A VERY happy new year to everyone and it’s been a wet beginning. What’s in store for 2012? The first tournaments will be the schools’ tournaments slated for March for the divisional level and the state level in April.
Right now the dates have yet to be confirmed for the tournaments in Kuching and Samarahan, which should be known as the tournaments get nearer.
For Samarahan division, SMK Asajaya will again be the host and the schools slated to be down to play are SMK Asajaya, SMK Asajaya 2, SMK Muara Tuang, SMK Ta’ee and SMK Wira Penrissen in the U-18’s. In the U-15’s, six teams will be the fray for honours, with the host putting up two teams while the other four schools will send a team each.
Samarahan this year will be the host and organisers for the state level inter-division U-18 over four days in April 10-13.
The Kuching tournaments will be hosted by two schools, Kolej DPAH will host the U-18’s and SMKA Sheikh Hj Othman Abdul Wahab (Shoaw) will host the U-15 10’s.
These tournaments should be played at the Song Kheng Hai field as the schools fields are not quite up to scratch but at the end of the day, it is the call of the hosts to decide on the venues.
The other divisions, Sibu and Miri should also be having their tournaments in March so that they can select and prepare their representatives for the inter-division in April.
After the inter-division in April, the next assignment will be the national level tournament to be hosted by Negeri Sembilan in early June.
So March will be a busy month for the schools and consequently, the referees in the state.
With the tournaments slated in March for all the divisions, hopefully the referees in the state will be enough to handle the tournaments.
With just eight referees in Kuching, it will be a logistical nightmare to delegate these referees to tournaments.
Unless of course, the teachers who went for the referees course finally are ready and have the confidence to take charge of the games.
But this is something that is highly unlikely to happen as it’s been three years since the course and none of these teachers have yet to take up the whistle.
There will be another friendly game today scheduled for kick off at 4.30pm at the Song Kheng Hai ground along Padungan Road and everyone who is interested in running out for a game are most welcome to turn up at the field before 4.30pm.