Exclusive Interview: Pei Li's Thoughts

Recently, The Tall One (TTO) and The Short One (TSO) (not their real names), with the help of Anonymous Guests (AG) had the privilege of interviewing Kew Pei Li (PL), who scored her first ever competitive goal on Tuesday. Pei Li, Frontliners loyal female player, willingly answered questions in her own creative way.

TSO: How did you feel?
PL: Like, oh, cool.

TTO: Were you expecting to score?
PL: [shakes head]

TSO: What did you do? Didn’t you jump or something?
PL: I just walked back. Smiled a bit.

TSO: The fact that you scored a goal. Have you realized it yet? Has it hit you?
PL: Not really.

TTO: Rate your goal on the scale of 1-10.
PL: 3. Compared to Kenny’s and Kuan Yang’s against Dalat, mine was soft.

AG: How did you feel the moment the ball entered the goal?
PL: I didn’t realize. I didn’t see it go in because all the Innebandy players were blocking. Only when Kenny and Nick turned around and smiled, then I know lah

TTO: Rate Frontliners performance on the scale of 1-10. Why?
PL: 7. Why ah? Because we let in two goals we shouldn’t have let in. We played well but there’s still room for improvement.

TSO: Where do you go from now?
PL: Dude, it’s like I won the World Cup, with that question. I will try hard to improve my play, to vary my play. I will try to lob balls, which I have not been successful at. As long as the team wins, it doesn’t matter.

TSO: Are you happy?
PL: I’m happy that we won. Umm..well, I guess. [Thinks] It’s cool lah. I’m not sure if I’m happy or not. I should be. It’s a good thing and good things make me happy. So I’m happy. [moments later] Embarrassed.

TSO: WHAAAAAT??
TTO: Why?
PL: Why ah? ‘Cause right, everyone was cheering and I’m not used to that. I’m more used to cheering for people.

TSO: How did you do it?
PL: I don’t know. It just happened.

TSO: Apakah rahsia kejayaan anda?
PL: Monday, girls’ state training really helped a lot.

TSO: Who would you like to thank for your success?
PL: What success?
TSO: Your goal. You know like in the Oscars’, they thank this person and that person.
PL: I would like to thank the supporters.
TSO: Thought they embarrassed you.
PL: I would like to thank Ming Hwee for selling me the Bubble (Pei Li’s stick). The stick did it, not me.
AG: But you were holding the stick.
PL: I know but the stick did 60%, I did 40%. For me lah. I think lah.
TSO: So you’re not gonna thank Kuan Yang, the coach?
PL: And thank you everyone who thinks they are a part of it. It’s not much success la, just a goal.

TSO: Berikan nilai yang anda amalkan.
PL: English please. [Interviewer translates in head]
TSO: What moral values have you exemplified through the goal?
PL: Haaaa…lemme think, lemme think. Ah..It’s a crap question man. It’s just a goal!

TTO: But your very first.
PL: Doesn’t feel like it.
AG: Have you always been like this?
PL: Like what?
AG: Like, emotionless.
PL: You didn’t hear me scream at Algin during the game? That’s not emotion ah?

TSO: So when can we finally expect you to feel?
PL: Feel what?
TSO: Excitement.
PL: Not sure. It will come when it comes when it comes but I think it’s..it’s not a big deal. I’m also like, how come I’m not happy? Right..

TSO: Thank you for your time. We really appreciate it. We hope you continue your marked progress in floorball.

And we do hope Pei Li and the Spartans will continue to improve and learn to play like Spartans.

NOTICE

The chatbox has been removed as it has been 'on fire'.

Spartans G2: Against all Odds

Favourites vs underdogs. Team of international players vs Spartans. With the odds against Frontliners Spartans, what did everyone expect from this game? The ball is round (and holey) anything can (and did) happen.

Coupled by the fact that Frontliners had what? 7 bench penalties (if my memory doesn’t fail me) and a number of new and inexperienced players, it felt more like a win than a draw for the Spartans.

One of Frontliners few decent goal scorers, Kenny Ng, gave Frontliners the lead through a rebound after his initial free hit was blocked by Ztec’s wall. The goal was greeted by wild cheers from the bench and supporters and stunned the Ztec faithful.

The Spartans’ bench penalties were due to numerous reasons: incorrect distance, incorrect substitution, you name it. The guilty: Captain Jason, Kuan Yang, Steven, Wei Jian, Kenny, Sanjeevan. To be fair, some were uncalled for and Wei Jian probably shouldn’t have bulldozed a Ztec player through the boards while both were chasing for the ball.

Sharron pulled off many of her super-saves again, even catching one as though it were magnetic to her hands. However, a tussle in the goalkeeper area resulted to Ztec’s equalizer.

Half time: 1-1.

Second half brought the same electricity as the first. Both teams tried to capitalize on the other’s errors and Frontliners paid dividends for that when Su Rong, last week’s hat trick hero, sent Frontliners into the lead. The roof of Balik Pulau stadium was blown off when players and fans erupted and cheered for a LONG time.

Apparently the full sized courts weren’t big enough for both teams as players were often sent crashing into the boards. Even Kuan Yang and Kenny had to jump out of the court after running out of space to move.

Anything can happen when it’s just a slender 1-goal lead. Enter no.5, Tania. Oh wait, Algin. He was wearing ex-Frontliner, Tania’s jersey. And the cheers were even louder this time as the unexpected had happened. Spartans were leading 3-1. Ztec called for time out to get things back in place and for Frontliners to do whatever Coach said.

It seemed like the 2nd half could go on and on with Frontliners rushing to the lead early. The defense deserves some accolade for keeping Ztec at bay as much as they could. And Spartans played defensively most of the time to protect their lead, only venturing up for counter attacks

Great Wall of Sparta

but most of the time they barely made it pass the half way line ‘cause somehow people forget the golden rule of “never pass through the centre!”

Frontliners were made to pay when Ztec captain, Oliver was given all the time and space in the world to equalize.

Total non-stop action would be the best way to describe the second half. Shots and saves, running and more running, players sent flying through the boards, bench penalty after bench penalty for the Spartans. The Spartans’ penalty bench always seemed to be occupied.

Somehow a short circuit in Nick’s brain caused him to switch from floorball mode to football mode when he kicked an incoming flying ball away. He seemed to know what he was doing as there were no signs of “haha, I did that!” on his face. Was it legal? It was. Frontliners even got a free hit moments later.

Ztec pushed on and never gave Spartans a moment of peace. With minutes to go, Jo-Wyee, of Ztec 8cers scored the goal which shattered hopes and dreams. Yeah right.

Full time - 3-3.

At the final whistle, it was as if Spartans had won the game. Although they didn’t, they can be proud of grabbing the favorites’ tag by the throat and shredding it into a million pieces.

Captain Jason(left) with Man of the Match, Steven Tay (right)

Steven Tay was voted Man of the Match for basically being the pillar of Spartans defense and even taking one for the team (quite literally) with a ball to the face. Steven was rewarded with a can of 100 Plus. (Unlike in EPL, where MoMs get a bottle of champagne, no such thing here) Kuan Yang was so delighted he even wanted to give everyone one. The same excuse: “Not enough money.”

Spartans G1: Pictures

As Captain Jason speaks, Kuan Yang fixes his head band

Sharron called in to action

Frontliners Official Kit. Available in Black and Yellow. Models not included.

Nick looks out for open players

woooo....


Mikey: Spaaaaartaaaaaans!!!

Talk and talk and talk and talk

Half time talk


Spartans score!


Su Rong reeling off in delight

Watch Pei Li (and her hair) go

Kuan Yang, a little too content in getting a goal.


Su Rong celebrating his goal second time 'round

Lawren can't believe he's shorter than the guy next to him

Three cheers to both teams!

Spartans thank their fans

Spartans G1: Let the Games Begin!

Meet the Spartans

Frontliners Spartans kicked off their PFL Div. 1 2009 campaign with an 8-3 win over Dalat Eagles on Tuesday. With the first two games of the league already providing goal fests for Penang’s floorball supporters, many would think a trend would follow. And it was a goal fest indeed.

Frontliners, in particular Kuan Yang wasted no time and opened the scoring about 2 minutes into the game. Not long after, the Spartans scored again through Wei Jian, on his debut.

However, a foul by Steven resulted to a penalty to Dalat and their captain Jason (yeah, both side’s captains have the same name) duly converted. Frontliners squandered their two-goal cushion when a defensive error opened up space for Dalat Eagles to equalize with a thunderous strike.

The match not only provided goals, but entertainment too with both sides working hard on the full international sized courts trying to capitalize on defensive errors and open spaces. Su Rong, also on league debut scored two goals in the first half and Algin made it 5-2 for the Spartans going into the break.

Frontliners started the second half with less momentum than in the first. Goalkeeper Sharron pulled off reflex saves which was very appreciated by both fans and players. The same can be said too of Dalat’s.

Su Rong rightfully claimed his Man of the Match status with a goal that sealed his hat trick thanks to a neat Spartans counter attack.

Pei Li, playing as centre for the first time showed no trace of nervousness as she went up against the big guys of Dalat, sometimes even giving away free hits for fouls.

Spartan’s captain, Ming Hwee displayed some of his dribbling skills from the half way line, slowly maneuvering between players until the ball ended up in goal.

Frontliners’ 8th goal was scored by Wei Jian, which pretty much put the game out of contest. Dalat however scored one more goal to make the final score 8-3.

Smiles were all around Frontliners camp as Kuan Yang and captain Ming Hwee gave a rundown on the night’s events.

Training 130609: Temperature

Well woman the way they time cold I wanna be keepin' you warm
I got the right temperature for shelter you from the storm

Imagine that. Frontliners Floorball now has its own soundtrack to training, kindly provided by the rapper trio of Julian, Tristan and Kyle (Sachin here and there).

But indeed, it was the right temperature for training, as illustrated by the model below:

...no need to stand under any miserable trees.

[Vote: (a) Hot girl passing by OR (b) Frontliners doing awesomely in training]

For a warmup, and while waiting for other players to arrive, a star pass in slow motion was incorporated. Then, when the bulk of players arrived (Ms. Yi Lin could be heard a mile away), Coach Jason called the players together to get them into 'pairs of two' and do some passing.

Initially, the entire group of players bunched up at the far end of the court where the trees provided some kind of shade. However, Coach Jason quickly put an end to that, ordering the players to spread out evenly.

After some time, Coach Jason again called the players together, instructing them this time to get into 'pairs of three', evoking giggles and smothered laughs all over. Quite conscious of that, he amended his earlier statement into 'groups of three'.

In this drill, two players would stand at opposite ends, while the other was the runner in between. In a slightly 'V' position, the runner would run to one end, receive the ball, turn and pass to the other player. The runner would then repeat this movement another 19 times.

This drill was to help the players, especially centers and defenders, when they received the ball at the sides, to know who was around them and where to pass to.

Most players forgot to count their runs, and so ended up doing more than asked for.

In no time at all, Coach Jason called the players together for the final time, and announced game time. One question... where were the goals?

So in a very football-esque tradition, Coach grabbed two pairs of slippers and placed them at opposite ends.

The players were divided into four teams: one with the rapper trio, the second with Kuan Yang and ladies co., the third with the big boys, and the fourth... with Yi Lin's friends. A 5-on-5.

Roselyn 1, Big Boys 0 (no kidding!).
Yue Shern and Steven tussle for the ball. No prizes for guessing who's who.
A very modest Kuan Yang after a stunning solo goal against the big boys.
New player brought by Yi Lin, Wei Jian.
All right, fellas, strike your best pose!
Kuan Yang showing off... again.
You know it's bad when the kids start following Kuan Yang's example..

The temperature rose and rose, until finally Coach Jason called an end to training, happily announcing that training will be held in PBSM next week.

Training 060609: Return of the C-730

"Two hours of training only meh?!!"
"...seemed like forever-lah."

Only now do the Frontliners truly appreciate the meaning of indoor courts. While coach Kuan Yang stood pretty at the sides (more or less)... ...he made sure the players enjoyed no such thing as they labored under the sweltering heat.

It was reasonably good attendance, with two new players: Soon Chern (right) and Mayfield (left), yet the faces of most Div.1 players were sadly missing.

Most of the drills by the coach emphasized receiving while moving, looking up and passing. For the first few drills, he had four cones arranged along the basketball court, on both sides. One player would stand at the first cone, and another at the last cone, opposite each other. In constant motion, one player would pass and the other, instead of waiting for the ball to come, would run up, receive, return the pass, then backtrack. A few variations of this drill were done, with the coach throwing in dribbling and turning and drop-passing.

"Tired?" (coach)
"Uh...yes?"
"Okay. Let's do killer pass."

Killer pass: Three players in one group; two stationary and with the ball, one running to receive the passes and return them. Constantly. Two rounds for each threesome to complete, one run being forty seconds.

And after the much-deserved waterbreak, it was finally time for a game. But what's a game without a goalie?

So in walked Michael, the man of the moment, all suited up (which took him forever to put on), with an extra flourish, making him look all Arabian (according to Coach). However, since there was only one goalie, the team without was hard put by and let in two easy goals in straight succession before a fed-up Ming Hwee marched in and placed two cones as the goal.

The game was much fairer now (that is, until Ming Hwee came in and hogged the ball all the way), and it was a real battle between two constantly changing and exchanging sides. Su Rong especially, could be seen everywhere at once. The two newcomers seemed to be able to get the hang of the game pretty fast. Julian and Kyle were like Yorke and Cole/Berbatov and Keane/Puskas and Di Stefano(football partnerships..). And June?




...had an absolutely scandalous time sticking to Su Rong all the way.

As training wore on, the sun rose higher, and some felt the only choice left was to whip their shirts off and display their wonderfully-sculpted bodies while playing (sorry, Ming Hwee, you haven't qualified yet). Then, as if by some silent agreement, the players trickled to the giant slide beside the basketball court, thus ending the game. Coach Kuan Yang then talked mostly about the upcoming friendly with Ztec on Wednesday.