard too.
A low wire mesh fence cordoned the school pool. When the water polo players had their training, the ball often got tossed over the fence and into the bushes beyond. A parent volunteered to get a contractor to raise the fence.
Mr Tang was not in favour of the convenience. Let’s work towards not missing the low fence, instead of creating a higher fence, he said.
Behind the scenes, parents swung into action
One by one, the boys’ parents started to see the change in the training regime and heard some grumbling from their sons. Mrs Wendy Lam, one of the water polo parent support group members, said, “I know Mr Tang cares for my son. It’s for his own good.”
They decided to offer silent support. They plied the boys and staff with hearty meals after each training session. Those who had cars fetched the tired players home.
While the parents served food, the hungry players tucked in and dined on love.
The parents made sure the team had nutritious snacks and dinners at nearly every training session.
One parent was a canteen vendor. So whenever he couldn’t finish selling all his chicken wings for the day, he would bring them to the pool to cheers all round.
A trust and camaraderie soon developed between the parents, students, coaches and teachers.
Three years on, the day of reckoning came.
It’s match day for the National Inter-School Water Polo Championship.
Mr Tang doesn’t hold back on the motivational talk.
They were taking on a strong team and were the underdog in the whole league.
The team put their years of hard work into action.
And they won.
It was an impossible dream for the boys. And that dream came true.
“It’s like they suddenly found hope. They see hope,” said Mr Tang.
In 2011, Outram Secondary School entered the finals of the C Division National Inter-School Water Polo Championship for the first time.
In 2013, the team brought home the gold.
Mr Tang is currently attached to MOE’s Physical Education and Sports Teacher Academy as a Senior Academy Officer.
He works closely with the fraternity of PE teachers, to enhance their ability to deliver quality PE Lessons.
He continues to inspire students and give hope.
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