Saturday, May 03, 2014
BuGils FC International Soccer 6s
It may be a World Cup year and the focus of many football
fans will be directed towards Brazil but that doesn’t mean Indonesia will be
quiet these coming months.
Apart from anything else, Ajax Amsterdam are coming to town
to play a couple of friendles in Jakarta and Bandung against Persija and Persib
respectively while the Indonesian national team has a couple of games on the
horizon.
First up is a fund raiser for victims of the Philippine
typhoon last year when Indonesia play an ASEAN All Star XI. Then they head to
the Central Java city of Solo to play the mighty Dominican Republic.
In addition, there will be teams packing their toothbrushes
and shin pads to compete in one of the most eagerly awaited competitions on the
expat calendar.
The BuGils FC Soccer Sixes is now in its second season and
surely qualifies as the longest running football competition named after a bar
that no longer exists in the whole of South Jakarta.
20 teams from Indonesia, China, Singapore and Hong Kong with
200 players of varying shapes and sizes will be doing battle at International
Sports Club of Indonesia (ISCI) to win the coveted awards on offer including
highly sought after Best Drinking Team award.
This event though is more than just a few misshapen middle
aged men having a kick around on a Saturday afternoon. The aim is to showcase
the city of Jakarta and the visiting overseas teams will be invited on a tour
around some of the finest dining establishments the city has to offer in the
best way possible. By Kopaja mini bus during the Friday evening rush hour!
The day out at ISCI promises to be a memorable one. While
the hardy players run off their aching muscles and sweat out their alcohol
intake on the football pitch, spectators will have the full run of the ISCI
facilities including the swimming pool. There will also be a buffet available
and it is rumoured even a beer tent.
For younger visitors, there will be a bouncy castle along
with many other activities to keep them occupied and tired.
While the players take the odd break from their activities,
former Lokomotiv Moscow, Dukla Prague and Seattle Sounders professional
footballer Dale Mullholland will be holding a couple of coaching clinics where
kids can try and emulate their heroes on the pitch by pitting their ball control
skills against their peers.
At the end of a long day, there will be an awards ceremony,
without the lengthy speeches they are normally associated with in these parts,
before everyone piles on the bus and head to Kemang for a night of frivolity
and fun.
Hong Kong has its world famous sevens rugby tournament,
perhaps the BuGils 6s is setting the stage for Indonesia’s very own annual
sporting event! Certainly, organiser Jasper Bouman says the day should be a fun
day out for all the family and offers the city of Jakarta an opportunity to
showcase its unique attractions to the outside world.
The fun starts at 9am on May 3rd at ISCI!
# posted by Me @ 9:08 AM 
