Wednesday November 14, 2007
Frisbee fun for students, parents and teachers
FRISBEE disks flew across the field while supporters screamed themselves hoarse as they cheered for their respective teams at the inaugural Subang Jaya Community (SJC) ADUN–PIBG (Parent-Teacher Association) Ultimate Frisbee Fun Day.
The event, held at the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) sports complex, aimed to create a setting where students, parents and teachers could build relationships and have fun together, to introduce students to a new sport that was fun, great for fitness and teamwork, and to build the sport of Ultimate Frisbee within the Subang Jaya community.
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Promoting fun, fitness and relationships: Lee (right) and Ladner at the inaugural Subang Jaya Community ADUN-PIBG Ultimate Frisbee Fun Day.
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Four schools – SMK Seafield, SMK USJ4, SMK USJ8 and SMK USJ13 – participated in the Ultimate Frisbee friendly organised by the Subang Jaya Community Sports Club (SJCSC).
One of its unique features was that parents and teachers had to be included as part of the team line-up. Each team comprised two teachers, four parents and six students, making up 12 players in total.
For the seven-a-side tournament, the four teams featured in a round-robin competition.
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Whizzing away: A player from SMK Seafield (in green vest) attempting to block a player from SMK USJ8.
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Subang Jaya assemblyman Datuk Lee Hwa Beng officiated at the event, and sponsored a box of 25 Frisbee disks for each participating school. He also donated RM350 to each school for their sports funds.
“Ultimate Frisbee has many benefits. Players can take up a new sport while utilising the facilities provided by MPSJ. It’s a healthy activity that’s easy to pick up. It also promotes a good bond between the PTA and teachers as they get to know each other better.
“I hope to open this tournament to all schools in Subang Jaya next year. It will be held on a larger scale, starting with an inter-school/ league basis first, then the finals at the sports complex,” said Lee.
Event coordinator Douglas Ladner said Ultimate Frisbee was great for character building as it promoted fun, fitness and relationships, as well as the spirit of the game, which encouraged sportsmanship and fair play.
“It’s a great and inexpensive game that’s easy to learn. Playing Ultimate Frisbee allows parents to spend time with their kids.
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Coming together as a family: Players and supporters from SMK USJ8 turned up in full force. With them are Yee (left) and Chew (bottom, lying down).
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“Today’s event will be a preview to the SJC Youth Ultimate Open, an Under-18 Ultimate Frisbee tournament which will be held here on Dec 15.” (For details on the Open tournament, visit www.ultimatemalaysia.com.)
One team that stood out was SMK USJ8, whose large group of supporters came equipped with pom-poms and handwritten banner.
“Our motto is: We come together as a family, we fail and cheer together. All of us play, cheer and support each other as a family,” said team captain and Form Four student William Chew.
“Our team is called U8 Soar, and we’re currently the school’s unofficial Frisbee club. We formed the club early this year, and we have about 50 members comprising students from Forms One to Four.”
Chew added that they hoped to register U8 Soar as an official club in school, and participate in more tournaments in the future.
SMK USJ8 teacher and U8 Soar adviser Yee Thiam Lee said that the club was formed after many students enjoyed the game during Physical Education, and that coaching was on a peer-to-peer basis.
“The students who coach attended an introductory clinic organised by Ladner, and get additional information based on Internet research,” she said.
SMK USJ8 emerged as the tournament champions, while SMK Seafield was the runner-up.
