Best place to practice by yourself

[frizzyan]

Well for those of you that don't know the type of place where I live,
I live in Asia where it's high-rise buildings north, south, east and west. There's no such things as bungalows here, it's just all High rise and high rise, and damn, these apartments sure cost a lot (half a million US$ without the interest rates).

Therefore, finding a natural wall is extremely difficult and space is limited here. To play with others, parks with concrete pitches is the only realistic option since it's free or this mini-golf range with carpet on it that's less than US$1, or grass that costs US$3 per person. But how the hell can you find 22 people all at the same time to play with you?

When I practice by myself, I go to my apartment carpark: I only thought of playing down there 2 months ago!

I'm playing in my apartment's carpark at around 12AM, those suit-and-tie businessmen stare at me with curiousity or those couples that just came back from whatever they were up to all stare at me as I am practising myself. It's the only wall I can find where I can actually use it for footballing purposes, but as long as I don't hit the cars (cause believe me, there's no way I can afford to pay for those damages to the latest Mercedes/Ferrari models. I'll be screwed if the ball hits the car and damages it), I think it's fine and I don't really care about people looking at me strangely.

The reason why I have to do this at around 12AM because if I did this at around 4PM, there are too many cars coming in and out and there are a lot of security personnel and cleaners. I'll probably end up getting booted!

But hey, residential carparks: There's a wall, there's an area of probably 25m^2, there are obstacles like cleaner trolleys with all the cleaner stuff in it, brooms, mops, buckets and etc...

It's an awesome place to practice by yourself!

[jdefoe]

nice post frizzyan. I use a wall everyday, but mine is in the form of a racquetball court, or just a local brick wall....Did you know that the inventor of the Predator boot who used to play for Liverpool developed his skills in a car parking lot. Hes from australia, he went to england on a trial, when they told him he wasnt good enough, his parents sold his house so he could get to england, and anyways, he decided to go to a car parking lot for 4 hours a day and practice banging the ball off the wall, hitting targets, such as marks on the wall, and dribbling around objects such as cans.

[romania_soccer]

Where do you live Frizz? Must be Singapore or smth...I heard it's very pretty there. But I can't believe there's no grassy area

[frizzyan]

his parents sold his house so he could get to england, and anyways, he decided to go to a car parking lot for 4 hours a day and practice banging the ball off the wall, hitting targets, such as marks on the wall, and dribbling around objects such as cans.

\]

wow jdefoe, that sounds interesting and very inspirational, thanks. I hope to follow his footsteps and I will practice very hard daily. It's better practising myself sometimes than with others because I can focus most of the time on myself and on what I need to improve on. Very very inspirational man. I love reading inspirational stuff it motivates me and pumps me up to push myself near the limits of what I can do as I am constantly seeking to perfect myself.

Where do you live Frizz? Must be Singapore or smth...

Hong Kong. I've lived in Singapore before and believe me there are free grass areas in Singapore. Hong Kong, of course there are a lot of grassy areas, but I live in a suburban place where grass is expensive to play on. In most places, it costs a lot of money to play on grass. It's part of the government's plans to raise funds by having many grass pitches but none are even below US$10 per 1.5 hr.

I'm moving to california next year for my final year of high school since I wish to attend some of the top UC colleges in Cali (my dream is Berkeley). I want to become a state resident so I don't have to pay for tuition for college of UC, (it's US$23,000 a year!!). Over there I'll definitely get to play more on grass for free Besides it's also much easier to play with strangers cause people there speak English!! lol.

[laurynas21]

You live in a very strange place.
Paying money for playing on the grass? - I think it's one of the biggest nonsenses I've ever heard

[frizzyan]

You see, this is a completely urbanized city so it costs a lot of money to create grass.

Given the way the Leisure department maintains the grass, US$13 is bulls**t.

This is one of the world's leading economic centers but it's not like New york where they've got a ton of grass fields.

This is Hong Kong, there are many natural sites but football fields are developed by man, development = companies getting involved = money = people has to pay!

I know this is complete nonsense I have to agree, because paying for grass is crazy I'm used to playing in backyard, but you have to realize this is Hong Kong, a metropolitan city where it's high-rise buildings everywhere, so grass doesn't come cheap to develop.

[f.C_Valencia]

hehe i feel lucky.. I practice in like a deserted Clean space. No one ever comes there, and they have an old shed house with a nice wall.. They are gonna build some thing in that space in like a year or so, till then its nice.