Public holidays & seasonal factors

This thread currently deals with the above subject matter. Announcements and developments relating to the subject matter are posted below. Go to the last page (by clicking the largest number to the left of "NEXT >>" above) for the latest announcement/development.

As the subject matter has been modified from time to time, as described in various posts below, any given post may not fall squarely within the subject matter. As at 17 February 2014, this first post on this thread was:

Jan 29, 2011 10:50:57 GMT 8 Rajiv said:

For some time now, I have had to consider how public holidays might affect numbers, and therefore the schedule.

The simple approach would be to treat public holidays in the same way as Saturdays and Sundays, and have a game from 5 to 6 pm on the big pitch at the Premier Pitch.

However, the games on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights on the 7-a-side pitch at Sports Planet are very popular with a different crowd from those that play at the Premier Pitch, so it may not be fair to switch the game to the Premier Pitch just because a public holiday falls on one of those days.

On the other hand, as it is more likely to be raining during the day than at night (at least along the east coast), it may not be wise to bring the games forward to an earlier time, especially during the current rainy season.

Next Thursday and Friday are public holidays for Chinese New Year. I plan to leave the Thursday night game at Sports Planet in its usual time slot.

If the public holiday is one where many people are likely to have family or social engagements on the eve, such as at Christmas, New Year or Chinese New Year, I will not have a game on the eve as we are likely to be short of players, especially since all our games are currently 6 or 7-a-side. I have not scheduled a game for the eve of Chinese New Year (next Wednesday).

If a public holiday falls on Monday or Friday (days on which we currently do not have a regular game), we could have an extra game from 5 to 6 pm at the Premier Pitch. However, it would also be a long weekend, and many may make other plans, including travel, so I may not schedule an extra game as readily.

I am not planning to schedule an extra game next Friday.

The game on Saturday, 5 February 2011 was cancelled due to the Chinese New Year long weekend.

Feb 10, 2011 12:04:34 GMT 8 Rajiv said:

....

Still a bit of a CNY slack though - with players switching to Wednesday and with withdrawals, 2 places still available for tonight (Thursday).

The take up for this Sunday's game is unusually slow, with still 6 places left. I suppose the slack will continue until Chap Goh Mei, on 17 February 2011.

Am I right in thinking that Chap Goh Mei is as big a celebration as the Chinese New Year itself?

Next Monday is a public holiday as Sunday, 1 May 2011 is Labour Day.

I'll switch the game to 5 to 6 pm on the big pitch at the Premier Pitch, but the one at Khalsa instead of the one at Turf City, so that more players become familiar with the Khalsa venue.

As next Tuesday is a public holiday (Vesak Day), I'll schedule an extra game from 6 to 7 pm at the Premier Pitch @ Khalsa.

Again, a chance for more players to try out the Khalsa venue.

May 17, 2011 11:52:02 GMT 8 Rajiv said:

.... Several players seem to have taken Monday off to give themselves 4 day weekend, and others are either spending time with the family or are working. ....

Both the Monday and Tuesday games were cancelled.

Next Tuesday (9 August 2011) is National Day. I've considered switching either the Monday night game or the Tuesday night game to Khalsa on Tuesday, from 6 to 7 pm, or having an additional game at Khalsa on Tuesday at that time.

On the other hand, people may take Monday off for a long weekend, so I'll just leave the existing games as they are for now.

No one down for the regular game this Tuesday, which is usually a popular game.

Aug 7, 2011 12:29:18 GMT 8 Rajiv said:

.... Patriotic Singaporeans celebrating National Day I guess.

Anyway, I'll re-schedule the game at an earlier time (6 to 7 pm) on the smaller 5-a-sidecovered pitch and see if I get a better response.

Still no one down for tomorrow.

Aug 8, 2011 16:48:36 GMT 8 Rajiv said:

With several of the Tuesday regulars playing on Wednesday or Thursday, those games have filled up fast.

It's good that the Sports Planet regulars are willing to try Khalsa, but it means that several other regular players might not get a game this week.

I'll switch the game to a 7-a-side pitch at the Premier Pitch @ Khalsa and see if we get a better response.

In the end, there wasn't a game either on National Day (Tuesday) or the eve National Day (Monday).

Next Tuesday (30 August 2011) is a public holiday for Hari Raya Puasa.

There have been several public holidays on Tuesday this year, resulting in several games being cancelled.

The last one, National Day, saw both the Monday and Tuesday games being cancelled. I suppose with a public holiday on Tuesday, many will consider taking the Monday off for a long weekend.

Let's see how it goes this time. I will schedule games as usual.

Rajiv, how about organising a game at Turf City on Hari Raya Puasa (30 Aug), 4pm or 5pm?

I've moved this thread to this board, so that others can post on it. I've also moved Foo Cheong's post above from the schedule thread for next Tuesday.

Also on the schedule thread for next Tuesday's regular game at Sports Planet from 9 to 10 pm:

Aug 25, 2011 12:50:50 GMT 8 Wei Kee said:

Hi Rajiv,

As 30 Aug is Hari Raya, may I suggest to treat this as a weekend game and start at 5 to 6 instead?

This may attract more pple.

Thanks,
Wei Kee

There is a view that its too hot to play on an uncovered pitch at 4 or 5 pm. The pitches at Khalsa, and the 7-a-side pitch at Sports Planet, are uncovered.

It leaves us with Turf City.

I'll check if a pitch is available for an extra game.

The big pitch at Turf City is available from 5 to 6 pm. However, they are booked for a camp until 5 pm so it is likely to delay the start of our game while they clear up.

The alternative is 6 to 7 pm, but in that case, we should consider Khalsa as well - the game can go on with 12, and it's significantly cheaper.

I would still prefer Turf City. The pitch is wider and is near my home.

Would still prefer the 5pm game at Turf City. It's OK if they eat away 5 minutes of so of the time.

It may be more than 5 minutes Foo Cheong. Anyway, I've put up a schedule thread for the game.

Thanks.

Next Wednesday (26 October 2011) is a public holiday for Deepavali.

On Hari Raya Puasa on Tuesday, 30 August 2011, the regular game from 9 to 10 pm at East Coast only had 3 players and was cancelled, while the extra game at Turf City from 5 to 6 pm went ahead.

For Deepavali, as a big pitch at Turf City is available, at first instance, I will schedule a game from 5 to 6 pm on a big pitch at Turf City instead of the usual Wednesday night game from 9 to 10 pm at Khalsa.

Looking back, our first ever game on the big pitch at Turf City was on Deepavali, in 2008 (on Monday, 27 October 2008) - an interesting match between Bukit Timah regulars and The Cage/East Coast regulars.

The following year (2009), Deepavali fell on a Saturday (17 October 2009). We didn't do anything special, just an ordinary 5-a-side game at Sports Planet, which was the regular Saturday game at that time.

We did however have two "representative games" at Turf City the following day (Sunday, 18 October 2009).

Last year, Deepavali fell on Friday, 5 November 2010. As we don't ordinarily have a game on Friday, there was no game.

Foo Cheong SMSed to say that since next Monday is a public holiday (Sunday, 6 November 2011 being Hari Raya Haji, so the public holiday falls on Monday, 7 November 2011), we again have a game from 5 to 6 pm on the big pitch at Turf City. Of course, he could have just posted in here, but never mind.

Let me check availability and come back to this during the week.

Oct 30, 2011 14:07:37 GMT 8 Rajiv said:

Foo Cheong SMSed to say that since next Monday is a public holiday (Sunday, 6 November 2011 being Hari Raya Haji, so the public holiday falls on Monday, 7 November 2011), we again have a game from 5 to 6 pm on the big pitch at Turf City. Of course, he could have just posted in here, but never mind.

Let me check availability and come back to this during the week.

There's no availability at Turf City next Monday evening. I'm in reserve for a pitch anytime between 5 and 7 pm, but I'm not optimistic. Anyone want to try morning, or Khalsa?

Oct 31, 2011 17:23:51 GMT 8 Rajiv said:

....

.... Anyone want to try morning, or ...?

No pitch available in the morning either.

Both big pitches at Turf City have been booked for a camp until 5 pm!