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BSL WFC gets the nod from local FA
For the first time, international girls living in the kingdom will be able to play top level football here, thanks to a change in the rules by the Football Association of Thailand that allows a foreign student team to participate in the National Thai Women League for season 2020/2021.
The change means that players from the Women’s Football Club (WFC) from the Bangkok Soccer League (BSL) will face regular competition in games against Thailand’s top teams, bringing enormous all-round benefits to the game. WFC will be the only ‘farang’ base team in the league. BSL WFC aims to lead the way for young international and Thai students and experienced footballers in Thailand. The club offers both recreational and competitive football for ladies at all age groups. Its weekend program runs at Brighton College Bangkok, using a full size grass pitch. BSL was founded more than 30 years ago as a voluntary organization that provided the opportunity for youth players from international and Thai schools in the greater Bangkok area to play football. The league is committed to providing opportunities for all players to reach their highest potential in football and in life through teamwork, competition and individual achievement. BSL WFC is the only competitive girls’ football club open to female youth football players of all nationalities. Most are international or international-Thai students living in Thailand with their families. The majority attend local international schools and play in the schools’ varsity teams.
After arriving in Bangkok 15 years ago as a talented young golfer, Michael Moir came up with a business plan to supply shirts for local golf tournaments. Today he heads up Fenix XCell, a successful international golf apparel company.
Originally from Aberdeen, this friendly 35-year-old Scot still plays a mean round of golf, and often partners with some of the stars on the European, Asian or PGA tours.
We caught up with Michael at his Bangkok HQ, to find out how he managed to successfully enter this very competitive world. So why back in 2006 did you choose to fly half way across the world to arrive in Thailand? Mike: Originally, I moved to Singapore in 2002 to spend time with my father, loved Asia, so decided to stay. I met my future wife just two weeks after arriving, and eventually I moved to Thailand. How did you start Fenix XCell? Mike: I met a couple who were in the golf business at a tournament, and after a brief spell working together, decided to buy their half of the business and Fenix was born. Do you remember your first retail customer? Mike: Yes it was Muang Kaew. Luckily, I knew the GM there and he took a chance with us. At the same time, we got our first custom order from a Singapore finance company, and delivered shirts for their golf event in Thailand. What were the challenges back then? Mike: Finding the right materials, while keeping to the suppliers’ minimum orders was tough. We were a small company, so had to rely on leftover fabrics. The other main challenge was keeping all our customers happy. I remember I even took orders for just five shirts with multiple logos, and delivering them myself! 
Photography by Tadamasa Nagayama
The 2019-2020 Sport Corner Siam Hockey League capped off what was the most exciting season yet with a drama filled playoffs and championship.
Peak Biolabs and Novotel earned the right to play for the championship by winning their respective semifinal series. In the first playoff series, Novotel took out Hertz in a two-game sweep after Hertz earned the right to select their first round opponent by finishing first in the final regular season standings. Novotel took their selection as strong motivation to prove Hertz made a mistake by picking them, as Novotel had finished third in the standings ahead of Aware. Both semifinal games of the series saw Novotel take control of the game, and when Novotel was able to get a few pucks past Hertz goalie Lance Parker, Novotel netminder Leo Liao shut the door and proved why he was the best goalie in the league all season. In the other semifinal series, Aware and Peak played the closest playoff series in the four seasons of the SHL. The two teams split the first two games with Aware winning game one and Peak game two, with both games only being decided in the final two minutes. The third and final game was a back and forth affair with Peak pulling it out, again with the game going deep into the third period without a clear winner.
Photography by Tadamasa Nagayama
The Sport Corner Siam Hockey League turned the page on an eventful 2019, and began 2020 with what will be an exciting race to the finish. The excitement has spread across the world as the Thailandtv.tv broadcast numbers have increased every week and the SHL is now available to be watched live on every continent. As the calendar turns to the season home stretch, the SHL standings see Novotel Spitfires in first place with a record of eight wins and four losses. Peak Biolabs sits at 7-5, Hertz, the defending champions are at 6-6 and Aware is 3-9. The race for the top statistical category awards is also tight. For the top points award, Aware veteran Corry Day has 19 points, three points more than Peak surprise points leader Jesse Starosta. After Starosta, the race is very tight with Novotel winger Bill Bredesen at 15, and Novotel’s Mike Freeson and Peak captain Harrison Oztemel both at 14.  The 15th edition of Thailand’s top annual rugby fixture tournament - the Bangkok International Rugby Tens Tournament - kicks off on Saturday, February 29 and continues the following day on Sunday March 1st, 2020, at the Sports Complex of Bangkok Patana School.
Teams from New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, France, Papua New Guinea, UK, India, Sri Lanka, Japan, China, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Burma, Indonesia, Singapore and host country Thailand are taking part. Many are bringing fans from their home countries. The event is organized annually to raise funds for Nak Suu, a charity established by ex-Canadian rugby international and Chairman of the Bangkok Rugby 10s, Eddie Evans. The charity helps underprivileged children in the slums of Bangkok. Children in these areas are being subjected to substance abuse, prostitution, lack of education and poverty. Funds raised will help these children by creating a supportive environment through team sport and activities as well as providing guidance and care. To support this initiative, all proceeds from the tournament will go directly to Nak Suu, which will ensure this valuable work can continue. As testament to its popularity, the Rugby Tens is once again booked out with a wait list of teams still trying to be included. Visitors can expect the 2020 tournament to be another exciting weekend full of fast-paced rugby, food stalls offering great cuisines, kids’ zone with supervised activities, plenty of socializing and the legendary after-parties. Each year the event attracts around 100 teams from around the world competing in the men’s open division, vets, women’s, youth rugby as well as touch rugby. Youth games run in the morning and adult games in the afternoon. 24 men’s open teams, 12 women’s teams, 10 vets teams, 42 youth teams and 10 touch rugby teams have already confirmed their attendance as well as 24 referees.  As the Sport Corner Siam Hockey League moved towards its mid-season holiday break, the on-ice action continued to impress. However, it was off-ice events that made headlines during the past month.
On December 1, the Thai hockey community suffered a huge loss with the sudden passing of Jason Cotsmire. “Cots” suffered a heart attack while playing the game he loves during a SHL match. He was a huge part of the origins of the Thai National Team, played in the Siam Hockey League, and was always involved with the Flying Farang Hockey Club. The Thai hockey community honoured Cots and his family at a memorial hockey game on December 18. Visit the SHL website (www.siamhockeyleague.com) to see where friends and hockey fans can donate to a fund set up to help the Cotsmire family. We all know Cots would have been so proud with what transpired on December 8, as the Thai National Team won the Southeast Asian Games championship with a resounding 8-0 win against Singapore. It was a week of dominating performances by Thailand, led by head coach Juhani Ijas; the team showed why they have quickly become the best hockey program in the region. The SHL was well represented as many league players were instrumental in Thailand capturing the gold.  As the Sport Corner Siam Hockey League moved towards its mid-season holiday break, the on-ice action continued to impress. However, it was off-ice events that made headlines during the past month.
On the ice, the SHL standings are a logjam at the top, with Novotel, Hertz and Peak all sitting tied with identical 6-4 records. Aware, at 2-8, sits in fourth place, losers of five straight. Aware’s Corry Day is the league’s leading scorer with 14 points followed closely by Peak’s Jesse Starosta with 13.
With the final games of the SHL season on December 15, the league will break and return with games commencing on January 12. Check out the SHL BigChilli podcast here: https://siamhockeyleague.com/week-8-news/  Playing their final tournament of the year, the 2019 RBSC Rugby 10s, the Bangkok Banger colts (men) and Belles (woman) proved victorious.
Both teams went into the tournament at the Royal Bangkok Sports Club after a successful season and were looking to end the year with some silverware for trophy cabinet. 
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