Singapore Hockey Olympians Reunite To Get Behind New ActiveSG Hockey Academy

Singapore Hockey Olympians Reunite To Get Behind New ActiveSG Hockey Academy

Team Singapore hockey players, past and present, came together at the Sengkang Hockey Stadium to launch the ActiveSG Hockey Academy – the latest of ActiveSG’s stable of academies and clubs to give people of all ages and abilities opportunities and access to try out various sports. Reuniting to show their support for the new academy were national Olympians, Mr Ajit Singh Gill – who played at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, and Mr Anwarul Haque and Mr Douglas Paul Nonis - who played at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games for Hockey.

The guest of honour for the event was Deputy Prime Minister & Coordinating Minister for Economic and Social Policies, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who himself used to represent the Combined Schools in hockey.

DPM Tharman said, “I hope that through the ActiveSG Hockey Academy, more Singaporeans and especially our youth will come to love the game. Sports are one of the best ways we develop respect for others and develop ourselves for life, and it certainly was that way for me."

As part of the launch, DPM Tharman participated in a “Heritage & Tradition – Connecting the Past, Present and Future” ceremony where he finished off a relay that included Team Singapore athletes and children from various primary schools by hitting a hockey ball into the goal. The national Olympians were also present to sound off the horn to signify the official launch of the academy.
Mr Lim Teck Yin, CEO of Sport Singapore said, “We are delighted to have with us our hockey Olympians, who competed with the world’s best hockey players during the 1956 and 1964 Olympics. Hockey has a rich history in our country and through this academy, we hope to keep this tradition going and interest more youths to try out this fun and exciting sport.”

The ActiveSG Hockey Academy will be working with the Singapore Hockey Federation and local private academies to offer affordable and high quality programmes for children to learn how to play hockey or to improve their playing level. Led by a team of experienced hockey players, the ActiveSG Hockey Academy’s values-based programmes will aim to inculcate in participants important life values such as discipline, resilience and teamwork.

Mr Mathavan Devadas, President of Singapore Hockey Federation said, “We are excited to partner ActiveSG to grow the sport of hockey and to create a more robust calendar of events for the sport. I am optimistic that this academy will increase the talent pool of hockey players in Singapore, leading to a brighter future for our national team in the years to come.”

Ms Toh Limin, coach for a private academy, Hockey Innovative Academy, said, “I believe the new academy will heighten the interest in the sport leading to an increase in demand for hockey programmes, which can only benefit private academies. We look forward to potential opportunities to work together.”

To find out more or register for your interest for the programme, you can visit Hockey Innovative Academy. The academy can also conduct one-day clinic or tailored programmes for schools.