Goalie Tryout - Amy Lim

The first thing I did when I reached was to warm up. Anne taught me how a goalkeeper is suppose to warm up. After that, the shooters had pinball and I had to catch their balls. This was also part of my warming up. Then, they had tactical training but Ann and I didn’t do much at this part because all I could see the most was our coach, Mr. Shawn punishing the shooters push ups.

As for the last part of the ladies training, my knees started to be painful. For me, I felt that it was by God’s grace that my knees were not painful earlier although the knee guard keep on sliding down at the earlier part. Soon. The ladies training was over and the guys training will be starting soon and my heart was pumping faster because guys’ shots are harder, painful and even more solid than ladies’.

The guys also had their pinball first and at that time, I started to get panic and my knees started to hurt a lot. After that, they had their tactical training and here’s where I stopped as a goalie because I can’t stand the pain on my knees which I can’t stand it anymore. The last but not the least, I would like to thank coach Shawn for giving me a chance to be a goalie although I don’t really like it because it hurts my knees but at least I’ve experienced it.

Goalie Tryout - Jennifer

I had been having butterflies floating around in my tummy at the thought of having to put on goalie gear and get on my knees to block the shower of tiny but FAST little floorballs. =S But come the moment I arrived at Tg. Aru community hall, I was um, still scared-lah. Hahaha.

I was super blessed to be goalie this week 'coz I had not 1, not 2, but 5 'coaches'! Since Leonard, 'resident goalie trainer' was busy as the new kids' floorball coach,

1. Ann showed me how to suit up. She even shared her brand new gloves with me! =)
2. Shawn taught me the basics of how to warm up and some other basic moves.
3. Then Felix came to share tips on how every goalie has his/her own different styles. He pointed it out throughout the training, and opened my eyes to the many things I never noticed as a field player.
4. CK (Ivan) helped with practical pointers on how to do the stuff that SOUNDS easy.
5. After the kids' were tired out, Leonard taught me how to determine which was my 'stronger' side and thus which side to focus on, and lots more.
(and Eeleen taught me how to de-suit without breaking the knee pads..)

What I've learnt?

• That putting on the Goalie Helmet meant diving into a whole new world. Personally, it felt like I was in a virtual reality video game; with the helmet bars on top of everything in my view and the helmet framing my view of the court.
• That being goalie is more mentally than physically tiring. I quote Felix, "Being a field player is like Arghh!!, and being a goalie is like AiEyargh!!!" It was a real challenge for me to keep track of EVERYTHING that was going on on court, and then predict what was going to happen next.
• Then there's the challenge of overcoming my disappointment every time a floorball shoots pass me and goes into the cage (which was quite often, =S). But Leonard said that's just one of the things about goalie-ing. And everyone has his/her own way of dealing with it. =)
• Sliding all over the floor on your knees is NOT as simple or fun as it looks. But hey, if I (sorta) got the hang of it (after countless balls shooting past me), anyone can! ;)

It was a really cekap experience for me to look at a floorball game from another view point. And at the end of the day, ask me if I want to continue being goalie and I'll reply that I can't say for sure. Why? A simple 2 hour trial is not enough!

Me: in my "defeated goalie pose"

Training Schedule for November 2009 at Tg Aru Community Hall

1st November 2009 - No Training
8th November 2009 - Ultimate Frisbee (3pm - 6pm)
15th November 2009 - Floorball Training
22nd November 2009 - Ultimate Frisbee (3pm - 6pm)
29th November 2009 - No Training

Goalie Tryout - Sharain Liew

honestly, i was rather reluctant to be goalie. i was already thinking
of ways to escape and thinking of good excuses..emm..sakit la, sibuk
la, takut la blablabla. thankfully i kept my mouth shut. oso coz the
longer i waited the more anxious i become. anyhow i'm glad i went
through it and it wasn't as bad as i tot it was...whew...

the toughest was overcoming my fear of the ball, scared of it hitting
my face even with the helmet on. i dont mind it slamming into my hands
or shoulders just don't kena my face. anyhow thanks to leonard and
anne and encouragement from our former gal goalies it was not scary
especially once i got the flow of things. flicking of fast balls was
bearable but the best of it all. and oh ya i learnt something realy
important. never use your hands or arms in blocking the ball at the
side of the goal cage. not only is it less effective oso a higher
chance of injury. no wonder goalies have body vests.

i oso have come to realy realy respect and apreciate our goalies
effort. realy huge responsibility on their shoulders. like what
leonard said; its ok if you get hurt, it hurts when you don't get
hurt.hahah. so true...

i don't know if its compulsory for goalies but get long socks or a
knee guard to cover your knee..kneeling and moving on your knees realy is 'burning' due to the roughness. if not for the pain i could've
continued for the last 30 minutes.

guess that's all for now. short and sweet right. best wishes to our
next goalie and the goalies to come. an experience not to be missed.

Goalie Tryout - Eeleen

As easy as a goalie's job may seem, let me tell you: IT IS NOT!!!!!!
I've always had great respect for goalies 'cause they're the last man of defense when the team fails to do their part. And when a goal is conceded, the feeling and the courage a goalie must have to pick up the ball from his/her own cage, sometimes it's unbearable. And after 3 hours of goalie tryout last Sunday at training, I have the utmost admiration for all you goalies in the floorball world out there. =)

Well, I'm not gonna leave much advice here 'cause I think Sham and Cynthia already did a very good job listing down the things one needs to prepare for goalie tryout (read their previous posts). And as for the skills and basics for a goalie, Leonard is definitely more qualified than me to tell you everything you need to know.

I had fun. That's for sure. =) And one thing I learn that day is that one has to have the passion to be a floorball goalie. When the passion is there, you'll be good at it. Same goes to all floorball players.

Lastly, I wanna give special thanks to:
Shawn - for giving me a chance to feel how a goalie feels
Leonard - for mentoring and encouraging even when I performed badly
Sham - for your shoes which life I ended. Sorreeeeeeeeeeeee...=(
and to Nomads & Butterfly - Thanks for giving me a great game and a good experience. =)

P/s: To the next person who's gonna use the knee guard, if you see a 1.5cm to 2cm hair stuck to your knee when you take the knee guards off, know that I'm not the one who "donated" it. It's from the person who used the knee guard before me. Shhhhhhhhh... No mentioning of names. Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!!! =) Hehe.

Eeleen =)

Goalie Tryout - Valerie Sham

The moment has finally come!

I wasn't particularly apprehensive about doing the goalie job nor did I prepare myself much for it. Buuuuuut... I did get some great tips from the previous goalie candidate. Good thing I haven't thrown away/trade-in my old shoes (had it since year 2002!) and the ever excellent coach who reminded me to wear contact lens.

So... there I was, at the Tanjung Aru Community Hall, suiting up, or at least trying to. Everything, the pants, the vest, even the knee guards are like 3-4 sizes bigger. By the time I'm dressed, I feel like a hip-hop rapper. "Yo man!"

Time of reckoning is here....

Lenoard gave a lot of very good pointers as to what to expect. Perspective, feet and legs position, the hands, the diving, the head-butting, or should I say the helmet-butting...

... and so it begins.

Shawn hit a few balls at me, blocked some with my feet, swatted a lot with my hands. Sigh... one of them left me with a bruised finger and had a wee bit of problem driving. Not serious, won't die.

Then everyone takes up their position, taking turn to hit the balls at the goalie. Ops... I mean at the goal cage. I started off really brave and confident, down on both my knees, hands spread wide opened, waiting for the onslaught of flying and rolling balls. As the barrage of balls came flying, my pain-avoidance instinct kicks in and my wide spread hands grew narrower with each flying ball until both my hands was crossed across my chest with me lying on my side. Oh yes, my attackers had a good laugh.

As I mentioned earlier, I'm glad I wore my old shoes as some part of it are starting to fall off and apparently, it wasn't just my shoes are falling apart, but the knee guards are also slipping down my legs, especially the one on my right leg, until it was resting pretty on my shin and not on my knee! That's when I start to feel the pain on my knees. Sigh... I'll bring extra strings to tie the huge kneeguards around my legs next time... IF there's next time.

By the time we're done with the training, I was drenched in perspiration and left panting for oxygen. Never in my life have I perspire until my whole shirt is wet and I think I lost 2-3 kg of fluid in the course of it.

What I enjoyed/learned most were:

1. Swatting away the balls with my bare hands, even though one of my fingers was bruised;
2. Diving, although Shawn keep screaming at me that it's not football;
3. Screaming at teammates who pass the ball between me and the goal post; and
4. Gaolies have a tougher and more draining job than the rest of the players.

So here I am, the next morning, with sore thighs, bruised knees and finger, and a whole new respect for all the goalies of the floorball world.

To all the goalies, I salute you.

Valerie Sham

Team Unihoc, Penang

Floorballers! Team Unihoc will be making their debut in town on the 18th September and 19th September 2009!

18th September @ Dewan Hongkod Koisaan (KDCA)
Time : 5:30pm - 9pm
Program : Friendly Match & Clinics
Registration Fee : RM5 per pax
* Attention all Team Leaders, please register your team with Shawn ASAP!

19th September @ Dewan SM Lok Yuk
Time : 8am - 11am
Program : SFA Debut & Team Butterfly


Time to hit the gym and jogging tracks guys! Game On!

Unleashed! 3.0

Training Schedule for September 2009

6th September-----> Tanjung Aru Community Hall
13th September-----> Tanjung Aru Community Hall
20th September-----> No Training (Unleashed! 3.0 Sports Leadership Convention)
27th September-----> Tanjung Aru Community Hall

Goalie Tryout - Cynthia Lee

It was my turn last Sunday to be the pinball target, i mean the goalie. It was a very interesting experience. I learned new terms like crabbing (i've always associated that word with something edible until last sunday), learned to look at the game from a goalie's perspective (that includes putting my face on the floor), learned to go against my usual instincts of avoiding an oncoming potentially painful object :p besides other things. All in all, it was a good learning experience, hopefully it will improve my game as a field player. Hehe..

Some pointers I would like to share with those whose turns are coming up :)

: Do not remove goalie gear until you get the green light from the coach, or else you will spend the next ten minutes putting it back on.

: make sure you put on your knee guards on properly, otherwise you will be spending the whole time kneeling on the velcro ends instead of the proper paddings, or else you will have to keep tugging at it cos it keeps sliding down;

: don't wear your brand new shoes when playing goalie, otherwise it will become not so new :-(

: bring your own talcum with your favourite smell in order to boost your alertness in the court;

: bring more water because you will perspire more as a goalie due to the many layers of clothing/gear you need to wear;

: Lastly, if all else fails, just sit down in front of the goal and stick your hands out!