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Vibes & Sport On presents Futsal Challenge 2008!

 

The quiet library is once again filled with an air of carnival-like celebration and a fervent buzz of activity on 28 June 2008. A court enclosed by a net of 2m high was set up right in the middle of the plaza where more than 20 teams of four entered and challenged one another to vie for the cash prizes worth $600!

With the close of Euro 2008 and with Spain crowned the European Champions for 2008, the next soccer battle took place right in the heart of Singapore at the National Library Atrium. 20 talented teams took to the stage to pit their soccer skills in a 'caged' match and it was indeed a battefield of half-volleys, nutmegs, and step-overs throughout the day! The 20 teams battled it out in a round-robin format, with the top 2 teams of each group (Group A to H) advancing to the next round of the futsal competition, followed by a knock-out quarter-final phase in the afternoon.

 

 

The quarterfinals saw 8 deserving teams battling for only 4 spots. FC Horizon took on SG Street Wizard and was given a good footballing lesson where they lost 1-6. Next up was Toa Payoh Rangers who steamrolled Team Classicz 10 goals to 2. In the third quarterfinal, team PAIX had a close fight with Team Pelik before finally going down 2-5. The last quarterfinal saw Anti- Clockwise take on Samba Loco; with a tightly-contested match of only 3 goals and with Anti-Clockwise squeezing through with a 2-1 win.

 

 

Only worthy teams come through to the last 4 teams standing. The first semi-final saw SG Street Wizard take on Toa Payoh Rangers, and in their streetwear battle gear of t-shirts and jeans (and the occasional cap), gave a ferocious fight to their opponents in their uniformed soccer jerseys. With their fancy footwork, step-overs, backheels and fantastic solo ball control, SG Street Wizard were the team to watch, if not for entertainment but for the sheer awe they created among the many spectators. If only they were judged on their individual skill and footballing techniques! But as the clock ticked away, they were unable to break down the stubborn, almost German-like defence of the Rangers, and starting taking potshots at goal. With their efficient tactics and water-tight defence, Toa Payoh Rangers played with a military-style approach that closed down on their opponents quickly. At the end of it all, the showmanship of Sg Street Wizard could only take them this far, as they sucumbed to a 5-1 defeat to the Rangers. Entertaining yes, but probably not as effective as playing simple, passing football of the Toa Payoh Rangers.

The 2nd semi-final pitted Team Pelik against Anti-Clockwise. The ACJC-attired Team Pelik rose to the occasion with a solid displayed of pure stamina, determination and boundless amount of running on the court. Anti-Clockwise were pushed to their limits, as they were chased for every ball in every corner, and the seasoned players of street soccer had no clear indication of dominating the court. Many of the goals came from long accurate shots which was a sight to behold. Anti-Clockwise eventually carved out a thrilling 7-5 win against an inexperienced but determined ACJC-based team that is Team Pelik. Do watch out for them in the coming tournaments!

 

 

Having lost the chance to be in the final, SG Street Wizard and Team Pelik had to contend with playing for the 3rd and 4th placings. Perhaps having exhausted all their energy fighting Anti-Clockwise earlier, Team Pelik was a jaded side versus the Wizard. Players were beginning to lose their concentration and along with it their passing and simple distribution of the ball to open spaces. SG Street Wizard were similarly fatigued, having skewed a couple of their shots sky-high despite clear-cut chances in front of goal. Of course, with both teams with nothing to play for except for pride, what next took place was the constant stream of goals thereafter. In the end, the Wizards, with all their trickery and individual skills, surged to a 5-3 win against a raw but tired Team Pelik to claim the 3rd spot. Hopefully we can see these 2 teams again in the future; as their potential was there for everybody to see! For their efforts, SG Street Wizard walked away with a $100 cash voucher and other Sport On! premiums.

 

 

With a quick but necessary 15-minute break, the climax of the day was the final between Anti-Clockwise and Toa Payoh Rangers. But it was soon to be an anti-climax to a few; as somehow Anti-Clockwise managed to break down the stubborn defence of the Rangers with a brace of goals in the first half. The team kept its composure and worked their way around the Rangers' defence with some sublime skills. As with all footballing theories, the best form of defence was offence and this was the art practiced by Anti-Clockwise on that day on that court. The Toa Payoh Rangers were kepy busy with the defence that they somehow forgotten that they had to score goals to win the game! It was all one-way traffic as Anti-Clockwise romped to a 4-0 win in one of the most pulsating match of the tournament, a much deserved win for them but also an important lesson for the Rangers, as it showed that a team must have an equally potent offensive play to win games. For coming in 2nd place, Tao Payoh Rangers walked away with a $200 voucher and some Sport On! premiums. And for being the champions of the challenge, Anti-Clockwise claimed a $300 voucher and Sport On! premiums.

All in all, it was a good tournament with high standards of play exhibited by most of the teams. We hope all the players enjoyed themselves, and that the display of soccer skills was a visual feast for all the spectators that day. There was also a brilliant display of sportsmanship and fair play which we thought added an even more positive spin to the whole tournament.For now, Anti-Clockwise can claim to be the best; but it'll be hard to defend their title in the months to come. Do look out for the next challenge, guys!

 

Vibes & Sport On presents Street Challenge 2008 (Frisbee & Floorball)!

It was merely eight in the morning, but an unusual scene had unfolded at the National Library Building on March 29. Instead of the usual calm and tranquillity, there was an air of carnival-like celebration and a fervent buzz of activity. The usual spacious grounds were demarcated into distinct sports grounds with multicoloured cones.

 

Groups of teens streamed onto The Plaza, animated and ready for some Sport On! Street Sports action. From book smart to street cool, the National Library was transformed into an arena for youths to battle it out street-style in Ultimate Frisbee and floorball.

 

Going urban

The day kicked off with the Ultimate Frisbee preliminaries.

Joshua Chia, Captain of Team Rockets from Raffles Junior College, was more used to training on a big field. But Ultimate Frisbee as a street sport is a lot of fun too, he remarked. The space is smaller but it is just as exciting and fast-paced, and there’s less wind to factor in. "It’s a novel concept!"

For over two hours, teams of all ages displayed agility and speed in a graceful performance of jumps, throws and dives. From one soaring leap to another, supporters and players alike had their hearts racing at full speed. It was a true adrenaline rush.

  

Players gave it their all and put up a good show for those on the sidelines. Friends and supporters displayed their emotions openly on their sleeves – cheering enthusiastically at every score and sighing in disappointment at the missed opportunities.

  

Showcase of sportsmanship

  

The competitiveness in the players culminated in a finals round that saw Kranji Secondary Team B facing off Team Snickers in a close match for the Under-16 division. They may be the youngest in the game for the day but they are just as spunky and eager to outplay the rest.

  

Tension arose when both team captains called a score of 6-5 to each. Rahim Resad, coordinator for the Ultimate Frisbee session, explained: "This sometimes happens because there is no referee in Ultimate Frisbee – the sport relies on players’ integrity and sportsmanship to call their own scores and fouls."

  

To settle the scores, both teams played for one more point. Again there was a difference of opinion – it was unclear whether the disc was caught within the court. But after consulting both teams, Rahim made the final call and Kranji Secondary Team B was declared the jubilant winner and all is well in the spirit of the game.

  

Floor it!

 

The intensity of the event moved up one notch in the afternoon with the floorball 3-on-3 competition. As the whistle blew, teams sprung into action – floorball sticks clashed and players sped across the court, skilfully manoeuvring the ball to score a goal.

  

Audience and supporters cheered as the floorball players battled it out for the top honours. Each game may have lasted merely 5 minutes, but it was each an exhilarating and high speed game.

  

Most of all, the games were intense, and that’s how Anil Shergill of team AJSD from Victoria Junior College likes it. Their team landed a fourth placing overall after a powerful play off and they’ve learnt a lot from the experience.

  

"The biggest lesson is having to learn to accept the referee’s decision, and to keep your emotions in and play on," said Anil. "But it’s good exposure because we need to get out of the comfort zone of training just within the team."

  

The biggest winner of the day was Gary Wong of Team XI from Presbyterian High. He’s only 16 years old, but he is a seasoned player and he topped the charts with an inspiring total of 15 goals for the afternoon! He and his team mates were ecstatic at their victory.

  

"We’re really happy. Our opponents are stronger, and older. Our team are 14 to 16 years olds, yet we won the Under-19 competition!"

 

  

A sport for the youths

It was all smiles on Rose Tan’s face as well. The Singapore Sports Council intern has been working hard the past two weeks to put the event together. "It’s great! We youths hardly get to play or see these sports. It’s definitely more interesting!" said Rose.

  

Many passers-by also showed interest in the sports and stayed to cheer the teams and participate in fringe events like mini table tennis. The football-inspired Accuracy Shot game also drew a lot of attention and try-outs, even from the girls!

 

"We’re really glad so many youths turned up. It’s fun, and it’s really encouraging to see everyone excited about sports!"

 Click here to view the other photos taken that day during Sport On! Street Sports Carnival.