Athletics News
Super Strikers This year, as part of the G3U boys Football program, a Grade 1 team called the Super Strikers was born! These brave young players of a very tender age tried out for the G3U Dragons Team against boys from G3 and G2 and since then they have never stopped training! For months, the desire has been strong, with most training 2 times a week for 1 hour with Coach Joao, demonstrating good understanding and motivation as they continue to improve skills individually and collectively, as a team. I can see by the way they are pumped up and enthusiastic at training that these boys take Football seriously and will continue to play throughout their lives, forever remembering the values they learned as Concordian Dragons. The values of Friendship, Sportsmanship, Achievement, Courage, Fair play and Communication will stay with them for a lifetime!
They played well in a few friendly matches against a team from D. Prep, our own G3U Team B and a G1 Parents Team, where they were able to apply some of the skills and values they had been learning. I hope that all my Super Striker players stay friends, continue to develop their skills and become in two years time one of our G3U strongest teams, taking Concordian Dragons to the highest place on the podium, always with compassion for others as their biggest achievement. Coach Joao
Fluffy Bunnies 2019 – 2020 G3U football had one of the strangest football seasons ever. We had a great team. We had twelve solid players led by captain Term. We had some struggles with passing at the beginning of the school year which resulted in some early losses that could have been avoided. We eventually fought through unexpected obstacles to become a real team. It was a pleasure to watch these students grow from individuals into teammates. Due to our Concordian toughness we were able to turn our slow start into a G3U ASIAA silver medal. Great work boys and good luck to our departing 3rd graders next year. We will miss you! 17 CONCORDIAN IMPACT - ISSUE 28
Coach Joe
Athletics News
Finally, it was AISAA Tournament day and we were in the finals against KIS. Dragons came out strong with an excellent defense team of Kairi, Grace, and Neala. It was back and forth for the entire game, with Captain Emma, Name, and Aiya working the front to attack and our steady wings of Vicky and Lilo chasing down balls and passing to our offense. Our Grade 1 subs cheered, provided sub relief under the hot sun, and got some exciting game playing experience. After regulation time there was still no score, which resulted in 5 more minutes of extra play.
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nother wonderful season of G3U girls football has ended! Our Lady Dragons started early in September learning the rules of the beautiful game, positions, ball handling and dribbling skills, as well as passing with control. Grade 3’s Emma and Grace were our leaders for this super young and enthusiastic team. Returning team players from Grade 2 were Name and Kairi, while we added new friends: Vicky and Pim Pim. Finally, we were so excited to add brand new Grade 1 friends: Aiya, Jilla, Neala, Lilo, Mira, Bambi, and Alicia. These Grade 1 players worked so hard and came to every practice ready to exercise, play hard, and above all, have fun as a team. Our game season started vs. Berkeley, and the Dragons managed to hold a very tight defense led by our goalie warrior, Captain Emma. The score was a tie 0 - 0 and considering only three of our players had ever played a game before on a big field, we were so proud of their progress. Then we traveled to KIS to play a very interesting and exciting indoor football game inside their gym. The Dragons lost, but we learned more about teamwork and resilience.
Still, the Dragon’s defense and Goalie Warrior Grace were too tough for the opponent. Dragons held strong and finally, there was a penalty shootout. Grace took the goal again and blocked the first KIS try. Captain Emma was the first Dragon to come up and fired a cannon to score one for Concordian. Grace continued to block and dodge and keep KIS at bay, while Grade 1 Neala scored again for us, with a strong upper corner shot. Score was 2-0, Concordian. At last it was Grace’s turn to shoot and she scored! The final result was 3-0, and Concordian Dragons were crowned AISAA Tournament CHAMPIONS! It was such a beautiful day outside playing football together, and loving the exciting atmosphere of league play. Coach Wilmer and Coach Heather are so proud of everything that these girls have accomplished and their commitment to being a team. G3U Girls Football continues to grow and we are excited to see what next year has in store for us. Keep playing hard, be strong, and never give up. Go Dragons! Love, Coach Heather & Coach Wilmer
Athletics News
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he G5U boys football team learned about themselves this year. They displayed plenty of individual talent and surely they will be champions in the future! During AISAA League play, at critical moments in a couple of games, not playing as a team led to losing against a team we should have beaten. Coaches worked on teamwork and helping each other for two weeks before the AISAA Tournament and it paid off. Dragons reached the finals! The boys ended up in 2nd place with the knowledge that they are going to be a really good team for G7U and with the improvement of G4 players, next year's G5U football. Thank you to the fantastic parent support! Coach Nui and Coach Kij
G5U Girls Football I
The look on KIS during the teams tournament game was priceless as the teams were evenly skilled! The love for the game could be heard for miles with the passionate cheer the girls roared before the games. The AISAA Tournament hosted at home was a nail-biter! The girls were able to secure it to the finals and took home a silver medal! We are so proud of all of these girls and their commitment to pushing through till the end! Your 100% effort surely paid off and we are looking forward to next year!
The girls pushed themselves during practices and the growth witnessed was astonishing! The players Coach Wilmer & Coach Dominik studied the different styles of play from different schools and used it to their advantage during matches.
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t has been a phenomenal year with our Lady Dragon G5U Football Team! Pre-season was a good indicator that there was nothing stopping these girls! The team consisted of fourteen courageous girls with all levels of skill sets but one thing in common: the love of football! The girls learned early on about the benefits of having a strong mental game. Each player showed a tremendous amount of determination when they stepped on the field. The resilience and dedication to commit from our outstanding goalie, Mya, was admirable.
Athletics News
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he Grade 7U Boys Football team was a rags to riches story. This year, the team consisted of many new players and many of these boys were even new to playing football. Thus, it was supposed to be a learning year, and of course, it started out like that. However, the boys worked hard and ended up surprising a lot of people by the end of the season. The team went winless in its first three games as they struggled with the faster, bigger, more skillful teams in the league. However, they endured the frustration with hard work at practice to eliminate the mental errors and small mistakes that were dooming them on defense and to improve the lack of goal scoring up front.
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G7U Boys Football
A draw with Berkeley and consecutive wins over Wells and KMIDS gave the team some confidence going into the tournament. The tournament was an open affair and any of the teams present had a shot at it. However, Concordian won three games and then a penalty kick playoff where four players scored (Kirk, Jerry, Thun, Kiri) and only one missed, and Burger made three incredible saves! The team played EIS in the finals and the game was very close but one unlucky goal cost the lads. They could not equalize at the end and thus, fell 1-0. However, a silver medal for a team that started out with a bunch of brand new players to the game of soccer is an incredible feat. Congratulations and thanks to the ultra-talented Jerry who ran the midfield, Kirk with his confidence and hair flip, Zen with his scary shot, Jiho (Julius) with his staunch defending, Thun for a remarkable return to soccer, Gumlaap for all his hard running even while sick, Ken who scored on his first shot and Kiri who scored his first goal after 58 shots but got so much better after that when moved to the midfield. And of course, a big congratulations to Burger for his plethora of incredible saves and who was finally rewarded with a few clean sheets. Well done by Paul who was strong in tackles, Pixels who scored twice as a rookie, Mase for his great defending, Thyme for his constant running and commitment, Joe Joe for his sportsmanship in hurting his teammates with crunching kicks in practice but never hurting the other team, K for knocking a couple of opponents over and constant improvement... and Pun for his dedication and being the most well-spoken football player in the history of soccer players. Great job, lads! Coach Neil
Athletics News
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he Grade 7U Girls Football: the new “Dream Team”. Can you imagine a perfect season? With a team winning the AISAA League and Tournament, and with something never seen before in Bangkok: a clean sheet throughout the season, in both League and Tournament, not a single team ever scored on us. So yes, that was the season of these brave girls. Starting the season with 9 players, some more joined later realizing how fun was playing football and we finished the season with 14 girls on the team. We started the League against Berkeley, winning 1-0, with so many chances: a great performance for the first game. Our second game was against last year's League champion and our girls played an amazing game showing the character of this team and winning 3-0. In the last 2 games against Ekamai (10-0) and Wells (7-0), we were trying different positions, with defenders playing as strikers, midfielders as defenders, and excluding our goalkeeper, out of 13 girls, 11 were able to score at least a goal in the League.
G7U Girls Football In the tournament, with very short games and under a very bright sun, we started by beating KIS 1-0 and then we drew with Berkeley 0-0. We achieved victory against Wells 3-0, and having already qualified for the final, we tried to save energy for the last game so we drew 0-0 against EIS. We were able to get the championship trophy by beating Berkeley 1-0 in another outstanding performance of the Dream Team.
Special thanks to coach Karissa, we couldn’t have done this without her help. So, what will be the next challenge for the Dream Team? Coach Toni
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Team Roster: Grace, Amy, Cal, Homdaeng, Nampetch (Grade 6), Bambam, Prin, Tasha, Vann, Fern, Proud, Praew, Pam, Memi (Grade 7). Coaches: Mr. Toni and Ms. Karissa.
Athletics News
“We won’t be competitive. We’ll be lucky if we can even get a full team,” I said to my friends this time last year. I have said many things in the past that I thought were true at the time but turned out to be untrue. This statement ranks as one of the few times where I was happy to be proven wrong. After the Class of 2019s graduated, we all felt a chilling emptiness: we had large shoes to fill. We no longer had the lightning pace of Tan or the rock-solid defense of Eiffel. We had Puthip, TK, Mammoth, Title, and a few maybes. We all felt a strong sense of self-doubt in our abilities, but we had to make do with what we had. As the new school year began, more and more people showed up to the Tuesday and Thursday practices. Perhaps it was TK’s magnetic leadership that drew many ex-footballers back to the field. Before we knew it, we had a full team! For what we lacked in technical abilities, we made up in sheer passion for the sport. Throughout the season, we experienced a full spectrum of emotions. Whether it be the ecstatic highs from our victory over Berkeley at the season opener, or the humbling low from our defeat at KIS, we experienced it all. Regardless of the results, we stuck together from the beginning to the end. I believe it was the struggle and uncertainty we faced at the outset that made our camaraderie that much stronger.
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As a senior, I am grateful for every moment with this team. Looking back at my high school experience, some of my fondest memories will no doubt be the ones with this team. Having spoken to my fellow seniors, we agreed that the most memorable moments are not of gamewinning goals or game-saving tackles. Instead, we will remember the little moments that gave us a sense of belonging and purpose. We treasure the joyous celebrations after winning a game, and the solemn embrace after defeat. We learned to appreciate the long-bus rides after a game, where we talked about life and learned more about one another. I learned the joy of being able to completely trust my brothers and learning to pull my weight - lessons that will undoubtedly be vital to us as we embark on a new chapter of our lives. As for the future of this team, I have no doubt that the passion and camaraderie I experienced will only continue with time. To TK, Tonnam, Sun, Title, and the two Pun Puns, thank you for displaying hopeful glimpses for this team’s future. All the best to you, and I hope to play on the same field as you all again. Puthip G12
Athletics News
G5U Boys Basketball T
he Grade 5 and under boys basketball team played very well in the tournament and in the league. They lost by only 2 points in the semi-finals against the champion EIS!
Next year will be a very exciting year for our basketball team! Coach Raymond
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Athletics News
G10U Boys T Basketball
his year was a tough season for G10U Boys Basketball. It was a young team and most of them were also doing other sports and activities aside from basketball at the same time. The highlight of their season was the tournament held at Wells International School. The boys were complete for the first time because it was a Sunday. The boys gave their best in all the games! They had an epic head to head game with Ekamai International School that went into a second overtime. It was a good end of the season playing together as a team and everyone had fun. Thank you goes out to Victor, Pun, Leeung, Jaden, Tonnam, Ninja, Jade, Tin, Kenji, Meg and Ming. Coach Manny
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G10U Girls Basketball
Athletics News
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hat an excellent 2019-2010 season the Grade 10 and Under Girls Basketball team had!
It began with tryouts back in October, with the top 10 ladies being chosen to represent Concordian. The Wells game was so evenly matched with Players were from Grade 8 to Grade 10. the lead going back and forth. It was in the final minute thirty where Wells stole the ball from us The first game we played against KIS was a and didn’t miss a layup. Wells was victorious and nail-biter, as the Dragons managed to pull off the our team played KMIDS for third place. We had win with just one minute remaining scoring four built up quite the lead, but KMIDS came back and baskets with the final score being 18-10. Our next took it. The Concordian team really persevered game was against a very skilled Wells team. We and scored two baskets including a free throw by were down 14-4 after the first quarter, but changed Rose, then an amazing outside shot by Jade that up our defense and the team managed to claw its gave us the win! way back in the last 2:30 of the game! Amazing defense managed to allow us to steal the ball and The Tournament result was not what we had erupt for quite a few layups to take the game 42-33. expected but in every game each player had to It was another well played game that had our team dig down deep to come back to make the game beat MUIDS with another come-from-behind win, winnable. We had the opportunities but just fell but in this game, everyone scored so it was a big short. team effort, 25-13. The team had great enthusiasm and worked Our final game of league play was against a young, really hard to achieve their positive results. I was inexperienced Ekamai team. All of our players also impressed with their ability to work around scored and we finished the season with the highest their academic responsibilities. Thank you also point total of 56-15. to all the teachers for helping accommodate the team so the entire team could play their games Concordian Dragons won the AISAA League play and attend practices! as we won all four games and had an incredible 141 points scored and only 81 points scored against us! Coach Mari Congratulations!
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In the Grade 10U Girls Basketball tournament, our team came out strong beating MUIDS easily but KIS played great defense against us. We managed to tie the game in the last minute but could not score after that, so Concordian had to play Wells in the semi-finals.
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Athletics News
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t was a stepping stone year for the Boys Varsity Basketball Team. The team has a lot of potential, but needs more time and practice to develop it. The year started off with a lot of promise with a highly competitive game versus KIS. Following two tough losses, the team was struck with bad luck as some key starters went down for the second half of the season. The team was led by Arthur, who showed he could play with the best of them down low in the paint. He was sorely missed in the final weeks as he recovered from a sprained ankle. Anthony showed a lot of promise for next year as this was his rookie year. He will be a key offensive component for the team next year. Au also missed the last few games with an ankle injury and was a presence in the paint and the team’s best rebounder. With some up and coming guards from grade 10, the Boys Varsity Basketball team will be a force to be reckoned with in the AISAA League next year! Coach Khahn
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Athletics News
Squash
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n the weekend of February 15th and 6th, eight members of the Concordian Squash Team travelled to the Royal Bangkok Sports Club to participate in the RBSC Youth Squash Tournament. Most of our players had never picked up a squash racket before this year, and have been improving their skills at practice during the first semester. For all but one player, this would be the first tournament any had competed in! The majority of our team at the tournament consisted of boys from G7 and G8 who played in the Boys U15-U19 age bracket, meaning they were playing opponents older than them, and vastly more experienced. We also had two girls, one each from G3 and G7 competing in the Girl U13 group, as well as one other G7 player in the Boys U13 group. Each player suffered first-game jitters, and unfortunately lost, some in tight games, but it was fantastic to see all players pick themselves up and continue to improve game after game across the weekend, with several players earning hard-fought victories. Some highlights of the weekend tournament included Minnie from G3, who bounced back from a tough loss in her first match against an opponent three year older than her to confidently win her second game, and also fought courageously in her final game of the weekend. Likewise, Doudou G7,showed great improvement throughout the weekend, which culminated in her winning her final game in a marathon 5-setter, showing composure and resilience to come back from a deficit in the 5th and deciding set. And finally Gyn who was also playing in the Ice Hockey Tournament from the Thursday to Saturday; he showed tremendous fight, and was particularly strong on Sunday despite all the sport he'd been playing
The rest of the team - Ben, Haady, Pud, Jiho (G7), and Lodrel (G8) – also showed great character throughout the tournament and continued to learn and improve, and every member of the team cannot wait to get back on the court and experience more tournaments!
Coach Ben and Coach Tingting
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Well done team, we're proud!
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Athletics News
Ice Hockey
The Newest Addition to Concordian’s Sports Repertoire
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very year new and more diverse sports are being offered at Concordian. Ice hockey however, is likely not a sport you would have expected to see here in Thailand. That all changed on February 13th when history was made. The first ever Concordian Dragon’s hockey team took the ice at Mega Bangna to compete in the inaugural Bangkok School Ice Hockey Championship.
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An idea for the team first arose when grade 7 student Ryu approached Mr. Jaren about possibly putting together and coaching a team. “I knew there would be a school hockey tournament because my usual hockey team parents were talking about it. Because it is a good experience for everyone to have fun and exercise, I came to talk to Mr. Jaren.” The idea was then brought forth to the administration. Secondary Vice Principal Mr. Bill explained, “When Mr. Jaren approached me about starting a Concordian Ice Hockey team to play in an upcoming tournament, I found myself pleasantly surprised by the number of our students who are not only interested, but already actively participating in hockey. I mean, Thailand isn't really known for its cold weather or winter sports. However, Concordian was more than happy to support our students as long as there were enough players committed to practice for and play in the tournament. As it turned out, our Dragons looked very good on ice.”
Grade 8 students My and Ade, grade 7 Ryu, Kaka, and Gyn, grade 6 Keen and Petch, and grade 5 students Garfield and Tino made up this year’s team, competing in the Under 14 division. Despite the team being made up of students from four different grades, the kids still impressed Mr. Bill with their teamwork. “I was impressed by the passion and skill they played with and how they never gave up; they kept competing and trying to win right down to the final buzzer. I also liked how players were willing to give up their normal positions to support the team. Kaka, for example, normally plays forward, but for Concordian he played defense because the team needed strong defenders to be competitive. He, Ryu, and Tino made it very difficult for other teams to score. Although Keen, Garfield, and Gyn were small in comparison to a lot of the defenders they faced, they still managed to light up the scoreboard on a regular basis with their quick moves and good passing. My (the only young lady on the team) and Petch controlled the middle of the rink falling back to help on defense or pushing the puck forward for opportunities to score. Ade, being a good team player, played wherever he was most needed.” Concordian hockey got off to an exciting start, with the Dragon’s winning their first ever game, defeating Bangkok Christian by a score of 4-3. The rest of the round robin play did not go so well, as they dropped their final two games, finishing third. This meant facing the number two seed Assumption, who handed Concordian their most recent loss, in the semi finals. The Dragons came out ready to play though, jumping out to a quick lead and holding onto it, moving to the finals with a thrilling, down to the wire 5-4 win.
Athletics News
Unfortunately the finals were not to be. Despite heavily outshooting the number one seed Saint Gabriel, the Dragon’s ran into a hot goaltender and struggled to score. Down 2-1 with just over a minute left, Concordian pulled their goalie in exchange for an extra attacker. Unable to capitalize, Saint Gabriel added two empty-net goals to win the game. While it was a disappointing end to a great first tournament, the team battled hard in front of a large number of the Concordian community that came out to cheer them on! Going home with silver medals, the students were happy to get a chance to play for their school. “I feel like this is a great opportunity, not only because something like this has never been done in our school before, but also because students from different grade levels can interact and have teamwork,” explained My. After the tournament, Mr. Bill was proud of the way the students came together and competed. “The final match was a thriller that could have gone either way, but unfortunately, the Dragons fell a bit short. I saw how disappointed the players were since the championship was almost theirs, but I think it is important to point out that a good number of our team were U11s that played up with the U14s so we could have a team. I hope now that they've had a chance to reflect on the tournament, that they are as proud of the way they played as I am of them for finishing 2nd against older and bigger teams.” Grade 7 Kaka, who typically plays forward for his club team, was selected as the tournament’s top defenceman! When asked about his experience, he remarked, “I really enjoyed playing in this tournament and in the future, I hope I can play again. I think it’s a great idea that the school has an ice hockey team. Also, they should have a rink so we can practice and get better as a team!” This sentiment was seconded by Keen, who mentioned, “I feel like the school is improving on supporting more sports but to be honest we need to have a rink for hockey so that we can improve and win the tourney next year.”
Coach Jaren
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While currently no plans exist for Concordian to build their own hockey arena, the sport has gotten off to an impressive start. Coach Jaren and the players already have their sights set on next year’s tournament, where they will be looking to continue to improve, and to establish a long tradition of ice hockey here at our school. In the meantime, the team managed to create a few new hockey fans in the process. As Mr. Mannish mentioned, "I never really had an interest in hockey, but watching the Dragons play was very exciting."
Athletics News
Strength and Endurance Concordian’s Fitness Team Shines
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thletics are emerging as a significant fabric of the Concordian community. With swimming, basketball, volleyball, football, badminton, and table tennis programs growing increasingly competitive, and new sports such as squash, slow pitch, and ice hockey joining the mix, being a Dragon means more than academic excellence. The benefits of staying active and taking care of your physical health are numerous, as are the important lessons students can learn through competition, individual, and team sports. The AISAA Strength and Endurance fitness competition serves to encourage students to be active while also generating a supportive athletic community. What really sets this event apart is how everyone is there to encourage one another one. Grade 10 Jade mentioned, “Surprisingly, all the competitors were all very supportive and friendly. Throughout the tournament, there were just cheers and positive feedback from all schools and encouragement to try out best. It made me feel safe and comfortable to participate in the tournament without feeling judged.” Grade 10 Prim agreed, saying, “The tournament was more about just moving and finding new friends. It wasn’t really competitive and it was more like getting to know one another better.”
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Each year the tournament is hosted at Concordian, showcasing our top of the line fitness center. Students that compete see benefits in the other sports they play, as well as their academics. Grade 11 Sanjana explained, “Fitness has always taken an important place in my life as I have played many sports since I was younger. I find that it makes me a productive worker and makes me feel good about myself.” Senior student Mammoth also noted the mental benefits from exercising and staying healthy. “Aside from the obvious health benefits, I think it helps you practice discipline and time management. I have noticed that keeping a regular fitness schedule helped me improve my studies as well.” Through competing, students are able to improve their overall fitness and develop self confidence along the way. “Fitness has made me reflect on myself in terms of weakness and strength and has taught me how to cope with them even through my biggest flaws. I am proud to say that fitness is slowly changing the way I feel, think and see my physical state and mental state as well.” As Grade 12 Nippon noted, “there is a real sense of satisfaction seeing results after you have dedicated your time and worked hard. “Fitness is important to me because it helps improve your overall health and it is always satisfying when you are constantly getting better results when you invest time in it. It also makes me feel energized and positive.” All this hard work certainly paid off, as the boys were very competitive in their division, and the girls, all competing for the first time, pulled together to capture gold as AISAA Strength and Endurance Champions! With 4 of the 6 competitors from this year eligible to return for next year’s competition, it seems the future is bright for Dragon Athletics! Coach Jaren