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Post by Rajiv on Feb 11, 2012 11:23:00 GMT 8
.... Other mergers I have in mind: .... * "Weekend games" and "Weeknight games" .... Done. I've moved the posts from the Weeknight games thread to the Weekend games thread. The poll on the former is therefore lost. I've also renamed the thread "Days, times & locations". We didn't have weekend games until May 2009. Before that, all our games were weeknight. Our weekend games have been between 4 and 7 pm, usually 5 to 6 pm. Weeknight games have been between 8 and 11 pm, currently all from 9 to 10 pm. The dynamic is different - for weeknights, it is usually about getting away from work in time. For weekends, it is usually about what other activities you have planned.
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Post by Rajiv on Mar 9, 2012 10:56:19 GMT 8
There were only two weeknight games last week (Monday, 27 February to Thursday, 1 March 2012) as both the Tuesday and Thursday night games at East Coast, and the Thursday night game at Khalsa, were cancelled due to insufficient numbers. That left us with the usual 10 for the Monday night game at Kallang, and 14 for the Wednesday night game at Khalsa. That's only 24 places filled, when we have filled up to 66 weeknight places in the past. First time in ages we haven't had a weeknight game at East Coast. Also, from the re-introduction of the Thursday night game at East Coast in August 2011 up to 17 November 2011, we had at least one Thursday night game. .... ..., there was no Thursday night game at all on either 24 November 2011 or 1 December 2011. .... Again last week (1 March 2012). An unusually high number of cancellations of weeknight East Coast games since the start of February: A combination of injuries, illness, working late and travel. This week, the Monday night game at Kallang (5 March 2012) was cancelled due to insufficient numbers. The Thursday night game (last night) was salvaged by switching it to a team match at Khalsa. I've cancelled next Monday's game: I'm away on Monday, and after the late cancellation this Monday, I need to go down to The Cage to resolve some issues before the next game, which I can't do before then (including payment), so next Monday's game is also cancelled. Also:
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Post by Rajiv on Mar 30, 2012 10:08:26 GMT 8
For the first time since 20 to 23 February 2012, we had 4 weeknight games this week: * 27 February to 1 March 2012 - 2 games, Monday at Kallang and Wednesday at Khalsa (no East Coast game for the first time in ages!) * 5 to 8 March 2012 - 3 games, Tuesday at East Coast, Wednesday at Khalsa and Thursday (team match) at Khalsa. * 12 to 15 March 2012 - 3 games, Tuesday at East Coast ( 6-a-side), Wednesday at Khalsa and Thursday at East Coast. * 19 to 22 March 2012 - 2 games, Wednesday at Khalsa and Thursday at East Coast. * 26 to 29 March 2012 - 4 games, Monday at Kallang, Tuesday at East Coast, Wednesday at Khalsa and Thursday at East Coast. All the Wednesday night games at Khalsa since 25 January 2012 have been 7-a-side (even with a no show on 7 March 2012), rather than 6-a-side.
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Post by Rajiv on Apr 27, 2012 22:24:16 GMT 8
* 2 to 5 April 2012 - 5 weeknight games, including 1 team match. * 9 to 12 April 2012 - 5 weeknight games. * 16 to 19 April 2012 - 3 weeknight games (no game on Monday, one game on Thursday at East Coast). * 23 to 26 April 2012 - 2 weeknight games (regular game on Wednesday, team match on Thursday, both at Khalsa). Including the two weekend games, we had 7 games each week for the first two weeks of April. The record of 8 included one women's game and two 5-a-side games at Kallang.
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Post by Rajiv on May 25, 2012 23:11:18 GMT 8
We've managed 2 games on the following dates this month: * Sunday, 6 May 2012, at Turf City, the first from 4 to 5 pm, the second from 5 to 6 pm. * Thursday, 17 May 2012, both from 9 to 10 pm, one at Khalsa and the other at East Coast. * Sunday, 20 May 2012, at Turf City, the first from 4 to 5 pm, the second from 5 to 6 pm. * Thursday, 24 May 2012, both from 9 to 10 pm, one at Khalsa and the other at East Coast. .... That's 8 games from Monday 14 May 2012 to Sunday 20 May 2012 (114 places), and also 8 games from Saturday 19 May 2012 to Thursday 24 May 2012 (111 places as we were short for the Monday game). That's record numbers for the regular men's games over a week. The previous record of 8 games included a women's game. If women's games are included, there were 9 games over each of the above periods, as there was also a women's game on Sunday 20 May 2012. For the men's games, we have had: * 28 Apr to 3 May 2012 - 4 games, with no games on Monday and Tuesday as numbers were short over Labour Day (1 May) * 5 to 10 May 2012 - 7 games, two on Sunday, one each for the other days, with no second game at East Coast on Thursday. * 12 to 17 May 2012 - 7 games, with two games on the Thursday, and one each for the other days. * 19 to 24 May 2012 - 8 games, with two games on Sunday and Thursday, and one each for the other days. Having two games on a Sunday had previously only occurred 6 times between since July 2010 and December 2011. Having two games on a Thursday has occurred a few times since I started scheduling two games in August 2011, but several of the Khalsa games have been team matches or the equivalent of David T & friends against the rest.
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Post by Rajiv on Jun 15, 2012 11:15:25 GMT 8
We again had 2 games in a day on the following dates: * Sunday, 10 June 2012, at Turf City, the first from 4 to 5 pm, the second from 5 to 6 pm. * Thursday, 14 June 2012, both from 9 to 10 pm, one at Khalsa and the other at East Coast. .... However, we didn't manage 8 games from 9 to 14 June 2012, as the Monday night game was cancelled (stuck at 7 on Sunday night). Nevertheless, we still managed 7 games, with 104 places filled. Over the past 3 weeks: * 26 May to 31 May 2012 - 5 games, with no game on Monday. The game on Thursday was at East Coast. * 2 June to 7 June 2012 - The basic 6 games. The game on Thursday was at Khalsa. * 9 to 14 June 2012 - 7 games, with two games on the Sunday and the Thursday, but no game on the Monday. No pitch was available at East Coast on Thursday, 7 June 2012. Apart from that, when there has only been one game on Thursday, of late, it has been as likely to be at Khalsa as at East Coast, a further indication that the pool of players for Khalsa is as big as the pool for East Coast. Two games on Sunday or Thursday has occurred fairly regularly over the last couple of months, an indication of the large pool of players for Turf City and East Coast, and the growing pool of players for Khalsa. It is the Monday night game at Kallang, the only game at Kallang each week, that has been struggling with numbers. I get asked about a game on Friday night from time to time, most recently by Andrew B (several times) and Leon. I doubt we currently have a sufficient pool of players for a Friday night game. Currently, we have 8 slots. Before I even consider an additional slot, I need to see all 8 slots regularly filling up on the message board. Further, if I do get round to introducing a Friday night game, it is likely to be at Kallang, where we only need 8 to 10 players for the game to go on. However, the pool of players for Kallang is not big enough, struggling to sustain one game a week, let alone two.
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Post by Rajiv on Aug 24, 2012 17:04:12 GMT 8
For the Tuesday night game at East Coast put up yesterday (Thursday) morning: wow... sold out on Thursday night already?!? The Tuesday night game has filled up very quickly over the past few weeks. However, with withdrawals on Monday and Tuesday, reserves usually get to play, up to the sixth reserve two weeks ago. wow even the 6th reserve gets a place!! maybe Rajiv wants to start another game for Tuesday nights at Khalsa or some other location... As for Khalsa: .... ... at present, no pitch is available at Khalsa on Tuesday nights. .... I doubt many of those rushing for Tuesday night would play 5-a-side at Kallang. Anyway, the Monday night game at Kallang has been cancelled over the past two weeks due to insufficient players, and still places available for next Monday night at Kallang. 5 or 6-a-side on Tuesday night on a small pitch at Turf City might work. However, I don't see that as a possibility until next year. There are always places on Wednesday night at Khalsa and Thursday night at either Khalsa or East Coast. I'm not sure why Tuesday night at East Coast is more popular than any of those. Anyway, until all the weeknight games fill up regularly, I'm reluctant to start any new weeknight games. I could put up the price of the Tuesday night game at East Coast to $11 so those who can make Wednesday or Thursday will give it a try.  .... I have two tools for dealing with excessively popular games - price, and opening up a new slot. ..... Or we could consider having an additional 8 to 9 pm or 10 to 11 pm slot at East Coast on Tuesday nights. It would work the same way the 2 slots at Turf City on Sundays operates. I will need to check availability.
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Post by Rajiv on Aug 25, 2012 9:24:19 GMT 8
Volatility remains high. The Monday night game at Kallang was again cancelled on 9 July 2012, with no names down, but it has gone on every week since, with even reserves for the most recent game on 30 July 2012. Since 16 June 2012, we have managed 2 games on Thursday night on 28 June 2012 (5-a-side at East Coast), 5 July 2012 and 19 July 2012 (both 6-a-side). The one game on 12 July 2012 was at Khalsa. It was down to one game at Khalsa last Thursday as well (26 July 2012), but it was cancelled due to several withdrawals in the 24 hours before the game, so there was no game at all. We couldn't get any replacements: .... A combination of Puasa, illness, injury and travel. And I believe Elvin and David T have arranged a match at Turf City. There was only one game at East Coast on 21 June 2012, and there is only one game at East Coast tomorrow. .... .... We haven't managed two games on Sunday at Turf City since 10 June 2012. 2 games on Thursday or Sunday may be difficult for the foreseeable future: .... The Monday night games have also been cancelled over the past 2 weeks - 13 August 2012 and 20 August 2012 ( public holiday for Hari Raya Puasa) - due to insufficient players. In fact, we only had 1 player down for each game. The number of games per week since mid June 2012: * 16 to 21 June 2012 - The basic 6 games. The Thursday night game was at East Coast. * 23 to 28 June 2012 - 7 games, with two games on Thursday night. The Thursday night game at East Coast was on a small pitch. * 30 June to 5 July 2012 - 7 games, with two games on Thursday night. The Thursday night game at Khalsa was David T & friends against the rest. * 7 to 12 July 2012 - 5 games, with no game on Monday night at Kallang, and one game on Thursday night, at Khalsa, which ended up as 6-a-side. * 14 to 19 July 2012 - 7 games, with 2 games on Thursday night. Both Thursday night games were 6-a-side. The Thursday night game at Khalsa was the last time we've had David T & friends against the rest. * 21 to 26 July 2012 - 5 games, with no game on Thursday night. * 28 July to 2 August 2012 - The basic 6 games, with the Thursday night game at East Coast. * 4 to 9 August 2012 - The basic 6 games, but the Saturday game ended up as a 5-a-side on a small pitch. The Thursday night game (on National Day) was at Khalsa. * 11 to 16 August 2012 - 5 games, with no game on Monday night at Kallang, and one game on Thursday night, at Khalsa. * 18 to 23 August 2012 - 6 games, with no game on Monday night at Kallang, and two games on Thursday night, both 6-a-side due to withdrawals on Thursday itself. I understand Elvin has managed to get a covered big pitch at Turf City for Thursday nights, and that game will be regular. Other than a small overlap of 3 or 4 players, the pool of players for Thursday night at East Coast and Khalsa is separate.
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Post by Rajiv on Sept 3, 2012 10:38:34 GMT 8
.... I will need to review the weekly schedule. Amongst other things, I am looking to move the Tuesday night game at East Coast to Monday night. Currently, the Tuesday night game fills up on the day it is put up, that is, Thursday, or by the following day, and there are several reserves. On the other hand, the Monday night game at Kallang struggles to fill up. It is frustrating that the Tuesday night game, with 14 places available, fills up, and has several reserves, much earlier than the Monday night game, with only 10 places to fill. The system works better if the earlier game fills up first. It appears to be the venue that is more popular than the day of the week, so it would make sense to move the East Coast game to Monday night. Also, by having a longer gap between the first East Coast game, and the second one on Thursday, more players are likely to play twice a week, which would give the Thursday night game at East Coast greater consistency. This is of course subject to availability. If the East Coast game is moved from Tuesday to Monday, the Monday night game at Kallang will be moved to later in the week. I am looking at making the changes as early as October 2012, within the same time frame as the changes forced on me by the Premier Pitch, which in any event necessitates a review of the weekly schedule.
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PRG Player
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Post by Rai on Sept 4, 2012 15:37:47 GMT 8
"Also, by having a longer gap between the first East Coast game, and the second one on Thursday, more players are likely to play twice a week, which would give the Thursday night game at East Coast greater consistency."
Playing both games at ECP on a regular basis, the longer recovery period does help in my personal opinion.
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Post by Kenny Aw on Sept 4, 2012 16:03:51 GMT 8
Keep the tuesday game !! you know like the best hawker stalls once they move, the quality deteriorates.
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Post by Kelvin Au on Sept 4, 2012 16:23:46 GMT 8
erm, how did you get this conclusion? I think the Monday game is not popular, because it is a day thing, not a location thing. I enjoy the Tues/Thursday split. It gives me something to look forward to every other day. I think Kenny makes a good point - if it ain't broken, don't fix it. If it is broken, fix the right thing. Don't cut from the place which is doing well, to fix the parts which are struggling. But hey, what do I know 
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Post by Kelvin Au on Sept 4, 2012 16:30:43 GMT 8
Just looking very briefly at the Monday slots - the Monday crowd is generally different from the Tuesday crowd.
Yes - you could argue that the tuesday people don't want to play the cage.
If you REALLY want a fair assessment/test: get the ECP venue for Monday nights, AS WELL AS the Tuesday nights at ECP - and see where the crowd flocks to.
If you have people from the Tuesday group moving to Monday, then you've got the answer to your hypothesis.
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Post by Rajiv on Sept 4, 2012 16:35:58 GMT 8
erm, how did you get this conclusion? .... Because the Tuesday night game used to be at Kallang in 2009 and 2010, and it was the game that was most often cancelled. I only switched the Tuesday game to East Coast from August 2010 onwards, as no pitch was available at Kallang for several months. Although I have to say it isn't entirely the venue. It is as much the familiarity between players. Which partly explains why Thursday night isn't as popular. And of course, Sports Planet screwing up the Thursday night booking at regular intervals doesn't help. And also, not everyone is up to playing within 2 days of playing on Tuesday. As Rai points out, it helps if it is 3 days. If enough players switch from Tuesday to Monday, then it is in effect the same game. .... I think the Monday game is not popular, because it is a day thing, not a location thing. .... I think it's a habit thing. When I tried to move the Turf City game away from Monday in 2009, the regulars took over the game themselves. .... I enjoy the Tues/Thursday split. It gives me something to look forward to every other day. .... I'm not so sure about that, since you often withdraw from one or the other.  Anyway, a Monday/Thursday should work as well, especially with the longer period to recover. Or you could do Monday at East Coast, Wednesday at Khalsa, and if the East Coast games prove really popular, we could start a Friday one as well, so more of every other day to look forward to!  .... I think Kenny makes a good point - if it ain't broken, don't fix it. If it is broken, fix the right thing. Don't cut from the place which is doing well, to fix the parts which are struggling. .... Unfortunately, it is broken. It fills up on the day it is put up (Thursday), and other players have to consider whether to put themselves down as reserves. Then you get so many withdrawals on Monday and Tuesday that up to the 6th reserve gets to play. .... If you REALLY want a fair assessment/test: get the ECP venue for Monday nights, AS WELL AS the Tuesday nights at ECP - and see where the crowd flocks to. If you have people from the Tuesday group moving to Monday, then you've got the answer to your hypothesis. We don't have enough players for consecutive games at East Coast on Monday and Tuesday. Players will stick to the slot they are familiar with. Change is often resisted just because people don't like change, regardless of the merits.
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Post by Kenny Aw on Sept 4, 2012 16:43:50 GMT 8
maybe you can put a poll for Tuesday regulars whether they will support a change to Monday.
1. Monday is good 2. Nothing but Tuesday 3. Either as long as ECP
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Post by Rajiv on Sept 4, 2012 16:50:10 GMT 8
maybe you can put a poll for Tuesday regulars whether they will support a change to Monday. 1. Monday is good 2. Nothing but Tuesday 3. Either as long as ECP .... .... Players will stick to the slot they are familiar with. Change is often resisted just because people don't like change, regardless of the merits. I'd rather we discuss the pros and cons, and a decision is made on the merits.
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Post by Kelvin Au on Sept 4, 2012 17:11:07 GMT 8
Fair enough. I think I only started in 2011? So don't know the history prior. But times change, people change, needs change. If tuesday moved to monday, I might give it a miss, and book myself for wednesday or thursday - as I play 11-side games on the weekend. This may potentially mean I play one less game per week. Wed or Thursdays - instead of Tues AND Thurs - where time/legs/wife permit  I don't do it for fun  If I could make it, I would!
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Post by Rajiv on Sept 4, 2012 17:39:55 GMT 8
.... If tuesday moved to monday, I might give it a miss, and book myself for wednesday or thursday - as I play 11-side games on the weekend. This may potentially mean I play one less game per week. Wed or Thursdays - instead of Tues AND Thurs - where time/legs/wife permit  .... .... If I could make it, I would! .... I think you've only played 2 times in a week a handful of times this year.  I know the desire is to play twice a week, but sometimes, we have to face the reality. What day do you play 11-a-side? Saturday or Sunday? If it's Saturday, then Monday shouldn't be a problem - both Thursday and Monday are two days away. If it's Sunday, Tuesday or Friday are both 2 days away. I've been trying to move the Wednesday night game at Khalsa to Tuesday night, but there is no availability of a pitch. If the East Coast game is moved to Monday, I intend to replace the Tuesday game with two, one at Kallang and one at Turf City, but the venues might not be suitable for you. And if the Monday night game starts filling up within a day or two of being put up, it's easier for me to create an extra slot on Tuesday. If Friday night is feasible, then I might consider moving one of the two Thursday night games to Friday night.
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Post by Kelvin Au on Sept 4, 2012 18:00:32 GMT 8
I play my 11 side game on Saturday - and it still hurts on Tuesdays haha - although, not as bad as Monday  Yes.. I know I haven't always played twice a week. Would love to, but as you said.. reality is it's tough. But always good to have that option  I don't mind turf city (I work at UE Square) - but you know what, and it's a point you mentioned earlier which I didn't pick up on: The crowd is very important. No offense to the groups of players on other days, but the Tuesday bunch has been fun to play with personally. And that's a plus.
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Post by Jamie on Sept 4, 2012 18:47:27 GMT 8
Personally, I'm fine with either dates so long as its at east coast. However, I concur w kenny's earlier pt n fear tat the tues crowd may just be dispersed after a while (due to personal scheduling issue or preference).
Maybe we can 'pilot' alternating between Monday n Tuesday at East Coast in Oct instead for fully on Monday??
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