Singapore (Merlion) Soccer

As I have mentioned a few times before on this blog, in the summers of 2004 and 2006, I took two different girls soccer teams to Europe to compete in tournaments in Holland ('04) and Italy ('06). Both those experiences actually played a large role in my realization that I should become a teacher. Likewise, those trips prepared me for my ultimate move to Kunming, China, where I teach secondary literature at Kunming International Academy. However, I also still have the opportunity to coach soccer and travel because of this great sport. Most recently I returned from a trip to Singapore where nine of our schools athletes competed in a small, four-way tournament versus some Singapore international academies.

Coming from over 6,000 feet of elevation and the dry climate of Kunming, the sea-level, hot and humid atmosphere of Singapore really required a lot of adjustment. Our first day in Singapore we played a warm-up match against Waseda Shibayu Japanese International Academy. These boys must practice everyday and only play soccer, because they worked us pretty hard. After two thirty-five minute periods, we had lost 0-10, but it opened our eyes to just how much work we still needed. We consoled ourselves by reminding each other that our team rostered no seniors and two seventh graders. Missing a few of our better athletes who had to stay in Kunming for a variety of reasons, we made the best of that first day.
While our next two games--tournament games--went better (i.e. we scored goals), we still struggled in the win column. First we played International Community School (team I) and lost 4-7. The boys showed flashes of brilliance, but still unused to the the 7v7 format, they still displayed lapses in intensity and focus. Therefore, ICS scored some silly goals that put the game out of reach late in the second half. In our second game, we faced Chatsworth International Academy, the eventual champions, and we played them almost straight up for most of the game. At halftime, we were down 2-3, and an early second half goal by the opponent ended the games scoring. Even so, while Chatsworth defeated all other opponents for the championship, we boasted the closest game against this squad. In the above photo, Russell (in blue), one of our two juniors, takes on two Chatsworth defenders. Russell played the second half in goal, even with an injured wrist.
After two loses and only one game remaining versus ICS II, the boys desperately wanted to return home with at least one win. Playing more aggressively than in any previous match, our team sprinted to a 4-1 halftime advantage. However, they were still playing haphazardly. Our goals came from no organization or design of our own; we simply stumbled our way into scoring. So we spent the second half working on creating opportunities of our own and looking like we were actually connecting with our teammates. This created four more goals in our favor, while only allowing two more against, bringing the final score to 8-3. In the above photo, Leo (#12 in red) and Andy (#16 from Belgrade, MT) defend against their ICS II opponent.
Because of our limited numbers and limited experience--our roster boasted two juniors, three sophomores, one freshman, one eighth grader, and two seventh graders--we relied a great deal on one athletes willingness to play goalie. Francis stood in the net for all but two halves of play in our four matches. In doing so, he was scored on no fewer than twenty times. So in our final match, when he received the opportunity to play out on the field, he focused all his efforts on the opposite goal, scoring twice. Francis, being from Singapore, was most used to the weather, along with our two Malaysian athletes. In the photo above, Francis, the Singaporean Slinger, eludes the ICS II defense on the way toward goal.

Now the interesting thing about the tournament is this: other than Chatsworth, who won each of their matches and the tournament, each of the other teams ended with 1-2 records and took turns beating each other (ICS I beat us, we beat ICS II, and ICS II beat ICS I). Therefore, we faced a three-way tie for second place. Based on tie-breakers (goals for/against ratio), our team sneaked into second place with an overall +/- 0 goals (ICS I tallied -2 goals for/against, and ICS II recorded -16). Therefore, we returned to Kunming with a nice, second place trophy.

Lest anyone should think that all we did in Singapore was play 'futbal,' here is a shot of Robert, one of our seventh graders preparing to leap over a fountain geyser outside of VivoCity, the largest shopping mall in Singapore. We spent free time going shopping, eating western food we cannot get in Kunming, watching movies, and going to Sentosa, an island, amusement park accessible from VivoCity. We had planned on taking the students to water amusement park, but on that day we received thunderstorms most of the daylight hours. The rain did cool things off for us, but it also kept us inside most of the day.
On our last day in Singapore, after all the matches had been complete (we also travelled with our school's volleyball team), the ICS students invited our group to join them in a medieval version of Capture the Flag. The logistics of the game were the same. However, foam-rubber swords, axes, jousting poles, and shields were used to "kill" your opponents. When a flag was captured, teams were re-disbursed, flags were re-hidden, and the game continued. In this photo, Merwin the "Merlion" (the Merlion is the national symbol of Singapore and the nickname we gave to Merwin, who is from Malaysia, just north of Singapore) pretends to execute Andy, while Merwin's younger brother Maurice looks on.

Much like in '04 and '06, this trip was more about learning than anything else: learning more about soccer, learning more about other cultures, and learning more about each other. When I returned from Europe in 2004, I immediately began planning a new trip, looking for that next opportunity to take athletes abroad to experience something new. After returning from Singapore, Dave Ericson, our Atheltic Director who helped put the whole trip and tournament together, and I began thinking about the next opportunity to expose our athletes to international competition. Maybe next time it will be in our own city.