Back in Indonesia. Jakarta Sep.13 '08
Saturday, September 13, 2008 at 03:51PM Amsterdam - Dusseldorf - Dubai - Colombo - Singapore - Jakarta - Jakarta International School Varsity Soccer Exchange.
It has been about 10 days since I arrived back at Soekarno Hatta International Airport, in Jakarta, Indonesia. It has been about 3.5 years since I left. The smells and sounds are still the same, but the eyes do change. I have been staying with my aunt and uncle and their three boys, and will continue to do so for most of the next 4 months. Their eldest is now in his senior year and is now actively participating in many of the activities I took part in at his age. Some have different venues, but Jakarta International School (JIS) Varsity Soccer, still has it's set location. That being said, there have been some dramatic increases in the amount of protection/difficulties to enter the school grounds.
Last weekend I had the pleasant opportunity to photograph the annual, pre-IASAS, exchange. A small tournament, where the international kids from Jakarta, Singapore, Bangkok, and Kuala Lumpur can get used to playing against each other. The exchange is also used to find out the strengths and weaknesses of the opponents. But mostly it is also just plain fun.
3 months of hard work and plenty of team bonding go into making a team that may just win the IASAS tournament in october. The Jakarta (or Dragon) team still has quite a bit of work to do, but they have a fair bit of potential, and are quite evenly matched. Kuala Lumpur even has a 13th year student playing, who will begin his further studies in the spring of next year (perks of going down under). He's a big guy and the main force behind the KL defense. A 13th year is something I too once hoped for. The thrills of sports, as well as other events and routines at JIS, are ones not easily left behind. Having left, though, you see that everything has it's place in life, and that is what makes them so special.
The following photos are a selection of shots taken during the exchange.
Brandon is a strong athletic player, who emits charisma both on and off the pitch.
My cousin, Milan, a key member of the team, has been dealing with a groin injury, and although he loves to be on the pitch, he makes sure to ice and rest when possible.
Nico is a player that all coaches love: hardworking, disciplined, skilled, and fast. He dutifully follows the orders of one of the JIS Varsity coaches, Mark Gray, to eat bananas after each game.
Reader Comments (1)
Hey Mike,
You captured the JIS spirit really well. These are great shots. I especially like the aura of light around Brandon's head. You have some great action pictures too.
Sylvia