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CDSC football thriller matches Euro 2004
Underdog parents rise to the occasion
Gerard J. P. Krebs (CDSC student)
On Thursday, July 1, there was a last soccer tournament
at the Christian German School in Chiang Mai (CDSC) before it closed for the
long summer break. It was ‘the last’ for many, including teachers,
parents and students.
The
action was fast and furious, but most of all Fun during the last football
match of the year at CDSC.
In a scene reminiscent of the Euro 2004 shocks and
surprises, the four teams from the younger students, the older students, the
parents and the teachers took to the field, hoping to win the trophy that
has been the property of the older students for the past few years.
After much action, the finalists were the students and
the parents! After a thrilling match which the parents won 2:1, the students
realized that their parents weren’t that un-athletic and that old. (Or was
it that the students realized that if their parents did not win this, it
might be to their disadvantage with holidays coming up and report cards to
be shown?)
The cheerful parents team received the cup, but have been already warned
that their kids are waiting for the next match to get it back. Everyone
(even the students, who lost their cup) enjoyed this day and for everybody
it was a pleasant change in school routine and a great ending to a great
school year.
Soccer game results in local premier league
Lamphun and Isaan dominant in 18th round
Chiang Mai Senior Premier League came to the 18th round
last Saturday, June 26, when Lamphun F.C. beat Ruamjai Khru (Teachers Union)
4-1, and the Isaan team beat Sua Mon Chon (Chiang Mai mass media) 4-3 at the
Thai-Japan football field in Hang Dong district, Chiang Mai.
A
yellow card for one of the Lamphun players, while the Ruamjai Khru (Teachers
Union) player has a ‘rest’.
The first match of the day was the Lamphun and Ruamjai
Khru (Chiang Mai Teachers’ Union) battle, with the score 0-1 at half-time.
But in the second half the Lamphun team managed to equalize in the 55th
minute, then coming on with a rout to score three more goals to finish 4-1.
The second match was between Suan Mon Chon and the Isaan
team. During the first half, the 10 man mass media team battled against the
Isaan team. At half time, Isaan led 2-1 but in the second half the media
team, boosted by an extra player to make a full team, managed to score from a
penalty off the boot of radio announcer Poramat.
Five minutes later, the Isaan team scored again, leading
the media team 3-2. However, ten minutes later, Poramat again showed his
form, bringing the ball up for a beautiful cross allowing Phitsanu Thepthong
of Chiangmai Mail to score the equalizer.
The Isaan defence was then impenetrable, and they scored another goal from
a corner kick, making the final score 4-3 in their favor.
Almost one dozen farangs beaten by police
Farangs claim they were robbed by a man on the sideline
Colin Hinshelwood
Farangutans nil, Police four. Those were the scores to
emphasize that Newton’s Law still reigns supreme - what goes up must come
down. After reaching dizzying heights of ecstasy and glory, our beloved soccer
stars, the Farangutans F.C. finally fell back to earth with a bang.
It’s been a great season for the foreign gents; despite
having started slowly and erratically, the team has come together into a tight
workmanlike unit of great sportsmanship and unwavering tenacity.
However, last week, faced with the might of the league
leaders, the Police F.C., the luck of the Irish finally ran out. The fearless
farang had already beaten the Police once this season and were all psyched up
for inflicting another humiliation against the proverbial Man U. of the Chiang
Mai Premier League - the team that everyone wants to beat - the cops.
Not that we are bringing forth excuses (we came second in
the match), in fact, it could all have been so different if a first minute goal
for the Farangutans had not been disallowed. From the kick-off the farangs
lobbed the ball straight up-field towards their attacking Brazilian duo of
Chico and Leandro. Suddenly the ball broke to the right and Leandro charged
into the box. The Police keeper dived for the ball but it ricocheted off his
chest and Leandro slid it gracefully into the net. 1-0. Or so we thought.
The Western coalition has become well versed in the politics
of Chiang Mai league football over the last few months and in many ways has
resigned itself to the challenge of what we feel is constantly playing against
an opposition of 11 players plus the three officials. However, there is one
linesman who truly has become our nemesis. And on Sunday June 27 he was there
again in Hang Dong to strike another blow in his solo campaign to thwart the
nasty farangs. (Don’t get me wrong: he’s probably a nice guy in real life.
I don’t doubt he has a lovely wife and adorable children. It’s just at the
weekends when he transforms into this Western-weary werewolf and plays out his
own vendetta against his perceived enemy from the touchline.)
And so with the Police holding their heads in their hands
and the Farangutans running to celebrate, our linesman proudly raised his
little flag, stood like a martyr to attention and commanded that the goal be
disallowed. “Why?” cried the crowd. “Just because,” he muttered in
response. And like a woman, he didn’t need a reason!
Anyway. All that said, there can be no complaints about the
quality of the Police team’s finish. In that grueling first half they managed
to break through three times and each of those times they found a striker who
gave our stand-in goalie, Chris no chance with three clinical finishes.
In the second half, the assistant referee, Fred Nemesis,
enjoyed yet another opportunity to do some ball-busting. When the ball was
crossed towards the back post, both Farang defender and Police striker slid in
and the ball bobbled into the goal. Perfectly positioned at the sideline, the
linesman raised his flag for offside. It was only a few seconds later when he
remembered that we had changed ends at half-time that he shook himself back to
reality and quickly pulled his flag down. You could see him shaking his head
and reprimanding himself for slipping up. Thankfully for him and us, the
referee let the goal stand.
So, in the end, much huffing and puffing later, the hapless
farangs were a well-beaten team. Despite the score-line it was a tight,
hard-fought, well-disciplined game and the better team won. The Farangutans
accepted defeat with grace and retreated to the Irish Pub to drown their
sorrows and Fred Nemesis if they could have found him.
All Chiang Mai Senior League information can be found on website: www.
geocities.com/farangutans
Dreams and Teams for youth
in over 20 countries
Sport as a tool for developing leadership skills
Pavinee Chommuang (British
Council,
Chiang Mai)
On Tuesday June 29, the first Dreams and Teams sports
festival, organized entirely by secondary school students in the north, took
place at the Chakkham Kanathon School in Lumphun.
Learning with
Fun...
The opening was presided over by Dr Srisamorn Poomsa-ard,
director of the Bureau of Innovative Education of the Ministry of Education.
 Dr.
Srisamorn Poomsa-ard, director of the Ministry of Education’s Bureau of
Innovative Education, opens the Dreams and Teams event.
Dreams and Teams is a British Council project run in
partnership with the Youth Sport Trust in the UK and the Ministry of Education
in Thailand. The aim is to develop young leaders and global citizens through
sport. The project supports Thai educational reform by showcasing UK experience
in the use of sport as a tool for developing leadership skills and creative
teaching.
80 primary
students were involved in the first event, and at least 800 spectators were
there to watch.
Young people in more than 20 countries are currently taking
part in Dreams and Teams. The program differs from many sports leadership
programs because of its internal linking and cross-cultural dimension.
Chakkham
Kanathon School in Lumphun listens to Dr. Srisamorn Poomsa-ard’s opening
address.
Chakkham Kanathon School has already begun to establish
links with two schools in the UK. Following a demonstration sports day
organized by the original group of Young Leaders from Bangkok and UK and Thai
tutors in February, which formed part of the 2004 Education Festival, training
for the Lamphun tutors and students took place at Thammasart University Rangsit
Campus June 21-24.
On their return to Lamphun, the newly trained Young Leaders
spent several days at the 700 Year Anniversary Stadium making preparations for
their own event, which was an opportunity for them to organize every aspect of
the planning and execution of the sports festival itself, which involved 80
primary students.
With the backing of the Ministry of Education, it is expected that Dreams
and Teams will extend to other schools in the north and throughout Thailand in
the coming years.
Cricket coach looking
for likely lads up-country
Linda Buck
David Buck, director of coaching for the Chiang Mai Schools
Cricket Alliance, has spent the last week visiting schools outside of the city,
looking for possible new talents for the expanding Chiang Mai junior teams.
 The
boys at Rong Or School practicing hard.
David visited Rong Or (San Pee Sua) and Sahagon (Mae On).
Out of the two schools, 24 youngsters, both boys and girls, were picked to take
cricket a stage further. This week David will visit Chol Prathan Phateak (Doi
Saket).
David commented that the potential is incredible. When the
Thai children start playing they have a real aptitude for the game.
David puts the success down to the hard work that has been
undertaken with Sawasdee (soft-ball) cricket in the schools over the last three
years by Eric Little, Peter Dawson and Chris Simmonds.
On Sunday July 11 at 10 a.m. the senior Chiang Mai sides are
very kindly turning out again to play against the Under 13 squad. We think
maybe they are looking for players for their side a few years down the road!
For more information on junior cricket contact Linda Buck on thaibucks2003@
loxinfo.co.th
CH4 Misdirections
Directions to this week’s (July 10) run no 8: Run time
17.00 pick up at Fish n chips 16.00: Take the Canal Road, keep going along the
Canal Road from the Samoeng junction for about 2.8 km, there will be HHHH signs
pointing right. It’s at Bonehur and Bonecollector’s house.
Chiang Mai Pool League
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