| Duel
of the dragons |
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| Rowing
and cheering with gusto, to the
beat of roaring drums. |
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Think of a dragon boat
competition and an image of a gruelling sea sport
reserved for the strong and muscular will probably
spring to mind. Well, not quite. With some degree
of endurance and lots of teamwork, anyone can qualify
as a rower. It is also a great means of promoting
bonding.
Two hundred and fifty staff of Ngee Ann Polytechnic
(NP) discovered this and more as they powered their
way and raced their hearts out at the first-ever
Ngee Ann Staff Dragon Boat Regatta on 21 June 2004.
“It was a wonderful afternoon filled with
friendly competition and adventure. Several of those
who did not participate as rowers signed up as cheerleaders
and supporters. Everyone enjoyed the breeze, lively
atmosphere, music and camaraderie,” said Mrs
Tang-Lim Guek Im, the chairperson of the organising
committee. Two weeks before the big day, there was
a role reversal of sorts as students from the NP
Dragon Boat Club became “teachers” to
train the staff in basic rowing strokes and lead
them in simple exercises to build up their stamina.
Then came the acid test on 21 June which saw an
enthusiastic gathering of rowers and their supporters
at the Kallang River. The competitors were divided
into eight teams, each comprising 10 pairs of rowers.
There were two rounds of heats featuring four teams
each. The two best teams from each round then went
on to compete in the finals.
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| The
admin team, led by Mr Chia (front row,
third left) proved their mettle as they
came in second. |
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Quizzes on Ngee Ann and games such as limbo-rock
were played during intervals. After a “fierce”
fight, the team from the Electronic & Computer
Engineering Division won the battle by narrowly
beating the administration team led by the principal,
Mr Chia Mia Chiang.
An elated Mr Chia said he found the event both enjoyable
and meaningful. He said: “I am sure that all
the 250 staff members and 80 students would agree
fully that the event brought out the best in us.
It has helped to promote bonding and openness and
built esprit de corps.” All of us got to know
old friends better, made new ones, and learnt the
virtues of working in unison to achieve a common
goal.
“Also, in the process, we got to know our
students better. They, too, must have left with
nice memories of their lecturers and other NP staff
who showed so much commitment and passion towards
the regatta. It was indeed an innovative and fruitful
teambuilding activity,” said Mr Chia. |
