Our World Cup

As summer is coming, 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa is also in full swing. Thirty-two teams are fighting for the World Cup which also gives us a fantastic show in this summer. In ASAS, there is a group of people who love football. Today, we are pleased to talk with the partner of ASAS – Tom, let’s listen to his football stories.

Please give me a brief introduction of the ASAS super seven-football. And in the past season, what actually have left a deep impression on you? 

We started the ASAS super 7 league 3 years ago with 8 teams. I still remember their team names: Stroke Left/Right Titty (England), Chile (Chile), Les PMU (France), Brasa FC (Brazil), Los Farys (Spain), McCann (China), The Penguins (Free Agents).

 Now we have 16 teams with two different levels, competitive and recreational. Usually we do two seasons every year, spring season (from Mar to Jun) and fall season (from Aug to Dec).

There are many football leagues in Shanghai. We try to do something more closely to ASAS concept - meet new people, get in shape and have fun!  We believe many people are looking for a place to play football in Shanghai. We provide them a well organized platform and we are always trying to create more fun into our league like we select 7 players every week as a team of the week or a BBQ after the season after the season.

People bring new friends and the league is getting more larger and more international. We met people from everywhere. It’s very interesting thing we can see the way teams play football, the different football culture. Yes, football is a beautiful language!

Please share your story of falling in love with the football game.

Football is always my favorite sport. The team I won’t forget is 1995 Louis Van Gaal’s Ajax. I really enjoy watching that Ajax team play. But the Bosman rule forces them to lose their best players. To be honest, I still don’t like that rule.  Arsenal is another team I support.

Also, I have played a computer game called “football manager” for about 10 years. That’s a game of dreams come true. You can select your favorite players and kick out the players you don’t like. I might spent one year time on that game already!

 

Can you tell us which team is your favorite one in this year’s World Cup? And which team do you think has the strength to win? Which one do you consider will be the dark horse？

Come on Oranje! They are doing pretty well so far. Although I have to say this team is a bit different from previous Holland team. They do not have a superstar but they are more balance. I do hope they can get the cup this year.

 

Not many people believe Germany can beat England and Argentina, but they did it with two brilliant big wins. I don’t think Germany is a “surprise” or something like that, they are regular final four teams since I watch the world cup games. Just put 11 German on the pitch, it works.

  

Football game is always carrying many people’s heroic dreams. With the World Cup going on, let’s take part in ASAS matches! So, in the new season, be your own hero!

Introducing Axel – Our ski coach

Axel joined ASAS a few months ago and will be in charge of the ASAS skiing program in the season 2009/2010 and from spring 2010 will manage the ASAS outdoor program, which is in preparation at this point in time.

Axel is German but lived for over 15 years in Switzerland / France / Belgium as well as more than 17 years in South Africa. He has learned skiing in his infancy, at the age of six, and has since then skied for over 30 years nearly every winter in the Alps. So it does not come really as a surprise that he knows what to do on and with skis.

He is the type of skiier who, if ever he gets a chance, looks for the steep, untouched powder snow slopes to indulge in never ending swings and leave a spotless track behind. He is a ski mountaineer too – climbing in winter to the summit with skis and then skiing them down! His all time favourite territory for many years has been Chamonix, where from now on ASAS clients can experience under his guidance the ultimate in skiing adventure: the Vallee Blanche. Over 20 km downhill from 3848 m to 1000 m in a breathtaking, alpine high mountain scenery. The skiing possibilities in that region of the French Alps are endless.

But don’t worry if you are not there yet. He will coach you first in China, so that you learn the basics, should you still be a complete novice, or teach you advanced skiing skills should you already have some skiing experience.

A warm welcome to the ASAS skiing club!