I wrote in my April article, “Modafen: Champion, the Pride of Our Neighborhood: Modafen,” that Modafen won the Regional Amateur League group championship, putting them on the brink of promotion to the TFF 3rd League. Winning the promotion match would also see them promoted to the 3rd League. https://www.serhansuzer.com/tr/mahallemizin-gururu-sampiyon-modafen
My hopes in that article were realized, and Modafen defeated 1877 Alemdağspor, another strong team from Çekmeköy, in the draw, and was promoted to the 3rd League. I’d like to share the story of this not-so-easy journey with you, and how Modafen is far more than just a football club.
It’s also worth noting that Alemdağ is one of Çekmeköy’s important neighborhoods, and 1877 Alemdağspor is a well-established football club in the neighborhood. It’s an interesting coincidence that two teams from the same district met. The match was played in Yalova on the first Saturday of May. The background to the exciting match
Rewinding the story even further, Modafen Football Club, competing in the Regional Amateur League (BAL) and trailing by 5 points going into the last three matches, had qualified for the playoffs with 3 wins in 3 matches. Modafen clung to the championship at the last minute, securing promotion to the 3rd League with a single goal and a victory.
But what a stress! First, I went to the home of my friend Fatih, Modafen’s founder and manager. From there, we went to the hotel in Yalova where the team was staying. After spending some time there and petting Fatih and his wife Ceyda’s adorable son Anka, we headed off to the match and arrived at the stadium.
Fatih, motivated, entered the locker room and made his final speeches. We went up to the stands. His wife Ceyda arrived at the stadium in the second half.
During the match…
The events of the match are not described, they are experienced. Let me briefly summarize: We witnessed two different Turkeys playing in that stadium. On one side were the Alemdağ fans, loudly chanting and frequently swearing. On the other were the Modafen fans, who were singing songs and marches accompanied by highly educated live music, having fun with their families at the match…
It was an incredible sight. Especially when the match didn’t go their way, the Alemdağ fans cursed the referee, the federation, the club’s president and coach Fatih, whom they knew from somewhere, and the Modafen school. Thankfully, the Alemdağ officials and other relevant federation officials, who were sitting between the two fans, intervened and tried to silence each time an insult was uttered. I’d like to share some footage of the chants from both sides so you can visualize them:
We also had reserved a seat for Fatih’s wife, Ceyda, son Anka, and their staff, who came in the second half. We fought hard to secure that seat. We explained to at least six or seven people why we had blocked an entire row. Finally, when the Ceydas arrived, we were relieved. Now that I’m done talking to the public, and we believe in his son Anka’s good fortune, I told myself, “Okay, now we can watch the match with peace of mind.”
The picture I took with Fatih’s son Anka at the match
Modafen’s goal in the match came from a penalty five minutes before the Ceydalarspor entered the stadium. I’d also like to share the videos of the penalty, scored by Enes, the team’s striker, who wears the number 10 jersey, and the goal that went into the net from the penalty kick:
The final minutes of the match were truly challenging. In fact, in the final minute, Alemdağ’s shot hit the post. For some reason, I was very relaxed. I knew we were going to win the match. My thought came true, and there was great joy at the end. Here’s what happened after the final whistle:
Our victory pose with Enes, who scored the only goal in the promotion match
The photo of three Black Sea friends smiling with joy at the end of the match: Salim, Fatih, and me.
Of course, it goes without saying that all of this was achieved through intensive and systematic work. In fact, Fatih’s vision, integrating education with sports and music, along with his excellent teaching skills, has had a profound impact. Five of the team’s players serve as physical education teachers at the school, and two are still students at the school.
Here’s the post-match locker room conversation:
Fatih Kanberoğlu: A Success Story
To elaborate further, while still a high school student, Fatih organized pre-exam study groups, gaining fame among his classmates and younger students, making a name for himself at school and in his community. Even as a senior in high school, he supported his friends while preparing for university entrance exams, making no mistakes in math or science, and achieving 93rd place in the country in numerical scores. While a sophomore in the Industrial Engineering Department of Boğaziçi University, where he entered with honors, he rented a suitable apartment on Bahariye Street in Kadıköy and converted it into a study center. He provided eight years of education with exam preparation groups and test support, developing his student portfolio and establishing a significant position in the education sector. Despite his young age, Fatih Kanberoğlu’s meetings instilled confidence and enthusiasm, leading to a steady increase in the number of parents attending and continuing to do so today. In 2002, Fatih moved to a building on Kağnı Street, Moda Street, converting the study center into a private teaching institution and expanding its operations. In September 2006, he rented a building on Cem Street, also on Moda Street, and established Modafen Primary School. Initially offering a 26-person school with six students and 20 staff, Modafen expanded its enrollment to 100 by the end of its third year, and by the end of its sixth year, it had grown to over 600 students, adding a kindergarten and high school to its existing structure. With over 200 employees, it has become a large family.
And the rise of the football club…
Modafen Football Club’s story began with a place in the Istanbul Second Amateur League in the 2011-2012 season. In its first year in the league, Modafen Football Club finished first in its group and won the championship, earning a place in the First Amateur League for the 2012-2013 season. In the 2012-2013 season, Modafen Football Club won the championship by finishing first in Group 17 of the Istanbul 1st Amateur League and qualified to compete in the Istanbul Super Amateur League the following year. Modafen Football Club achieved its second championship without a defeat in its second year. It achieved remarkable success by rising two tiers in two years. In the 2013-2014 season, it finished second in its group in the Istanbul Super Amateur League, qualifying for promotion. By finishing fifth in its group, it achieved direct promotion to the Regional Amateur League.
Finally, in the 2018-2019 season, during which I also followed Modafen’s matches, it qualified for the promotion round as Regional Amateur League champions and, with a victory, earned promotion to the 3rd League. For more details, you can check out Modafen’s related links:
School: http://www.modafen.com.tr/
Football Club: http://www.modafenfutbolkulubu.com
Our conversation with the swimming coach
There’s more. Before the promotion match, I met Modafen’s swimming coach, and the following conversation ensued:
- Coach, why aren’t our swimmers medal-winning in the Olympics? They all make it to some point, but after a certain age, they can’t even make it through the qualifiers in international competitions.
- We have a lot of work to do. There’s a big difference between us. Where do I begin?
- Start wherever you want, coach. Why can’t we even dream of winning an Olympic medal in swimming?
- There aren’t enough facilities in Turkey. Therefore, there aren’t enough athletes. Furthermore, preparing for international events requires planning. In successful countries, children prepare for these competitions from a very young age. In our country, the truly talented ones are recognized late, or their families can’t support them after a certain age. Children fade away.
- So, are we a nation so incapable of this planning? Why can’t we?
- This requires the allocation of significant resources and the allocation of these resources with long-term planning. This is precisely what we are doing at Modafen.
- I hope you are successful. Good luck. We expect medals from you in the future.
- Thank you. I hope we, too, achieve significant international success in the future.
Konuşmayı izleyen büyük başarı
Tam bu yazıyı yazmaya hazırlanırken inanılmaz bir haber geldi. 18-23 Mayıs tarihleri arasında Brezilya’nın Rio de Janeiro kentinde düzenlenen 13. ISF Dünya Okullar Yüzme Şampiyonası’na Modafen Yüzme Takımı, Türk yüzme tarihinde bir ilke imza atarak ABD, Almanya, Çin, Brezilya, Fransa gibi güçlü ülkeleri geride bıraktı ve erkeklerde Dünya Liseler Yüzme Şampiyonu oldu. Helal olsun sizlere! Emeği geçen herkesi kutluyorum.
A great success followed the speech
Just as I was preparing to write this article, incredible news arrived. The Modafen Swimming Team achieved a first in Turkish swimming history by defeating powerful countries like the USA, Germany, China, Brazil, and France at the 13th ISF World Schools Swimming Championships held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from May 18-23, and became the World High School Swimming Champion in the boys’ category. Well done to you all! I congratulate everyone involved.
This is exactly what happened. In our country, which longs for international success in sports, the Modafen model must be thoroughly examined and expanded nationwide. This will help develop athletes with a much stronger infrastructure. My greatest wish is that, with the athletes receiving such training, they will be able to attract a befitting audience to the stands.
Note: I wanted to add Modafen’s outstanding achievements in sports to this article, and I came up with a much longer list. Of course, their World High School Championship in swimming is the pinnacle of their success, but I’m sharing the list below, compiled from school resources, to illustrate the immense effort and success they’ve achieved. I hope they continue to grow…
Tag: special days
