Climbing Again

So I'm getting married in less than 2 months and having a budding relationship with God and balancing the job of being an owner/supervisor/trainor/HR/marketeer/quality controller THEN I find myself in a "crossroads" in my climbing career. Okay, it's not a crossroads, I'm exaggerating. But I am faced with a decision.

I go to meet PSC Commissioner Akiko Thomson who's so charismatic and charming, and presents me with an Athlete Priority program that basically asks me to lay-off my work and be a full-time athlete for 1.5 years. She's so eloquent as she explains the program, and though lacking any concrete plans (in classic Philippine government contract style but I will not fault her for that), she wins me over as she ends the conversation about a similar opportunity she had in her day, when she went to the US to train for what was supposed to be just a summer, but extending to a full academic term with her living with foster parents and all, just because she had so much fun and she grew so much as an athlete.

An opportunity I wouldn't have to think twice about if this were 7 years ago, but with my involvement in our business and my obvious marriage to consider, stops me completely in my tracks.

I'm just writing this down to share my thoughts, because as I was weighing my options, I ended up writing this:

I really see this Priority Athlete offer as an opportunity not just for myself but for climbing to grow in our whole country. The MAIN reason why I don't want to just LET IT GO is because I keep thinking about how our community can benefit from it in the long-run, for example: What if I actually become a MUCH stronger climber if sign on with the program? Then maybe I can win MORE int'l comps? Then maybe it will make PSC give our sport more attention? Then more attention = more support?...

That is the part I'll be regretting the most if I DON'T sign on; that I might never get that kind of chance again to contribute to the sport's growth in the country.

I realize I may come off as self-absorbed and overconfident, but that is me and my empowered thoughts.

I felt the urge to share because right after writing that, I come across Roger Federer's interview transcript post-Wimbledon championship win over Andy Murray, and I almost cried reading what he had to say...

If I can help the game of tennis with the image or with, you know, making it more popular, that's enough for me really. I want to leave the game better off than when I came into this great game, which was already unbelievable with the great rivalries we had: Becker Edberg, Courier and Agassi and Sampras....They inspire me to keep on pushing further.You know, not just being happy with world No. 1 or being happy with a Grand Slam title, but maybe to reach for more. 

Comforting to know that I am not alone in my super(wo)man dreams.

parting words from the paribas open

i enjoy reading interview transcripts. eeeek. this is probably the researcher in me....but anyway...just wanted to share some from the post-match interviews in the recently-concluded BMP Paribas Open where rafael nadal once again snatched the Men's Singles title.

***

....wondering what roger means when he says his and andy murray's fitness levels are different, but he doesn't feel the "age factor"...

Q. It's four times now that you've played him at one set all and come away behind in three set matches. What makes the difference?
ROGER FEDERER: Fitness. I'm old. He's young, you know. Makes a huge difference. No, I mean, those are best of three set matches. I think in the last few matches I always felt Andy came on strong, as the match went on, you know. This time was different. I think I played well in the second. Forced the issue a bit more and then played a shocking third set. It was one of those matches where it was very up and down from both ends, and today the better player won.

Q. You brought up that you were old. Do you feel the age factor?
ROGER FEDERER: No, I don't.

***

....one match at a time...admitting errors, but not getting stuck....always looking at the possibilities, not the potential upsets....minds of champions!!!

Q. I know you've answered this before, but why would you think winning the Grand Slam would be almost impossible, given that you've won Roland Garros four times and Wimbledon, the Australian on hard courts. You've won this twice. Is it because the year is so long, or are you just being modest that you think it's impossible for anybody?
RAFAEL NADAL: I gonna answer another time the same, no? I think when you start the tournament, you start from the first round. When I go to the tournament, I play first round and I don't know if I gonna win.
You never know what's going on in two months, in five months, in seven months. So it's very difficult to play during all the year at the same level, your best level.
Anyway, if I am playing at my best level, if Murray has a good day, he has a good chance to beat me or Federer or Djokovic or a lot of players.
So every tournament is really tough. And you are thinking a Grand Slam. Maybe it's tougher, too. Playing five sets maybe help a little bit the top players to have the better results because you have, well, more time.
But anyway, it's almost impossible. That's my feeling. I would love to have the Grand Slam. My feeling, is yeah, almost impossible.

***

Q. Do you recall struggling that much with your backhand in a long time?
ROGER FEDERER: Ah, yeah, I have those moments quite frequently.

Q. How disappointed? Are you disappointed? What's the mood? What's the feel?
ROGER FEDERER: Two minutes after the match I don't know. You know, you're just like disappointed a bit, but it was a decent tournament. Not the greatest of all time, but it was all right.
I still had high hopes for today, so I have to look forward. Hopefully I'll play well in Miami.

***

...lost in translation again! si rafa talaga nakakatawa....

Q. You seem to play every point as if it were an adventure, like something new and fun.
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't think so. (Laughter.)
No, no, no. I think I'm a serious player.

Q. I didn't mean you're not serious.
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I think my game is serious, like one time I go to the net. I think I play really similar points.
I try to have the control of the point with the forehand. That's the normal point on me. Serve, I have the control of the point on the forehand. Not one time go to the net, and another time, dropshot.
It's not like an adventure. That's my feeling. I don't know what you're saying.