My friends know my Sunday schedule. By 7.30 I will be at the courts in ITM playing tennis with my children’s coach while my babies do some tennis related exercises. I love my Sunday morning exercise. I love what it is doing to my game, although I do sometimes ask, why am I doing this, vamping up my game. Who am I trying to impress with my serves and spins ? Whatever.
I like the coach, too. Coach Anuar was trained by cousin, Izam who in turn was trained by his dad, my uncle Pak Mat. In fact most of us were trained by my formidable in the court uncle (but luar court he is the sweetest so and so around… he he… Sayang Pak Mat…). Therefore I was rather perplexed with Coach Anuar’s sunny and easy-going attitude. He sometimes had to force his errant students to get up their butts and start running or put their racquets into action.
But because of that very attitude, the students kept coming. He didn’t make it hard for them, he made it fun and for that I admire him. His father assisted him, a nice man with a very kind face who loves children. He knows how to make them do things that he wants. In fact he was the one who made Elsa joined the team ! Elsa had no say in it what-so-ever, suddenly found herself running and swinging with the rest of the big people. Ha ha….
In short I really like the family.
However 2 weeks ago Anuar left a bomb. He is leaving for a teacher’s training school in Penang that very week and will be introducing his replacement that very Sunday. I was worried for the children but also worried for me. Will the new coach agree to play with me ? Would he be kind and considerate like him ?
“Have you asked Izam to recommend a substitute ?” I asked.
The line was bad for some reason and I thought he said Izam is still trying to find somebody (for the record the tennis class in ITM was initiated by my cousin Izam who is a Sports Science lecturer there. It is a very good effort as I see all these children doing something to fill their days away from the telly).
Sunday came and I was feeling sad that Anuar was leaving, although for a year only but he is a good guy so he will be sorely missed. When I got there, Anuar was there first as usual minus the new coach. So we played and then at 8.30 am Anuar said the new coach has arrived.
I looked at him and he looked familiar, a tall guy with a sweet face. He looked young though so I asked Anuar if he is any good. Anuar gave me a puzzled look. “Mestilah….” He said and before he could say anything else, the new coach was in front of us.
Anuar’s introduction was a surprising, “Kenal kan ?” Hmm…. Yeah, I have seen him around the courts sometimes… but with whom… ? Maybe that is why he looked so familiar… Also he looked like someone I know from ages ago… Someone I used to…
Hang on…
“Sedara kan ?” Asked Anuar. The boy was taken aback.
“Ini sepupu bapak kau kan ?” Ya Rabbi. Anak si Izam… No wonder he looked so much like Izam did when he was that age.
“Ini Huzaifah kak…. Eii… tak pernah jumpa ke ?” Bukan tak pernah, jarang….
Tapi yang segan… anak sedara jadi coach makcik ? Elok2 coach panggil kakak ni nak kena panggil Cik Ala. Sabar ke dia nak mengajar aku ni ?
Last Sunday I woke up with a determination to cancel the class. But … dah sedara malu lah pulak. What would my Pak Mat say ? But what would Pak Mat say when he hears his grandson is coaching his niece, if he haven’t heard of it yet, that is.
Huzaifah was overly polite although my first 2 balls (okaylah 5….. ha ha) went everywhere. I could almost hear him think “Aduih, teruknya makcik aku ni….” Waa….
But after a few minutes he was able to gauge the level of my ability and we fell into an easy rally. But strict he is like his father and his grandfather. Anuar only plays with me and telling me where I went wrong. But this guy actually treated me like the other kids by marking a square space and tell me to aim all my balls there.
He didn’t give the kiddies a chance either. But he is a good change and I can see that we will have a good thing going on here.
He he…
PS : Anuar will be gone for a year and he promised that he will come back every holiday. Yeay !
I like the coach, too. Coach Anuar was trained by cousin, Izam who in turn was trained by his dad, my uncle Pak Mat. In fact most of us were trained by my formidable in the court uncle (but luar court he is the sweetest so and so around… he he… Sayang Pak Mat…). Therefore I was rather perplexed with Coach Anuar’s sunny and easy-going attitude. He sometimes had to force his errant students to get up their butts and start running or put their racquets into action.
But because of that very attitude, the students kept coming. He didn’t make it hard for them, he made it fun and for that I admire him. His father assisted him, a nice man with a very kind face who loves children. He knows how to make them do things that he wants. In fact he was the one who made Elsa joined the team ! Elsa had no say in it what-so-ever, suddenly found herself running and swinging with the rest of the big people. Ha ha….
In short I really like the family.
However 2 weeks ago Anuar left a bomb. He is leaving for a teacher’s training school in Penang that very week and will be introducing his replacement that very Sunday. I was worried for the children but also worried for me. Will the new coach agree to play with me ? Would he be kind and considerate like him ?
“Have you asked Izam to recommend a substitute ?” I asked.
The line was bad for some reason and I thought he said Izam is still trying to find somebody (for the record the tennis class in ITM was initiated by my cousin Izam who is a Sports Science lecturer there. It is a very good effort as I see all these children doing something to fill their days away from the telly).
Sunday came and I was feeling sad that Anuar was leaving, although for a year only but he is a good guy so he will be sorely missed. When I got there, Anuar was there first as usual minus the new coach. So we played and then at 8.30 am Anuar said the new coach has arrived.
I looked at him and he looked familiar, a tall guy with a sweet face. He looked young though so I asked Anuar if he is any good. Anuar gave me a puzzled look. “Mestilah….” He said and before he could say anything else, the new coach was in front of us.
Anuar’s introduction was a surprising, “Kenal kan ?” Hmm…. Yeah, I have seen him around the courts sometimes… but with whom… ? Maybe that is why he looked so familiar… Also he looked like someone I know from ages ago… Someone I used to…
Hang on…
“Sedara kan ?” Asked Anuar. The boy was taken aback.
“Ini sepupu bapak kau kan ?” Ya Rabbi. Anak si Izam… No wonder he looked so much like Izam did when he was that age.
“Ini Huzaifah kak…. Eii… tak pernah jumpa ke ?” Bukan tak pernah, jarang….
Tapi yang segan… anak sedara jadi coach makcik ? Elok2 coach panggil kakak ni nak kena panggil Cik Ala. Sabar ke dia nak mengajar aku ni ?
Last Sunday I woke up with a determination to cancel the class. But … dah sedara malu lah pulak. What would my Pak Mat say ? But what would Pak Mat say when he hears his grandson is coaching his niece, if he haven’t heard of it yet, that is.
Huzaifah was overly polite although my first 2 balls (okaylah 5….. ha ha) went everywhere. I could almost hear him think “Aduih, teruknya makcik aku ni….” Waa….
But after a few minutes he was able to gauge the level of my ability and we fell into an easy rally. But strict he is like his father and his grandfather. Anuar only plays with me and telling me where I went wrong. But this guy actually treated me like the other kids by marking a square space and tell me to aim all my balls there.
He didn’t give the kiddies a chance either. But he is a good change and I can see that we will have a good thing going on here.
He he…
PS : Anuar will be gone for a year and he promised that he will come back every holiday. Yeay !
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