Too much water on most of the courses at Ekeberg was the reason for the cancellations. It was a setback for the players and the support staff, says team manager for Flint boys 12, Linda Stormo. – It was a very big disappointment and frustration. We have traveled to Oslo with four boys’ teams and 45 players, and are here with football as the main focus, she says. Linda Stormo, team leader in Flint. Not difficult to find pitches They therefore contacted teams and coaches in and outside Oslo to check the possibility of playing matches anyway. – We thought we could take responsibility ourselves, and started calling around. We were lucky to be snapped up quickly by several clubs. It turned out that there was no problem finding available courses or opponents, she says. For Flint and 11 other teams, a collaboration with the sports club Øvrevoll Hosle in Bærum was the solution. They had three new courses. They offered to organize the cup in collaboration with Flint. For the players at Flint G12, Sunday turned from down to up. This allowed them to organize a minicup with 12 teams on Sunday. – The match schedule was finalized last night, and today was the cup, says Stormo. From slump to upswing As a result of the cancellations on Sunday, there were many teams looking for some football fun for their disappointed players. – When something like this happens, it is important to think in an alternative way, Martin Raknes tells news. Match at Heming’s track at Slemdal in Oslo. Der Heming, Åsane, Rustad and Kjelsås arranged alternative matches after the cancellation. Photo: Åsane Fotball He is the assistant coach for Åsane Fotball’s boys 11, who had traveled from Bergen to Oslo for the Norway Cup. When the cancellation was a fact, they contacted Rustad IL, who in turn contacted Heming IL. Kjelsås IL also threw themselves in. Then suddenly they had a separate cup for their boys 11 teams at Heming’s track at Slemdal in Oslo. – The boys were disappointed to lose 1 out of 3 match days. Heming arranged a barbecue and sausages for free for all players and coaches, and got a great deal done in a short time, says Raknes. Surprised by cancellation The team manager for Flint, Linda Stormo, is surprised that the Norway Cup canceled the matches on Sunday. She believes the cup management could borrow other courts. – We tried in a nice way to ask if they had tried to find other lanes. They just said that all the lanes in Oslo were busy. We think it was a bit strange in the middle of July. And it turned out not to be quite like that. Norway Cup chairman Øystein Sundelin explains the cancellations by saying that Ekebergsletta was soaked. – We did not have enough spare capacity in Oslo, says Sundelin. Why couldn’t you find alternatives when eager parents did? – We do not have agreements with municipalities outside Oslo. There is also some logistics with judges and the health service from Norwegian People’s Aid that we were unable to do. He adds that it is wonderful to hear that they actually got to play football. New cup matches next week On Tuesday, the teams are ready for matches at the Norway Cup. – Then we hope that the teams will be able to play at Ekeberg on Tuesday and Thursday, says Linda Stormo. Flint’s girls’ team is also participating in the Norway Cup, and they were also able to organize their own matches on Sunday. Flint’s girls’ and boys’ teams are participating in the Norway Cup these days. Published 28/07/2024, at 19.13
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Several teams organized their own cup when the Norway Cup was canceled – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
