Only three weeks after moving to Singapore, ANZA Cycling newbie John Cross enjoyed a recent day trip to Desaru.

It was pretty much a last-minute decision for me to join the ANZA Cycling ride to Desaru. As a newbie to Singapore, with only three weeks under my belt, I really had no idea what to expect.

We were to meet at 6.15am at Changi Point Ferry Terminal, so I googled the place, mapped the route in Strava and set the alarm for 4.45am. Even though I seemed to get caught at every set of traffic lights on the way to the ferry from Lorong Chuan, it was still an easy ride of around 35–40 minutes, so all good so far.

Once at the ferry terminal, I found myself in a group of around 20 cyclists, with everyone carefully stacking their bikes in the designated waiting area, some intent on tracking down a last-minute cup of coffee, others slathering on their sunscreen and all gathered and ready to hand over their passports just before 6.15am.

We took a few quick photos, cleared immigration and boarded the two boats that were to ferry us across to Malaysia.

The boat ride was pretty smooth, the little ‘bumboat’ weaving in and around all the land reclamation/dredging mountains of gravel to arrive at Tanjong Pengelih around 45 minutes later. We were then straight off the boat, with the bikes unloaded and through immigration in only a few minutes.

Once all assembled there was a team photo, with me being the odd one out, as I had not taken delivery of my ANZA kit yet.

The roads in Malaysia were pretty much traffic-free (it was nice to get in 100km without a single traffic light) but you had to keep your wits about you for the occasional fairly sizeable pothole. (This is one regular feature of riding in the UK that I do not miss.)

It was a nice 30kph average ride to Desaru, where we stopped for lunch and water refills. After the food stop we reassembled and headed back the same way we’d come. I’m pretty sure we had a bit of a tailwind on the way back and it felt an easier effort.

It had really started getting a bit warm and the heat coming off the road, combined perhaps with the early start, began to take a toll on a few people in the bunch, with pulls on the front becoming shorter and shorter. My Garmin ultimately showed a peak temperature of 39 degrees. For a UK resident that’s unheard of – we get excited and sit on the beach at 19 degrees!

We arrived back in plenty of time for cold drinks before boarding the bumboat. We all enjoyed the breeze coming off the water on the way back and once through immigration again in Singapore we disbanded to make our respective journeys home – for me this meant another 35-minute ride to make a total of around 150km cycling for the day.

All in all, a hassle-free day (well organised by Neridah and Megan) and I’ll certainly be putting my name down for more!

Find out more about at getting involved at the ANZA Cycling page.

In addition to the Saturday league, some ANZA Soccer players also take part in the ANZA Competition Teams, says Cara D’Avanzo.

ANZA Soccer players get on the field most Saturdays in the ANZA league, but for some of our players that is just not enough! This year, over 180 of our most enthusiastic and strongest players are also playing on ANZA Competition Teams on Sundays. Their opponents are drawn from a variety of soccer academies, and the external leagues that these teams play in allow ANZA players to experience a different style of soccer in a more serious competitive environment.

Earning places on the ANZA Competition Teams was an arduous process this year. More players than ever before signed up for the five try-out sessions, which took place in August and early September. Drills and scrimmages allowed boys and girls to show off their skills while our professional coaches graded them to make cohesive teams. The standards of play and fitness were extremely high, partly in thanks to the extra practices offered by ANZA Soccer in the off-season.

Eventually, candidates were allocated to 15 teams playing across age-level and skill-level divisions. Players range from valiant little Group 6 players to the agile and clever young adults on the Group 16 team. We have also formed our first Competition girls’ team, comprised of experienced players aged between 12 and 14.

We are confident that all ANZA Competition Teams – our Socceroos, our Matildas, our Golds, our Greens, and our Joeys – will make us proud. Several international tournaments next spring, including the SEA Cup (to be held in Bangkok this year), will give players extra incentives to do their best in hopes of being selected for participation.

Families new to ANZA Soccer often ask about the difference between the Saturday league games and the Sunday Competition games. Because Competition Teams are selective, Sunday players may not all get equal playing time, and there is extra emphasis on attending training sessions. Games take place at venues around the island, against teams that often practise three or four times per week, so there is a premium on ball control and player positioning. Professional referees oversee all games, and every game counts toward the divisional rankings. At the end of the first round, a division’s top teams are promoted, while the bottom teams are relegated, as in professional leagues.

All ANZA Competition players wear the green and gold ANZA Competition kit; for the third year, the Competition Teams are generously sponsored by Accor Hotels.

As the Competition season starts, we look forward to many exciting matches and rewarding experiences for ANZA Soccer’s Competition players. Most of all, we welcome the chance for them to further their love of the game with enthusiasm, skill, and the Fair Play spirit.

COMPETITION TEAM RESULTS, 2013–14

Last year we were thrilled by excellent results from our Competition Teams.

In the Championship League:

• First place to our Group 6 team, our Group 10 Division 2 ‘Green’ team and our Group 12 Division 2 ‘Green’ team

• Second place to our Group 8 Division 2 ‘Gold’ team

• Third place to our Group 8 Division 2 ‘Green’ team, Group 10 Division 2 ‘Gold’ team, Group 12 Division 1 team, and Group 14 Division 2 ‘Gold’ team.

In the Premier League:

• Third place to our Group 16 team

• Fourth place to our Group 14 team

Find out more about our soccer programs at the ANZA Soccer page or join the waiting list for the Sunday Competition.

The stars were certainly aligned when ANZA Netball and coach Jolynn Loo joined forces, says Donna Williams.

ANZA Netball has been building up its coaching team for a few years, sending willing and devoted volunteers to coaching courses that Netball Singapore provide throughout the year. As part of this development, ANZA Netball decided to develop our coaches and players by bringing in external expertise. The arrival of coach Jolynn Loo came about through this initiative.

Jolynn is an accredited Level 2 Coach with over 10 years experience in coaching girls of all ages and levels. In 2014 Jolynn was the coach for the U17s Singapore National Team.

At ANZA Netball, you will find Jolynn on court from 9.45am–1pm, first as head coach for the 12-year-olds age group, followed by head coach for 14- to 16-year-olds age group. She is instrumental in developing the coaching plan for these age groups, coaching the coaches(!), and of course coaching our girls. She also helped out as the coach of 11-year-olds rep team that travelled to Perth earlier in the year.

We recently caught up with Jolynn to talk about all things netball.

Why and when did you initially start playing netball?

Haha, this is funny. The ECA that I joined at school was cancelled, so my teacher forced me into netball. I was 14 years old. I hadn’t considered it until then but loved it straight away.

What is your major playing achievement?

Singapore 19/U in 1999 and 2000.

When was your first coaching experience?

1998.

How old were you when you attended your first coaching course?

When I was 16.

What are your aspirations for coaching?

To develop a world-class team for international competitions.

What are you doing now apart from coaching with ANZA?

I’m coaching in two local schools ranging from 9- to16-year-old girls. Once in a while I coach my own elite netball club team – the Magic Marlins.

I’m involved in yoga too! It helps me to focus and be patient.

You just assisted the Vietnam National team and the Asian Championships last week. Can you tell us more?

Netball Singapore approached me to be attached to the Vietnam team to advise on any netball matters during the Asian Championships. This is the first time Vietnam has had a netball team participating in Asian Netball Championship. It was an eye-opening experience.

What is your coaching style?

Setting clear goals, working towards getting the girls to buy in on what they want to achieve, then supporting them as they do the hard work towards execution.

What are three top tips you have learnt from other great coaches?

Trust in your own coaching abilities; trust in your players’ abilities; and praise works wonders! Coaching should never be just a coach’s plan. It’s all about enabling all the strengths of the players and combining them into a bigger strength for the team to excel together. No one person should be left out in the team, from players to officials.

Who is the best coach you have worked with?

Julie Hoornweg. She is able to make a low-confidence player an awesome player on court. She never stops praising players for good work done. She is able to make any player think of solutions rather than be given the solution from the coach.

In your opinion, what is more important, physical or mental toughness?

Both I guess, they are inter-connected. But if you want me to choose, I choose mental toughness. At the end of the day it is mind over matter.

How important is a positive attitude?

I would say a big VERY! Without a positive attitude, you will never go far as a humble and respectable player. The ‘never die’ spirit will lift anyone from the bottom of the pit.

Is it ever too late to learn to play netball?

NEVER! There’s a Chinese saying that I grew up with, ‘one is never too old to learn’.

Thanks to Jolynn for taking the time to do this interview and for being a part of our team as we continue to develop and grow at ANZA Netball.

ANZA Athletics is back and better than ever with a great start to the 2014/15 season, says Carole Smith.We’re very pleased to be back in full swing for the 2014/15 season of ANZA Athletics, having started at the end of August.

With 180 children registered so far, the committee is pleased with the turnout, given the forced early termination of the 2013/14 season. The children are already loving their Friday nights, with one boy commenting, ‘out of rugby, soccer and athletics, I love athletics the most!’ Go Athletics!

Whether the kids are Road Runners or Homer Simpsons in terms of their athletic prowess, the ‘personal best’ (PB) system, in which children receive a yellow PB sticker every time they beat their previous best result, provides an incentive for everyone to get out there and try their hardest. The children are trying so hard, in fact, that well over 2000 PBs have been achieved so far.

With 12 dedicated coaches on board, children are coached through their events, and are shown the correct techniques to use from High Jump lift-offs to hurdles foot placement.

Perhaps the best thing about ANZA Athletics is the sportsmanship that is brought out in the children, as they rally to encourage the slower runners to the finish line. This has been commented on particularly in relation to the Under-11 boys, who have been seen more than once running alongside one of their group encouraging him to finish the race. As parents, it’s wonderful to be part of such an environment.

The Committee is always seeking parental feedback, and none makes us happier than a new parent’s comment that ‘the format and organisation is exceptional.’ The Committee wishes to give all of the parents a huge pat on the back for all of their efforts every Friday night. The mantra of many sports is that it wouldn’t happen without the parents, but in the case of ANZA Athletics, it really is true. We are heavily dependent on parental involvement, and we are very rarely let down. In fact, we delight in how parents seem to take ownership of their particular task, and undertake it with a sense of pride.

The confidence which comes from participating in Athletics does have positive knock-on effects elsewhere. For example, one of the committee member’s sons has improved noticeably in rugby due to his running skills. Other children may realise that, given the opportunity, they are actually quite good at certain events, and set their sights on achieving an age-group record, or winning a trophy at the end of the season for a top three placing. All athletes (as ANZA Athletics children may proudly call themselves) who attend regularly collect medals and certificates at the end of season – yet another reason to take part.

And if parents are still left wondering whether it is worth their time and effort on a Friday night… well, at least they can be guaranteed tired (and hopefully happy!) children ready for bed on their arrival home.

There is still room in nearly all age groups for more eager participants. Come and join us!

Find out more on the Athletics page or register now at the half season price of $140.