The AmSoc Blog

From the June issue of Forum

By Bob Moser, editor

For ex-pats who moved here sometime after 2006, expect a very different Brazil over the next month-and-a-half.

When Brazil’s national soccer team kicks off their first game of the 2010 World Cup on June 15, shops will shutter, bank tellers may lose your count and staff at your big corporate office probably won’t accomplish much on their to-do lists that day.

It’s not necessarily a good or bad thing, this drastic halt much of Brazil will screech to during the month of international soccer pandemonium. But knowing where most Brazilians place their priorities during this time will allow ex-pats to adapt to the temporary change, and join in the fun. (more…)

From the June issue of Forum

Calling all AmSoc golfers, reserve Aug. 27 on your calendars now for an AmSoc golf outing that is currently being organized by our sports committee members.

Key details on the time, place and cost will be coming in late July or early August, but for now we have a date set in stone, and that’s a start! If you are interested in helping organize AmSoc sports, e-mail amsoc@amsoc.com.br.

From the May issue of Forum

AmSoc Little League will have its “end of the season” churrasco on May 22 at Graded School.
All Little League families are invited to join in for traditional Brazilian barbecue. On that day there will be sports activities, but with shorter sessions.

Recognition ceremonies for the children will begin at 12 pm, with awards being presented.

Volunteers are being sought for the session that will begin in August. Little League is always looking for volunteers to help with the organizational committee (accounting, data management, publicity, etc.), to be a league commissioner, or lend a hand on the field by coaching (or assistant coaching) with your child’s team.

Contact the AmSoc office at 5182-2074, the League Commissioner or your child’s coach to get involved.

From the April issue of Forum

By Simon Tharby, staff writer

Pete Lawlis coached his son’s Little League soccer team back in Detroit, Mich. Despite only having been in Sao Paulo for little over a year now, brought here by GM, he’s already begun coaching AmSoc Little League soccer and baseball, for both boys and girls.

This year, Lawlis’ focus is on coaching soccer to 30 kids ages 7-12, trying to keep up with his son’s love of the game. Indeed, his children are key to his AmSoc involvement. “It gives me a great connection with my kids,” Lawlis says, but adds there’s obviously much more he gets from this work: “I have trouble just sitting on the sidelines and watching. I’m a big kid and I just want to play. If I see a kid moping around, not getting involved, I say ‘Hey, it’s Saturday. You’re not at school and you can play soccer. How can you not be having fun!’” (more…)

From the March issue of Forum

By John Kennedy, AmSoc board member

On Feb. 6 at the Graded School in Morumbi, the American Society hosted its annual Abacaxi Bowl along with the Little League sign-ups.  Eight teams participated and more than 200 players and spectators enjoyed the activities, which started at 10 am with the double elimination flag football tournament and continued with a BBQ that went from 11 am until after the rains came around 4:30 pm, which washed out the rest of the games beginning with the semi-final round.

Because of the rain-out, the Cougars were declared winners because they had beaten the two other teams vying for the other semi-final position, the Brasil Devilz and PACA School, the defending and six-time champion. The upstart Devilz also continued to display their AmSoc Sports prominence in this tournament by placing second again this year, due the points differential (26-20) in their losses to the Cougars. In fact, the Devilz-Cougars game, which went into overtime, could have gone either way due to two very close calls by the referee at the end, which went in favor of the Cougars and allowed them to come back and tie the game in the final minutes.

It was the first time the Cougars entered this tournament, for they were formed just three years ago as a softball team. Now they are the holders of both the AmSoc softball and football championship trophies.  The M.V.P. Award of the tournament was shared by two Cougar teammates, Howard Anderson and Shay Coker.

Professional photos seen here in Forum were taken throughout the day by Wim Laureys and Raquel Goldammer Benadof. More than 400 photos are available for purchase via download, at www.wlphotography.zenfolio.com\ab2010 (password : amsoc).

Specially-designed photo books are also available for purchase. Contact wlaureys@gmail.com and rqgoldammer@gmail.com to learn more.

From the March issue of Forum

As of press time, AmSoc Sports was planning the following events for March and April, with optimism about being able to reserve space on the following dates. Please confirm by calling the AmSoc office.

A 3-on-3 adult basketball tournament (with teenagers of adequate skill level allowed as well), to be held on March 13 from 9 am to 4 pm at Chapel School. Call the AmSoc office to inquire about date confirmation and entry price.

Adult softball on April 10, from 12 to 5 pm, and on April 17, from 9 am to 5 pm, at Chapel School.

From the March issue of Forum

By Simon Tharby, staff writer

The coach shouts instructions across floodlit grass, and players answer with their own calls. An egg-shaped ball is passed between men, who crash into one another in a semi-choreographed train wreck. Muscles flex and strain, bodies collide and passes fly at a moment’s notice.

American football? Please. This is rugby, and it’s catching on in São Paulo. (more…)

From the February issue of Forum

Welcome back AmSoc families, it is time for Little League season to start up in São Paulo. 

Different from the Little League you might know back home, our activities are not restricted to baseball and do not include arduous trips in the car or extended weekend travel for stressed out parents. (more…)

From the February issue of Forum
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The American Society of Sao Paulo completed an active year for competitive adult (team) sports, covering a variety of modalities: a flag football tournament in February, charity softball classic in April, a friendly baseball game in July, a golf challenge in August, softball tournament in October, tennis tournament in November and the softball tournament finals in December. Below is a summary of these events. And in 2010, AmSoc plans to follow this schedule and even add more tennis and golf to the schedule, so stayed tuned for the announcements! (more…)

From the February issue of Forum
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Last year´s AmSoc Adult Softball Championships were held on two Saturdays, Oct. 24 and Dec. 5, in Ibuina where the Brazilian national baseball team trains and plays its home games. Both dates included eight teams playing about 3-4 games each in an abbreviated round-robin schedule starting around 9:30 a.m. and going until around 4 p.m., including a BBQ each time that started at noon.

The Oct. 24 mini-round robin games provided the seeding for Dec. 5., whereby two groups of four teams were organized to play each other first, followed by the first and second place finishers of each group to play in the semi-finals: i.e., the winner of Group A played the second place team in Group B, etc.

In the end, after each team had played three games lasting more than four hours on two different Saturdays, the defending champs Cougars proved too strong for the Diamond Runners, led by the consummate athlete (and promoter) John Norwood, and his feisty group of players mainly from the U.S. Consulate. The Cougars completed a stellar 2009 season of 10-1, only losing to a tough Hamada team in April in the finals of the First Annual Charity Softball Classic. The MVP of the Championship was Howard Anderson.
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