The Heartbeat Of A Sporting Singapore

The Heartbeat Of A Sporting Singapore

Impacting Lives; Bonding The Community; Winners Of The POSB Everyday Champions For Sports Award 2010 Unveiled

Singapore, 31 May 2010 - Sports as a means to help the marginalised; to spur delinquent boys to channel their energies positively; to make friends and to bridge ethnic and cultural divides. The true value of sports in impacting lives and in bonding the community is apparent from the outstanding and heart-warming achievements notched by the winners of this year's POSB Everyday Champions for Sports Award.

2. The POSB Everyday Champions for Sports Award 2010 is organised by the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) and title sponsored by POSB. It is the nation's top accolade for honouring individuals, coaches and organisations who foster greater participation in sports in the community.

3. There are a total of 26 recipients for the Award this year - 9 individuals, 9 coaches and 8 organisations. As everyday champions for sports, they are the heartbeat of A Sporting Singapore, motivating and inspiring others to play sports and grow through sports.

4. Commenting on the winners, Mr Oon Jin Teik, Chief Executive Officer of SSC, said: "We call them the 'Everyday Champions' but they are in fact very special members of Sporting Singapore. These Everyday Champions help friends, family and perfect strangers discover the satisfaction and achievement that comes from playing sports. They bring enthusiasm and energy to our sport scene, and they grow the overall goodwill in our community. Not only are they wonderful sports advocates, they are exemplary role models for our youth. With the POSB Everyday Champions for Sports Award, we pay tribute to the tireless work being done by these individuals, coaches and organisations who champion a sporting culture for Singapore."

5. Mr Koh Kar Siong, Managing Director & Head of POSB said: "The POSB Everyday Champions for Sports Award resonates with POSB's commitment to be an active partner in our community. This award recognises the unsung heroes around us who strive to make a difference in the lives of others by championing sports and an active lifestyle. Being neighbours first, bankers second, POSB is pleased to have this opportunity to celebrate the efforts of these everyday men and women who inspire and actively engage their family, friends and neighbours."

6. All 26 POSB Everyday Champions for Sports will receive their awards from Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean at an award ceremony to be held at the Grand Ballroom, Marriott Hotel, on Tuesday, 8 June 2010.

7. Among this year's award winners is an operations manager of a school who started a handball team for the marginalised and delinquent students, labelled as truants, rioters and street fighters. He is 47-year-old Gabriel Rao, and he has since turned the lives of more than 30 members of his team around. By instilling in them a sense of confidence, discipline, self-esteem and can-do spirit through sports, many of these students have seen their grades improve, and they have also won titles on the court.

8. Another winner is 23-year-old Ruth Ng who juggles the responsibilities of being the SSC's first scholar with utmost dedication to her chosen sport of fencing. This national fencer almost single-handedly organised and coordinated an international children's fencing competition, and even stepped in as a referee to give some respite for the overworked referees. Ruth also conducts talks at schools for both students and their parents. She is passionate about winning parental endorsement of the sport and has successfully introduced many girls to fencing, with some of them moving on to don national colours.

9. The sport of Tchoukball has been fast gaining popularity, and a prime mover is Mohamed Moiz Malik, also a winner in the 'Individuals' category. Starting the Bukit Batok Tchoukball Club, he recruited 60 members in the first month alone. Mohamed, 29, even started a Tchoukball CCA Club at the school he teaches for students who fail to make the cut on other CCA teams. He coached the team of CCA rejects to a bronze medal in the Inter Primary Tchoukball Competition. He also volunteers overseas by coaching Tchoukball for the deaf in Chiang Mai and Lampang, Thailand.

10. Among the winners in the 'Coaches' category is David Wong Han Keong, who is bowling coach, friend and mentor to his charges at primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. The 29-year-old organises camps aimed at building teamwork and morale and motivates the players individually by giving advice and pep talks. Believing that every player should have a bowling ball of their own, he started a bowling ball recycling programme, where he re-surfaces and re-conditions used balls for the players at his own time and expense.

11. The eight winning organisations range from players from the healthcare sector to educational institutions and government agencies. Many of them stand out for their commitment to making sports an integral part of their corporate culture and promoting an active lifestyle.

12. One such institution is Compassvale Primary School, which not only targets pupils and teachers for a sporting journey, but also parents. From carnival workouts to hour-long walks on the beach, the school tailors different types of sporting activities all-year round for the pupils and their teachers and parents. Other innovative activities include Recess Play Programmes and carnivals with a Youth Olympic Games theme. The school even works around the curriculum by organising June Holidays Sports Clinics and Post-PSLE Sports Competitions, so that sports can co-exist with studies.