CH 2026 Part 2: The People They Became
- Kawan Athletics
- Jun 19
- 5 min read
This year marked our fourth Cameron Highland training camp.
The hills were still steep. The mornings were still cold. The rooms were still small. Most faces were familiar too.
But something was different. The athletes had grown. 🥹🥹🥹
Not the kind of growth measured by stopwatches, hill timings, or personal bests, but the kind that happens quietly over the years.
Growth is difficult to notice when you see someone every week. Sometimes, it takes looking back three years to realise how far they have come.
Returning Campers
This year, instead of hearing only from the coaches, we wanted to hear from the athletes themselves, especially those who have been coming back to Cameron Highland for three years or more.
What keeps them returning?
What have they learned?
And perhaps most importantly, who have they become?
Listening to their reflections, it became clear that very few of them spoke about medals, timings, or results. Instead, they spoke about confidence, friendships, independence, leadership, and learning how to contribute to something bigger than themselves.
We saw this not only in their words, but also in their actions.
Sean helped stop traffic so the younger athletes could cross the road safely. Jun Han stepped up to lead the Choir performance. Hong Xun helped drive an athlete to the clinic when needed. Caden, who used to be much quieter, came out of his shell completely and surprised many of us, while Ethan, who was once more introverted himself, grew into someone who could lead the team.
These were not big, dramatic moments. But sometimes, those quiet changes say more than any timing or result ever could.
The People We Count On
One of the most emotional parts of this year’s camp was realising that some of our oldest athletes may be attending their final Cameron Highland camp as students.
Some of them were once the youngest campers.
Today, they are the ones coaches depend on.
They help look after the younger athletes, lead by example, and step in when something needs to be done.
During the final night, the sharing session became more emotional than many of us expected. Our Form 5 boys cried. The coaches cried. Many of us cried.
The video captured only a short part of that moment, but it carried the heart of what we wanted the athletes to know.
“You will always have a place at Kawan, and you all really mean a lot to us.”
What Coach KL wanted the athletes to understand that night was simple. Thank you for staying long enough for us to watch you grow into the people you are today. Thank you for allowing us to be part of your journey, not only through training and competitions, but also through the memories, laughter, tears, and moments we will always carry with us.
We probably do not tell you this enough, but Coach KL, Coach KJ, and Coach Elena are truly grateful for each of you.
Wherever their journey takes them next, we hope they know Kawan will always be here for them.
Coach KJ also reminded them that over the years, the bond we have built has become more than just a coach-and-athlete relationship. It has become a relationship built on trust, care, shared memories, and friendship.
At Kawan, their value has never been measured only by results, medals, or personal bests.
We may not have another Sean, Ethan, or Jun Han in the club after they leave. The camp may not feel the same without them next year, but perhaps that is also a sign of how much they have grown.
They came in as athletes. Somewhere along the way, they became part of the people we rely on.
And we hope the younger athletes will learn from them and one day step up in their own way too.
When Growth Is Not Beautiful
Not every story shared that night was about success.
Some spoke about missed opportunities. Some spoke about injuries. Some spoke about the uncertainty of not knowing whether they would be able to compete at their best again.
It was wonderful, and also slightly unexpected, how stories from 15-year-olds could bring out such strong emotions. Perhaps it was because many of us have been in their shoes before. Not exactly the same, but in some way, we understood.
Lohshini and Charmaine’s sharing reminded us that the journey of an athlete is not always smooth. Along the way, there will be disappointments, setbacks, and moments that feel unfair.
Sometimes, as adults, we look at young people and think their problems are small. But that night reminded us that disappointment feels real regardless of age.
And perhaps, in a strange way, we are lucky that this sport allows us to experience all of it.
One of the things we value most in Kawan Athletics is creating an environment where athletes feel safe enough to be honest about those feelings. It is easier to talk about victories than setbacks, and easier to celebrate achievements than admit fear, doubt, or regret.
But that night, many athletes chose to be vulnerable.
They shared emotions that had not completely healed. They allowed others to see parts of their journey that are often kept hidden.
What made those moments meaningful was not the hardship itself, but the courage it took to share them.
Growth Through Difficult Conversations
Not all growth comes from training.
Sometimes, growth comes from relationships.
During camp, athletes spend 10 days together. They train together, eat together, stay together, and see each other in moments of tiredness, frustration, excitement, and pressure.
When people spend that much time together, misunderstandings can happen.
This camp reminded us that many misunderstandings come from miscommunication and assumptions. Sometimes, a situation becomes heavier not because people intended to hurt one another, but because they did not know how to say what they felt clearly.
We do not know if every issue was completely solved, but we do know that people were willing to sit down, listen, apologise, and try.
That matters.
Sometimes, becoming better is not about running faster. Sometimes, it is learning how to communicate, how to apologise, and how to forgive.
A Lighter Moment
Not every memory from camp was emotional.
Some were just pure chaos.
Caden & Jehan 😆👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽
Looking Ahead
The athletes will change.
The faces will change.
The camp will change.
But we hope one thing never changes.
We hope there will always be athletes who are willing to step up when needed, support one
another, and show up for the club.
Because at the end of the day, growth is not only about becoming a better athlete. It is also about becoming a better teammate, friend, leader, and person.
And that is the kind of growth we hope to continue seeing for many years to come.
Thank you for being part of our journey.
With love,
Kawan Athletics
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