By Nadine Staes-Polet (18A01B) and Lim Jing Rong (18A03A)
Photos courtesy of Raffles Photographic Society
After two long and fun-filled weeks of almost daily games and activities, the second and final week of The Raffles Games (TRG) drew to a close. Despite having significantly fewer events than the previous week, it was nonetheless just as exciting, interesting, and most importantly, fun. Here’s a quick rundown on what went down on Week 2.
Monday
Floorball
This year, for the floorball event, each house was split into two teams: one comprising players from sports CCAs and the other from non-sports CCAs. Teams were made up of both boys and girls, and each team competed in groups of 3. At any point in the game, players could be substituted in and out with at least one girl playing at all times. Throughout the games, teamwork and coordination really shone through. Each team put forth their best effort, and most games ended with either a tie or a 1 point difference. As multiple players pontificated throughout, “AHHHHHH”, and at one point, someone even said, “Oh man, that was a hard hit to lil junior, thanks a lot mate”, the intensity of the games that afternoon was evident.
Placings:
1st: MT (2nd for sports, 2nd for non-sports)
2nd: MR (1st for sports, 3rd for non-sports)
3rd: BW (4th for sports, 1st for non-sports)
4th: HH (3rd for sports, 5th for non-sports)
5th: BB (5th for sports, 4th for non-sports)
Dodgeball
The dodgeball TRG, organised by the dragonboating CCA, was also held on Monday at the cages. Dodgeball is often characterized as a violent and cruel sport, and admittedly the games got off to a rough start, with some players not seeming to understand that aiming at the head was out-of-bounds. However, the facilitators stepped in quickly and the games continued smoothly from there.
The water polo boys and softball girls, especially, with their powerful and accurate shots, dominated many games. There were, however, moments for the underdogs too. On multiple instances, there was a single player left on one team against multiple (and often intimidating) opponents. They managed to not only dodge the shots but also managed to catch some of the balls, bringing their team mates back into the court, and their team back into the running.
All in all, the participants had a great time playing the game and bonding with their teammates.
Placings:
1st: BB
2nd: HH
3rd: MT
4th: MR
5th: BW
Thursday
Soccer (boys)
The afternoon sun was ablaze on the field as the soccer (boys) TRG began, starting promptly at 5pm. Everyone played with vigor and passion, putting up a good fight till the end. For the 3rd/4th placing match, a nail-biting game was played between MR and HH. It ended with a 0-0 tie which had to be broken with a penalty shot. MR took the shot and was successful, landing them in third place. The finals match found MT facing off against BW, which ended with an impressive 3-1 win for MT.
Placings:
1st: MT
2nd: BW
3rd: MR
4th: HH
5th: BB
Friday
Basketball
Before the basketball TRG even began, there were participants already lining up at the courts to practice their shots and throw some hoops. This atmosphere of excitement and intensity did not wane over the course of the numerous games each team had to play.
The teams were split into girls and boys, and further divided into sports and non-sports. The turnout was extremely impressive, and every house managed to field teams in each category. Despite the varying levels of skill, each game was played with equal enthusiasm and fervour. Although the games ended later than expected, all participants left the courts with exhausted smiles on their faces, evidence of the tiring but undeniably enjoyable games played.
Placings:
1st: BW
2nd: HH, MR (tied)
4th: MT
5th: BB
Track and Field
While the much-hyped Runway auditions were taking place at the PAC, a whole different running event was also underway just a stone’s throw away (or in this case maybe a few long strides away), on the track.
The track and field TRG consisted of three components: track events, field events and relay races. While all came with their share of excitement, the relay races were packed with anticipation, and almost too close to call, leaving the spectators on the edge of their seats. At the end of the day, everyone ran their hearts out and had a great time racing with and against their friends and teammates.
Placings:
1st: BW
2nd: MR
3rd: BB
4th: HH
5th: MT
All in all, TRG provided a great experience for all students – male or female, sports or non-sports – to try their hand at a new sport, bond with their friends and housemates, or even just let their inner student-athlete shine through.
As TRG organizer Ruth Kwan (18S03M) put it, “It was hard work organising TRG, with months of planning and preparation put in, but seeing everyone enjoy themselves made it worth it. TRG brought out everyone’s house pride, and we’re glad that TRG hopefully brought joy and excitement to people.” Overall results for TRG will be released during a morning announcement this week so look out for that!
