APAC
lets watch APAC!
its 2 dollars for students man.. a definite yes.
like today singapore (7) and korea (5).. that means 2 dollars for 11 goals and 1 goal is like 20c its damn WORTH IT LAH!
haha. okay sorry miss my point that its GOOD FLOORBALL with alot of pretty girls and not alot of handsome dudes so if we go, we all will be happy!!
heh.
just jio before going okay!!
Final Closure to Liverpool's journey
This will be the last entry to close up the whole season for Saints. It has been an exciting season for all of us and I am proud to see us achieving our main objective at the end of the season. There have been much moments where our team spirit stood out and carried us towards victory.
Looking briefly at the stats, almost everyone has got some points and this illustrate the importance of team play in Saints. Everyone's role is important. Towards the end, Edwin (Def) and Veera were able to chip in and contribute to our victories. On the offence side, we were the third highest scoring team and could certainly have scored more if we were more clinical in front of the goal. All the wonderful play up will be useless if we cannot get shots onto the goal! Never be scared to shoot.
On the defence side, I felt that we gave away quite a bit of sloppy goals. In fact, I feel that most of the goals that we have conceded could have been prevented. The only game when our defence was placed under pressure would be our last game. Offence takes a little of flair sometimes but defence is structured! You do not need to have stickwork to defend. Knowing your role and trusting your team mate is the key to defence. Defence is NOT the job of the GKs and defenders only. The line attacks together and defends together.
This adventure has finally come to an end but let this experience enrich you further as a player. The mistakes made are useless if lessons are not learnt.
I have always said that there are 4 main components needed in any game: Technical, Tactical, Physical and Mental. You guys have shown me that these 4 components can only be glued together firmly when the game is played with JOY and at the core of these 4 components is the HEART to fight on.
I am proud to have played a part towards your great season. I would like to thank the coaching team: Alvin, Sayadi, Weijing, Siwei, Bin, Jannah and all the other seniors (including our most loyal fan: Kelven who is always decked in his favorite Thai Singlet!)=)
No one can take away the part that you have contributed to the success of Saints.
A toast to more adventures to come! Cheers!
HowChong
Coach of Saints'07
Theodore Roosevelt, 1858-1919
LETS GO
see below for the very interesting blog abt the penang trip in july, and you shd know y u juz NEED to go for the upcoming japan trip..
you get to play spastic games like DONKEY, and get totally addicted to it..
you get to see guys squatting along roadside slurping away on yummilicious food..
u get to see PHUA CHU KANG's photo pinned up on road side stall..
u get to see ur team-mates dancing ard like no one cares.. erm, juz to mention, they HAV NOT taken alcohol YET but can clearly see they r high already..
u get to see weewee all tied up and ready to fly..
you get to see hunks..
you get carson coming from behind you, and hugging you from the back!
and hunks doing all sort of weird things, like stripping, or making their body movve or some sort..
you get to tau-pok pple anywhere, anyplace, anytime..
you get to jump in group photos in girls' group pics..
you get fans from overseas, and they YEARN to take pics with you..
and finally, you feel part of the team..
MAKAN!
Now that league is over... it's time to let your bellies expand a bit haahaa... let's go for a team dinner!
Any ideas where to go?
Hungry in lecture,
Nick
The Game That We All Will Remember
Week 11 Tables & Statistics - Singapore Schools Match
The ONLY team to beat the so-called "UNBEATABLES"
Well Done Guys! =>
RESULT
NUS Saints 4 Singapore Schools 3
SCORER (ASSIST)
Period 1 (2-0)
13:53 Jirong (Victor)
19.03 Donald
Period 2 (0-2)
Period 3 (2-1)
41:33 Teng Yan
50:33 Baolai
MAN OF THE MATCH
- DY
After 2 thirds, the score read 2-2, the game could have gone either way. Losing a 2-0 lead has become a scene too familiar for us. Early in the final third, DY tackled one of the opponents, dribbled and found himself in close range with the goal where he calmly slotted the ball at the top left corner of the goal. We were back in the lead again! It was the goal that made the difference. From then, we were leading all the way.
MATCH DEBRIEF - BY Wei De
It was the last game of the season. The seniors and coaches gave their 2 dollars worth about the game and our overall season performace.
Syadi summed up that SAINTS have improve from the start of the season. Now it is time to concentrate on IVP. Lastly, he thanked us for the 'entertainment' provided.
Our current IVP captain Wei Jing was relieved we managed to redeem ourseleves after losing the 2-0 lead. As the season for SAINTS has ended, he urged us to step up during trainings and show the new bloods a good example of how floorball should be played.
The ex-IVP captain Siwei congratulated us on the win and wanted us to build on the performance.
Very senior player Kelben described that it was really uncomfortable watching SAINTS played and felt that we were fortunate to win. It would have been easier if we had made the game more on our side.
Then it's the SAINTS captain, Nick's turn. He liked how the team has progressed and how each of us has matured as a player from the start of the season. Nick felt he made the right choice to lead SAINTS instead of playing for NEMESIS, for SAINTS is a team that fights for each other. Like Wei Jing, Nick wants us to take the lead in trainings and impart our knowledge to the freshies. Lastly, he added that our spirit and hunger for playing well should continue.
Assistant coach WeeWee was pleased that we had given our opponents a real challenge this time around, giving our best spirit and attitude. In the game we fought bravely and cheered our teammates on. It was unlike against Victoria Schools where we could have won alot more.
Finally, How Chong gave his speech. He began by saying the victory was a great achievement. Overall, the team played well and it was hard for him to choose a MOM. He also took the chance to acknowledge Veera and Edwin's efforts in the game, that they stood by with the team despite their limited playing time. How Chong then explained of having different "relationships" with every player and he has different ways of treating us. "No matter what, it's all for the good of the team". Words of wisdom by How Chong: Team results supersit individual and coaches' interests.
Now that the season has come to a close, I, on behalf of the team, would like to thank all the coaches and senior players for taking their time out and coming down to our games and trainings.
And for Veera, who was playing his last game with SAINTS, all the best for your future endeavours. We will miss your deafening cheering off the court and aggressive hustling on the court.
Last game
Good to see all you ready to charge and play your 100%.
The result does not matter to me if we do not play together as a team.
It does not matter to me if we do not derive joy from playing.
Keep these in mind as we go into the last game playing our best, together and enjoying the challenge positively.
Cheers,
HowChong
Last Match
I've never really written on this blog..besides some stupid comments on the tagboard and posting the Hamster picture, what I usually do is just read, and look up the point leaders board, seeing victor soaring ahead in goals and points. Haha.
But.
This Saturday is going to be the last game of this division 2 season. Honestly, I've been waiting for this game ever since the start of div 2. Schools is a strong team, with players we cannot underestimate and cannot afford to give any space to. On Saturday, we need to play our hearts out. We need to give what ever reserves we have left, and play like we never did before in all the other games.
Up until now, I feel we have not played at our full potential. We are capable of more than how we have been playing. We need that on Saturday. To step up our game.
We can do it guys. They may have won all the other teams. But NOT our team. We can MATCH them, PLAY with them and SHUT them DOWN. All it takes, is desire, commitment and the hunger to win.
It's just one last game, guys. If you've been reserving any energy, spend it. If you've not run to your fullest, run. If you felt you've not done anything, do it.
Let's play this one last game the way we want it played guys. And let's walk out of it as a team, and with heads held high that we've played to our best potential.
Visual mental preparation
We are approaching the last game of the season. This is is gg to be 1 exciting game cos the 2 best teams in div 2 is gg to play each other. The odds are high for us and that makes me even more excited. This game is a perfect example of games that i love to play in. Playing in these games drives me on and improves myself as a player. How abt you? Are you fearful or excited? I only wish to see players who are excited and ready to take on this challenge positively!
Wed is our last trg before this game and I will want you guys to practice mental preparation before you come for trg. I will need you to visualise the game situation. For e.g, visualise your body positioning in defence when the ball is at the corner board. Change the situations and play it your mind. Go thru in your mind the decision that you will make in the situation. This mental preparation will help you 'move' faster in the game. a word of caution, do not mentally prepare so much till you 'choke' and be overly anxious.
Also visualise yourself making a last minute block to stop a certain goal from them or a last min shot that wins tht game for us. You should feel excited! Visualise down to exact details as much as possible.
Do not be afraid to lose. Do not be afraid to show your true ability.
A giant should never hide behind the shoulders of a dwarf.
Regards,
HowChong
Week 10 Tables & Statistics - FC Squirrels Match (MOST IMPORTANT MATCH OF THE SEASON)
RESULT
NUS Saints 10 FC Squirrels 1
SCORER (ASSIST)
Period 1 (3-1)
00:26 Victor
08.35 Jirong (Nick)
19:18 Zhao Hui (Baolai)
Period 2 (1-0)
37:42 Yu Chong
Period 3 (6-0)
42:17 Yuchong
53:46 Victor (Veera)
54:33 Nick
55:18 Yu Chong
57:43 Baolai
58:09 Victor
MAN OF THE MATCH
Veera
- Wielding the Bollywood version of Excalibur, King Veera used Excalibra to great effect on the battlefield. The mere sight of him (if you can see him) and his stick put such tremendous amount of stress on the opposing defenders that plenty of opportunities are created for his team-mates to score. His dogged style of playing is a personification of how HC wants NUS teams to play. Determined to win the ball at all cost and clearly enjoying the physical game, we are all waiting to see who is the next unfortunate victim that he will slay.
MATCH DEBRIEF - BY EDWIN GOH
Forwards
Had a turkey shoot today, judging by the double digit of the number of goals we put in. Put plenty of stress on opposing defenders with their constant pressurizing and caused them to dump the ball. Lots of good one-twos but need to hit the target more often as well as get into the box more often to get rebounds.
Centers
Good support play and movement into spaces. However, they are sometimes caught off guard once or twice (i.e. fail to mark top D) and let their forwards take free shots. Luckily they are bobo shooters.
Defenders
Had an unimpressive start to the game but tightened up as the game goes on. Plenty of shooting from distance as well as box outs.
Goalkeeper
Plenty of good saves. Saved our ars with his ars when we sold him out behind the goal. His far throws created many anxious moments for Squirrels
Overall
Squirrels failed to keep their cool in the third period and let in an avalanche of goals. Lesson for us is not to let the game/ref decisions affect our play. Even if we are chasing the match, stick to the game plan and continue playing. There is no point challenging the referee; it will only work against ourselves.
Quote of the game: More goals, more pain (adapted from the Visa advertisement of 'more birds, more luck'?
Now that we won "THE MOST IMPORTANT MATCH OF THE SEASON", we will be preparing for the "THE MOST MOST IMPORTANT MATCH OF THE SEASON" against Schools which will decide our fate. We will be doing man-marking on Wednesday; be there or be square =)
Week 9 Tables & Statistics - Tampines East Knights Match
RESULT
NUS Saints 3 Tampines East Knights 2
SCORER (ASSIST)
Period 1 (0-0)
Period 2 (2-0)
23:45 Zhao Hui
28:40 Veera
Period 3 (1-2)
55:19 Jirong
MAN OF THE MATCH
Ji Rong
- match winner plus man of the match. He deserved every bit of credit. From the moment the whistle went off, Ji rong was fully focused on the game. He was rock hard in defence by keeping things simple. Like How Chong said, he wants effective players. Ji Rong does’nt have the flare of many other players however he stuck closely to the game plan, releasing the ball quickly down the boards, tightly marking the forwards and holding the ball against the boards when he gets gang banged by opponents. This is something that we as defenders should do more often. Finally scored his first goal of the season and what a way to score it! FYI for those who don’t already know, he has been practicing those same shots before each training and after putting in so much work. wa la! match winner. see coming down early for training pays off.
MATCH DEBRIEF - BY TIMOTHY
Forwards
Had a generally good game. Kept up the pressure on the defenders of the opponents. However, the forwards tend to delay when making shots. ie even when there is a clear chance at goal, they will choose to pass. Thus forwards need to train more on their awareness in game play. Congratulations to Viera ( hope I got his name right) for scoring his first goal. His dog style of play with that mighty stick of his, paired with his relentless never ending hustling of opponents resulted in his virgin goal of the season.
Centers
Relatively good holding and passing of the ball. However there were a couple of goals whereby the centers were caught off guard, ie not marking the opponent at the top D. Also, there were intermittent times that the centers were slow in recovering hence resulted in a 3 on 2 situation with our defenders. Special mention to Edwin the General, played with all his heart. People block shots by putting their body between the ball and goal , he block shots by putting his leg between the opponent’s stick and the ball. Respect. If you think the ball always fly past you, then prevent the stick from even making contact with the ball, use your leg like Edwin does. This resulted in him having several bumps of stick marks on his leg. Commitment guys, commitment. This is commitment.
Defenders
Had several ups and downs during the game. When getting the ball behind our goal post there is a tendency to dribble the ball down the centre. How Chong detests that. Recall a specific someone who was threatened by him that if this was to ever happen again “ u can bring comfortable pillow and put on the bench liao, then u can sit there and watch the rest of the game” this statement scarred him for the rest of his life, thus this someone swore never to do it again. To my fellow defenders please do no repeat this mistake. On a positive note, one on one marking was good. There was also a good stepping up of defenders to block shots.
Final Lap?
3 more games till the end of div 2. The results have gone our way, we will be promoted as long as we win the last 3 games. It is within our control.
How much do you want it?
I want us to get our deserved spot in div 1, a chance to have a go at the 'big' boys. A chance for all of us to improve our game further.
In the last game, I have finally seen you guys play with discipline and joy. That is great and I want us to make a final push and enjoy the last 3 games together as team. You have gone thru so much together. Let us push each other along... let us fight together.
However, your team mates can only help so much... you must want it first.
I am excited to see who will be pushing Saints to div 1.
Are you excited? Will you play a part?
Cheers,
HowChong
Congz Unglam Moments
Week 8 Tables & Statistics - Road Warriors Match
NUS Saints 11 Road Warriors 1
MAN OF THE MATCH
- There were many candidates for this honor and deservedly so- everyone played well this game. dy got the accolades due to his trying out of differing roles both in the defensive and attacking positions. Not many moments of particular flair or brilliance from him but he played a simple game; holding his ground in the defense and assisting in the play-ups when switched to a more offensive role. His contribution demonstrated versatility of roles which was a trait HC wanted to emphasize this game.
Forwards
The forwards had a field day, with the double digit scoreline proving it all. Of particular note would be Denis who was having his last game before SEP. With everything to prove in his final game for Saints, Denis opened the floodgates with an early goal in the opening minutes of the match and continued to fight hard for every goal; an inspiration to us all. Donald and Zaohui had good games that day too, keeping to the game plan and taking shots on goal whenever possible. The outcome: a hat-trick for Donald and a goal for Zaohui- much to the admiration of his supporters.
Centers
There was a rotation of players for centers this game as HC wanted to try out different players in the role. Both Donald and Yu Chong had playtime in this position and they proved their mettle, both netting a goal apiece. Of course, the other centers played their games too and supported the defense and attacking plays well that day.
Defense
This game was quite a test for the defense, with most of the Road Warriors' players fast on their feet and tenacious on the ball- one in particular who was speedy and kept trying for wraps. The defense held out, however, with most lines keeping a clean sheet. The fast clearances and board passes down to the centers and forwards more often then not managed to defuse their attacks and form counterattacks of our own.
Goalkeepers
Good work too by both Khairul and Louis. Both keepers saved our necks many-a-time with thier lightning reflexes and splendid covering of the goal. A reflex save from Louis in a 2v1 situation particularly stood out and definitely contributed to his taking home a clean sheet for the day.
Lastly, a particular comment by HC that stood out would probably be that the standard of Road Warriors did not differ very greatly from that of Mustangs, yet the scoreline could beg to differ. NUS SAINTS is not yet the best it can be, and many (if not all) of us know this. We can play a good game at times, yet there is the potential in us to play a great game, all the time. With just a few more games to go, let's all pitch in and give our all and end the season on a crescendo. GO SAINTS!
p.s. Have fun at SEP Denis, i'm sure we'll all miss your constant mosquito-ing of the opponent keeper and defense as well as the wisecracks you always have on hand. =)
Kwan Aik and his hamster!
Our very own Kwan Aik has gotten his name struck off the singles list as of last night man. He's now happily attached to his hamster :) May he live happily ever after!
Saints' Photos
This time, no sticks, except donald the cock-ster.. whahaha..
Finale group shot with the keepers in front.. *u din notice the attire of our dear Khairul*
see, told u guys cannot play with denis chai's hair during celebration after he score liao.. if not, the whole day he busy trying to get his hair back into shape.. lalala..
Cheerios,
baolai-mon
something i learnt
anyway i'm kinda busy in school now cos of Inter-Class Games... and just something i think i should share with u peeps that happened to me just now...
i was playing mixed doubles in badminton for my class and before the game i was pretty confident that it was a done deal... plus... the scoreline was 2 games to 2 so the game i was playing in was to be the tie-breaker...
needless to say i screwed it up.
totally lost track of my normal gameplay... missed shots that i wasn't supposed to... what could go wrong went wrong... what should have been an easy game was lost because of my errors...
what went wrong?
for one... being too anxious to kill the game off quickly was one of the factors... secondly... the hint of complacency was another major killer... thirdly... the stress factor because it was the decider...
what i'm trying to get at is that we face these problems when we play our games... we ARE a GOOD TEAM and at times we are so anxious to prove it that we rush things even when we don't have to... just sticking to the normal gameplay would have been sufficient... keep your cool guys... enjoy the game!
maybe should let u all play badminton... then u will understand haahaa!
train hard guys!
(p.s. your fat captain has shed 6kg since entering NIE. woohoo!)
Where is the...FuN??
IMHO, sum of us are trying 2 hard to perform our best yet we still find ourselves lacking in 1 area or another. my theory is that we haf lost that 'fun factor' while playing. proof of this can be seen from our goal celebrations. we haf 3 fav celebrations: the emo 'YEAHHHHH', the hi-5 n both. the onli exception to this that i can remember (pardon my poor memory) is chris throwing his stick into the moonlit sky during nitemare@ntu.
so..howz abt we do sumthin creative for our upcoming goal celebrations?? like... pretending the stick is a machine gun n gunning all of us down(wld work well for vics), backflips??(i can onli do boardtrips =p), putting d jersey over d head/running ard half naked(top half that is) etc etc etc u get my point..
c'mon guyz! i'm sure u're all very creative! remember those times when as a kid, u'd play soccer at the void deck n the silly things u did after scoring tons of insignificant goals. it's time to relive those moments! haha..but of course, don't injure urself while celebrating or i'll be the 1st to laugh at u =)
PeaS
Wed trg
My first time blogging so please forgive if I flout any netizen's law. =)
We introduced more advanced movements today and it is interesting to see the lines trying to work out new movements today.
Certain basics will never change:
1) Pass away from the opposition defender
2) Use your side vision to help pick out players
3) Even better if you can be aware of your team mates BEFORE you recieve the pass
4) Weigh your pass, be ready to recieve the pass
5) Be ready to shoot. Shoot when you have a chance
I am very happy with today's trg as the game with nemesis was quite even. A few ways to improve your game is to be confident on the ball so we work on several ball holding methods today and feel free to beat the opposing defender with a dribble or shot.
Another thing that we must take note is to play shifts with 100% effort so that we are gg for quality and not quantity. For e.g. Line 3 started to play shorter BUT effective shifts. You do not have to wait for the coach to get you to change. Change if you have put in your 100%!
There are several things that I want all players to work on:
1) Ability to execute a variety of passes
2) Ability to control a variety of passes
3) Ability to make first time passes
4) Ability to take quick/first time shots
On a separate note, please feel free to use this blog (everyone, not just Saints) to gossip and talk cock. Dont just use it to write match debrief.
For e.g. rumours are rife that Kwan Aik has got a new gf?
Cheers,
HowChong
Steve Roland Prefontaine (January 25, 1951 – May 30, 1975)
Steve Roland Prefontaine (January 25, 1951 – May 30, 1975) (nicknamed Pre) was an American Olympic runner and considered perhaps the most loved American runner of all time, having inspired a running boom during the 1970s. Born and raised in Coos Bay, Oregon, Prefontaine was primarily a long distance runner, and at one point held the American record in every running event from the 2000 meters to the 10,000 meters. Prefontaine had one leg longer than the other (a common condition that does not affect running speed), and due to this he was told to give up on his dream of being the fastest runner on earth. He is known for his extremely aggressive "front-running" racing style and always believing in giving a full effort. Prefontaine died at the age of 24 in a car accident.
Steve Prefontaine is arguably the greatest American distance runner in history, and at the height of his career he held every American track and field record from the 2,000 to the 10,000 meters. Many years after his untimely death, Prefontaine remains an icon, an idol and an obsession in American running. Over his running career, he won 120 of the 153 races he ran, or 78 percent. One of Prefontaine's most famous quotes that is still vibrant for runners today is "To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the Gift."
Personal quotes
- "To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift."
- "A lot of people run a race to see who is fastest. I run to see who has the most guts, who can punish himself into exhausting pace, and then at the end, punish himself even more. Nobody is going to win a 5,000 meter race after running an easy 2 miles. Not with me. If I lose forcing the pace all the way, well, at least I can live with myself."
- "I don't just go out there and run. I like to give people watching something exciting."
- "I run best when I run free."
- "A race is a work of art that people can look at and be affected in as many ways as they're capable of understanding."
- "I'm going to work so that it's a pure guts race at the end, and if it is, I am the only one who can win it."
- "Someone may beat me, but they are going to have to bleed to do it."
- "The only good race pace is suicide pace, and today looks like a good day to die."
- "What I want is to be number one."
- "Something inside of me just said 'Hey, wait a minute, I want to beat him,' and I just took off."
- "Some people create with words or with music or with a brush and paints. I like to make something beautiful when I run. I like to make people stop and say, 'I've never seen anyone run like that before.' It's more than just a race, it's a style. It's doing something better than anyone else. It's being creative."
- "How does a kid from Coos Bay, with one leg longer than the other win races? All my life people have been telling me, 'You're too small Pre', 'You're not fast enough Pre.' 'Give up your foolish dream Steve.' But they forgot something. I have to win."
Week 7 Tables & Statistics - Blacks Match
NUS Saints 5 - Blacks 5
SCORER (ASSIST)
Period 1 (2-0)
06:42 Yuchong (Melvyn)
09:05 Denis
Period 2 (0-1)
NIL
Period 3 (3-4)
44:48 Denis
49:46 Timothy (Kwanaik)
56:57 Nick
MAN OF THE MATCH
Chris
- Steady and composed, followed and adapted to instructions, released the ball quickly to Jirong and the forwards, stepping up to block shots and using his body well. Had a great game and definitely a crucial role in SAINTS' defense.
MATCH DEBRIEF - BY DONALD
1. Insufficient cross-runs. TSH is a large court. one board pass sometimes does not even get us to 3/4 court. So the forward triangle would have to work harder to make a second cross run for a second board pass and (ideally), the following 1-2.
2. Too many incorrect decisions. For example, giving a high ball when a board pass can be made. Our boardpass play up is our skeleton to fall back on -- afterall, we've practiced it the most. But now we're choosing the high balls even when the boardpass is an option. Things like dangerous centerpasses/diagonals can be further reduced, for it warrants a counter attack if intercepted. But having said that, this comes with more game experience and traininig!
3. Tighter marking. This applies to everyone -- forwards, defenders and centers. Practice blade to blade marking, and "body checks" to those in dangerous positions like in the top D. Close down on the shooter if he wants to volley/shoot. And most importantly, follow your man if he makes a run such as a simple dribble. Take that extra lunge if needed. Make that tactical foul if you have to.
4. Do not commit when overloaded. If we're in a 6-vs-5 situation (like in the last period), or in a 5-vs-4 situation (like in a box play), we don't have to commit and win the ball against the other team. instead, follow the box play tactics, preventing shots, and rotate to cover for each other.
5. Adapt to the change in tactics. Errr.. this sounds simple enough, but it is not easy. especially when everyone is tired and there's so much noise going on, arguements with the ref.. being affected by dirty plays etc etc. But don't forget we're a team and if a teammate isn't adapting to the change in tactics, remind him! tell him what to do. talk on the bench. COMMUNICATE.
6. Play our game, not the ref's.
don't lose hope guys. we know we haven't been maintaining our consistency. and just my 2 cents worth, we gotta face the problem. what is it that makes us play floorball, and then, after a while, lose floorball? for some, its our fitness, for others, maybe the stickwork, and definitely, our mentality. some of us lose focus, some of us don't have faith, some of us fear the opponents, and some of us blame the ref.
BUT you know what? ALL of us give it our all during trainings. ALL of us have bonded together during this period of time, making great friendships. ALL of us have identified ourselves as a saints player. and ALL of us are dying to improve our game. ALL OF US wants to win. every run we make on court, we do it for a buddy. lets not allow undeserving teams break down a great team like ours. it ain't over til' its over. treasure what we have guys and lets make this end how we want it to!!
how much do YOU want it?
I believe most of you still feel that you all should have WON yesterday's game against SIM. I leave you guys with some points to reflect with regards to you game play.
You all have played 7 games in Div 2 thus far. Why is it you guys have to always be on your toes (save the MS Victoria game) every game? Worrying about conceding that equaliser against your opponents who are tactically weaker (I dare say we have the best coach who plays the most effective system in Div 2), less fit, have lousier stickwork than us?
Is it because you guys are too rigid? Such that when Howchong changes a playup, you all could not adapt to what he advocates on match day? (Like how the defenders should stand next to each other yesterday for your playup)
Is it because you guys feel that referee decisions are always against you? (like the final goal conceded yesterday) But even if it were so, if you all had the 2-goal lead against SIM, would the "illegal" last goal have mattered?
Is it because you guys lack the tenacity? We told you guys before the season started that Div 2 is a very physical league. Pushing, shoving, dirty tactics, everything you cant think of exist here, and we only have 2 referees looking at 12 players on the court! How do you guys want to survive in a harsh environment like that? Complain? Cry? Fight? Swing a stick into the opponents face? Slapshot into goal?
Remember when you guys just came in one year ago. When we had the seniors vs juniors challenge? Remember how fearlessly you guys went for every ball? How hard you guys chased for every ball? How quickly you all breathed down the seniors "neck" once we have the ball?
You guys were frustrating the seniors who had 3 to 4 years more experience than you all! There were no signs of slowing down and complacency in your game at all.
Are you guys able to get that back?
Where do you guys want to end up in Div 2?
1st? 2nd? Or 3rd, with same points as the 2nd place team but losing on goal difference of 1 goal?
Howchong still believes in you all. I still do. Even Alvin still does.
Do you all have the same believe as us? Do you all believe you all can beat the remaining teams on your fixture list and pick up whatever points left in the league?
Raise your level of game, want it, enjoy it and be fearless again!
Mickey Mouse Melvyn
Watch to find out more...
Starring: Melvyn as Mickey Mouse
Week 6 Tables & Statistics - Argonnauts Match
NUS Saints 6 Argonnauts 4
SCORER (ASSIST)
Period 1 (2-0)
15:22 Kwanaik (Tengyen)
16:25 Donald
Period 2 (1-2)
23:51 Victor
Period 3 (3-2)
44:30 Victor
44:45 Yu Chong
47:19 Chris
MAN OF THE MATCH
Donald
- Hassled well throughout the game. Donald took quick shots and was constantly looking to improve his game. Special mention goes to Victor too who also played well. The 2 of them scored half of the goals for Saints in this game to keep the team on track for the title.
MATCH DEBRIEF - BY EDWIN ONG
Howchong
I am disappointed with the play and the results. We always shoot ourselves in the foot by conceding silly goals. We are much better than the other team with better play up and stick work, but the results do not show our superiority.
1. Do not give away silly goals. We have been thru these many times. Its not easy to score goals and by conceding silly goals we are making things hard for ourselves when it could have be smooth sailing.
2. Do not dribble through the center of defence. Keep the pass up simple, down the boards.
3. Shoot away from the keeper. We do not need a super hard shot, just one that is on target and away from the keeper.
4. Remember pointers brought up before the game, for example: cornvix is a lift and run team, the keeper cannot take low shots, the keeper cannot cover his angels well etc. this is so that we may exploit it in the game to our advantage.
5. We are a team with play-up. but it seems to have become a disadvantage. We also must be flexible. When the players at the board are marked and the center is free. We can always pass to the free guy. We must also play to the situation in the court.
6. Do more simple dribble shots. Always look out for opening to shoot before taking the ball down the line. If the defender commit to 1 side, we can always turn towards the other side and have a quick shot instead of trying to pass through his blade.
7. Do not make the opponents look good. Their no 10 has a wrong hand on his stick and his only move is a spin, yet we make him look like Ronaldo. We are too clean sometime, make small fouls if necessary. Remember, body first, stick down and do not commit too easily
8. Do not confront the opponent on your own. If need be, we will fight as a team. Aim the biggest guy on their side and we all will beat him up together.
And to end it all, this goes out to those who felt you all did not play well. Everyone has their off days, everyone makes mistakes. I understand you will feel down. I have been through it last week. Look on the bright side, at least we won and besides, you can’t change your past performance. You can only change your future performance so show us u can bounce back from 1 bad performance. The team will always be behind you. Remember, we are the NUS SAINTS.
Enjoy the game and win,
Edwin
Guess what did Nick say after the match? Check out Zhaohui's original post!
i fat... but i still can score
Zhaohui:
4. remember pointers brought up before the game, for example: cornvix is a lift and run team, the keeper cannot take low shots, the keeper cannot cover his angels well etc. this is so that we may exploit it in the game to our advantage.
Week 5 Tables and Statistics - Team Squirrels Match
RESULT
NUS Saints 8 Team Squirrels 3
SCORER (ASSIST)
Period 1 (2-1)
09:33 Baolai
09:42 Zhaohui (Tengyen)
Period 2 (2-2)
24:35 Nicholas (Chris)
36:28 Nicholas
Period 3 (4-0)
43:00 Denis
43:07 Baolai (Veera)
54:07 Victor (Chris)
57:42 Nicholas
MAN OF THE MATCH
Nick
- Strengths: Fast Shots, Body position.
We have to take fast shots just as he had done and always be in the triangle where we can see both the ball and the man we are taking. Just remember the one second marking and the centre line rule for when the ball is on the other half of the court.
MATCH DEBRIEF - BY ZHAOHUI
1. Do not give away silly goals, todae we didn't do it as much as the coenvix game but too many scrambles took place in front of khairul today for comfort.
2. Learn the mentality in the third period so that we may kill off the game earlier against teams we shoudl be winning against. However, do not be complacent and commit mistakes such as dribbling too much and committing too much to fish the ball out.
3. Keep the pass up simple, down the boards against team which pressure us hard to take the pressure off the defenders.
4. Remember pointers brought up before the game, for example: cornvix is a lift and run team, the keeper cannot take low shots, the keeper cannot cover his angels well etc. this is so that we may exploit it in the game to our advantage.
5. Do not lose focus in the middle of the game, when called upon, try to focus for at least 2 mins, know what to do at all times, defenders focus on the passes down the line, centres focus on the positions of the forwards and defend the top d of our half, and forwards keep up the motion offence, offence is nothing if we just stay still.
6. And be prepared for early "christmases" when called upon to play different positions.
7. Body in all the time when in defence to cut out bouncing balls.
8. Sticks down when defending, following Victor's and Syaf's example.
And to end this on a good note, well guys it's halfway thru the season and lets just focus one game at a time, play it like it is our last and celebrate every goal as a team. Veera played well not to forget, Dy also contributed to the team's performances when called upon thus we do have strength in depth for our squad. Saints WHOOSH and lets win the next one peeps.
Enjoy the game and win,
Zhaohui
Week 4 Tables and Statistics - Cornvix Match
NUS Saints 4 Cornvix 5
SCORER (ASSIST)
Period 1 (1-0)
01:40 Denis
Period 2 (2-2)
27:30 Zhaohui
33:07 Denis
Period 3 (1-3)
56:02 Edwin Ong
MAN OF THE MATCH
Denis Chai Jin Wen
- He played his role well in this game. In addition, he came back to help out the defenders in his line when the line was under seig, cutting out several dangerous through passes. Denis took his chances well, was never afraid to try and performed not 1, but 2 wonderful wraps into goal! Well done Denis!
MATCH DEBRIEF - BY WEIJING, HOWCHONG, SAYADI
Weijing
1. The winning mentality of our team must ALWAYS be there. For this game, it came far too late, and when we started to show that we want to win, we had 3 goals score in the last 4 minutes. Guys, (be it Saints or Nemesis) we must always go into a game to get the result we want. Go full out, continue the momentum of the game, kill of the opposing team, and never allow them the tiniest of chances to get back in.
Singapore Schools & Saints are title contenders for Div 2. However, the difference between you guys and them is... Singapore Schools kills off every team that they play.
2. Tactics - Training for the past 2 months had gone to naught. Why do we spend so much time on tactics? Why don't we just play games all the way and not train tactics at all?
Come on guys, STOP GIVING BLIND PASSES and MAKE SIMPLE BOARD PASSES!
3. Make tactical fouls - Play to win. As long as you do not go into a challenge with the impression that you are going to take an opposing player out of the game, it is fine. Make the foul, then walk away. Show the others tt we are not push-overs. We will foul our opponents and prevent a goal if there is a need to do so.
4. We played too much in our own half. Why not relief the pressure in our own half, make the board pass up.
Remember, losing the ball in the opponent's half allows you to recover. Losing the ball in YOUR OWN HALF poses IMMEDIATE danger to Khairul!
Did you guys see how Cornvix celebrated when they won you guys? It's like they won the championship! The desire to beat us is there!
I want you guys to believe in yourselves, have confidence, but not complacency. Kill off every single team that comes in yr way this season. You guys decide whether Saints gets promoted or not at the end of the season. HC is fighting alongside you guys, so am I and many others... It's time to get our act together now and kick some asses!!!
Howchong
The strength of a Team lies in it's ability to bounce back from adversities. The result did not go our way so I am going to continue fighting. Are you in the fight with me?
Sayadi
Just wanted to drop by to mention a few things about the match against Cornvix.
We lost and I think we can learn a lot from this defeat. Firstly, it was good that I saw how down all of you were after the final whistle. This shows that you care. You care for the team and you want victory. Heads up for the next match.
We lost not because we played badly. In fact we played well. Don's and Zhou Hui's goal showed the quality you guys have within the squad. All the goals we conceeded were due to individual mistakes and not because we were outplayed. In fact, in this match, we were never outplayed.
A few things to remember:
Keep it simple in defence
Keep your shots low and on target
A quick shot is always better than a hard shot
Forwards, remember to screen and pick up rebound. No need to swing when get rebound, just tap, wrist shot. If unsure how to do this, please ask inzaghi.
Be responsible. If you lose the ball, chase back. If you are the last line of defence, don't dribble.
Before the next match, I want each of you to have your own personal time and picture yourself in the match. Imagine yourself making a good board pass. Imagine yourself screening the keeper and picking the rebound. Picture yourself making a firm wrist shot on target. Trust me, it makes a lot of difference when you have a good pre-match preparation.
Fail to Prepare; & Prepare to Fail.
Play each match as if it will be your last and you will step out of the court with no regrets.
who's the sexiest of them all
personally i feel that it can qie Spartan King Leonidas in the movie 300.
In fact, i think Syafiq will LOOK like Leonidas, 5 years down the road!
what say you?
On a more serious note, lets win sunday's game man!!
Wah, so happening sia!
WHY the blog so nice one, who do one wah lao damn pro leh.
too swee liao!
hi saints =)
victor here.
enjoy what's left of your holidays and let's win more matches haha
Week 3 Tables and Statistics - Mustangs Match
NUS Saints 6 Mustangs 3
SCORER (ASSIST)
Period 1 (0 - 2)
Period 2 (3 - 1)
29:30 Melvyn
32:15 Kwanaik
37:21 Syafiq
Period 3 (3- 0)
42:40 Chris
52:39 Timothy (Baolai)
56:14 Zhaohui
MAN OF THE MATCH
Melvyn Tan Guo Jing
- Scored an own goal, stick broke, had to get a new stick to play, team was down 3-0 in 2nd period. Nothing seems to be going right for this guy today. Melvyn was rained with SHIT for this game. BUT... ... he never give up. Instead he chose to believe in himself, his teammates, the coach, the system and pushed on. (In fact, I saw Melvyn encourage a senior player after he had a bad shift) Melvyn went for every loose ball, chased every forward that tried to beat him, stepped up to block shots, and more importantly, got the attack going for his line. And when he scored, he demonstrated how floorball is played with our HEARTS. Guys, THIS IS what we mean by the words --> MENTAL TOUGHNESS.
p.s. remember... is the player that matters, not the stick =P
MATCH DEBRIEF - BY WEIJING
We started the game off in a sluggish manner. It was dissapointing to find that even when we were 2-0 down we still looked very lethargic and had no urgency in the game. Yes. Line 2 did not have the best of starts to this game, but like I have mentioned before, why didn't the other 2 lines pull the team up. But instead chose to follow in the game pace of line 2? Like what Donald told me, let this serve as a warning call for us. There will NEVER be easy games in Div 2.
Next thing we have to work on is our powerplay. We got to make full use of our one-man advantage. I did not see you guys picking players up and chasing hard when we lose the ball during a powerplay. The ABC of powerplay --> go full pressure and everyone take one man each, WIN THE BALL BACK!
Today tells us that keeping things simple will get things going for the game. Take things one step at a time. We were fortunate that our goals came in the 2nd period. The first goal by Melvyn settled the team down and composed most of us. (I personally feel that if the first goal was never to come, we would have lost the game by a terrible margin)
But what if we were to try and try and try, yet still find ourselves not able to score? Will you guys have the mental strength to compose yourselves and tell yourselves that the goals will come, just go out play your game? Playing a winning game is always easy, but playing a game which you are trailing is not.
But not all is negative in this game. A few positives to bring back with you all.
Firstly, you guys showed your mental prowress by bouncing back from 0-3 down to win 6-3. It is good to see the team fighting and battling back together in this game. Today's fighting spirit was "contagious"... This is what we WANT in all of NUS Floorball Teams. TO let positive players spread their positive energy in the team and NOT TO allow negative players affect everyone in the team.
In addition, you guys have NOT committed any 2-mins offences for the past 2 games. This means that no unneccesary fouls were given away during our games. Keep it up!!!
That's all from me. Enjoy your hard-fought victory up to Wednesday and rest well! =>
inspirasi dan creativiti
over the meal, Chris (who scored a goal that is comparable to Ronaldinho's freekick goal that gave Brazil the lead against England, in the 2002 World Cup finals; or even Beckham's goal that brought him to fame) lamented about how he was inspired and managed to pull off such a great shot.
Chris: "i tell you, hc is a damn good coach man. He can really inspire you to believe."
some1: "what did he say that inspired you!??"
Chris: "i don't know ah.. but i think its just his face."
(point of clarification: Chris is straight. i think.)
now we know, talking is not enough.
to end off, "this is the man that can make u believe that we can win sweden" -quote syadi.
believe, guys!
Hot Favourites???
"Another favorite will be NUS Saints. Coached by the effervescent Sim How Chong, they are a new face in the Division 2 scene, after being relegated from Division 1 last season, and they will be one of the teams to beat. Made up of mostly, if not all, NUS students, who is traditionally known to run their opponents down, literally, they will once again terrorize the floorball courts like a pack of Cheetahs. Even though they may find that they are a class above the other Division 2 teams, I am sure the others out there will give them a run for their money. Watch out for their huffs and puffs to get that vital top placing so as to be promoted to Division 1 once again."
The expectations ARE there... but like what Howchong always says... KEEP THINGS SIMPLE! =>
Week 2 Tables and Statistics - MS Victoria Match
NUS Saints 12 MS Victoria 2
SCORER (ASSIST)
Period 1 (2 - 0)
09:21 Syafiq
17:58 Donald (Edwin Ong)
Period 2 (7 - 1)
20:20 Victor
30:21 Victor (Nicholas)
30:39 Denis (Jirong)
32:59 Kwanaik
36:04 Victor (Denis)
37:70 o.g.
39:42 Baolai (Zhaohui)
Period 3 (3 -1)
45:41 o.g.
47:42 Nicholas
49:54 Tengyen
MAN OF THE MATCH
Nor Syafiq Bin Tubi
- For maintaining composure and keeping things simple throughout the game. Syafiq showed all of us how going-back-to-basics can win us games. The simple board-pass to the forwards (rather than the square-pass ACROSS goal to your centre) will get the play-up going for your line. The simple quick, low shot on target will allow your forwards to pick up important rebounds. Fulfilling his basic defensive duties, Syafiq also stepped up well to support the attack of his line. As a result, he was rightfully rewarded when he scored the first goal for Saints in the 1st period.
MATCH DEBRIEF - BY DENIS CHAI
Firstly, we allowed too many shots on our goal. If not for Khairul's brilliant performance, our victory margin would have been significantly narrowed. Our defence isn't holding up well because of a few reasons. At times, our forwards are slow to recover after being beaten. Our defenders are also not marking their men tightly enough, allowing the opponents to take simple shots towards our goal. Remember that when Khairul makes a save, defenders have to use their bodies to box out the goal area to prevent further rebound attempts by the opponents.
In addition, our defenders are not taking note of their blind side and are occasionally ball watching. This is crucial as not marking our blind side would allow the opponents to simply dump the ball into our goal area. Khairul is only able to cover 1 side of the goal, and if there is an unmarked opponent in our goal area, he would be able to easily score against us. Communication is vital in this aspect as everyone would be certain of their markings as well as it helps us to regain our focus in the game. Centres have to learn to be more commanding especially when in transitional defence when our structure isn't formed up yet.
Most of you would have noticed that the court we played on today is smaller than our usual training ground. Therefore, do take into account of the court size because defenders still take too long to clear the ball or send the ball up. In a smaller court, it is not only easier for you to take out the opponents strikers but for them to pressure you as well. Remember to lay the ball off quickly either with a lift or a simple board pass. A simple board pass does gets the game going and the goals coming. A simple yet golden rule for defenders to take note, "when in doubt, just knock the ball far and wide towards the boards of the opponents goal area". Do not be afraid to trust your forwards.
Besides coming to terms with the court size, we took 1 period to come to terms with the small stature of our opponents. We adopted a "go easy" attitude on the opponents by "respecting" them way too much until the end of period 1 where HC had to tick us off for playing like wimps. The bane of NUS floorball is that every time we encounter a seemingly easy team, we would underestimate and belittle them and in doing so, we tend not play to our actual potential as we play with a laid back attitude. This is detrimental as teams that can capitalize on us would do so, and the one and only punishment for our condescending attitude towards them would be utter defeat in humiliation. Think of ms victoria's no. 29 and 39 which are skilled players despite their smaller physique. Know that if you really want to respect your opponents, play hard and fair to do so.
On a good note, we did have an increased number of shot attempts at goal. However, we need to keep our shots on target as HC aptly said that if you intend to blast the ball 3 storey high, you should be playing rugby instead. When you’ve caught the keeper off guard, a simple pass/shot into goal would suffice. It is better to score with a simple touch than to use so much brute force that it becomes a rugby conversion. Remember to always have your stick on the ground and be prepared for any passes or rebounds.
Our individual lines are also gelling as evident in our game today. We had several good game plays and our ball possession is also better now and this includes the resetting of play. However, some of us might have felt that we didn’t contribute much to the team or that we didn’t do well because we were yelled/scolded at. I think that though some of the stuff that we do on court might not have visible results, but its latent effect is significant. For example, drawing away an opponent creates the much needed space to shoot and subsequently score. If you feel that you didn’t contribute much, talk it out with your line mates or seek HC for clarification. Sometimes, even you yourself might not be aware of your contribution to your line and the team. For those of you who felt that you played badly because you were nitpicked at, think of the situation then. What did you or did you not do? For example, if you were yelled at because you didn’t make a pass but did something else instead, think through it and consider your options. If you feel that you made the right decision then, talk it out with the other party and gain an insight into the different playing styles of your line mates. You can also look for HC to seek his opinion on the matter. It is through thrashing things out that a line would be able to gain a better understanding leading to better line play. For the rest, be more patient and put yourself in his shoes, it really isn’t all that simple to make the pass to you, know that you done your part by providing an option for the ball carrier, and if he doesn’t pass to you, move on and make yourself useful and available.
In conclusion, touch your hearts and ask yourself whether you did well today. If yes, give yourself a pat on the back. If no, reflect on why not. Was it because you did not give your all today? Or was it because you played with a relaxed attitude? No one else but you can search for the answer. Know that only you can seek for the answer for you alone hold the key to it…
Week 1 Tables and Statistics - SMU Hunters Match
NUS Saints 4 SMU Hunters 2
SCORER (ASSIST)
Period 1 (2 - 1)
08:30 Victor
10:04 Donald (Edwin Ong)
Period 2 (1 - 1)
21:38 Victor (Chris)
Period 3 (1 - 0)
58:41 Donald
MAN OF THE MATCH
Khairul Faliq S/O Abdul Rahman
- For rising to the occasion to save the penalty in the dying minutes of the last period, denying the equaliser for SMU Hunters . The 4th goal for Saints came shortly after that crucial save as the team's morale is raised. Though there were defensive lapses on a couple of occasions, Khairul kept his composure for most parts of the game, making a huge contribution to Saints' first victory in Div 2.
MATCH DEBRIEF - BY CHRIS
1. Talking in transitional defense: important for players to communicate to one another and direct them who to mark/cover etc. For example, the centre should direct the forwards as to where to stand and which player to mark to avoid a situation where 2 of our players end up going for the same opponent player.
2. There is no need to commit yourself blindly or rashly in an attempt to win back the ball (esp. in the centre) because once you are beaten, you are pretty much out of the game. Instead, focus on channeling the player to the boards or a less dangerous shooting position. We don't need to win the ball back everytime, but what we need to do is protect out goal all the time.
3. Important not to ball watch in defense. As we've all noticed by now, Div 2 teams are in the tendency of cheonging down the boards before centering the ball. For defenders, remember to watch the opponent players who are not on the ball so that they don't end up getting a shot on our goal. Also, get ready to cut the centre passes.
4. Reset play: In the event our attack gets pushed wide or the forwards are trapped at the boards, we should try our best to reset our play and get another better attack going. This involves both the forwards making a good pass back to the defenders as well as the defenders stepping up high enough to allow the forwards to make an easy pass back. Something to work on.