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"Treagles Take Manila" by Amanda Lim

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As Dalat's Varsity Track and Field team stepped off the plane at the Ninoy Airport in Manila, Philippines, they were immediately met with a hot breeze and the blazing sun. Although the heat was similar to that at home in Malaysia, the dryness was a new condition they weren't used to. 

From April 8 to April 12, the team of 26 athletes and 4 coaches traveled to Manila for their biggest meet of the season, ACSC Track and Field, hosted by Faith Academy and held at Brent International School. This is it: the team had trained and practiced hard for two and a half months, and everything they'd learned would now be put to the test. With multiple events lined up, each athlete had something to look forward to on Friday and Saturday.

ACSC stands for Asia Christian School Conference, with Dalat representing Penang, Malaysia. Other schools competing in ACSC tournaments include Morrison Academy Taichung, Faith Academy of Manila, and more.

The first activity was the cultural event at Faith, a traditional Philippine-inspired festival featuring balut shots, tote bag decorating, and food vendors. The team took this opportunity to build connections with fellow competitors. 

For the service project, students gathered in small groups and handed out Champorado, a traditional chocolate rice. Eliza Setzfand (11) said that her favorite part was "the opportunity to connect with both the other students and the children we were serving. It made me reflect on the contrast between our lives, but at the same time, it reminded me of how similar we all are." The service project not only blessed others but also brought joy to the athletes. 

Then came what everyone had anticipated: the track and field events themselves. Buses unloaded students and coaches alike at the beautiful Brent track. As soon as the teams settled into the cafeteria, jerseys were changed into, sunscreen was applied, and warm-ups started.

In total, there are over 15 events, split by gender. In some of those events, athletes with similar abilities and times were separated by heats. The 400m hurdles, triple jump, and javelin started at 4:15 pm on Friday. 

The closing ceremony wrapped up the whole tournament at 6:30 pm on Saturday. This was also the time when the host announced this year's winners: the Dalat Treagles took third place overall, with the boys taking second and the girls fourth. Aaron Andrews (12) and Eliza Setzfand (11) took home Best Male and Female Track. As the night closed and the Dalat Track and Field team walked back to the bus, they said goodbye one last time to the Brent track that had hosted them so warmly. 

Looking back, Coach Sherwynne Goh reflected on being this year's new coach, saying, "My favorite part is definitely spending time with students outside of the classroom, building relationships beyond the teacher-student context in the classroom." At the end of ACSC T&F, the team became more bonded than ever before, and it was the perfect way to close out the year. 

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