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Post by Rajiv on May 3, 2011 21:32:22 GMT 8
Sports Planet SMSed me at about 8.20 pm to say that there were no lights for the 7-a-side pitch as a car had knocked over the power box for the lights and as they couldn't fix it in time. I missed the SMS but they called me shortly after 8.30 pm to tell me verbally. I SMSed the players immediately, but I guess most would have been on their way already. Sorry about that. The game was cancelled, so no deductions. I'll try to work something out with Sports Planet. Maybe a free game for those affected. I also don't know how long they will take to fix the power box for the lights. |
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Post by Rajiv on May 4, 2011 9:38:53 GMT 8
.... .... Even playing off the side netting, 7-a-side would have been preferable. We can manage 6-a-side within the lines. .... and .... The netting is similar to that for the 5-a-side pitches at Sports Planet. When we played 5-a-side at Sports Planet, we played off the side nets. Playing off the side nets at Khalsa would give the 7-a-side game a better flow. I've put it up for a vote by adding a poll to this thread. The poll will remain open indefinitely. We'll stick to the side lines for 6-a-side at Khalsa. , and it worked out well. Also: No matter what the size of the pitch I think playing the lines makes for better quality football as players have to be more accurate with their passing. .... True, if all the players have a good touch, but we're a mixed bunch, and some may not have that great a touch, while others would like to run a lot more. Playing off the side nets (for the 5-a-side pitch at Sports Planet) or side padding (for the 7-a-side pitch at Sports Planet and at The Cage) has shown that the quality doesn't drop by much, but the fun increases a lot. Anyway, I'll go with the vote. .... We should try playing to the nets with 7-a-side, just to see what it's like. Maybe tomorrow. It will remain $10 per player, whether it is 6-a-side or 7-a-side. |
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Post by Rajiv on May 4, 2011 9:54:29 GMT 8
Any chance we can get the Wednesday game back at Khalsa? Rather than cancelling it altogether? Could we try a couple of weeks with both Wednesday and Thursday at Khalsa - if it doesn't work we can scrap one of the two days? I have used the opportunity of a public holiday on Monday (2 May 2011) and the general elections on Saturday (7 May 2011) to allow more players to try out the Premier PItch at Khalsa. As for Wednesday and Thursday this week: The Thursday game has filled up, which shows that having the Thursday night game at Khalsa is viable. From next week onwards, the regular games will be: * Mondays, 9 to 10 pm - The Cage * Tuesdays, 9 to 10 pm - Sports Planet * Wednesdays, 9 to 10 pm - Premier Pitch @ Khalsa * Thursdays, 9 to 10 pm - Premier Pitch @ Khalsa * Saturdays, 5 to 6 pm - Premier Pitch @ Turf City * Sundays, 5 to 6 pm - Premier Pitch @ Turf City |
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Post by Rajiv on May 5, 2011 10:23:57 GMT 8
.... I also don't know how long they will take to fix the power box for the lights. I've just called Sports Planet. The power box is being repaired. Hopefully, the lights are back up for next Tuesday. Anyway, I've scheduled next Tuesday's game as usual. |
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Post by Rajiv on May 9, 2011 10:40:44 GMT 8
The regular Saturday evening game was at the Premier Pitch @ Khalsa this weekend, at the usual time slot of 5 to 6 pm. The heat wasn't an issue last Monday, as it had been a cloudy day. I suppose evening games at Khalsa could be scheduled from 6 to 7 pm instead of 5 to 6 pm. |
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Post by Rajiv on May 9, 2011 10:42:12 GMT 8
The regular Saturday evening game was at the Premier Pitch @ Khalsa this weekend, at the usual time slot of 5 to 6 pm. .... I suppose evening games at Khalsa could be scheduled from 6 to 7 pm instead of 5 to 6 pm. The same consideration also applies to the big pitch at Sports Planet, which is also uncovered. |
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Post by Foo Cheong on May 9, 2011 11:36:42 GMT 8
Rajiv, noted in your report that heat was a big issue on Saturday at Khalsa. It was also hot at Turf City on Sunday. If we find it hot at Turf City, can't imagine how much hotter it was in the open at Khalsa. Another reason why I prefer Turf City over Khalsa.  |
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Post by Rajiv on May 9, 2011 11:49:09 GMT 8
There was no rain and a lot of parking available on Tessensohn Road, so all the concerns discussed earlier didn't arise, leaving the heat as the "biggest" issue. Not necessarily a big issue in its own right though. Only the four Saturday regulars with Reds commented on the heat before the game started. Without the cover, you feel the sun on your skin, but then without the cover, you also have better circulation of air. We actually started 4-a-side, and played for an hour and half, so the heat may not have been as big a factor as at Turf City. Several of our regulars play 11-a-side on Saturday or Sunday afternoons, starting at 3 or 4 pm, when it is likely to be even hotter. |
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Post by Rajiv on May 10, 2011 17:27:07 GMT 8
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Post by Rajiv on May 12, 2011 9:01:44 GMT 8
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Post by Rajiv on May 12, 2011 9:05:51 GMT 8
For next week, I have been thinking of switching the regular Tuesday night game at Sports Planet to Wednesday night (as a one-off), but no pitch is available at Sports Planet on Wednesday from 9 to 10 pm, so I've not sure whether to have the usual Tuesday night game from 9 to 10 pm at Sports Planet (thus having 2 games next Tuesday), or just skip it for a week. |
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Post by Rajiv on May 13, 2011 10:09:16 GMT 8
.... I can't get Sports Planet on Wednesday or Thursday night, so I am still thinking about having the Tuesday game at Sports Planet from 9 to 10 pm as usual, and having the Khalsa game as an additional game. The main concern is whether we have enough players for 2 games on the same day. As it is a public holiday, I would like to have a game at an earlier time slot, similar to Saturdays and Sundays. , the big pitch at Sports Planet has suddenly become very popular.  |
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Post by Rajiv on May 13, 2011 22:00:31 GMT 8
Transport has been raised several times as an issue. Surprising, since Khalsa is the most central location we have. Most recently: for me khalsa is too far away, i have to take 2 planes and 1 boat and then walk a little bit Farrer Park Station on the North East Line is 5 minutes away from Khalsa. There are also many buses that run to the vicinity of Khalsa, disembarking on either Balestier Road or Serangoon Road, including: * Disembarking at Singapore Khalsa Association along Balestier Road - SBS Nos. 125, 130, 139, 145. * Disembarking in front of Sri Vadapathira K Temple along Serangoon Road - SBS Nos. 21, 23, 64, 65, 66, 125, 130, 139, 147. * Disembarking at Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital on Serangoon Road - SBS Nos. 13, 133.  More details are provided here. |
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Post by Rajiv on May 26, 2011 9:27:32 GMT 8
Last night's game at Khalsa was 6-a-side. The one previous occasion was on 2 May 2011 (public holiday for Labour Day). Both games worked out well. 6-a-side at Khalsa played to the lines is fine. The remaining question is whether for 7-a-side, we should play to the side lines or the side netting. That is the subject matter of the poll at the top of this thread. So far, all our 7-a-side games at Khalsa have also been played to the lines. .... Playing off the side nets at Khalsa would give the 7-a-side game a better flow. .... The poll will remain open indefinitely. ....
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Post by Rajiv on May 26, 2011 9:33:09 GMT 8
.... Ps - it was hell getting a taxi back home. :-( I previously stated: .... I think taxis are a problem across Singapore at that time. Walk about 5 minutes towards the restaurants on Race Course Road or the 24-hour shopping at Mustafa Centre, and I think the chances of catching a taxi increase substantially. .... |
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Post by Rajiv on May 27, 2011 18:23:04 GMT 8
Previously: .... I've managed to get parking along Tessensohn Road each time. It's only $1 from 9 to 10 pm, and then free after 10 pm. Even if you can't get parking on Tessensohn Road, you should be able to get parking in the Civil Service Club next door to Khalsa or on the parallel stretch of Race Course Road. Using the location map here, you can move it around to see the layout of the surrounding area. I've now discovered that there is plenty of parking on McNair Road. The overhead bridge across Balestier Road brings you right up to the Premier Pitch's 7-a-side pitches at Khalsa. I parked there for the first time yesterday. Very convenient. As you travel southwards on the CTE, exit for Balestier Road (the first exit towards Kallang, not the second exit towards Thomson). You have to turn left onto Balestier Road. McNair Road is the first lane on your left. Even coming from the east, I took the PIE, and then exited into the CTE (towards the city). It took me about 15 minutes from Siglap. |
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Post by Foo Cheong on Jun 2, 2011 9:53:13 GMT 8
.... It's 36m x 24m at Khalsa compared to 36m x 27m at Turf City. .... I played at Khalsa for the first time yesterday. The narrower pitch (3m less compared with Turf City) meant that it was difficult (more crowded) to pass and move the ball upfield. There were more long balls (British style) hit to try and reach the strikers. |
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Post by Rajiv on Jun 2, 2011 10:27:42 GMT 8
Thanks for your feedback Foo Cheong. I previously raised the following: .... 6-a-side at Khalsa played to the lines is fine. The remaining question is whether for 7-a-side, we should play to the side lines or the side netting. That is the subject matter of the poll at the top of this thread. So far, all our 7-a-side games at Khalsa have also been played to the lines. .... .... Playing off the side nets at Khalsa would give the 7-a-side game a better flow. .... There are actually two related questions: * Whether we should stick to 6-a-side within the lines. * Whether 7-a-side should be to the side nets. The poll only deals with the second question. The type of ball we use might also make a difference. We tend to use a reduced bounce ball at Turf City and at Sports Planet (where the pitch is even narrower than at Khalsa), while using a normal football at Khalsa. The reduced bounce ball tends to promote shorter passing. |
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Post by Rajiv on Jun 2, 2011 14:38:57 GMT 8
Sports Planet has agreed to give a credit to those affected by the game cancelled on 3 May 2011. It works out to $2.50 per player. I will reflect it as a credit for each of the affected players as at today's date - Andre, Chih Seng, Gilbert L, Justin, Ben Y, Stan, Melvin L, Rai, Sufian, Bryan F, Kelvin Au, Hail, Jamie, Stephen C. As Sufian usually pays for Hail, I will attribute Hail's credit to Sufian. |
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Post by Rajiv on Jun 6, 2011 11:04:31 GMT 8
.... ..., i ... switched to Sat cos i not too keen on Khalsa ( slippery i hear) .... .... For the Sunday game at Khalsa: .... It rained heavily this morning, and again at noon, but is just drizzling now, so unless the rain gets significantly heavier, the game is ON. .... Everyone, please bring both a white top and a red top in any event. The pitch will be wet, so make sure you have suitable shoes/boots. .... Still drizzling in the east where I am, but the Premier Pitch @ Khalsa tell me it is not raining there. I'll believe it when I see it (in an hour's time). .... In fact, the sun was out shortly after 4 pm as I left home for Khalsa. Even though it disappeared again before 5 pm, it remained dry, and the game was played in very cool conditions. .... Several of those on Whites had flat-soled shoes, which seemed to affect their game. I switched with one of them ..., to try to balance out the flat-soled shoes. .... .... The wet pitch makes for a different game - the ball moves faster and the control needs to be better. ... I enjoyed the game. It's actually quite fun playing on a wet pitch in the afternoon/evening. It's just a matter of using the right type of shoes. |
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