As I've traveled around parts of Bandung, I continue to be amazed at the different places boys use to play soccer. During my daily walks to school I often see them in the street or down their gang (a small street) kicking the ball back and forth or playing small game with a few friends. Its usually only boys and they tend to play in the sandals most of them wear all day or barefoot. There are a few places used for competitions, and those fields that I’ve seen tend to be overused and beaten down.
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| School - boys playing in front of the school on a sort of patio area |
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| Back yard - a small game between 2 girls and 3 boys, no need for an even number |
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| Gang - in the neighborhood near my house, a 4 man game |
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| No out of bounce in this game, play it off the walls |
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| Beside the river at a boarding school - this spot was cleared recently so the boys would have a place to play. Before they were using a small place, like a patio, in front of the school. This spot is much bigger, but watch your step, out of bounds is the river on one side and a trash pile on the other. I've seen them retrieving the ball from the river a few times! |
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In the neighborhood - no that's not a basketball goal, it’s a light on the left. I have yet to pass here when its dark, but the light suggests they may play late. It’s deserted now probably because they boys are at school. This spot also has a small stream beside it, which the boys have to frequently retrieve the ball from. |
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In the neighborhood (close to my house) - this spot is just off the gang in front of one house (notice the gate) and behind another. Nearly every afternoon these boys can be found here playing soccer. Sometimes they'll make three teams and rotate, with the winner staying on. If you kick it over the wall (on the left), you must climb the wall & retrieve it from the garden/weeds/deserted area on the other side. The goal keeper on the right is wearing a replica red jersey from the national team who recently had a successful showing in the SE Asia tournament. |
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Large grass field - on the edge of town I came across this large grass lot with goals at either end. The tall grass and trash on the field makes me think it probably hasn't been used in a while. |
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University field @ ITB - This field appears to be used quite often by teams of all ages and frequently. Even though the middle of the field is worn to dirt, it's one of the few grass fields I've seen. |
While I have yet to play seriously, I occasionally enjoy joining some of the boys near my house when they play a small game. While my skills don't match their's, my size helps in the small spaces. There is also a professional league in Indonesia, and the team in Bandung is called
Persib. Whenever they play, the game is on tv and watched by many in the city. Yes, soccer is popular in Indonesia!
