Category Archives: Familie en vrienden

Left shoes

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Sometimes you just have to seize an opportunity. In this case, we came across a pair of football boots for Alan. They were a little too big, but he was so excited about them that we decided to buy them anyway. The idea was that he’d grow into them in a few years.

That time had finally arrived. It was time to take the boots out of the box and let Alan shine on the pitch. Alan eagerly opened the box and… Huh, what’s this? A small mistake: the box contained two left boots. After two years, returning them isn’t exactly easy, but we decided to give it a try anyway.

At the store, they were still able to find the receipt from two years ago, but the boots had long since been discontinued and the warranty/return period had expired quite some time ago. The easiest solution I can think of is to hope there’s another family out there with a similar problem. A family that also bought football boots a couple of years ago for a child to grow into and, just like us, only recently discovered that the box contained two of the same shoe. Except in their case, not two left boots, but two right boots.

If that family exists, let us know! We’d be happy to trade one of our shoes for one of yours.

Guard of honour

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Saturday we had another football match with Alan. Batan played against Viera, one of the best teams. The result: a very tough but brilliant win! We started badly with 0-1, then 0-2, but we fought our way back. 1-2, 2-2, 3-2 (Alan scored), 4-2. Halftime. Then 4-3, 5-3, 5-4, 5-5… and right after the equaliser, a goal straight from the kickoff: 6-5. Amazing. The spectators/parents went wild with joy. The kids even got a guard of honour as they left the pitch.

Don Quijalan

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A Spanish masterpiece. Don Quijote tells the story of Alonso Quijano, a man so obsessed with chivalric tales that he reinvents himself as the knight Don Quixote and sets out with his loyal squire Sancho Panza on a series of misguided adventures shaped more by fantasy than reality.

At school, Alan had signed up a few days ago as a volunteer to read a page written in Old Spanish at the university. After a lot of practice, he was able to read his page perfectly today. We’re incredibly proud of Alan, who showed today that he really doesn’t mind being in the spotlight for a moment.

And of course, a TV crew was there as well to capture this bit of culture, and naturally the atypically blond Alan was chosen for a short interview.

Batan B – Guiniguada B

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It was going to be a tough match. We had already played them away, and that hadn’t been pleasant: an extremely physical team. During that previous match, a teammate’s shin guards had even been snapped in half. We lost that game, and everyone was aware of the potential dangers. Alan had spent the past weeks practising extra on jumping and dodging.

Today was the day, and the start was immediately bad. In the very first minute we conceded a goal. 0-1. Ah well, I thought, Alan is starting on the bench, so we’ll see how it goes.

But then something unexpected happened: the equaliser! 1-1. Nobody saw that coming, and the whole game shifted. Slowly the match became more physical, but we held our ground. The goals kept coming: 2-1, 3-1, 3-2, 4-2, 4-3, 5-3, 5-4, and finally 6-4.

Alan also scored a beautiful goal. From midfield, high into the corner. Unstoppable. The crowd was completely caught up in the tension, and emotions were running high. The coaches and the referee even had to calm down some of the parents and family members. Well… that’s how it goes sometimes.
Batan B - Guiniguada B!
Batan B - Guiniguada B!

A. Presley

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A. Presley!A simple costume can create a surprising amount of magic, especially when it’s worn by an incredibly charismatic and photogenic little character. Add a few finishing touches, and you’ve got pure spectacle.

Alan Presley is more than ready to take the school’s Carnival celebration to the next level. One thing’s for sure, with him around, everyone will be dancing in no time.

Sinterklaas

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Barbacan!Every year, Sinterklaas visits the Hotel Barbacan in Maspalomas, in the south of the island. The hotel is a favorite destination for many Dutch guests, and maybe that is why they have fully embraced Dutch traditions. Sinterklaas comes by for all the Dutch children staying at the hotel, but Dutch residents of Gran Canaria are also welcome, and sometimes even receive a personal invitation.

We have been going almost every year, for nearly fourteen years now. Each time, the Sint arrives in his convertible, sometimes accompanied by a lively band, and always surrounded by plenty of Pieten. Afterward, the celebration moves indoors, where every child receives a small gift directly from the Sint, interspersed with musical performances and, of course, lots of sweet treats to nibble on.

It was fun, but we can clearly notice that the kids are getting bigger. Maybe this was the last time we visited the Sint, or maybe just one year more. We don’t know yet, but it feels like the end to this tradition is getting nearer.

Phase 2, step 2, all-in!

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The game: Batan B – Real Sporting B
Results

Datum Thuis Resultaat Bezoekers
29 Nov, 09:00 Batan B 6 – 1 Real Sporting B
23 Nov, 10:30 Lomo Blanco 2 – 6 Batan B

Batan B - Real Sporting BWe won again! A nice game with lots of goals. We can clearly see the teams are much more equal now, and that makes for much better games to watch.
Batan B - Real Sporting B

Ninja games

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Ninja!Ana had an outing with her colleagues. The plan was to do a fun activity and then go out for a bite to eat together. The activity turned out to be a ‘Ninja game‘: reacting quickly to your surroundings, jumping, and running. Not really Ana’s thing, she thought. So she brought Alex along as her modern gladiator because these kinds of challenges suit him well. Just as gladiators once fought for their audience, Alex now leapt into the arena of the game. He loved it.

Phase 2, hit the ground running

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The game: Lomo Blanco – Batan B
Results

Datum Thuis Resultaat Bezoekers
23 Nov, 10:30 Lomo Blanco 2 – 6 Batan B

Before the match!Yes!, last Sunday Batan Alevín B achieved a convincing 6 – 2 victory. A welcome improvement compared to the previous phase. It was an enjoyable match that was finally rewarded with a splendid win.
After the match!The aftermatch: As you can clearly see in the photo taken after the match the players themselves were also in the mood for celebration.

Batan B – Las Torres C

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There are two three types of clubs where children can play football. The first type is a club where kids can simply enjoy being active: running around, kicking the ball, and seeing if they can learn a bit of discipline. This is roughly the kind of team Alan currently plays in, and we’re quite happy with it.

The second type is a team where results matter. Here, you’re expected to show up for every match and perform well. If you don’t stand out as a player, you’re asked to go elsewhere. These teams are meant for top talent, and that’s not what we’re looking for with Alan. Today, Alan is playing against one of those professional teams.

The third type is the neighborhood team that could just as well be a wrestling club. Alan played against one of those last week. There’s little discipline and lots of pushing, pulling, and kicking.

The other team played like an oiled machine, and they won with 17 goals, but still, we had some chances and it was an enjoyable game.

Results

Date Home Result Visitor
1 Nov, 09:00 Batan B 0 – 17 Las Torres C
26 Oct, 09:00 Guiniguada B 3 – 0 Batan B
18 Oct, 09:00 Batan B 1 – 10 Carnevali
11 Oct, 09:00 Simusetti C.F. A 20 – 3 Batan B
4 Oct, 09:00 Batan B 0 – 10 San Lazaro U.D. A


The next phase will start in a couple of weeks. This time the teams will be better aligned to their respective levels, and that will hopefully give us a couple of more interesting matches, with some options to win and boost moral.