Falling in Love with Boccia One Throw at a Time
10 June 2022 By Lim Wei Hao A teacher’s sharing about the Bahrain 2021 Asian Youth Para Games (AYPG) and a quick search on YouTube to find out more – Isaiah Jong’s interest in disability sport was piqued. The 9-year-old, who enjoys playing Mario games with his cousins in his free time, was intrigued and wondered if he too would be able to participate in disability sports. As part of home-based learning, Isaiah’s school prepared a section on the AYPG where the students were introduced to athletes with physical disabilities and showcased the various types of disability sports available. Serendipitously, Isaiah also knew one of Team Singapore’s representatives who participated in the Bahrain 2021 AYPG, which prompted Isaiah and his mother, Angeline Loh, to do a little more research on disability sports in Singapore. “In class, my teacher told me about the Para Youth Games and that’s how I found out about Boccia. She told us about Paralympic sports that were available and I went to search on YouTube and I realised how fun the game looked,” said Isaiah. It was no surprise that Isaiah was intrigued by Boccia given his love for any activity that “included a ball”. Isaiah, who has a medical condition called brain stem glioma, has weakness on the right side of his body and uses a wheelchair. “From young, he has a very great liking for balls. Any ball-related games like marbles, he likes to set up a target and to challenge himself to throw the balls towards it. This was kind of what he has done since young. So when we found out about Boccia, we were all very interested in the game because it ticks the boxes of what he likes, it’s totally in line with his interest and what he is able to do and so therefore we thought why not give it a try,” said Angeline. A few phone calls later, Angeline was connected to the Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC) and Isaiah was eagerly awaiting the opportunity to give the sport a try. At the end of 2021, SDSC was working hard on plans to roll out the SDSC Boccia (Pre Development / Recreational) @ Pasir Ris programme. With Singapore’s COVID-19 situation finally stabilising and with the relaxation of safe management measures, the programme was finally launched in January. Isaiah has attended six sessions since, and his interest in the sport has grown exponentially. “It’s a new thing for me. When I first started, I was excited because I think it’s a really good game to join. Going through the session, you must swing your hand. There’s a lot of rules in the game and sometimes you will forget,” said Isaiah. Angeline also appreciates the opportunity for Isaiah to make new friends and to be a part of the sports community. “Isaiah is in a mainstream school so I do not think that he has seen many people with a similar condition like him. When he started playing boccia it was really good for him to get in contact with other ‘kor kor’, ‘jie jie’, who are now friends. I find it really amazing to see them participate in the game and do so well in Boccia. I think that Boccia is definitely a game that is encouraging for anyone or any child with special needs. It encourages them to not to just stay at home and be homebound and to motivates to go out to make friends and to find out what they can do to their best of abilities, I think that is very important,” said Angeline. Isaiah, who enjoys the strategy and competitive nature of Boccia, has dreams of one day representing Singapore at an international competition. When asked to share words of encouragement for others who may be interested to take up disability sports, Isaiah shared “I just want them to try their best and don’t be afraid to join sports”. For Angeline, it has been a joyous process seeing Isaiah pick up a new sport and she has been learning alongside Isaiah every step of the way. “I think that every child regardless of their ability has a potential to fulfil. I want to encourage anyone who has a child with special needs or physical challenges, to try Boccia, go out to make friends, and to find out what they can do to their best of abilities. I think that is very important,” said Angeline. Isaiah’s journey has only just started and it will be one that will see many ups and downs, but with many lessons and takeaways as well. Just like how Isaiah has found a community, you can join the community too. With the strong support of Pasir Ris Sport Centre, SDSC has launched the new SDSC Boccia (Pre Development / Recreational) @ Pasir Ris. Training takes place every Saturday at the ActiveSG Pasir Ris Sport Centre, between 9.00am-4.00pm. Please find out more about Boccia here.
A Heart to Serve
As part of International Women’s Day, we sat down to speak to Dr Teoh Chin Sim, Vice President of the Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC), as she reflected on PlayBuddy, a whirlwind 2021 and shared her hopes for para sports in the future. 25 March 2022 By Lim Wei Hao In 2012, Dr Teoh Chin Sim’s life, in her own words, changed completely. Dr Teoh was the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for Team Singapore for the London 2012 Paralympic Games (PG). It was through this appointment that she was introduced to the world of para sports. Fully immersed in the Games, Dr Teoh had the opportunity to be acquainted with para athletes such as Yip Pin Xiu, Theresa Goh, Nurulasyiqah Mohammad Taha, Laurentia Tan and several other Team Singapore athletes. “The blind, the lame, the amputees, those who could not speak, those with two arms only, those with two legs only, I saw everything at once. It created a deep impression in me, especially at the swimming pool. You see people in their swimming costumes and trunks. Their physical appearance is very stark and jumps out at you as a doctor. We’re not seeing one or two; we’re seeing hundreds upon hundreds. Even the volunteers and officials included people with disabilities,” said Dr Teoh. It was this experience that stirred Dr Teoh’s heart and she wondered what Singapore was doing for people with various impairments. Dr Teoh’s chief concern was whether or not persons with disabilities were being active, and if they were aware that they could utilise sport as a means of fitness and health. Dr Teoh went knocking the doors of various social service agencies and found that it challenging to navigate and find answers to her questions back then. The next turning point for disability sports in Singapore came in 2015, when Singapore hosted the 2015 ASEAN Para Games, the first time the Lion City ever hosted the Games. “There were over 1,500 athletes from ASEAN countries and I said to myself, at last, many people will understand what I have been raving about because Singaporeans will at long last they will see what I mean,” said Dr Teoh. With the successful hosting of the 2015 ASEAN Para Games came a new wave of understanding. People were more curious about disability sports than ever before. Things moved in the disability arena and for people with special needs. Numerous initiatives sprung up and were created. Dr Teoh also witnessed para athletes getting much more media coverage compared to the past. PlayBuddy In a discussion with her colleague, Tan Jia Ling, a physiotherapist, a new initiative was born. Dr Teoh and Jia Ling were determined to work with children with disabilities and went out in the community to explore starting a sports play group. Jogging in the park at East Coast Park over a weekend, Dr Teoh approached a father and his son who had cerebral palsy, who were enjoying a day out in the park, and asked the son if he would like to play sports. His father expressed surprise at the statement. “We were not sure how it would go but our intention was to show and create awareness that people with disabilities can play some form of sports or get active, whatever their disability,” shared Dr Teoh. And PlayBuddy was born. Through word of mouth and through Dr Teoh’s network in the local sports industry, a community was building organically. From the first play session at a former national netballer’s gym, to activities in public parks, PlayBuddy grew from strength to strength. Dr Teoh, Jia Ling and a core group of volunteers would walk up to complete strangers to engage children the same way the first child was enrolled. As a ground-up initiative and completely volunteer-run, PlayBuddy does not collect any fees. Well-wishers contribute on a free-will basis to a fund that sustains the activities and programmes for the community. Pre-COVID-19, on average, up to 12 children with special needs would attend the weekly PlayBuddy sessions. During the last two years, while physical, in-person gatherings have been challenging to organise due to safe management measures, more children have been added to PlayBuddy sessions delivered via Zoom. Dr Teoh is looking forward to the day that they can gather as one big family once again. With the children’s family members, caregivers and volunteers joining a gathering, one could see anything between 80 to 100 people on special occasions such as National Day and Christmas which are celebrated together. “For one particular Mother’s Day, our chief volunteer Shanice Chia made cards, bought flowers, brought an ink pad, and got the children who could not write to ink themselves and leave their thumbprint on the cards. On that day itself, they presented the cards and flowers to their mothers. They took a picture and sent it to me as I was in Penang with my own mother. At that time my mother was sick, she had cancer. I was looking and I saw the photo, I showed my brother and I thought to myself, these are all my extended family and my “children.” It’s other people’s children but this is like my PlayBuddy family, and I really cried. I never could imagine that,” said Dr Teoh. Dr Teoh’s biggest satisfaction is in seeing PlayBuddy’s growth into a social community support group that it is today – from strangers to family, and this is beyond what she could have imagined when the group first started in 2016. First Olympic Games Appointment As CMO for Team Singapore to numerous major games, one would think that Dr Teoh had seen it all. Dr Teoh’s appointment as CMO for Team Singapore for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (OG) was her first-ever Olympic appointment. With the Games held against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, it had brought her the most stress and took a toll on her own health. In her professional work, Dr Teoh serves as Senior Consultant at the Sports
The Bahrain 2021 Asian Youth Para Games Experience Through the Eyes of Our Athletes
7 January 2022 Team Singapore’s 13 athletes at the Bahrain 2021 Asian Youth Para Games (AYPG) secured Singapore’s second-best showing at the AYPG, winning five gold, three silver and two bronze at the fourth edition of the Games. Singapore’s total medal haul of 10 medals is the second-most number of medals any Team Singapore contingent has won at the AYPG. We spoke with three athletes, Aloysius Gan (Boccia), Janelle Tong (Swimming) and Caleb Lee (Table Tennis), as they reflected on their Bahrain 2021 AYPG experience and found out what’s ahead for them in the coming months. 1. How did you prepare for the Games? ALOYSIUS: I trained with Nurulasyiqah Mohammad Taha before the competition, especially the last 2 weeks before my competition, she practiced with me for different scenarios like playing long distance, defending the game and allowed me to attack and many more. Also, Jia Yi and I have been training hard for pair during weekends as we practiced a lot on communication and strategy. JANELLE: I did pool sessions four times a week from the beginning of the year until the end of October, and then six to seven times a week during the post-exam period. I also use post-it notes to plan races, practice some visualization, and eat a healthy diet. CALEB: I increased training frequency at SSI from twice a week to 4 times per week. Training intensity also increased, as the Table Tennis Association for the Disabled (Singapore), TTADS, specially engaged a sparring partner to train with me to help me work on my weak areas such as receiving service balls, servicing and my footwork. I had more frequent competitive matches against different players that trained at the Singapore Sports Institute (SSI) to gain game experience from the different players and to improve my stamina. I also worked on my fitness at home. 2. What are your thoughts on your performance? ALOYSIUS: I think that I have kept the games tight with my opponents and did not allow them to have too much space to score. That allowed me to score more points when they started to make mistakes on their shot. JANELLE: What I think I accomplished well was that I wasn’t as nervous as I had anticipated. I feel that I adjusted well to the environment, despite the fact that it took some time to adapt, and I am glad that I was able to execute the race as planned beforehand. What I didn’t do so well was that I thought my swimming technique and body position could have been improved. In addition, instead of panicking, I could deal with unexpected situations calmly. CALEB: Considering this is my first tournament I participated in, I think I did alright. I managed to execute some movements that I trained hard on, but there’s still lots of works ahead of me to make myself competitive in my class. I was nervous in my first game and took a while to settle down. 3. Looking back, what were the most memorable moments that happened on the playing field and off? ALOYSIUS: I felt nervous during the match against Jeong Si-On of Korea, in the individual final. It was a tough fight with him and we went to a tiebreak after the score was tied 3-3 after the fourth end. I was trailing 1-3 at the end of the third end. I felt like my heart would drop out when I released the last two balls in the fourth end of the final. JANELLE: I had clonus in the morning on the day I had two events (100 free and 100 fly), so my legs were acting up badly. When I experience clonus, my legs begin to shake in the knee area and it becomes uncontrollable. It scared me a little before the race started, since in a fly race, you have to kick simultaneously and coordinate your leg and arm movements, and I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to do so because of the clonus. When the race began and I plunged into the water, I accidentally hit my nose on the floor because my leg jerked in the midst of the plunge and I dived too deep into the water. I felt very unsteady when swimming, and as a result, I swallowed a lot of water. At that point in time, the thought of stopping halfway crossed my mind because I was choking really badly, but looking back, I am glad that I still managed to finish the race. After the fly race, I was quite traumatized, having knocked my nose on the pool floor, and I only had a small pocket of time to really get over the poorly done race before it was time for the next race. Looking back, I am glad that I was able to put aside a bad race and focus on the next one. It is a memorable moment because it was the first time I dealt with such a situation, and I think I handled it pretty well. Additionally, making new friends from various countries and getting to know them was definitely a wonderful experience. It is memorable to me because I enjoy meeting new people and forming new friendships while competing. CALEB: On the field the most memorable moment was when I got to play with opponents from different countries. Standing on the podium, receiving the medal for Singapore was very magical. I felt very proud and happy. Off the court the most memorable moment was that I can represent Singapore in this games and made friends from different countries and being part of Team Singapore with other athletes. Stepping into Bahrain, a country that I did not know of before the Games, these are all memorable to me. 4. How would you sum up the experience? What are some learning points you took away from the Games? ALOYSIUS: Keep up the hope, concentrate on the next game and play the next ball well. Do not
In the Spotlight: SDSA 2021 Gold Partners KF1 Karting and Andaz Singapore
Exploring ideas to fundraise for charities in Singapore? Look no further. In SDSC’s brand new series, In the Spotlight, we feature and speak to individuals, brands and organisations who have chosen to partner SDSC and to raise funds for disability sports in Singapore. Every effort counts and helps to empower persons with disabilities to pursue sports and lead an active and healthy lifestyle. You can give to SDSC online: https://www.giving.sg/singapore-disability-sports-council. More information on fundraising and donating to SDSC is available here. Contact the team at corpcomm@sdsc.org.sg to discuss ideas. Thank you. 26 July 2021 In the month of July, SDSC is hosting SDSA Digital Raffle 2021 in conjunction with the Singapore Disability Sports Awards (SDSA) 2021 presented by Haw Par Corporation, where we are encouraging members of the public to donate for a chance to win attractive experiences across different categories as part of a donation draw. We spoke to two representatives from our two of our Gold Partners for the SDSA Digital Raffle 2021, James Lee, Operations Manager of KF1 Karting and Nicole Loh, Cluster Director of Marketing Communications of Andaz Singapore on their thoughts about coming on board this fundraising initiative. Can you share with us more about you and your company/organisation? James: I’m James and I’m the Operations Manager for KF1 (been so since 2015!; my first job too); I handle almost everything from ground operations (fun karts/ race karts/ customer service/ etc), to back end admin (logistics, HR, schedule planning, marketing, etc) to corporate events. I’m not an F1 fan, and I’ve a degree in Business Management, so whatever I’ve learnt and acquired here, was on the job and through handwork and taking initiative. KF1 started out with temporary circuits back when there were no fixed locations for karting yet (and the word “karting” was not familiar to almost every Singaporean). We then managed to get a fixed location in Kranji (inside Singapore Turf Club) and form there we started to grow the karting scene and community, as well as bring awareness for the karting motorsports to Singaporeans. Since 2015, we’ve processed thousands of customers, handled close to 500+ corporate events, have done-off site karting locations (at the F1 pitbuilding, at 313 Somerset, at a military Airbase, just to name a few). We currently have 2 circuits – one at Kranji and one at RWS. KF1 caters to karters of all skill levels – be it newcomers and experienced ones, with the best karting facility in Singapore. Nicole: Andaz Singapore is a luxury hotel by Hyatt located in DUO, which weaves local culture, design, and cuisine into an authentic experience for all. Discover Singapore through fresh perspectives with panoramic views of the city from sky-high guest rooms to exploring the culturally rich alleyways of the Kampong Glam neighbourhood, and reveling the night away in a tepee hut at its stunning rooftop bar. When SDSC approached you to work together for the SDSA Digital Raffle 2021, what was one key factor in deciding to come onboard despite the challenges brought about by COVID-19? James: We didn’t have to think much really – if it’s for a good cause and we can afford the sponsorship for the said cause, then why not? So we went ahead with it. Nicole: The hotel is in the business of caring for people so that they can be their best. With this purpose ingrained in the culture, it inspires us to enrich, support and give back to communities, particularly in such unprecedented times. What did you know about disability sports and has your knowledge changed after this partnership with SDSC? James: I personally have hosted an event for Singapore Deaf Association and experienced first hand the courage, friendliness (and sportiness as well) of individuals who are willing to push themselves despite their condition and I really admire that, and it’s really inspiring to see. Nicole: It is wonderful to learn about the new and ongoing initiatives rolled out to support the community such as the new app, SDSC LIFE, to encourage and support persons with disabilities. How can we encourage people/organisations to be like you and to come forward to be more giving? James: I believe a lot organisations don’t give/sponsor unless asked (given their busy schedule and targets to meet; therefore donations isn’t at the top of their head as a something to do), thus I’m sure if they were approached and shown the benefits and outcomes of their sponsorship, I believe they’d be more than willing to donate, and do it again. Nicole: Giving is a personal choice and it’s always better to give than to receive. What do you think Singaporeans can do better in trying to create a more inclusive Singapore for persons with disabilities or special needs in general? James: Be more understanding and compassionate. Generally more awareness; perhaps programmes (live/ social media/ shows/ etc) to show regular people not to take it for granted that they were born healthy and without any disability, and to then show compassion to others who although are not as fortunate as them, but still have the heart to carry on with life, and in this case, even push their competitive side and to take up sports. Nicole: Companies looking for CSR initiatives can partner with SDSC to bring awareness to the community and its cause. For example, members of the public can experience a day in the life of a Paralympian. An announcement was made recently on the athletes who are qualified to compete in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics in August. Can you share some words of encouragement to our Paralympians representing Singapore? James: Do not pile too much pressure on themselves; they have nothing to prove to anyone; just do their best and go for gold! Nicole: On behalf of everyone in the hotel, we wish them all the best and our support is with them every step of the way. The COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for all of us. The COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for all of us. What are your hopes for Singapore for the next few months and beyond? James: For everyone to stay safe
