今秋，兩位十分有天賦的年輕人將要開始他們的大學生涯。一位因著他的投擲技術，又寬又遠，落點正中洛杉磯加大分校。另一位則是在跳躍之間，技高同儕一躊，正面臨聖地牙哥或是柏克萊的抉擇。在短短的三個月之後，蔡偉康和余宗凱將會帶著家人親友的愛和祈禱，兒時的記憶與經驗，以及對運動的酷愛，踏入他們生命的另一階段。

偉康對徑賽的興趣在體育課中綻放光芒，那時，他七年級。他開始是練跳遠和三級跳遠，但是，高中以後漸漸離開了徑賽，而轉型成了田賽的運動員。四年中，他勤練鉛球和鐵餅，成績每年平衡進步。高一那年參加的第一次田賽，鉛球成績是四十七呎十一又四分之三吋，鐵餅為九十一呎。高四的時候，他用十二磅的鉛球﹝比高一時用的重兩磅﹞，他推擲出五十四呎六吋的成績，四年裡持續使用一點六一公斤的鐵餅，他拋出了一百八十三呎七吋的佳績。

在孩提時代，偉康的父母讓他加入了籃球隊。他剛開始的時候很不喜歡，漸漸地，他發現自己對運動的熱衷，籃球隊八年，隨著球隊參加比賽比了六年。至於他的父母，偉康說“如果不是他們，﹝他﹞絕不會去打籃球，也就不會有後來的田賽。要不是因為有他們的支持與鼓勵，﹝他﹞可能很早就棄籃球不顧了。”

跟偉康一樣，宗凱也打了八年的籃球，初中的時候，參加矽谷籃球隊的競賽。高一那年，用課後的練習來交換一堂自習課的時間，宗凱就這樣與田徑結緣。他那裡會知道這每天一堂自習課的結果，卻成了提供他繼續學業的工具。

 宗凱參加跳遠和三級跳遠，一百和兩百公尺，還有一百與四百公尺四人接力。很明顯的，所有項目中，宗凱的跳遠最突出，他刷新了葛恩高中的學校記錄，同時，晉身全加州田徑總決賽的第五名。講到他的成就，宗凱充滿了感性。他說“能夠在葛恩高中有這樣的機會，為它寫下新的跳遠記錄，實在是一份特殊恩寵。我覺得我在學校裡留下一個印記，使每一個人都可目睹與讚賞。”

宗凱的父母在愛子的運動生涯中也佔有極重要的地位。他歸功於父親的“運動基因”和敦促他去加入不同的團隊，更要謝謝他的媽媽所提供實質的支持，包括她精湛的廚藝，時時為他準備營養美食，以及交通工具。

因著運動，偉康和宗凱領先了他們的同儕，也因此受到大學運動星探的注目，而得到前三名加州州立大學的入學許可。由於他們的專注，以及熱衷，運動為他們也開啟了好幾扇幸運的大門。除了田徑和籃球，他們二位還喜歡其他的運動，如﹝美式﹞足球，以及消遣玩的飛翅蜂。對偉康來說，運動提供他一個可以避開學術研討的領域，這“可能正是因為﹝他﹞每天期盼課後的練習，所以才能夠好好地上正課。” 宗凱同意偉康的看法，他深信“運動有益於﹝他﹞的學業成績，因為它使﹝他﹞自動自發，更專注於﹝他自己﹞的未來。”

雖然偉康和宗凱都無意成為職業運動員，但未來的四年裡，他們二位在主修數學和物理之餘，都會參加他們的大學校隊。縱然他的大學日程表會被練習和課業排得滿滿的，宗凱將會以課業第一。“不要想把運動放在天主，功課，和父母之前。這想法有商榷的餘地。”宗凱毫不懼怕即將面臨的挑戰，因為他在高中的經驗，曾經將他的體能和心理經由嚴格的訓練和意志力的培養而能應付裕如。他十分清楚，不論是不是在運動場上，因為運動已使自己成為一個更有力的競賽者。

 那麼他們對在團體裡的孩子們有甚麼啟示呢？偉康說“放手去做。”“去試，你不會有甚麼損失的。了不起進不了隊而已。連邁可喬登在大一的時候也沒進成球隊。這正好給你一個要求自己更上層樓的動機，同時可以證明自己有能力，有毅力達到目標。這可以囊括生命中所有的事情。” 宗凱和偉康有志一同。“對運動和功課都得敬業。至少會發生的就是進步。當有壓力和競爭並存的時候，你會學到很多道德的準則。絕對不要因為你自認不行就輕言放棄。光是有天份並不能成就你。實質的努力才是最重要的。”

 對在團體裡的父母們，宗凱建議“支持你們的孩子，不要勉強他們去做他們不自在的事。鼓勵他們去追尋自己可以擦亮的競爭火花。” 偉康的經驗之談，他建議孩子們“從小就學運動。”孩子們是從父母那兒學習規矩和承諾，所以做父母的更要堅持。偉康提醒大家童年時代的一項重要課題，就是“雖然在開始的時候他們討厭一些事物，但在後來卻可能會深深地喜愛上它。”

 除開個人的成功，宗凱和偉康將他們的果實呈獻給真正造就他們的源頭。他們讚美天主賞賜的成績，天賦，能力，以及藉由他們而提供的啟示。套句偉康的話，“天主為我準備了一切，我的身高，好教練，知心的朋友們，世界上最棒的父母，還有數不盡的一切。我為自己所擁有的，衷心的感謝天主。”

Track Stars                            Melissa Teng

Two very talented young men are headed off to college in the Fall. One has cast his skills far and wide and they have landed him admission to UCLA.  The other has surpassed each of his peers by leaps and bounds, and must now decide if he will land in San Diego or Berkeley .  In just three months, both William Tsai and Chris Yu will step into the next phase of their lives, taking with them love and prayers, memories of childhood experiences, and a passion for sports.  

 As a child, William’s parents enrolled him in basketball.  Although he was initially resistant to the idea, he came to discover his zeal for the sport, even playing competitively for 6 out of 8 years.  As for his parents, William says that “without them, [he] would not have started playing basketball, which means no track.  And without their support and encouragement, [he] might have quit basketball early on.”  

Like William, Chris has been playing basketball for 8 years, competing in the Silicon Valley Basketball Club during middle school.  He got involved in track during his freshman year of high school in an attempt to secure a free class period in exchange for after-school practices.  Little did he know that this daily break from the academic environment was to provide him the means for furthering his education.

Chris has participated in both long and triple jump, the 100 and 200 meters, along with the 4x100 and 4x400 relays.  Quite notably, he has excelled in the long jump, breaking Gunn High School ’s standing record, as well as placing 5^th in the California State Finals.  Of his achievements, Chris is ever gracious.  “I think it is a blessing to have this opportunity at Gunn to hold the long jump record.  It feels like I have made a mark at my high school, something that everyone can admire and see.”

Sports have truly set William and Chris apart from their peers, so much so that they were noticed by college scouts, and offered admission to the top three UCs.  As a priority in their lives, their individual involvements in sports have opened up doors to many interests.  Aside from track and basketball, both enjoy playing sports like football and Ultimate Frisbee for leisure.  For William, playing sports has provided him an outlet apart from academics, and is “probably the reason [he] could stand school, looking forward to the practice later that day.”  Chris concurs, expressing his belief that “athletics can benefit [his] academics because it will keep him motivated and focused on [his] future.”

 Although neither Chris nor William plan to pursue track professionally, they will both participate on their University teams in the coming four years, while studying Mathematics and Physics, respectively.  Even though his schedule will be packed with practice and studies, Chris is convinced of the importance of making his academic pursuits a priority in college.  “Don’t put sports ahead of God, homework, or parents.  That is a bad idea.”  He is up for the challenge though, having learned discipline and mental strength from pushing himself both physically and psychologically in high school.  He knows that he is a stronger competitor because of sports, and is therefore not worried about competition on or off the field.

 So what can children learn from their accomplishments?  “Go for it,” William says.  “Try out.  What’s the worst that can happen?  So what if you get cut from the team.  Even Michael Jordan was cut his freshman year.  That just gives you more motivation to get better and prove to everyone that you have the potential and the will to do what you love.  And that goes for everything in life.”  Chris’ response follows William’s naturally: “Play hard and work hard.  The least that can happen is improvement.  You learn a lot about moral character when pressure and competition are present.  Don’t ever give up just because you feel like you’re not good enough.  Talent alone can’t make you the best.  Hard work is important.”

As for the parents in the community, Chris’ encouragement is to “support your kids and don’t pressure them into things with which they don’t feel comfortable.  Encourage them to find their own competitive spark.”  William speaks from personal experience, advising that children “play sports early.”  Kids learn about discipline and commitment from their parents, so don’t give up too easily.  William reminds all of us of that ever-important lesson we learned as children, that “although they may hate something in the beginning, they could find a love for it later on.”

Despite their individual success, Chris and William give credit where credit is due.  They praise God for their achievements, talents, abilities, and for the inspiration they provide.  In William’s words, “God has given me everything – a height advantage, good coaches, great friends, awesome parents, and much, much more.  I have God to thank for every accomplishment, big or small, that I have had.”

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