The Way We Play – Regular Session Dynamic

Our regular sessions have developed a dynamic of their own – we play 5 v 5 for one hour flat out, from 9 pm to 10 pm on work days, without substitutes.

Most other groups have a small pool of regulars, and play just once or twice a week. As long as they have 10 to 15, the game goes on. We can cap our numbers at 10 per session, because anyone who comes in later has the choice of playing on other days.

With 10 to 15 playing over one or two hours, either with 2 teams and rolling substitutions or three teams, players spend a lot of time waiting, either for everyone to turn up, or for their turn to play.

To me, that’s a lot of wasted time. We faced some of those issues when we used to play at Bukit Timah campus. I don’t mind playing that way once in a while, but not on a regular basis. We all have various demands on our time – work, family, social commitments, travel and other activities, so spending two hours a week on football can be a bit of a luxury. That’s one reason I keep our regular sessions at one, short-sharp, hour. If everyone comes on time, we play flat out for one hour, and then the game is over.

Starting at 9 pm allows everyone to get to the venue early.

One hour flat out also means we get a good work out in that one hour, without a lot of stops and starts. The only “rest” we get is when we go in goal.

Hopefully, playing regularly also improves our footballing abilities, especially the aspects of our game that are lacking.

Any mixed sessions or non-regular sessions can develop their own dynamic.