The wait was over, the time had come, the moment I'd been waiting for all year had finally come. I was heading to Dubai for the 2012 U-15 BSME (British Schools in the Middle East) Games. I was there for both basketball and football and we had high hopes of performing well in the tournaments against other schools from across the region. It was our World Cup, our NBA play-offs. We flew out early on Thursday morning on Egypt Air in a Boeing 777and arrived at our hotel. The Dubai Silicone Oasis Premier Inn (everything is premier including the price in this country) to check in. After enjoying a day of relaxation at the hotel and a trip to Dubai Mall (the world's largest shopping mall) we went to bed determined to put on a good showing in the basketball. We came 4th out of 10 which isn't bad. While the girls came 5th our of 8 in the netball. So to celebrate our triumphant first day at the games we headed to Emirates Mall, unfortunately it meant we were tired for the nest day, which was the football. Our tournament could act as a microcosm for the English national team. Think we will win, are ill prepared and do OK. Considering there were 20 teams I think 5th is quite good.
With me wearing my lucky #97 jersey we headed to AUS (American University in Sharjah) with high hopes. In our first to games we shone outclassing our opponents with our free-flowing passing style, I made some good saves and almost scored, running out to clear a loose ball that went agonisingly close to the goal. We won 2-0 in the first game and 2-1 in the second, I was to blame for the goal we conceded against Alkhor, I miss judged the flight of a free-kick and it went in but we still won the game. Then came are first test, English College Dubai, I'm sorry to say we didn't rise to the challenge, losing 3-0, the first goal our defence let the striker clean through and he placed it right in the far corner. Before a great shot from just outside the area found the bottom corner. I made a great diving save from a similar situation to the first goal and made some good catches. In the second half we conceded again our other goalie let the striker round from a through ball he should have got to first. But still as long as we could beat KES (Kuwait English School) the team who'd come 2nd in the Basketball They weren't a football team though, we were nervous but ran out 1-0 winners. We came second behind ECD and faced St. Christopher of Bahrain in the quarters, they were good and we were shattered, more shattered than plate glass windows after a Jackie Chan film, the late night had killed us. We lost 2-0, a penalty for a handball, the other goalie was in and though I knew where the taker was going to put it.
So we crashed out of the tournament in 5th place which isn't bad considering we had a late night, some of the teams hadn't played basketball the day before, we had the youngest squad in the tournament and we'd had 2 team practises. I think I made a good impression on the world stage, making some good saves plus if there'd been an award for best goal scored in practise I would have won, scoring a stunning bicycle kick during a kick-about or when I weaved through 7 of our players in a game of World Cup (which we were all taking very seriously) before firing the ball into the top corner from just outside the box. But anyway it was a great experience the best trip I've ever been on and I get to go on more. Maybe in a few years you'll be hearing about the BISC #97
With me wearing my lucky #97 jersey we headed to AUS (American University in Sharjah) with high hopes. In our first to games we shone outclassing our opponents with our free-flowing passing style, I made some good saves and almost scored, running out to clear a loose ball that went agonisingly close to the goal. We won 2-0 in the first game and 2-1 in the second, I was to blame for the goal we conceded against Alkhor, I miss judged the flight of a free-kick and it went in but we still won the game. Then came are first test, English College Dubai, I'm sorry to say we didn't rise to the challenge, losing 3-0, the first goal our defence let the striker clean through and he placed it right in the far corner. Before a great shot from just outside the area found the bottom corner. I made a great diving save from a similar situation to the first goal and made some good catches. In the second half we conceded again our other goalie let the striker round from a through ball he should have got to first. But still as long as we could beat KES (Kuwait English School) the team who'd come 2nd in the Basketball They weren't a football team though, we were nervous but ran out 1-0 winners. We came second behind ECD and faced St. Christopher of Bahrain in the quarters, they were good and we were shattered, more shattered than plate glass windows after a Jackie Chan film, the late night had killed us. We lost 2-0, a penalty for a handball, the other goalie was in and though I knew where the taker was going to put it.
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| Taken like a german... |
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