Nomad Floorball Club: 2008

They came and they left. Sorry for the late write-up guys/gals. Perhaps the biggest and most anticipated event organized by Nomad Floorball Club for 2008, Team Contact was on mission to show Sabahans how floorball is played.

Team leader, Coach Edward Lim aka. ‘The One’ arrived 2 days ahead of schedule to explore the marine life in Tunku Abdul Rahman Park. He’s now believed to be a certified SSI open water diver. Wow….

3rd July (Thursday)

The first floorball clinic held at KK Community Hall. This time, we had Penny, Kenny & Uncle Sam assisting ‘The One’ with individual skills training while Lin Ken led a separate group of goalie wannabes at another corner.

We were grounded with the basics of basics AGAIN; and to their surprise, we’re still struggling with hitting a simple slap shot. Then there was the drag shot and then the sweep pass. So what I’ve learned?

1. Stop staring at the ball
2. Heads up; see what’s going on on-court.
3. Your grip got to be equally dirty (different holding positions for different shots
4. Get your technique right first instead of blasting the ball at full power every time
5. Run with 2 hands on your stick
6. Don’t tell the whole stadium you’re about to shoot
7. Uncle Sam likes to bully Lin Ken

It was fun and games after that but all of the training over the last 2 hours went out the window for me. Too exited for games to remember what was taught.

Dinner/Supper: Diamond Restaurant

4th July (Friday)

The rumours were true. The legendary and fearsome Team Contact has finally arrived at 1:40pm Air Asia Terminal. There’s James, the IFF certified referee with Bart Simpson hair, there’s Richard, the ‘Young Man’ who eats anything, Bryan son of James, Nicholas and Eythan son of Richard, cousins Sophia and Kai Sheng, Sunn, Ian, Calvin & Joseph.

TEAM CONTACT

In an attempt to ‘slow’ them down for the 4pm friendly at Shan Tao, we brought the team for a heavy lunch at Bandaran Berjaya. Unfortunately it was not enough and they still emerged victorious against Team Reloaded.

Kenny putting all his energy into that perfect slap

Lin Ken in his 'Cat' stance

Team Reloaded with import players (2 furthest players)

Team Contact with the Cage Attendant behind Penny

"Good Game.. good game... good game.. good game.. Goodies~~!!!"

Team Contact with Team Reloaded. Take note of the Time Keeper at the back in blue

What I’ve learned?

1. #2 always plays in front of the cage
2. #11 always slap pass into the centre
3. #13 runs like mad on the right wing and passes back hand into centre
4. I should’ve eaten less

That’s all I manage to see in the blur of the moment when contact plays – the moment everything happens.

After that, it was all a mad rush back to Century Hotel for shower and to d’Stream, Centre Point for Referee Training. Here’s when things gets interesting.

Referees in training

First, we’re all given a BASIC referee rules test just so that we know how much we didn’t know. There were 40 questions. For example: -

Player A looses the ball in a man-to-man situation. He/she feels that the opponent hit him/her with the stick. The referee does not referee in favour of player A and as a result of this player A throws his/her stick with force against the rink. The player is not trying to aim at the ball or the opponent. What is the action of the referee?
a) The game continues, since in this situation throwing the stick was not an offence
b) 2 + 10 minutes penalty
c) 5 minutes penalty

And then there was this:-

The players of Team A are behaving very ”bad” on the bench. The very upset team captain is thrown out with a Match Penalty. The captain refuses to give away his captain armlet to any other player and says “that they don’t need a captain, when there is only 8 minutes left of the period”. How do you react?
a) The game continues normally, but without a captain for team A
b) You name one of the players as captain in the Match Report, after which the game continues
c) You refuse to continue the game, since there according to the rules are no possibility to continue
d) You tell the team, that you will discontinue the game if there is no new captain appointed. If the team still refuses to name a new captain, you discontinue the game, since there according to the rules are no possibility to continue

Imagine being bombarded by questions after questions before the teacher begun teaching. Any guess?

After finding out how bad I’ll do as a referee, James asked ‘Why do you want to be a referee?” “What is the role of a referee”, “What characteristics does a referee need?”

This is getting tough.

"Game continues as long as you don't chop his head off. Any questions?"

Offence 902 - Locking an opponent's stick

"You got a problem?"-James "Uh oh... "-Sunn "Sei lorr......."-Kenny "ZzzzZZZzzzzz"-Uncle Chin "Pretend nothing's happenin"-Calvin

Lastly, there was positioning. Apparently there are ways referees are supposed to move with respect to the position of the ball, direction of the game, and where the other referee is. We were showed photos of how Penang referees did during their last league and I’m much comforted.

What I’ve learned?

1. Referee is boss
2. Referee must be physically fit
3. Counter grip is not allowed
4. Personal penalties
5. Judge intention of players
6. How to blow the whistle distinctively to mark an offence, serious offence, end of game & start of game
7. You’ll always get 2 + 10 minutes penalty for misconduct
8. Uncle Sam’s scuba diving license is questionable

Dinner/Supper: Diamond

5th July (Saturday)

Rumour has it; there are 3 minimum requirements to be a Sabahan. Explore the islands, climb Mt. Kinabalu & speak with ‘bah’ at the back of your sentences. “Don’t like that bah…..” Team contact is now 33% Sabahan after their island trip to Pulau Manukan. Judging by the condition of their hair when picking them up from the island, its easy to spot the non-swimmers.

After lunch, its Referee Practical for 1 hour and Team Strategies Training for the next 2 hours at Damai Community Hall. Here’s when we’re (referee trainees) put to the test when we’re asked to referee a mock-up game by Contact, with James scrutinizing every bit of our movements, our actions, our whistles, our communication, our hand signals, etc. We’re even taught how to run like a boss and how not to run as recorded by our videographer when James was demonstrating it. Here’s when I thought ‘What have I gotten myself into…….”

What have I learned?

1. Referee is boss
2. Communicate!
3. Show direction of game immediately after an offence
4. Run to the penalty spot as soon as possible to mark a free-hit to avoid delaying the offended team
5. 2 minutes bench penalty for incorrect distance
6. Kai Sheng and Colonel Sanders are good friends

Now its time for team strategies clinic. We’re briefed with the various formations, 2-2-1, 2-1-2, 1-2-2, 1-1-3, 0-0-5 and many more, fore-checking (how much pressure to apply), how to move with a 1-2-2 & 2-1-2 formation, how to defend with a 2-1-2 formation, how to open up game with a 1-2-2. We’re also taught of the most dangerous zones and the 2nd most dangerous zones on court.

The next part was free-hit in the danger zone (in front of the goal cage). Now this was technical! The way we did it was child’s play compared to what Contact showed us.

What have I learned?

1. There are 7 options in setting up a free-hit
2. Everyone has potential to score
3. Faking opponent into running inside the 3 meter zone
4. Screening the goalie
5. Screening the wall
6. Setting up a wall
7. Don’t get fooled by the runners
8. Tackle nearest opponent; man-to-man
9. What to look out for as a referee

Those 2 hours was obviously not enough to do in-depth team strategies as I felt there’s so much more to learn. Next session is at S.M. All Saints in less than 2 hours and its time to slow them down again. After having a meal at Damai and then moving on to our home ground, we had warm-ups, stretching and drills (Pin Ball, Snake, and Zebra). Uncle Telly and Adrian (Referee trainees) volunteered to referee our friendly match, and not forgetting Ernest; the faithful time keeper.

The anticipation of having a bite at Contact was high. Its now showdown time with the Legends of North, the 2008 Penang League Champions. 1-2-3- SUKSESS!!!

And we lost………………....

Though it was a 6-3 score against us, it was a good 3 points we scored against Contact. In my personal opinion it’s more like a 4-3 if we don’t count the goalie’s slippery hands. Credit goes to the entire team especially to our dear goalies who saved close to 10 shots during that match.

Dinner/Supper: Damai

6th July (Sunday)

It’s a Sunday. Madalen, Cynthia, Valerie and Elaine brought them for breakfast and then to d’Stream to attend service while ‘The One’ got exported to BCCM Rainfield for their service. ‘The One’ managed to get back to d’Stream before the sermon ‘Sowing in the Spirit’ started and we adjourned for lunch at Taman Fortuna before going back to hotel to change.

Eythan testing out the Cactus

The friendly match at Shan Tao is where all teams in KK gathered to have a go at Contact. The climax so to speak. There was Contact, Nomads, Reloaded, d’Gap-Rainfield & Hope-Skytos. Every team got to play with Contact and everyone had fun. It was also a time when all referee trainees were called into duty. I remember Uncle Sam shouting “REFEREE~!! WHERE ARE YOU SUPPOSE TO BE~~!!” and I started running faster than the players on field. That’s when I realized becoming a field player is so much easier. And then there was the “Referee KAyu!!!!” That’s what James meant when he said that referees should handle pressure calmly - Psychological Character.

James always have this taiko look.

Pure Joy - Priceless

Floorball addicts united!

Its dinner at Megah d’Aru that night with d’Stream PCC members. It was a great time of fellowship where all of us were winding down. I learned how to see whether Sunn’s wallet was open or close; and they learned how to label 3 bulbs. I’m still waiting for them to tell me how to make 4 equal triangles using 6 equal length tooth picks. Perhaps the next time we meet.

True character starting to show

Thank you thank you thank you thank you

7th July (Monday)

“Its.. time.. to. get.. up......the. time .is.. four thirty……… Its.. time.. to. get.. up......the. time .is.. four thirty……… Its.. time.. to. get.. up......the. time .is.. four thirty………” – Nokia 1110i

It’s a Monday morning and most of them got a flight to catch at 6:30am. Fetching them at 5am from the hotel is just about right. Madalen, Serri and I sent James, Richard, Bryan, Sunn, Nicholas, Kai Sheng, Ian, Calvin & Joseph to Air Asia that morning. Had breakfast at Tanjung Aru township after that and went home to get change for work.

At night, we had Coaches Clinic at d’Stream. Because we didn’t have enough time to do Secretariat training on the Friday Referee’s training, we had it first before going into coaching stuffs.

What did I learn?
1. You need 5 time keepers
2. A secretariat to keep count of how many scoring attempts were made
3. How to fill in the Match Record
4. You need to know the Assisting Player that contributed to the goal
5. You need to count how many spectators were present during the match
6. Sparring on paper
7. Positioning of players according to their stick sides
8. Communicating team strategies with the team
9. Life skills
10. Floorball for kids
11. Airhook is nonsense
12. Lin Ken does airhooks

Dinner/Supper : Damai

8th July (Tuesday)

“Its.. time.. to. get.. up......the. time .is.. four thirty……… Its.. time.. to. get.. up......the. time .is.. four thirty……… Its.. time.. to. get.. up......the. time .is.. four thirty………” – Nokia 1110i

Its Tuesday morning and its time to send Sophia and Kai Sheng to airport. This time, ‘The One’ followed just to make sure I didn’t send them to the train station instead.

At night, it was Contact’s last clinic in Kota Kinabalu for 2008. This session is especially for d’Gap where they did individual skills, Goose Chase & game by the end. I was reminded why I started wearing gloves as a goalie during my goalie days after seeing what happened to Lin Ken that evening. Getting shoved to the side by Penny for standing in front of her goal was somewhat a surprise as well.

What I’ve learned?
1. #3 is an aggressive player
2. #11 is not as young as he looks
3. ‘The One’ has cravings for Lamb Chops & Chicken Chops

Dinner/Supper: Damai

9th July (Wednesday)

“Its.. time.. to. get.. up......the. time .is.. four thirty……… Its.. time.. to. get.. up......the. time .is.. four thirty……… Its.. time.. to. get.. up......the. time .is.. four thirty………” – Nokia 1110i

This time, we’re sending off the last batch. ‘The One’. Penny, Kenny, Uncle Sam and Lin Ken. Looking back at all that we have received while hosting team contact and the organizing the events; it really is a miracle we pulled through. Team Contact’s discipline, passion, conviction and life skills are truly a testimony to God’s glory. Praise God!

Many thanks to Team Contact, NFC, Reloaded, d’Gap, Rainfield, Hope-Skytos & d’Stream PCC for their continuous support.

What I've gained?

1. I lost weight :D