ANG MISS PERFECT NG PUBLIC SCHOOL

CHAPTER 7 - THE NEW COACH

RISH’s POV

Naiilang na ako. Kahit dito sa classroom, nakasunod pa rin iyong mga stalker. Panay pa ang kuha nila ng pictures. Ano bang gusto nila? Away o gulo?

“Beshie, smile ka naman para maganda ka sa school paper. Lukot na naman yang mukha mo oh!” turan ni Trisxh.

I just ignored her.

Mas okay pa noong nasa private school ako. Doon kasi, hindi naman nila ako napapansin, ang mahalaga lang sa mga estudyante ay mairampa ang kanilang mga mamahaling bag, shoes and gadgets. Mostly, doon lang umiikot ang buhay nila. Wala silang pakialam sa kung sinong matalino. Napapaaway lang naman ako kapag sumusobra na sila, iyong tipong wala ka namang ginagawa pero ang laki ng galit nila sa’yo. 

Samantalang dito sa public school, damang dama ko ang atensyon. Iyon bang tinuturing nila akong angat sa kanila. Kapag tinitigan mo sila, makikita mo sa mga mata nila ang paghanga at paggalang. Siguro may mga insecure pa rin naman, pero hanggang tingin na lang siguro sila. Hindi naman mananakit.

Ayokong itinuturing na special. Feeling ko hindi ko naman deserve iyon. Niloloko ko lang naman sila di ba? Kasi nga, nagpapanggap akong isang Montero, kahit Montiveros naman talaga ang surname ko. Ang gusto ko lang matuto at mag-aral.

“Ms. Montero, can you tell to me the three Laws of Returns?” tanong ni Mr. Luna, our Economics teacher.

Tumayo ako. At ito na naman ang tingin ng mga kaklase ko. Parang sabik na sabik sila sa sasabihin ko. Ano kaya kung sabihin kong hindi ko alam, ganito pa rin kaya magiging trato nila sa’kin?

“Ms. Montero?” tawag ni Sir.

Huminga ako ng malalim.

“Earlier Economists distinguished three laws of returns; they are diminishing, increasing and constant return, Modern Economist, however, hole that these three laws are really three aspects of the same law, viz. “Law of Variable Proportions”. They represent the three stages of this law.

Law of diminishing returns: Dr. Marshall states the law thus “An increase in the capital and labour applied in the cultivation of land causes in general a less than proportionate increase in the amount of the produce raised, unless it happens to coincide with an improvement in the art of agriculture.

A) Law of increasing returns: As the proportion of one factor in a combination other factors is increased up to a point, the marginal product will increase or the total product will increase with increasing roofs. Here the rate of increase us represented by Marginal Product (MP). MP is defined as change in total product resulting from unit change in input. In agriculture, the initial state of production shows increasing rate. But in non-agricultural sector (industry) generally this law operates.

B) Law of constant returns: The law of constant returns is said to be operated when retunes (MP) remains the same as the business is expanded. The constant return however is observed for a short period.

C) Law of decreasing returns: The law of decreasing returns is the, opposite to the law of increasing returns. Here MP is declining continuously. The total product is increasing but with decreasing rate, and eventually it 1so declines and the MP becomes negative. This law is generally operates in agriculture.”

*CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAP*

Napatingin naman ako sa may pintuan. Si Ms. Principal. Dahil sa pagpalakpak niya, nagpalakpakan na rin iyong mga kaklase ko at si Sir. Iyong apat naman na weirdong kaibigan ni Trisxh, may pagtayo pang nalalaman. Habang sunod-sunod naman na flash ng camera ang nagmumula sa may bintana. Kasasabi ko lang di ba? Ayoko ng atensyon!

Umupo na nga lang ako.

“Good job Beshie!” wika naman ni Trisxh.

“Totoo pala ang tsismis about sa estudyanteng walking encyclopedia.” saad ni Ms. Principal na siyang nasa unahan ngayon.

Siniko naman ako ni Trisxh.

“I'm very glad na we have a bright student like you, Ms. Montero..” nakangiting saad ni Ms. Principal “Pwede ba kitang makausap sa office?”

Tungkol saan naman kaya?

“Mr. Luna, can I excuse her for a while?” paalam naman nito kay Sir.

“sige Madam Principal. “

“Let’s go Ms. Montero.” yaya nito at nagsimula nang maglakad palabas.

Tumayo na ako at sumunod sa kanya.

“Aware ka ba na may basketball team tayo?” panimula ni Ms. Principal noong makarating kami sa office niya. Tumango naman ako. Sila iyong na-meet namin kanina di ba? “Can you tell something about basketball? “ turan ulit nito.

Tumango ako at nagsimula nang magsalita.

“Basketball is a team sport. Two teams of five players each try to score by shooting a ball through a hoop elevated 10 feet above the ground. The game is played on a rectangular floor called the court, and there is a hoop at each end. The court is divided into two main sections by the mid-court line. If the offensive team puts the ball into play behind the mid-court line, it has ten seconds to get the ball over the mid-court line. If it doesn't, then the defense gets the ball. Once the offensive team gets the ball over the mid-court line, it can no longer have possession of the ball in the area in back of the line. If it does, the defense is awarded the ball. The ball is moved down the court toward the basket by passing or dribbling. The team with the ball is called the offense. The team without the ball is called the defense. They try to steal the ball, contest shots, steal and deflect passes, and garner rebounds. When a team makes a basket, they score two points and the ball goes to the other team. If a basket, or field goal, is made outside of the three-point arc, then that basket is worth three points. A free throw is worth one point. Free throws are awarded to a team according to some formats involving the number of fouls committed in a half and/or the type of foul committed. Fouling a shooter always results in two or three free throws being awarded the shooter, depending upon where he was when he shot. If he was beyond the three-point line, then he gets three shots. Other types of fouls do not result in free throws being awarded until a certain number have accumulated during a half. Once that number is reached, then the player who was fouled is awarded a '1-and-1' opportunity. If he makes his first free throw, he gets to attempt a second. If he misses the first shot, the ball is live on the rebound. Each game is divided into sections. All levels have two halves. In college, each half is twenty minutes long. In high school and below, the halves are divided into eight (and sometimes, six) minute quarters. In the pros, quarters are twelve minutes long. There is a gap of several minutes between halves. Gaps between quarters are relatively short. If the score is tied at the end of regulation, then overtime periods of various lengths are played until a winner emerges. Each team is assigned a basket or goal to defend. This means that the other basket is their scoring basket. At halftime, the teams switch goals. The game begins with one player from either team at center court. A referee will toss the ball up between the two. The player that gets his hands on the ball will tip it to a teammate. This is called a tip-off. In addition to stealing the ball from an opposing player, there are other ways for a team to get the ball. One such way is if the other team commits a foul or violation.”

“Iyong totoo Ms. Montero, tao ka ba?” Napakunot-noo naman ako. Sa pagkakaalam ko,  tao naman ako since birth. “Don’t get offended, humahanga lang talaga ako sa’yo. Masyado ka kasing matalino. Kung tutuusin pwede kang mag-apply ng scholarship sa private school, pero bakit nga ba dito ka nag enrol sa EXONHS?” – Ms. Principal

“Iyon po kasi ang gusto ng Lolo ko.”

Tumango-tango naman ito.

“Iyong Lolo mo iyong nagpapaaral sa’yo?”

I nodded.

“I see.. well, back to business.  Theoretically, marami kang alam about basketball, pero do you know how to play it?” Tumango ulit ako. “Perfect!” ngiting-ngiti namang turan nito. “I want you to be the new coach of our basketball team!”

Ano daw? Coach?!

“B-bakit po ako?”

“Because you know how to use your brain, then alam mo pa iyong mismong laro. Kaya sa tingin ko wala ng masyadong adjustments na gagawin. Ikakasal na kasi si Rehn, iyong dating coach, kaya napilitan siyang magresign. As of now, yung captain ball na si Xander iyong tumatayong coach ngayon.”

“Then?” turan ko.

“The thing is, I don’t think na kaya niya iyong responsibility. Elimination round na next week, Friday to be exact, then, Monday is your First Periodical Exam, I just want him to focus on his academics. For sure kasi mape-pressure iyon, hindi mo naman kasi kasing talino iyon.” she smiled.  “I believe that it's just a piece of cake for you. “ Sino ba iyong Xander? “What do you think Ms. Montero?”

Ano nga ba, tatanggapin ba niya? Mga lalaki kasi iyon, kakayanin ba niyang ihandle? Pero, namimiss na rin niya ang basketball. Matagal na rin siyang hindi nakakapaglaro. Kahit paano, gusto niya rin namang mag enjoy sa school na ito, iyon din naman siguro ang gusto ni Lolo.

“Alright Mam..” Napangiti naman si Ms. Principal sa sagot ko. Sana nga, tama iyong decision ko.