Editing the Blog

Hey guys,

I've noticed the website has been tweaked a bit. Usually I got no problems with that, like removing the taskbar (though I did find it useful - I added a link back to blogger home at the footer instead).

I appreciate the effort of our fellow members, and also acknowledge that their html knowledge might be better than mine. However, as webmaster, I would like to request members who wish to change the blog layout to consult me first. Email me at the team email or my personal email/msn (found on team sheet). It would be messy if everyone decided to tweak things a bit here and there. So for the sake of organization, I would appreciate a request of permission to toggle with the blog settings.

Members are, however, not only welcomed, but encouraged to post up blog entries and/or tag on the chatterbox - which by the way, has been screwed up for the same reason I don't want members to be just switching things around - because your voice is important.

As for the music, I personally feel it's slowing down the download-time of the webpage, and that is against the golden rule of web page design - to reduce download time.

I hope to provide Kismis with the most efficient weblog possible. Thanks for your understanding.

Chau

29 July 06 : Match Day

Hiya ppl, seems like after last week's team talk, things r beginning to look brighter liao. Some issues have been solved and will be made possible soon. Things will b improving. August seems to b a busy month for a few of our guys, so expecting a lesser attendence also. But tat doesnt mean no soccer at all. Will try to plan for tos ppl who wanna play every wk also... So expect some travelling or timing change in t coming weeks lor... Try to provide a schedule for me or JonD in advance when u free or not lor...

I cant join u guys for soccer tis coming Sat. Too bad u all dnt wanna play at St Wilfrid, else i still can play for awhile... So i juz do my part by posting the finalize details for tis coming Sat lor...

Here goes:

Event: Saturday soccer game
Venue: Kismis Courts
Date & time: 29 July 06, 9.45am
Attire: Streets
Personel-in-charge: JonD
Remarks: Be punctual always (5-10min late is okie)!!! Ball bearer, JonD, pls come early, u lead by example, u show t rest what u can do first... Confirm your ppl wif JonD by Friday, dnt wait till last minute... Well the rest is up to u guys to make it happen, enjoy ya games...


Eric

RE: Post meeting conclusions...

Hey guys... I got a few things to mention about the post-meeting conclusions. Sorry I can't be there for all the meetings and stuff now, and looks like I wouldn't be avalible next year either. Iill most likely be undertaking a year-long graduate diploma in education here in Australia. But I'll still be back every year November - Feburary (hopefully next June-July I can come back too).

I'm aware that in that respect I cannot be an active member of the Kismis team other than handling this blog from overseas, and perhaps help to sponsor some things when I start earning money (next year). But having said that, I would like to be part of the Kismis team that moves forward. I will help build this club once my formal education commiments are concluded. It wouldn't be too long before we could enter our club into a street soccer league (or even set up a league ourselves!).

In the light of that, I would first address the immediate situation in direct response to Eric's post.

1) Priority and Direction
I think Kismis can go much futhur than what we are now. In the long term, with appropriate funding (I'll be a willing sponsor), we could build our own homeground - a court with proper goalposts. St Wilfred is an example of a private soccer pitch, so it's not impossible. We can hold competitions -or even a weekly league- on that ground and rent it out when we are not playing on it - it could be an investment as much as an asset. On the topic of a the league, you don't need much to set up a league. I'm taking part in a indoor soccer league here, and we as players just pay a fixed amount per team each week and turn up during our fixture. Games are recorded and the league table is established, if I'm not already speaking the obvious.

2) Registration
I would say it's a great thing that we have so many players who are committed to the Kismis cause. I just have to say we have to get a goalkeeper. Also, my apologises for the late intervention but as I have already tagged, Shahin requested for the number 13 jersey long ago as it's his favourite player and position Nesta. Can I ask WeiChong to give up the number please?

3) Attitude and Commitment
I believe we would have better commitment these days with the re-registrations. But attitude is one key issue to be corrected. The late coming all started long ago, when the ball-bearer comes late, then the rest of the people find there is no point coming early. Then the viscous circle continues.

4) Jersey
Thanks Eric for settling the jersey for us, though I think it is unfair for you and JonDavid to be bearing the costs. I commend your generosity, but you guys are no Abramovich, you should allow each and every player to bear the costs of their own jersey. If not, I'm willing to put in a bit of cash for everyone too.

5) Duties
One comment: what do you expect me to do with the blog? I'm no coding expert.. I'm majoring in physics and maths and not computer science. Perhaps I could have a chat with BingJie - he is someone doing computer programming. But what is your idea of 'fixing up' the blog? You mean to have drop-down tabs of things like news, reports, columns? It could work, but it's beyond my coding capabilities and blogger's webspace. I need to find a webspace to build the website upon!

6) Mathces and Travelling
I think Eric's suggestion is a good one. The one about going different places each week. Not only do we compensate for everyone's location in the country (but seriously you pansies who don't want to travel.. wait till you come to Melbourne, distances are much farther here!) , but we also get to exposed to different teams across the island. You get my vote for the suggestion!

Well, these are my comments about the post-meeting. Overall I'm glad Kismis decided to get together to sort everything out. I'll like to hear more voices over the website though. See you all in 3 months!

Chau

Post meeting conclusions...

Hiya ppl, guess we have finally got a chance to settle ourselves down n have a good team-talk liao. After t match on 22 July 06, we get to spurt out our concerns, straighten on agendas and settle on some dangling issues. Most of t main players r present tt day, so it's a good crowd of voice.

We settled on the following issues:

1) Priority and direction - Kismis has been around for 2-3yrs but seriously not much members have an idea of where we r heading n what r we trying to achieve. It started out as a friends' wk-end soccer gathering n people who r free juz come n go as they like. We can play both streets n field. Who got lobang, we go where type lor. Anyway, from now onwards Kismis will give priority to street soccer (Any type of street, not juz tos 4-on-4 type) and field soccer will be a secondary thingy. We'll still take on field matches wif anyone but we'll b playing for fun only. Dnt think we will be doing any competitive field matches at t moment. We'll work on establishing a stable team first n work frm there. Hopefully one day, we'll have enuff ppl to move onto field soccer...

2) Registration of players - We have work out on a list of 16 people who are ready to call themselves Kismis Utd players. We'll still b welcoming more people and also working to recruit tos boundary people (Friends' friends). We have also settled on the jersey numbering.

3) Attitude and commitment - Here's quite n issue. As we know, there's a few 'dead' players in Kismis and there also a few players who couldnt show up as often for t games. So we have to be wise on whether to take up such players or not. Dnt wanna see players picking up the jersey n not appearing at all. No point appearing once per month also. No point coming juz becos ya best friend is here. We also dnt need players doing 'lip service' only; say come no come, no come say bullshit things... Wat's t use of all t excuses n 'wishes' if u cant make it at all... Also to touch on t punctuality of players, 5-10min late is okie... But will t ball bearer n some key players pls b early... I'll slap myself n make it a point to b early also...

4) Jersey - All have confirm about the jersey. I'll also be making arrangement on my side to get things done asap. We'll b helping to get t jerseys n printing out by Sept or Oct bah. T only thing undone is the color. U guys sure u want 'pink'??? (So gay lor...) I'll pay for a part of t jersey and JonD will b sponsoring t badges... T rest of t amt to pay will depend on which jersey chosen liao...

5) Duties - JonD will continue to be in-charge of contacting t ppl. (Phone-call or sms) So u guys pls reply to him when he contact u. Dnt give him trouble. Also be considerate, if u cant come or get something on or bringing friends, go n inform him before Friday (Day before match) Eric - Okie, i'll b doing tis blog (Updating on matches and news report) and also to do t logistic of booking fields and such. So if there is going to be a need to use a field, please response to me earlier (Booking takes time). Shawn, Shahin and Weichong - The task of bringing your friends down for soccer & try to recruit them also (If they meet our criteria) Chris - Please help to 'fix-up' the blog, i can only write in the blog but i dunno how to add anything 'stunning' to it.

6) Matches - Matches will be confirmed by Wed/Thurs of the week. I'll b posting the venue, game type and other details on the blog. I'll also inform JonD about t details also. I'll propose to rotate the games n venue n timing a bit (Slowly lah), so that we r fair to t players who travel fair every wk to play. Dnt wish to hear players not wanting to travel or wat excuses la. So far, we'd played at Kismis (Home-grd), Zhangde field, Henderson court, NUS, Clementi, St Wilfrid and Telok Blangah.

List of registered players and number:

Syafiq - 4; Tong - 5; Shawn - 6; Eric - 7; JonD - 8; Chau - 9; Hao - 10; M.S. - 11; Shahin - 13; Ken - 17; Ian - 21; Dennis - 22; Jacky - 23; Weichong - 24; Erwin -25; Jianchong -89

We'll b waiting on the replies from a few more guys... Let's work hard for Kismis Utd bah...


Eric

22 July 06: Match Day

Hiya ppl again~! Okie, we actually thought tis wk-end gonna b some training for the 29 Jul match against Hao's friends. But seems like Hao himself is off to Ubin for some business so we also dunno wat we wanna do now. Book a field n train on ourselves (Tough order, now is alreadi Tues liao & do we have tt much ppl to play field???) or mayb we act blur and continue our weekly routine of streets at Kismis... Well u guys can choose lor...

We have got much unresolved issues on Kismis also so hopefully we can get a better strength tis coming Sat n have a good talk on the Jerseys, Attitudes, Registrations and also the vision/mission of Kismis bah... So ppl like Shawn, Shahin, Syafiq, JonD, Weichong should b ard lor... Not to say t others r not impt but tis r t few ICs for their individual grp lor... So bring ya men down tis wk-end n we settle some issues...

Btw, also need to do a headcount tt day for Hao's game @ Marina South, 29 July 06.

Here goes:

Event: Saturday soccer game
Venue: Kismis Courts
Date & time: 22 July 06, 9.45am
Attire: Streets
Personel-in-charge: JonD n Eric
Remarks: Be punctual and do confirm wif us the amt of ppl u have before Fri hor... Will all tos ICs please help to contact your fellow friends thank you. Expect the return of Shawn, Jacky, Syafiq and crew~!


Eric

Ref: Fiq's Post

Hi all!!! Manage to find my way into the blog.....Just like to say a few words over the recent heated up posts....

Ref: Lastly,the issue about tournaments and friendlies.we should try to organise more friendlies to bond our players and also to allow our players to get use with each other way of playing.We should try not to get into any tournament unless we are confident enough to do well in it. I know some of you will say that the tournament is a good exposure to the team but i feel that if we are gonna enter a tournament, we should at least be able to enter and leave it with our head hold up high and not with disappointment and regret. This will bring down our team morale.

I agree with Fiq on this and also reinstate my stressing to Eric & Jono that we shall have more field training (that was preparation to the Tourny in Jun).....If everyone comes up for a field game not knowing the style of play of the rest of the team, then it is suicidal..

Kudos to Fiq, M.S., Tong just to name a few who help maintained the stability of the team during the tournament..I personally felt that I could have done much more better for the team if I had a better understanding to the style of the players...Erwin aside cos we've been playing field soccer for quite sometime so the telepathic understanding is there (where he ate my goal during the tourny......#%#%!#!$^&^*%$**#%#@@!!)

Even before we were to arrange for friendlies, I'll suggest having some field training first as the ball sense on the field is different and each and everyone of us may have to change our style of play on the field. I personally run more on the field to cover wider areas but that will also mean I'll need someone to cover me which Fiq, Tong had been wonderful to the task!! I believe our backline is stable and strong enough and the only area that need revamp and training will be the MIDFIELD..The battle is won in midfield, and it will never be a one man battle...M.S. was seen battling for ball in the middle without much support, but not because there was no support but largely due to the lack of understanding amongst our midfielders. All these can be rectified during prep training to the games though and fitness will also be another key for field games. I believe I'm considered one of the oldest among us excluding my Bro lah and if I can maintain my fitness for 90min, I expect all to do so. Sounds demanding but actually it is a form of motivation for all. In a game, motivation is the key to let us forget about fatique!! :)

I'll try to impart whatever knowledge I have on field training and also like all of you to share together with everyone on your knowledge. I may have undergone intense soccer training in the past but that doesn't mean I'm the most knowledgable person among the team. Each and everyone will have something to share and teach me along the way as well... :)

Btw, I'm still a guest player I suppose as I did not officially join in the club for many games, etc. If you all dun mind my age, I'm willing to officially join Kismis Utd and will like to take up No. 23 pls... :)


Jacky
~~~Love & Peace~~~

Poll

Hey all,

On request of Eric... there is the new poll up to let you guys choose the PRIMARY colour of the new jersey. I couldn't put primary and secondary colour combinations or there would be too many permuations. Anyway, so vote for the primary colour. Secondary colour can decide later.

The previous poll had an overall poor response. But anyway, 44% voted for Chalet n tournament to be organised at the end of the year, 33% voted for Chalet only while the last 23% was shared equally between 'all of the above' and 'tournament only'. So guess that means chalet is confirmed on (as if we needed a poll to decide that), while details of a tournment are to be discussed. We still haven't decided on what scale should the tournament be. An intra-Kismis n friends would still be a tournament wouldn't it? Anyway, that's another topic for another time.

Vote - because your voice makes a difference

(damn that sounds cliche)

-Chau

Comment on previous post

The issues surfaced by Eric are issues bothering our team for the last few months. I believe we should sit down together after a game of soccer to discuss on it and how to prevent such things from happening again.

The players in our team should be look into and those players who show no commitment to the team should be dropped to make way for new players.I will like to be tasked with the reconstruction of our new team if there is yet anyone to be in charge of it.

Next, I will like to address the issue of msging our players. I feel that currently JonD is doing a great job in informing us on whether will there be any soccer games during the weekends and he should continue doing so.He is our source of information and we rely greatly on him to make sure that the msg is relayed either by hp or through e blog.

Lastly,the issue about tournaments and friendlies.we should try to organise more friendlies to bond our players and also to allow our players to get use with each other way of playing.We should try not to get into any tournament unless we are confident enough to do well in it. I know some of you will say that the tournament is a good exposure to the team but i feel that if we are gonna enter a tournament, we should at least be able to enter and leave it with our head hold up high and not with disappointment and regret. This will bring down our team morale.

My apologies if my opinions hav offended anyone.I just want you guys to keep this in mind that 'winning a game is a team effort and without the players in the team striving together to the goal,we will never be able to achieve tat goal.'

FiQ

8 July 06: Rest week...

Okie, Kismis Utd will be having a short term break for all members tis wk-end. There will not be any games. Time to let all the players take a break from our 'hectic' schedules and settle with watever things they need to do.

Soccer game will resume on 15 July 06.

Here goes:

Event: Saturday soccer game
Venue: Ngee Ann Poly (New st soccer courts)
Date & time: 15 July 06, 10am
Attire: Streets
Personel-in-charge: JonD n Eric
Remarks: Be punctual and do confirm wif us asap hor... Will all tos sub ICs please help to contact your fellow friends thank you. The gang that played at NUS tat day was cool~! If only we can keep them.


Eric

Reply to Chris' post...

I have a few points regarding the issues that Chris have brought up. I actually wanted to juz tag tis but i see no point as BLIND PPL cant read tagboards~!

1st) The new jerseys: I have a lobang for the jerseys. Mayb i can even spponsor the jerseys for everyone. T guys juz pay for the numbering & logo mayb??? Tat one will depend on the response of the team and the COMMITMENT i see for the ppl lor. I dnt want any undeserving ppl getting the jersey and be part of the team. I m willing to pay but i expect a return in terms of commitment.

2nd)I dnt not agree with the point that "If hand them a jersey and call them members", these ppl will feel more commited. We have always welcome anyone. It doesnt take a jersey to prove anything. Take a look at t few who doesnt have a jersey but are here more regularly than tos with jersey. N it is a SHAME to hear that a few ppl wif jerseys have not ever wear our jerseys before~! And if u r sincere abt joining/playing with the team, U CAN ALWAYS CALL US! My number, JonD's number is on the blog~! Why r we the ones making all t calls??? And in the end, u see ppl coming to games late. Not coming down and nver even bother to give a reason. There's no commitment. N there r also those ppl who promise to be here but due to late nite on Fri, due to party, due to lazy, due to sleep, due to gf, chooses to boycott the team. If there is one person in the team who can do it, why cant u???

3rd) This is a dummy blog lor... May i seriously ask, who really reads tis blog??? I can see only a handful and not regularly also lor... This blog is meant to be our best means of info and updates but i get ppl asking me, "Wat your blog address", "U got write meh", "I nver read leh"... Can someone do something abt tis??? I even did sent a mass sms to all t kismis ppl i knoe to inform of this blog but none replied to me~!

4) Kismis Utd has been up for 3-4yrs... But how many tourneys or matches have we go for??? Who r our first IX or regular ppl??? Even when we need to play against others, we have to ask friend to bring friend to fill the voids. How pathetic. How r we going to organise anything if we cant even identify ourselves???

I know i m ranting a lot but i think i have to say lor... It's truely unfair to me and JonD for t hard work. When can we sit back on a Sat n wait for someone to call us up for soccer? Wanna bet, if t two of us dnt call for a mth, soccer stops for a mth??? Or should i say, who dare takes up t challenge of organising a Sat game (Dnt even mention tourney)...

Btw, i really appreciate tos friend's friends who bother to make t number for us every wk-end. We gotta rely so much on them. If tos ppl r members, they will make us prouder then tos who r here regularly but nver claims to b a kismis player at all...

Apology if the above passage have cause any discomfort or unrest among the ppl. It was meant to stir up a common reaction towards 'real' issues faced by Kismis. No one is personally targeted at or intended. We welcome all feedbacks, good or bad. and we'll try our best to address to the issue as a team, Kismis Utd team. Dnt wanna see ppl not turning up for soccer juz becos of something someone said...


Eric

Re-Registrations?

Hey guys, sorry haven't posted up anything, been busy with exams and World Cup. Anyway, it has come to my attention that alot of the guys don't know that I'm proposing a re-registration. I have spoken with Eric about it some time back, but I think I would suggest it to everyone now. Understandably, I'm not going to sit here in aus and let you-all do the hard work, so right now I'm just proposing the idea, and give it some time to develope, and I'll be a part of it when I'm back.

Firstly, we have several 'phantom players' in the sense that they exists, but we never see them. So I think instead of wasting an sms every weekend, just message them once and for all if they want to come down and be handed a jersey. If not, then you can tell them if they want to look for a game, to contact us if there is one on, rather than us contacting them anymore. If you think about it, if they come fewer times than they don't, then its more economic for them to message when they wanna come rather than asking them if they want or not.

Secondly, we have several players who are more consistent than certain so-called "members". Players like Shawn and Shahin and Jacky, just to name a few, are more than members and should be formally handed jerseys.

Thirdly, there are players who will feel more commited to come if you hand them a jersey and call them members. I get the feeling that some feel that they are there just to make up the numbers because of some of our member's reactions towards them.

These are the 3 major points I can think of at the moment. I'm sure you agree that there would be many more benefits ahead of just organisation, cost-saving and a team identity. I look forward to hearing comments from the team.

---

In a seperate point, I agree with Erwin about the "leaders" and an organised information network. Examples cited were to contact the likes of Shawn, Shahin and WeiChong, and in turn they will contact their friends, ex-classmates and siblings respectively. But I believe you have to have this network organised; though it might, it probably would not happen all by itself.

Also, there has been a suggestion of "new season" jerseys to coincide with the re-registration and recruitment drive. Especially if the old design is not longer available, we could get a new kit which includes names, numbers and maybe the badge. But this idea is still in a very transparent state and nothing has been confirmed yet. So we would like to hear comments from all as usual.

Thanks for you time,
Chau

Tis is t real thing... World Cup Party @ JonD's again...

Okie okie, the previous post by our famous JonD was nothing but a bogus claim!!! Well, like wat most of you would say 'As usual...' Yup, i agree!!! So in the end he made Jeremy bought extra food and repaid him by locking him out of the hse @ 4.30am... Shiok~! Ownage for Chancellor Nutty~!

Well back to the main thingy... Tnite, t real thing is going to happen again. World Cup Party @ JonD's, yeah~~~! (Oh, no more excitment liao?) Thanks to Kismis Utd's well-known ethnics of doing things at t last minute and delayed replies, we got ourselves a make-shift party again.

Here goes:

Event: Last Minute World Cup Party @ JonD's
Date: 1 July 2006
Time: Everytime before kickoff
Attire: Causal and ready for sleep type
Bring along: Lappy, food for your own good and pillows
Do Not(s): Support England, drink if you sucks at drinking, embarass yourself by claiming u r an England support and most importantly mention you like Becks (He's JonD's)

Okie done-ed... After a hot day of fun @ NUS, i managed to update tis blog... Me go sleep liao. Need to catch some sleep before the games tnite...


Eric