APAC 2010 Journal: Reflection

So the tale of 17 nearly men (led by 4 leaders) who set out with little hope came back as men with shattered hearts. It was a journey of hope with years of preparation within each individual capacity, all of which made this hammering blow in APAC 2010 ever more excruciating.

Regardless, it was a mammoth quest to begin with, not impossible if the belief was strong enough but there was too much fear. Oh yes, fear was looming around but there was also courage. The men understood that they have to summon every ounce of courage they had to face the giants but the will did not last long enough and at times, crumbled too easily when given a few blows here and there.

There was growth as well amidst the adversities. The men realised they lacked heart and drive and what it takes to bear the flag - they learned it the hard way. But the sacrifice was not in vain as a new culture has been born out of it and will set precedent for future generations to follow when they wander down the same road.

Siap sedia berkorban, untuk ibu pertiwi.

In the end, realisation and reflection upon oneself is essential. The men may have failed, but we must all learn why they have failed and what remedies should be taken so that future generations will not share the same fate. The horizon seemed to be looming with darkness. Perseverance is what it takes and at such a time like this, we need it ever than before. The next ray of light may just penetrate through any moment now, but before that happens, let us brave ourselves to re-align our mindsets, train harder than ever and then march out to face what lies ahead.

Semboyan telah berbunyi, menuju medan bakti.

By Khor Kuan Yang, #27

APAC 2010 Journal: Day 7 - 7th February 2010

It's the final showdown for the national team and the last chance to get back our pride and dignity with our national jerseys on. So did we managed to beat the giants? Our coach said this in our dressing room, 'We are facing giants today,and every giant can fall!'. I was inspired by this statement and was pretty fired up and motivated to slay this giants (Aussies) down.

The moment we went out there to sing our national anthem and literally face the giants. We were all pretty pumped up and excited until they dismissed from the middle of the court without giving a handshake. And this really pissed some of our players and it affected them pretty badly. Racism statements started coming out from their mouth and I could feel the negative energy flowing through. What difference are we from them when we start doing that? Our weakness for the match was 'sportsmanship' and professionalism on court.

One of the lessons that we learned as a team throughout this APAC campaign was knowing the value of wearing the Jalur Gemilang across our hearts. And showing the true spirit of warriors and fighters. I would say we did improve from day 1 but it wasn't enough to secure a win.

I have nothing much to say about the game. I guess from the previous journal entries, you would at least know how we fare in international tournaments and how we play. Much has to be improved and worked on, especially the mental than the physical.

I salute the players who tried hard and gave everything out during this game. The Aussies are physically stronger and faster than us. They dominate almost the whole 60 minutes but we managed to reduce to gap but playing really hard in our defense. Our goalie, Illyaz was selected as the best player in that game.

Final score, 10-0 to Australia and 21 broken hearts.

Deswyn Wan, #11

APAC 2010 Journal: Day 6 - 6th February 2010

After yesterday’s spirited display against the Japs, team Malaysia was in high confidence of causing an upset against the Koreans today. It was a must-win game for us if we were going to stand any chance to qualify for the World Cup. Our game was scheduled at 4pm, with the match of the tournament Japan versus Singapore following just after our match.

With no option but to win, team Malaysia was fired up for this encounter. The first period was a close match up with the Koreans taking a 2-0 lead. It was tough luck for the Malaysians after every player ran and chased down every ball. The Koreans didn’t create many clear cut chances but were lucky to score 2 due to a split second lost of concentration by the Malaysian players. This was basically the story for team Malaysia through out this APAC, being unable to focus 100% for the whole 60 minutes.

Meeting the Koreans.

Defending the best we could.

Attack!

The 2nd period was again a close fight between the both teams with the Koreans winning the period 2-1 and 4-1 overall. Ter min scored a wonderful goal for team Malaysia after we were down 0-4, which greatly lifted the team’s spirit.

With our spirits high, Ter min scored again early in the 3rd period to put the score line at 2-4. Team Malaysia were firing from all cylinders but were unable to beat the disciplined Korean defense and the ever dependable Korean goalie. Again, as usual, a lapse of concentration from the Malaysian players mid way through the game allowed the Koreans to score a few quick goals and they were up b 8-2. With time running out, team Malaysia pushed up with full court pressure, but was further punished with 2 more counter attack goals.

The never-say-die Koreans.

Discussing with Termin what to do.

Team Malaysia.

Full time score: Malaysia 2-10 Korea.

From my point of view, team Malaysia wasn’t that much inferior to the Koreans skill-wise. However, our lack of stamina and inability to concentrate for the full 60 minutes caused us the match. A lack of experience in high level competitions and a lack of mental toughness also caused us this defeat. Everyone played with all their hearts, but we just weren’t good enough today. Already mathematically unable to qualify for the World Cup, hopefully we will be able to give the Aussies a better fight on day 4 for Pride.

The Japan versus Singapore match lived up to its billing as the match of the tournament with both teams battling for top spot. Although the match ended in a 2-2 draw, it was a fair result as both teams were equally good. Based on their level of play, team Malaysia will need to improve more if we are going to stand any chance of qualifying for the next World Cup qualifiers.

By Low Kien Teck, #12

(Note: Photos taken by Serena Tiong)

APAC 2010 Journal: Day 5 - 5th February 2010

The game yesterday between Malaysia and Singapore was a painful one to watch as quoted by someone. As part of the team official and supporter, I somehow agree. It was painful. It was painful not because Malaysia lost the game. It was simply painful to see how the players walked out of the court feeling dejected with every goal that they conceded. Any team would find it difficult to spring back into action.

Therefore, my earnest prayer and hope today is that the team will forget what lies behind and strive towards what is ahead. They will truly step up to face greater challenges, or another big giant for that matter. This is definitely not the time to lose their heads but to keep walking high in spirit and confidence.

Just before the team entered the court for the national anthem, they got together and started singing this old Malay patriotic song – a song dedicated to our fellow soldiers who fought for the nation and independence. This is just a small portion of the song but brings a whole lot of meaning in serving and sacrificing for the nation.

Inilah barisan kita yang ikhlas berjuang (This is our line of comrades who are faithful to fight)
Siap sedia berkorban untuk ibu pertiwi (Ready to sacrifice for their beloved nation)
Sebelum kita berjaya jangan harap kami pulang (Before we succeed, please don’t hope for our return)
Inilah sumpah pendekar kita menuju medan bakti (This is the vow of our fellow comrades as they approach the battle zone)

What an appropriate song of commitment for such a time as this! It certainly did boost up the spirit and morale of the team. As they faced Japan today, Malaysia displayed a very positive spirit throughout the first period. It was somehow different from yesterday’s game. They truly stepped up to the challenge! Very commendable indeed! In fact the team had great possession of the ball for the first 2-3 minutes, and fairly well throughout the first period. We saw a drop in their mental state and spirit during the second period but managed to pick themselves up again to finish the battle. And the rest was history..... Malaysia lost to Japan 1-11.

Malaysia vs. Japan
(Taken from IFF website)

There is no way (at least not yet!) for Malaysia to match Japan in terms of skills and speed. But overall, it was relatively a good and intense game, simply because the team stepped up, and believed that they can face the giant and do their nation proud!

Penny Khoo, Team Malaysia Official

APAC 2010 Journal: Day 4 - 4th February 2010

On paper, we are the weakest team. On paper, they are the strongest team. When we are facing the giant, it is not about what’s on the outside but it is about what’s on the inside. Facing the giant requires us to call out the real person inside us! Entering our first game of the tournament and that’s exactly what we needed to do - we had to play against Singapore, widely regarded as the best team in Asia. What a way to begin APAC 2010 campaign!

Facing the giant!

Everyone was motivated in the dressing room. We were so confident that we can at least give the Singaporeans a hard fight. No doubt, we were all nervous... Nervous for every reason possible... but the fight must still go on. This game was really about challenging ourselves more than anything else. It’s about us fighting against our fears. APAC 2010 will not be about gaining exposure any longer, it’s about going up against every team with the mindset to win.

The Malaysia flag across our jersey was our motivation.

The coaches and team manager of Malaysia discussing.

Running hard, playing hard!

Warming up!

Everything seemed to go into a blur in just within 10 minutes of the game - we were already down 8 to nothing. Facing situations like that is never an easy pill to swallow down especially if it’s only your first match. We were all dejected. We could tell by looking at each others’ faces. By the end of the first period, we were down by 11 goals. It was brutal.

Negaraku.

Facing off against the Singaporeans!

Nothing much can be said about the match. At the end of the day, we all know that we didn't play hard enough, we didn't play with our hearts. The difference between a winner and a loser is that a winner always play with their hearts and not by the circumstance that they are in. We didn't do that today.

It's not a good start for all of us but an essential lesson to be learn. Time to move on.

Three more games to go.

Low Chong Guan, #13

APAC 2010 Journal: Day 3 - 3rd February 2010

Ah, finally. The day of the official face-off of APAC 2010. We were all excited to watch the teams play. With all the best teams in Asia assembled here, every team will be worth watching. Japan, the Kamikaze team, will turned up the heat against the Australians.

Travelling by MRT to Woodlands Sports Hall.

The Japs has always been known for their speed, agility and their "kamikaze" spirit on court. Although physically small in size, their strength and aggressiveness surprises any team. The Aussies, on the other hand, are BIG. Size is their biggest strength (pun intended). The Aussies may have a speedy Jonathan Veron on their side, but unfortunately for them, the Japs have a whole troupe of 'Verons' in their team!

Snapshots!

The Japanese!

The Australians!

The final score?

Japan 6 - Australia 2

The second match of the day saw the home team, Singapore, going up against Korea. Singapore, the much feared team, is definitely a team superior in its speed, technicality, agility and team work. A team bolstered by a handful of young guns, this team is set to cause some serious damage to other teams in APAC 2010. Korea, the team that has shown over and over again how passionate, persistent and physical they can be on court, is also a team to be reckon with. Their biggest weapon? Their heart. Their ability to not give up is something to be applauded for.

Snapshots!

Singapore vs. Korea

But at the end of the day, only one team stands superior.

The final score;

Singapore 10 - Korea 2

Tomorrow will be our first game playing against the Singaporeans. How are we doing so far? Jitters are kicking in for sure but nonetheless, we will give our all regardless of the scoreline.

Malaysia!

By Christopher Koh, #14

APAC 2010 Journal: Day 2 - 2nd February 2010

What supposed to be a short smooth sailing trip from Penang to Singapore turned out to be a disaster on our first day. Nonetheless, thank God that we all arrived in Singapore in one piece albeit a draining trip.

The second day started off a little slow with most of us sleeping in as much as we could to compensate the much needed rest after the energy-zapping trip from Penang to Singapore the day before. Our schedule for the second day was relatively light and easy, beginning the day with breakfast!

One of the many challenges some of us are facing here is budget. Most of us are here on a rather tight budget. Therefore, knowing where to get cheap yet good food is my other personal mission here as well :P So far, food hasn’t been an issue. I’m thankful that where we are staying, food can be found almost immediately. The plus point is that it is cheap and nice!

The highlight of the day was none other than our one and only training session at Woodlands Sports Hall, the venue of APAC 2010. The one hour training session was for us to get a good feel of the court, atmosphere and setting. Before we even got to the venue, we had an adventure of our own – getting lost! Yup, it took us a while before we eventually found the place.

Woodlands Sports Hall.

Getting acquainted with the court.

Training went well. The arena was exceptionally hot and stuffy and that hindered our performance on court. Most of us felt that the heat in the court was a little too much to handle. Well, at least we know how it feels and that should keep our heads up and be ready to perform during game time. On another note, Kok Ee, Guan, Teik and Kean Hooi have been extremely hospitable and generous to the national team. Not only did they provided us with accommodation but they also sponsored us with a very “yeng” training kit jersey. Thanks guys! Appreciate it loads!

Feeling the tension.

Tomorrow will see the official launch of APAC 2010. Our first game will be on Thursday. The jitters are kicking in. How will the national team fare? Only time will tell...

“If God is for us, who can stand against us?”

At all cause, remember the cause.

By Christopher Koh, #14

APAC 2010 Journal: Day 1 - 1st February 2010

The day started at 6.30. Sleepy heads climbing out of the bed, a quick wash up, final check on the bags and off we went... It seemed to be a great start before a series of unfortunate events came along.

Penang had a group of 6 who were heading down to Singapore via Jetstar and during check in, we were told that the take off had been brought forward 15 minutes earlier. However, after a 30 minutes wait, we were then told that the flight has been delayed and then further delayed and even further delayed until we finally took off at 1.15pm. The good side to it other than recovering some sleep on uncomfortable chairs was that we were treated free MacD and switched our flight to MAS and had another meal during the flight. Save us lunch cost. ^^

eh, when we flying la...

By the time we touched down and arrived at Kok Ee’s place, which was 20+ stations away from the airport, it was already late noon and everyone dozed off. Dinner time saw the arrival of another 3 Malaysian from KL and all took off for dinner.

On the way, we passed by a big public court and Sam’s hands were getting itchy and suggested we have a floorball session, which we did. A nice pre-competition work out to get our muscles running. Tomorrow will be our first and final training at the arena, Woodlands Sports Hall.

pass! pass!

Now we sleep...

... and wait...

By Khor Kuan Yang, #27

APAC 2010: Singapore

The Asia PAcific Floorball Championship, also known simply as APAC, is an international floorball competition, a stage where all the big boys of Asia compete against each other to see who's the best around. For the past 3-4 years, Malaysia has been part of APAC. Despite being viewed over and over again as the least impressive team around, team Malaysia has been adamant in bringing back a medal since day one.

Truth be told, team Malaysia, relatively speaking, still has a long way to go if they truly want to prove a point in APAC. Having said that, it must also be acknowledged that team Malaysia has definitely improved over the years. As the head coach of team Malaysia, Denise, puts it, "This is the best team Malaysia has ever assembled thus far". This is not a boastful comment but one that reflects the commitment and heart of the players despite the constant pessimistic view they receive about the standard of floorball in Malaysia.

With that in mind, BBF would like to render our support and encouragement to this ensemble of players from Penang, Kuala Lumpur and even Singapore (Malaysians who are currently studying/working in Singapore) as they strive to once again donned the national jersey to prove their worth in APAC 2010. It is a big task and to some, even an impossible one, but let us not lose hope in this team of committed players. The least we can do is to stand alongside them as they march into war.

As we approach APAC 2010, let's get a glimpse of what to expect from team Malaysia. Below is a review by BBF on APAC 2010.

TEAM ROSTER FOR MALAYSIA

No.	Player	Position	Club
1	Yushaak Illyaz	Goalkeeper	Gang Bintang
2	Adzahar Sjaiful Anuar	Defender	Gang Bintang
4	Chiam Ter Min	Forward	Ztec 8cers
5	Teoh Sam Jiun Haur	Forward	Innebandy! CO
6	Gunasekaran Satyan	Forward	Subang Rascals
7	Ch´ng Keng Hooi	Defender	Hurricanes
8	Yeoh Jun Wooi	Defender	Ztec 8cers
10	Cheang Jin Keet	Defender	Contact Sports
11	Wan Deswyn Yee	Forward	Innebandy! CO
12	Low Kien Teck	Forward	Hurricanes
13	Low Chong Guan	Forward	Hurricanes
14	Koh Christopher Boon Han	Defender	Minden UniHawks
17	Loh Jo-Wyee	Forward	Ztec 8cers
23	Zainal Abidin Mohd Hafidz	Defender	KLIUC Griffins
27	Khor Kuan Yang	Forward	Frontliners Spartan
29	Tan Kok Ee	Forward	Blast Super Blacks
31	Kao Lin Ken	Goalkeeper	Innebandy! CO
	Officials
	Thulin Dennis	Coach
	Tee Edward Lim Chen	Coach
	Subramaniam Suresh	Team Manager
	Khoo Penny Eam Tien	Other

MATCH SCHEDULE FOR APAC 2010

03.02.2010	16:00	Japan M - Australia M
03.02.2010	19:00	Korea M - Singapore M
04.02.2010	16:00	Singapore M - Malaysia M
04.02.2010	19:00	Korea M - Australia M
05.02.2010	19:00	Australia M - Singapore M
05.02.2010	16:00	Malaysia M - Japan M
06.02.2010	15:00	Malaysia M - Korea M
06.02.2010	18:00	Singapore M - Japan M
07.02.2010	13:00	Japan M - Korea M
07.02.2010	16:00	Australia M - Malaysia M

Match Preview
04.02.2010 - Singapore vs Malaysia
With Team India pulling out, Malaysia will be starting APAC with the toughest draw possible... against Asia's best team - Singapore! Team Singapore will be craving for blood and with last year's defeat of their junior team still vividly replaying in their minds, you can almost smell their ruthless appetite.

Can team Malaysia weather the storm?

05.02.2010 - Malaysia vs Japan
Straight after Singapore, lies the defending Champions, Team Japan. With a smaller squad compared to last year and possibly a better refined team, how will Malaysia fair with back to back games against the best of Asia?

06.02.2010 Malaysia vs Korea
Last year, the host of 2009's APAC, Korea, stunned Malaysia with 8 to nothing in the first period and went on to win 11-2. It was a shocking experience and Malaysia will definitely be looking to do one better this time around.

Can they?

07.02.2010 Australia vs Malaysia
The final match will be against Team Australia who also aspire to qualify for MWFC 2010. Like Korea, they are more likely in the fight for the last qualifying placing. How will they fare against Team Australia?


All has been said. Now, all we can do is to wait and see.

APAC 2010 post to be one of the best APAC around. With teams like Singapore and Japan sending their top players, it will be a competition you wouldn't want to miss. As much as it is nerve wrecking for team Malaysia to participate in this APAC, admittedly, it is also a privilege and opportunity for them to be part of it, to experience it and to learn from it. It won't be an easy competition this year, that's for sure. But nonetheless, one that will widen their scope, understanding and experience in the floorball scene. Let's wish team Malaysia all the best as they journey to make the nation proud!

(Feel free to leave a note/comment of encouragement here to show your support to team Malaysia!
The least you can do is to support them!
All the best team Malaysia!)

Asian & Oceanian WFC Qualification aka APAC 2010

The Asian & Oceanian WFC Qualification is played the 3rd - 7th of February 2010 in the Woodlands Sport Hall in Singapore.

Singapore (ranked 15th) and the 17th ranked Japan are together with Australia (ranked 24th) the favourites to qualify to the World Championships final round in December. The three highest ranked teams are challenged by Korea (ranked 28th) and Malaysia that is now back in the WFC context.

Singapore´s aim is to win the Asian & Oceanian WFC Qualification in front of the home crowd with a team including both experienced and young players.

Singapore is relying much on the saves of their excellent goalkeeper, Abdul Khalique Arshad Sanusi # 31, who has experience from the two previous WFC B-divisions.

Mohd Kassem Hafeez # 7 is one of the players who can make life difficult for the opponents. He has played in all the WFC B-division since 2002 and is known for his dangerous airhooks.

Mohd Kassem Hafeez in WFC 2008 B-div./Ondrej Klima

Team Japan will also fight to become the champion of Asia/Oceania and aims to play in the WFC Final round. Japan is the reigning Asia & Pacific champion winning all their matches in the APAC 2009.

The last lock in the Japanese defence is the goalie, Takari Nakagawa # 1. He has developed a lot during the last years and become the first goalkeeper in team Japan.

Nakagawa in WFC 2008 B-div./Ondrej Klima

The new captain of the Japanese team, Daisuke Watabe # 15, who played in his first WFC already in the B-division 2000, brings experience to the team and is able to build up the offensive play from his center position.

Australia lost the C-division bronze match against Canada, but was placed 2nd in the APAC 2009, losing only against Japan. Australia is rebuilding their national team with some short, medium and long term goals. The aim is to challenge all opponents in the WFC Qualifications.

Team Australia is relying much on team performance and wish to entertain the audience with the Aussie style of play.

Jonathan Veron in the C-division 2008

One of the goal scorers in the team is Jonathan Veron # 3, who was the Australian top scorer in the 2008 C-division with 7+1 and scored 7+9 in the APAC 2009. The defender Anthony Boteler # 17, who was the top scorer in APAC 2009 with 12+11, will be a striker to watch out for.

Korea will challenge the three higher ranked teams with an ambitious goal to participate in the WFC Final round in Finland. Korea was only placed 8th out of 9 team in the WFC C-division in 2008, but in the APAC 2009 Korea improved their game and was placed third in the tournament.

Young June Lee # 1 was the best Asian Goalie in the APAC 2007, 2008 and 2009. He is not the biggest goalkeeper but his moves are fast and he is also a leader of the team.

Yong June Lee in WFC C-division 2008

Another player to note is the top scorer in Korea, Kwang Hwan Yeon # 28, who is known for his running speed. Hwan Yeon scored 5+2 in the C-division 2008 and 4+4 in the APAC 2009.

Malaysia has not participated in the WFC since 2004, but has played in all the APAC tournaments since 2004. In the APAC 2009 Malaysia was placed 4th out of six teams, which was Malaysia´s best placement ever.

11 of the players in the Malaysian team played in the Asia & Pacific Championships in 2009 and one player worth mentioning is Ter Mian Chiam # 4. He is a 19-year old forward that scored the 7th most points out of all teams in the APAC 2009 with 11+4.

More information about the tournament from the IFF WFC AOFC Qualification web page.

Team presentations WFC Q Europe1 ranked 1st-4th (Denmark, Poland, Austria & Hungary)
Team presentations WFC Q Europe 1 ranked 5th-8th (GB, France, Belgium & Serbia)
Team presentations WFC Q Europe 2 ranked 1st-4th (Estonia, Italy, Slovenia & Netherlands)
Team presentations WFC Q Europe 2 ranked 5th-8th (Slovakia, Spain, Liechtenstein & Georgia)

APAC 2009: Final Standings & Point Leaders

APAC 2009 FINAL STANDINGS

	TEAM	G	W	D	L	GF - GA	PTS
1	Japan	5	5	0	0	116 - 7	10
2	Australia	5	4	0	1	186 - 15	8
3	Korea	5	3	0	2	57 - 19	6
4	Malaysia	5	2	0	3	38 - 38	4
5	Singapore	5	1	0	4	38 - 59	2
6	India	5	0	0	5	1 - 199	0

p/s:
G: games played;
W: wins;
D: draws;
L: loses;
GF - GA: goals for - goals against;
PTS: points

APAC 2009 POINT LEADERS

	PLAYER	TEAM	GP	G	A	PTS		PIM
1	Anthony Boteler	Aus	5	12	11	23		0
2	Darren Baxter	Aus	5	14	7	21		0
3	Tatsuro Tajima	Jap	5	15	3	18		2
4	Tomoaki Nakagawa	Jap	5	8	10	18		4
5	Derek Kippo	Aus	5	15	2	17		0
6	Jonathan Veron	Aus	5	7	9	16		0
7	Ter Min Chiam	Mas	5	11	4	15		0
8	Fukuta Hishinuma	Jap	5	12	2	14		0
9	Naoki Matsuba	Jap	5	11	3	14		4
10	Kenichi Ogawa	Jap	5	10	4	14		0
19	Jo-Wyee Loh	Mas	5	7	4	11		2
21	Kuan Yang Khor	Mas	5	8	2	10		0
26	Chong Guan Low	Mas	5	5	4	9		4
27	Deswyn Wan Yee Weng	Mas	5	5	4	9		6
49	Sam Jiun Haur Teoh	Mas	5	1	4	5		2
55	Chen Lee Lim	Mas	5	1	3	4		0
63	Kenny Kuang Kay Khoo	Mas	5	0	3	3		4
68	Kok Ee Tan	Mas	5	0	2	2		4
71	Lin Ken Kao	Mas	5	0	1	1		0

p/s:
GP: goals scored;
A: assists;
PTS: points;
PIM: Penalty in minutes.