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Port of Call |
LAST UPDATE November 4, 2007
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| October 12, 2007 |
Kochi, India – Bend it Like Peace Boat – Soccer Exchange with the Local Youth Soccer Team |
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| Peace Boat spent one day in the picturesque Indian port town of Kochi, founded in 1341 |
When Peace Boat sailed into Kochi, India for the day, many participants were getting ready to attend cultural exchanges or educational programmes in the area which is comprised of two million people and located in progressive and developed Kerala state. One small group of athletic participants, however, was busy plotting strategies to better their chances of winning a game against the local youth soccer team, the Sealine Santos. As the bus puttered to the soccer pitch, through Jewish Town (whose population shrank from 5,000 to 13 after the creation of Israel in 1948), past the oldest synagogue in the British Commonwealth and past men hauling fish from ancient Chinese-style fishing nets, the zealous team could not be distracted from devising their game plan. |
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| Participants interact with the locals before the game |
By the time Peace Boat’s Blue Samurais, comprised of a dozen guys and a few girls, stepped foot on the sandy field, they were ready to set the record straight after suffering a string of humiliating defeats in Kochi in the past. In addition to the dry, hot conditions, the Blue Samurais had to contend with a small herd of local newspaper journalists and a TV crew who showed up both to find out more about Peace Boat’s mission while watching a good game of soccer. After getting the public relations out of the way, the team was ready to cut the Sealine Santos down to size. Participants were surprised to see, then, that when the Santos jogged onto the field, all kitted out in red, they were already pint-sized, their age ranging from 13 to 18. |
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Some nice work from goalie Shuzen who played a large part in securing Peace Boat’s first ever win against the local team, the Sealine Santos. |
The first and “serious” game got off to a slow start, although there were some entertaining spills as the Blue Samurais struggled to adapt to the sandy conditions. Roger Bymolt, a volunteer GET teacher from New Zealand proved to be the star of the match when he got the only goal for the Samurais and led the team to their first ever victory against the Kochi side. Honorable mention must also be given to the sharp goalie Shuzen who intercepted the ball at crucial moments numerous times. Off the field, Blue Samurai captain Sato Shu wheezed ‘It was very physical. The other team were very good. They will be the national team one day.’ |
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| Some fancy footwork from the opposition whose youthful energy exhausted the Blue Samurais. |
The next game, a “friendly” match, was between the Santos’ girls’ team and a mix of male and female Blue Samurais. It proved to be more eventful than the previous game, with most of the action centering around the goal posts, and again, the Blue Samurais took the game 3-2. Finally, boys will be boys and the Santos requested a “revenge” match against the Blue Samurais. By this time, the sun was setting, the crowds of spectators were dribbling away to feast after their Ramadan restrictions were over and before anyone could score a goal it was time to move to the clubrooms located to change. |
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| As the competitive spirit died down, the Blue Samurais and Sealine Santos became fast friends and allowed the winning side to show-off their plate and banner. |
Demonstrating that sport can overcome language barriers, cultural differences and glaring age gaps, the two teams were seated together like old friends. Shameed Nafi from the opposition half-jokingly remarked that the Samurais ‘will be good if they practice.’ President of the Cochin Soccer Federation, Mr Rafique proved to be a good sport by saying that ‘It was a very good match. It was the first time you beat us. We are very happy you won the match.’ He graciously presented the Samurais with a shield and a banner. Peace Boat staff member, Phil Rundell, speaking on behalf of the Blue Samurais, thanked the opposition: ‘Full credit to Santos. Thanks for the great game. You’re a strong team, and thanks for welcoming us so warmly.’ And with that, Santos scurried off to shower and eat and the Blue Samurais limped back to the bus, happy to have made new friends and broken Peace Boat’s soccer curse while showing that despite pronounced differences, soccer is a bridge that brings people together and allows for cultural exchange at a grass roots level. |
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