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Straits Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Jalan Besar Stadium set to be fitted with natural grass pitch
The Singapore Cup final between BG Tampines Rovers (in black) and Lion City Sailors, at Jalan Besar Stadium on May 31. ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR SINGAPORE – The Jalan Besar Stadium's artificial turf will be removed to make way for a natural grass surface to meet the latest requirements set out by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The Straits Times understands that work to returf the pitch is scheduled to commence in August and will be completed by January 2026. The 6,000-capacity venue, which originally had a grass surface, was first fitted with an artificial pitch in 2005. The change comes after the AFC banned the use of fully artificial pitches in its major national team and club competitions. In a June 11 memo to member associations, Asian football's governing body said the decision is in line with efforts to improve the quality of play, following feedback that the standard of pitches – in particular artificial ones – has varied over the past few seasons. The affected competitions are the World Cup and Asian Cup qualifiers, the Women's Asian Cup and Olympic qualifiers, AFC Champions League Elite, AFC Champions League Two (ACL2) and the AFC Women's Champions League. The Jalan Besar Stadium hosted the Sailors and Tampines' ACL2 matches last season, with both teams having also qualified for the group stage of the second-tier continental club competition next season. After notifying its member associations of the ban on June 11, AFC sent letters the next day to those who are affected by the decision, asking them to nominate an alternative venue with natural grass or a hybrid surface for their home matches. These include Singapore, who have played some national team games at the Jalan Besar Stadium when the 55,000-capacity National Stadium was unavailable or deemed too big for requirements. During last season's ACL2, the Sailors played six home games at Jalan Besar, winning four times, drawing once and losing once as they qualified for a historic final. Their opponents, Emirati side Sharjah FC, complained that Jalan Besar was not a worthy venue for the final. The match was then moved to Bishan Stadium, where stands were added to make it a 10,000-seater venue in May, with Sharjah winning 2-1. The 2025-26 ACL 2 group stage, which involves Tampines and the Sailors, will kick off in September, but it is unlikely that Bishan will be ready to host home games then. Works have commenced to replace the rubber track at Bishan Stadium, which also hosts SPL matches, and that will require approximately 16 weeks to be completed. Lion City Sailors' Lennart Thy scoring the second goal in their 2-0 victory over Sydney FC in the AFC Champions League Two semi-final, first leg at Jalan Besar Stadium in April. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY To mitigate the situation, it is understood that FAS is in discussions with the AFC to allow both Tampines and Sailors' first ACL 2 group-stage games to be scheduled as away matches. ST understands that if work at the Bishan Stadium is completed by October, the facility will be able to host subsequent group-stage matches. But these games will be played at Jalan Besar once it becomes available as Bishan Stadium, which can accommodate up to 2,800 spectators, does not meet AFC's minimum requirement for capacity. The changes will also have an impact on the 2025-26 Singapore Premier League (SPL) – the season's curtain raiser, the Community Shield, is scheduled for Aug 16 at the Jurong East Stadium. When the SPL season kicks off a week later, matches will take place from Friday to Monday at Our Tampines Hub and the Jurong East Stadium, before Bishan and Jalan Besar's expected availability in October 2025 and January 2026 respectively. Since the Jalan Besar Stadium was first fitted with an artificial pitch in 2005, other venues, such as the Jurong East Stadium and Our Tampines Hub, have followed suit as the authorities deemed that such surfaces are easier to maintain than grass pitches in Singapore's humid climate. This has helped Singapore teams achieve some good results in international matches, as visiting teams have often found it hard to deal with the pace, bounce and trajectory of the ball on the Jalan Besar pitch, which was last relaid between July 2020 and January 2021, with costs borne by Fifa. In 2011, Brazil legend Zico, who was Iraq's coach then, condemned it as being unsuitable for a professional football game ahead of his team's 2014 World Cup third-round qualifier against Singapore, noting that 'this kind of pitch is for school kids'. Local players have also raised concerns about the injuries sustained while playing on the artificial turf at Jalan Besar, though there is currently no conclusive evidence to show a link between artificial pitches and injuries. Singapore striker Ikhsan Fandi and former midfielder Adam Swandi both sustained knee injuries in the 3-1 friendly win over the Maldives at Jalan Besar in December 2022. Ikhsan's younger brother Ilhan then suffered a serious knee injury as well during the Asean Football Federation Championship game against Vietnam on Dec 30 at the Jalan Besar Stadium. Selection's Park Tae-won attempting a header in an exhibition match against Thailand All Stars on Nov 13, 2005. This was the first official match at Jalan Besar Stadium since the natural grass surface was replaced with an artificial pitch that year. PHOTO: ST FILE Jalan Besar pitch timeline: 2005: Grass pitch is replaced with artificial turf to withstand wear and tear; first official match is played there featuring S-League Selection and Thai All-Stars in November 2005 2008: A $1 million renovation is completed featuring a new artificial pitch with enhanced cushioning compared to the previous surface, along with upgraded floodlights 2014: Facility is returfed with a new artificial pitch as part of maintenance 2021: Relaid with Fifa Quality Pro artificial turf as part of a Fifa Development Project 2025: Natural grass to return to comply with AFC regulations Deepanraj Ganesan is a sports journalist at The Straits Times focusing on football, athletics, combat sports and policy-related news. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Fox News
4 days ago
- Business
- Fox News
Navy recruitment 'skyrockets' under Trump's leadership, official says
Print Close By Sophia Compton, Liz Friden Published June 18, 2025 The U.S. Navy has achieved its fiscal year 2025 recruiting goal three months ahead of schedule, positioning the maritime service branch to send more than 40,000 future Sailors to basic training by the end of the summer. "More qualified and motivated Americans than ever are stepping forward and answering the call to serve their country," Secretary of the Navy John Phelan said in a statement. "The world is more complex and contested than it has been in decades, and our ability to respond starts with our greatest asset, our people." ARMY SURPASSES FISCAL 2025 RECRUITING GOAL 4 MONTHS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE The Navy — which reached its recruiting goal on Wednesday after contracting 40,600 future sailors — has been focused on connecting with "qualified" and "motivated" candidates across the U.S. The sea service's increase in recruits can be attributed to President Donald Trump's leadership as well as the dedication of the U.S. Navy's recruiters, according to Phelan. "Since November, Navy recruiting has skyrocketed," he said. TRUMP'S REVAMPED COAST GUARD SURGES WITH 'SKYROCKETING' RECRUITING TO SECURE MARITIME BORDERS: DHS MEMO To raise its recruitment numbers, the Navy Recruiting Command established a Recruiting Operations Center to monitor data in real time. The maritime service branch also streamlined medical waiver reviews and improved the productivity of recruiters by identifying and removing barriers, among other efforts, according to the Navy. While the military branch has already surpassed its recruitment goal, the Navy continues to process applicants. "Reaching our annual goal this early is a testament to the dedication and innovation of our recruiting force," Rear Adm. Jim Waters, commander of Navy Recruiting Command, said in a statement. "It shows that when we remove barriers, accelerate processes, and meet people where they are, the right individuals answer the call." NAVY TORPEDOES BIDEN-ERA CLIMATE AGENDA TO FOCUS ON LETHALITY In 2024, the Navy surpassed its recruiting goal of 40,600 by 378 recruits, marking its largest recruiting class in more than two decades, according to the U.S. Navy. The Navy's recruiting success this year follows a similar announcement earlier this month from the U.S. Army, in which the branch announced it had surpassed its fiscal year 2025 recruiting goals four months ahead of schedule. The Army signed contracts with more than 61,000 future soldiers, a more than 10% increase from the 55,000 recruits targeted in fiscal year 2024. Last month, the U.S. Coast Guard also reported a surge in recruitment numbers. In FY 2025, the Coast Guard has recruited more than 4,700 new members, which is 1,200 more than it had at the same time last year. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The U.S. Navy did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Print Close URL
Boston Globe
14-06-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
After persevering through painful losses, Scituate boys' lacrosse sails out as Division 3 champion
Related : But after taking down top-seeded Medfield, 11-9, in the state semifinals Wednesday, the fifth-seeded Sailors (19-5) would not be denied a storybook ending. Advertisement 'My fear was that we used so much mental and physical energy to play at the highest level we could against Medfield and we had to come into this game and find the same attitude,' said Scituate coach Mark Puzzangara, who guided the program to its last state title in 2009 in his first year at the helm. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'But when Willy [Robinson] tells the guys, 'We got this.' Everybody listens. That's just the seniors we have. There was no panic. We've been here before. We knew what we needed to do, so it's a tribute to them.' Senior captain Lydon O'Brien (committed to Mass Maritime) made five of his 13 saves in the first quarter, offsetting a faceoff discrepancy and sparking the Sailors offense, even assisting on an early goal to junior Luke Spaulding, who posted 4 points (3 goals, assist) during a 7-2 first half. Advertisement When No. 3 Falmouth (18-6) rallied to close the gap to 7-4 in the third quarter, Robinson (2 goals) shut the door with a goal as time expired in the frame. Fellow senior captains Owen Hofford (2 goals, assist) and Quinn DeCourcey (goal, assist) rounded out the offense. 'These guys have been through hell and back and it shows the type of young men they are,' Puzzangara said. 'They're so mentally tough and to be able to compartmentalize all the emotions and just focus on doing the job, I can't say enough. It's a special group.' Robinson and several of his teammates were instrumental parts of Scituate's run to a Division 4 Super Bowl last fall, avenging a loss to rival Duxbury the previous December. Closing the redemption arc with another state title, Robinson finishes as one of the top athletes in school history. Before looking ahead to his lacrosse career at West Point, the 400-point scorer took extra time to sign banners and lacrosse balls for the fans and community members that have supported him throughout his career. 'When I was coming up and I would ask about [scoring] records or anything, [my dad] always said, 'It doesn't matter what records you have, it's how you make your mark. And how you make your mark is leaving a banner in that gym,'' Robinson said. 'I've always gone into the gym and looked up at the rafters and wanted to put up a banner, and now we've put up two. So it means the world.' In his finale, 400-point career scorer Willy Robinson scored a pair of goals for Scituate. 'I've always gone into the gym and looked up at the rafters and wanted to put up a banner, and now we've put up two [football and lacrosse]. So it means the world.' Heather Diehl for the Boston Glo Falmouth's Charlie Hostetter tries to maintain possession in the Division 3 final. Heather Diehl for the Boston Glo Scituate celebrates with their fans after winning the championship at Mass. Maritime Academy. Heather Diehl for the Boston Glo A banner day on Buzzards Bay for Scituate lacrosse. Heather Diehl for the Boston Glo Nate Weitzer can be reached at
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
NC Military and Veterans Affairs Secretary visits Camp Lejeune
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (WNCT) — North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Secretary Jocelyn Mallette visited Camp Lejeune Tuesday, June 10, 2025. Her visit was for her to get deeper looks at the daily operations of Marines, Sailors and their families. During her visit, Secretary Mallette toured training facilities, met with leaders and visited support centers like the USO and VA office. Secretary Mallette said she is dedicated to ensuring every service member and veteran has the resources they need for success. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Los Angeles Times
07-06-2025
- General
- Los Angeles Times
It's anchors aweigh for the Newport Harbor Sailors' Class of 2025
As proud families and educators watched on, some 525 graduates were feted Thursday during the annual Newport Harbor High School commencement exercises held on Davidson Field. 'This year will forever be my favorite class because my son and daughter are graduating from Newport Harbor High School. Class of 2025!' Principal Sean Boulton stated ahead of the ceremony. Student speakers Stella Boulton and Brian Torres shared their thoughts on the experiences of the Class of 2025 and Scott Tarnow served as the faculty speaker. Forty-five percent of the graduating Sailors are matriculating to four-year universities, 37% have set their sights on two-year colleges, 6% are looking forward to attending trade schools to hone their skills and 3% are joining the military. According to school officials, a total of more than $690,00 worth of scholarships were awarded to this year's class. Among the high-achieving graduating seniors were four Angels College Scholars bestowed with full-ride scholarships; the Isidore and Penny Myers Scholarship distributed $50,000; Six students earned a total of $55,000 in awards from the Balboa Bay Club and Save Our Youth (SOY) presented a total of $48,000 in scholarships to 18 members of the class. — Daily Pilot Staff
