Playing like a pro

By Khairul Anwar

Hall 16 defender Ong Kang Sheng (left) has felt a difference in the pitch size and atmosphere at the Jalan Besar Stadium. PHOTO: FIONA MEI ROBINSON

For two years, Ong Kang Sheng warmed the bench for his school football team. His lack of previous match experience meant that he was an unused substitute for most games.

The then-Victoria Junior College student had only stepped on the pitch at the Jalan Besar Stadium once – to warm up when his team played in the finals of the A Division Football Championships.
“It was disheartening to be on the bench the whole time,” said the second-year National Institute of Education student.

“I want the younger generation to have this experience – to play on a nice pitch with people watching. That’s probably as close as you can get to being a national player.”

Mr Shaun Lin, 32
PlayPal co-founder

These days, Ong, 22, plays in a corporate football league on Saturdays, but only on secondary school pitches – never at a stadium.

But all that changed when his Hall of Residence entered the Great Eastern Amateur Football League (GEAFL). The league is organised by Great Eastern (GE) whose partners are event consultant group The eXperience Concept, and online social football platform PlayPal, which connects amateur football teams.

Professional stadiums

All GEAFL matches are played at S.League stadiums. A notable difference between the Jalan Besar Stadium pitch, home to S.League team Garena Young Lions, and a school pitch is the different artificial turf laid out.

For school fields, the turf is rated by its manufacturer but the Jalan Besar Stadium is rated ‘2 Stars’ – the highest rating in the system – by FIFA, the world governing body for football.

Ong, who plays as a centre-back for Hall 16, said: “The atmosphere at Jalan Besar is very different because it’s a proper stadium. The field here is bigger and there’s a lot more space to play the ball.”

PlayPal takes charge of the weekly operations, such as scheduling games, providing logistics, and securing stadiums for games.

Its co-founder Mr Shaun Lin, 32, said: “It’s an experience to play at Jalan Besar. Not everyone has the chance to play here, let alone other stadiums.

“The atmosphere at Jalan Besar is very different because it’s a proper stadium. The field here is bigger and there’s a lot more space to play the ball.”

Ong Kang Sheng, 22
Hall 16 footballer

“I want the younger generation to have this experience – to play on a nice pitch with people watching. That’s probably as close as you can get to being a national player.”

Professional pitches aside, the matches will also be officiated by referees provided by the Football Association of Singapore.

Hall 16 midfielder Derrick Lim (second from left) can now play on the Jalan Besar pitch instead of cheering from the stands. PHOTO: ZHENG JUNCEN

New experience

The league kicked off in August at the Jalan Besar Stadium. It comprises several NTU and National University of Singapore halls, GE agencies, which are companies that represent GE, and Sunday league teams.

Like his Hall 16 teammate Ong, Derrick Lim, 21, has watched live matches at the stadium but never imagined he would step onto its pitch as a player.

“It was phenomenal. It’s a different experience putting my boots on and actually playing,” said the first-year School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering student.

New pitch problems

But playing on a new turf also provides its own set of challenges for the players, which second-year School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) student Dave Lee experienced.

The 22-year-old Hall 12 captain said: “The grass is short and I felt that the pitch was slightly slippery – it could be due to the lack of rubber bits, which increases traction.”

Echoing his teammate’s view, Adam Malik, 23, also noted that the ball moves faster and bounces higher on the pitch.
But the second-year MAE student relishes the opportunity to play in an actual S.League stadium.

“The field might be a little slippery but it’s definitely better than the usual pitches I play on,” the left-back said.

“I’ve always wanted to play at Jalan Besar but my junior college team fell short of reaching the semis. So just being here now gives me an adrenaline rush.”