Kao Lin Ken, Ad Memoriam

Kao Lin Ken, National No. 1...

...Innebandian, also Frontliner...

...flamboyant...

...perky-to-the-point-of-annoying...

...self-acclaimed poser...

...#31...

...it's time to go.

The club has a lot to thank Lin Ken for, and wishes him all the best in Singapore.

(Ad Memoriam: It's in latin... means 'In Memory Of', and is normally used in obituaries. Make it out for yourself.)

Training 260108 (cancelled)

Really, the title says it all.

Anyway, here are some pictures from the 3-on-3, captured by the club's very own photographer. Not much, still, it's a start...

Men's Champions

(FH)2 vs Innebandy North, second time around

Ms. Sarah Ng, posing

Frontliners Guppies vs. Hailstorm, face-off

Frontliners Guppies vs Hailstorm, face-off II

Famous and Feared

*This post is written by fellow (FH)2 player, Kew Pei Li, on her personal experience in the 3-on-3 Floorball Challenge.

Seven goals and I'm in seventh heaven. Then trust one giant Hailstorm to bring me right back down to earth.

When I first heard about the draw, I envied Blast for getting the easy pick. Win twice and go straight to the final, no frills about it. Our draw couldn't get that much worse, our first two games (should things go according to plan, which they did) against the two toughest teams: Innebandy North and Hailstorm (USM).

Then I realized that, really, it's the same the other way round.

Nerves made the first match seem like a walkover, InneNorth condescendingly letting us run over them, 4-0. Even, at one point, with one (wo)man down. Mixed up netball (been playing it a lot) with floorball, and thought 3m was 3ft, so when the ref blew the whistle I just stood there, my jaw hanging open until the others hurried me out.

We all knew Hailstorm would be tougher, especially after their 5-0 thumping of F/liners Guppies. And boy, oh boy, they were. Went down twice, but we hit back each time through penalties (Felicia, from Hailstorm, showing wonderful goalie instincts and giving away two penalties), we held out for the shootout.

I know I missed my second penalty. I also know I wasted my time, praying that Sarah Ng of Hailstorm would miss hers, cause she could take a hundred and score every one of them.

Forget about them, for the moment. We had Innebandy South coming up. This was the game I enjoyed most, being able to run around and control the ball without someone like Sarah to harass me. 4-0, to us.

Blast, having lost their previous game to Hailstorm (rumours were heard about a USM conspiracy... with Hailstorm losing to Blast so that both the teams could meet each other in the final and get a one-two for USM), scored first, a freak goal, but a few minutes later we got a penalty, and I stepped up and told Ros that it was mine to take. Won 3-1.

Another chance to make up for the earlier loss to Hailstorm. And it did seem like it, going ahead first through a goal by Ros, but us, tired and less rested than Hailstorm, who were unbeaten, lost focus quickly and let in three goals.

For me, it was Sarah who made the difference right then. Just like Youthwave. (My main ambition this year is to take her spot as top lady player in Penang, but it seems now like a long way from happening.) Everytime she came up, I was scared to the guts. I know I'm biased, but what can I say? She deserves it.

Not that I'm taking any credit away from the other Hailstorm-ers, they did real well. So did we.

There was a chance, right before the game ended, to pull one back, a clear penalty to me, but the ref didn't think so. I was stunned, and stood there a moment. I wanted that penalty, I wanted that goal.

Call it selfish ambition. (Coach would kill me for this, he's been having at me for being too selfish.) I wanted to add to my goal tally, I wanted to shut the USM supporters up for a while (I know I'm a crank. They were great, throughout the match, encouraging their team on, and yes, it did get to me.) Figure the refs have been very lenient on the ladies.

The world's not fair, live with it.

Cheers to Hailstorm, though. They deserved it. Silver is good, plus, it's only added to my desire for more glory. There's Youthwave in April, and I'll be working really hard, day in, day out.

Only in Youthwave, I want that gold.

Contact 3-on-3 Floorball Challenge, 19 Jan 08

The 3-on-3 Floorball Challenge organized by Contact Sports on 19 January 2008 kicked off the start of the new year and signalled the start of a year chock-full of events and matches. More of a warm-up thing to raise anticipation and fuel passion, it was a good chance for teams to enjoy themselves and get a feel of winning.

Frontliners sent out five teams, and of the five, only (FH)2 was expected to get the gold. Two of the teams (Frontliners Gladiators and Frontliners Guppies) were made up of junior players, thus not much (not anything, really) was expected.

Frontliners Spartans
Jason Chan Ming Hwee (c)
Joshua Raj
Mekananth
Por Kai Yann
Frontliners Trojans
Khor Kuan Yang (c)
Steven Tay
SanJeevan
Goekula Kannan
Frontliners Gladiators
Loga (c)
Lawren
Julian

In the guys' matches, it was the Trojans who got the furthest, finally losing to Salibandy (eventual champions), with the Spartans falling earlier to Dalat, and the Gladiators leaving early after losing their first two matches.

As stated above, Salibandy emerged as champions, with Ztec Beta and Alpha coming in second and third respectively.

(FH)2
Sharron Tan (c)
Kew Pei Li
Koay Yi Lin
Roselyn Ewe
Frontliners Guppies
Tania Loke (c)
Sonia Gopal
Lavinia Ann Lam
Eunice Tay

For the ladies, however, (FH)2 started strongly with a convincing win against Innebabes North, but Hailstorm (eventual champions) from USM proved to be too strong, winning twice against them to snatch the gold. Frontliners Guppies did not do too well, losing to Hailstorm and Innebabes North.

Congratulations to all who won, and "Well done" to everyone (especially the Frontliners) who played. Frontliners Floorball Club might not have done that well here, overall, but it's a long year ahead. Plenty of time to start winning those medals:)

Next stop, Penang League.

Champion Makers

"Courage is not the absence of fear. It is being afraid but being able to control that fear so you are able to perform at your highest ability. That's what makes a champion." --Cory Lester

(This would have been in Quote of the Week, but a profound-er quote was found, so go check below first before you read on.)

The club welcomed nineteen future champions to training this week, and training intensified by a notch as the club continues on its way to raise up world-conquerers. There were two new faces who couldn't be more different: Joshua Lam, loud and vociferous and quite an old hand at the game, and Wayne, small and quiet, just getting to know floorball.

The players showed much desire and passion, compared to the week before, and right after warm-up, though the goals were not very forthcoming, there were no players lagging behind or strolling around during the Snakes and Japanese Snakes.

The coach appeared to be happy with the spirit all around, and again, the players were separated with Kuan Yang taking the juniors and the coach taking the seniors. As always, the juniors did their basic ball control and shots while the seniors were introduced to the Spartan drills.

With 45 minutes left, the coach made it Seniors vs Juniors, though the Juniors had one extra player on the court. The seniors kept the ball most of the time, playing to the Spartan system, but the forwards missed quite a few open chances, Felicia being in fine form not helping.

It was the Juniors who scored first, capitalizing on the open goal guarded by the two defenders (Lin Ken sat out this time), and it was not the only goal as the game proved to be a free-flowing and entertaining match.

National No. 1 keeper Kao Lin Ken was unusually subdued this training, this week being his last time training with Frontliners due to work commitments.

*The club and the chatbox on the right will sorely miss Lin Ken as he moves on to new and higher places.*

No training next week due to the 3v3 Floorball Challenge, but do come to see the champions-in-making blazing the trail and taking home the goods:)

Canada Cup Floorball Championship 2008

The largest floorball tournament in North America, attracting teams from Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, British Columbia and the Maritimes as well as New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Texas and California (for all you who flunked geography... these places are in Canada and US) and also international teams from Finland, Sweden, Switzerland and the Czech Republic, consisting of 60 teams and over 800 players.

Ladies and gents, introducing the Canada Cup Floorball Championship, 2008.

Floorball has a strong following in Canada, and other elements will be added to the championship, such as bands, trick demonstrations, a marketplace and autograph signings to make it family friendly.

This championship will be held from March 21 to 23 in York University, Toronto.

For those who are filthy rich and can afford going to Canada (it'll be spring then), by all means, do fly to Canada and enjoy yourself, but for the rest... save up, or practice extra hard, and who knows? Malaysia might just send a team over there sometime...

In the meantime, do check the websites listed below, if you are interested in knowing more:
www.floorballcanada.com
www.thecanadacup.com
www.playfloorball.com/canadacup

Frontliners Floorball Club looks forward to linking on more with their fellow floorballers far, far away in Canada, where the buffalo roam and the deer and antelope play:)

1000th to 1005th Visitor Mystery Gift !!!

To those of you out there... Frontliners Floorball Club is going to give away a mystery gift to the 1000th - 1005th visitor of this lovely blog. Except for the CEO, everyone is entitled to this mystery gift.

Once you have log into this page... go to the bottom of this page. See if you are visitor no. 1000,1001,1002,1003,1004 or 1005. If you are either one of them... you must sms this HP no. immediately, 012-251 2460 or email frontliners.floorball@gmail.com for Jason Chan, to prove that you are that very person.

If no one claims, then it will be given to the following persons. So if you are the 1006th to the 1010th person, let us know as well so that if no one claims the mystery gift, we will give it to you. Visitors from everywhere around the globe can claim it. We are aware that there are visitors from KL, Singapore, and even Australia. So please let us know.

See you this Saturday for another power packed floorball training !!! OOO Frontliners !!!

From the CEO, Jason Chan. (fyi, I am the 999th visitor :) )

Rock On!

Everybody raise their hands in the air and wave 'em like you just don't care, cause floorball is back and rockin' the world!

Training officially resumed, and it was a record nine players who made it there before 9 am. Another twelve players more or less trickled in sooner or later, the last being the adorable Por Kai Yann to make it twenty-one players altogether.

There were eight new faces, three being technicians (Terrence, Seow Kar Liang, Wong Yi-Wen) and the rest being players (Loga, Christopher Tan, Lauren, Lavinia Ann Lam, Julian). It was also good to see many of the older players still coming, although those notably missed were Joshua and Mekananth.

Training started with the coach leading the warmup, and, drawing from his experience during APAC 2007, introducing the Japanese Snake. JediMaster Kuan Yang then took the newer players to one half and started them on basic ball control, while Coach Jason took the experienced players to the other side and gave them a lesson on tactics.

After the tactics lesson was a pass-run-pass-shoot drill, and the one-month break showed some very obvious effects when the players started making very elementary mistakes that should never be made. Apparently fed up, the coach called the players together and delivered a harsh lecture on how much they actually desired to play.

Challenged and fuming, the players finally pulled their act together and scored a few times past National No. 1 Kao Lin Ken, although, according to him, not enough. Seemingly misses Kuan Yang.

Match time.

First session was 3v3, ladiesvladies and guysvguys. Everyone had fun playing, and another moment of entertainment was provided when Koay Yi Lin, the lady of all sorrows, fell headlong and hit her head on the pillar at the side. She lay there, facedown, for half a minute, and everyone, especially Pei Li, who was wrestling with her for the ball just a few moments earlier, had both amuse and concern on their faces.

At long last, Kuan Yang and Coach Jason went over and helped her up. She appeared fine at the moment, but sad to say, she did not play for the rest of training and instead sat miserably at the corner, watching.

Second session, the serious session, was played with full teams, mixed, and few goals came out of it, although the new players, especially Julian, showed much potential.

For the first time ever, the players actually could focus on training without having to go search for runaway balls, all thanks to the technical crew, who also took pictures, videos, and disassembled the goals.

All achievements start with desire. The players have shown plenty of desire and promise, and with commitment to top it all off, Frontliners Floorball Club will be well prepared to go all the way this year. Rock on!

Project 2008--Further, Higher, Stronger

One year... only, or already. Project 2007 started this blog, and one year (nearly) from then comes Project 2008--Further, Higher, Stronger.

The first of four goals set this year by the club CEO, the primary one, is raising leaders. Specially named Aspiring Sports Entrepreneurs (A.S.E), these leaders would not only be floorballers but also go on to become coaches, managers, and even start a club someday. The CEO has already chosen the people, the core of the team, to help in the running of the club.

Next would be to raise national players who are able to bring back the experience gained from their national outings and improve the floorball condition back home. Another focus would be to see more ladies coming for training, not only for the sake of the guys, but to raise players, female, who love the sport and will, in time, represent the country.

The fourth and last goal is to enter schools, in some cases, re-enter and reclaim what was lost (Saint Xavier's Institution) and establish new bases (Bukit Jambul) so that the club will continue to grow.

The club will be run differently this year, no longer will the CEO be running this club alone, but, as above, players who form the core of the club will help. Technicians (non-playing personnel) will also be introduced and will help in taking videos, writing statistics and refereeing. Training will also be run differently, and... about that...

Shake that dust off your sticks and get excited, cause training starts this Saturday (5 January 2008) in PBSM from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.

So come, come, all the lost and the found, for 2008's a year to run further, fly higher, and grow stronger.