Respect |
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The dictionary defines respect as ‘the condition of being esteemed or honoured’. It is something that can be attained only one way. It can not be brought, it can not be taught; it is something that you must earn. There are many ways that you can earn respect, some people may respect you as a good player, while others may respect you for your commitment to the sport. Often there is a defining moment where you gain the respect of others and one of those moments presented to Michael last week at the 2008 Australian Closed Table Tennis Championships. Michael Brown has been a part of the Table Tennis community for almost a decade. He has been involved in many different areas of Table Tennis. He began playing as a 10 year old at the "Eaglehawk and Bendigo Districts Table Tennis Association". As a very young member of the club he quickly worked his way into the top grade of local competition. "It took a while but I was able to earn respect from the club ‘stalwarts’". Michael completed his secondary schooling in Bendigo and moved to Melbourne for University where he found himself competing at new levels of Table Tennis. Last week, he achieved one of his Table Tennis career goals by competing for his first time at the 2008 Australian Closed Championships held in Cairns, Queensland. Despite his ambitions to do well at this important tournament, Michael earned the respect of everyone in attendance at the tournament by putting honesty & his personal his integrity above winning Michael was playing the deciding match of his singles group - the winner would be in to the main draw and the loser would be on his way home. Michael was down two sets to one and down match point against the only Western Australian in the draw, Greg Letts. Michael served a long fast serve to Letts' backhand and five hard attacking topspins later the ball sailed off the end of Michaels side of the table. The umpire gave Michael the point, drawing the score to 10 points each. To the surprise of the umpire, his opponent and spectators, Michael then explained that the ball had clipped the edge faintly. Michael had lost the point and the match. "It is second nature to me to say that the ball hit the edge; it never crossed my mind to claim the point. Who knows what could have happened if I claimed the point?" After this display of what Michael simply considers to be good etiquette, Table Tennis Cairns awarded Michael with a Sportsmanship Award. | ||||||||||||
