Ever since Ultra Street Fighter IV came out I have spent hours of every day in Training Mode with a small selection of characters, giving it my all to develop perfect execution in time for Evo next year. I began with 5 hours of practice per day, then moved up to 6, then 8, and now 10. 10 hours of execution training, 6-7 days a week.
I know that to many people I've encountered over the past nearly-5 years since I started playing Street Fighter competitively, my dream to win just one major tournament has seemed a frivolous and unreachable one, but I have kept calm and carried on, regardless of challenge or criticism.
When my ex told me we were having a baby boy, I swore an oath to both my child and myself that I would practice even harder, in the hopes of winning a trophy that I could dedicate to him. I swore I'd win a trophy, then point to it when he's old enough and say "Look, son! See that trophy up there? I won that for you. I hope you do the same thing for your son when you're all grown up and have a kid of your own. I won it for you because I love you." So I kept training.
I was later diagnosed with a severe illness which, along with the side effects from the multiple medications that I must take in order to function, has affected my memory, coordination, focus, and motor skills.
I honestly thought my dream was dead, and my chances of competing nigh-impossible.
But I kept training.
So here I am, at the end of a long night of doing my best to improve in order to achieve one of the most challenging goals I have ever set out to accomplish, and I keep training.
If it's the last thing I ever do, I will win a trophy for my son.
Because sometimes you have to keep your oath, no matter what it takes.
I know that to many people I've encountered over the past nearly-5 years since I started playing Street Fighter competitively, my dream to win just one major tournament has seemed a frivolous and unreachable one, but I have kept calm and carried on, regardless of challenge or criticism.
When my ex told me we were having a baby boy, I swore an oath to both my child and myself that I would practice even harder, in the hopes of winning a trophy that I could dedicate to him. I swore I'd win a trophy, then point to it when he's old enough and say "Look, son! See that trophy up there? I won that for you. I hope you do the same thing for your son when you're all grown up and have a kid of your own. I won it for you because I love you." So I kept training.
I was later diagnosed with a severe illness which, along with the side effects from the multiple medications that I must take in order to function, has affected my memory, coordination, focus, and motor skills.
I honestly thought my dream was dead, and my chances of competing nigh-impossible.
But I kept training.
So here I am, at the end of a long night of doing my best to improve in order to achieve one of the most challenging goals I have ever set out to accomplish, and I keep training.
If it's the last thing I ever do, I will win a trophy for my son.
Because sometimes you have to keep your oath, no matter what it takes.