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Taking the right steps to become a sporting nation

When one thinks of sporting achievements, Singapore is certainly not one of the first countries to come to mind. After all, we feature less prominently in international sports events, and hosted few on our small island. About a decade ago, the thought of having a viable career in sports was laughable for most Singaporeans.

Yet in recent years, our island has been basking in the glitz and glamour of professional sportsmen and athletes. We have played host to renowned international events, including the Formula One World Championship since 2008, the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics, the annual Singapore Marathon, a Gold Label Road Race according to standards set by the International Association of Athletics Federations and the 2015 Southeast Asian Games. In the years to come, we will see more sports fans come to our shores for the likes of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, football friendlies and other regional games that will be held at our Sports Hub.

No doubt these events and the sports heroes who emerge from them are sources of inspiration for sports buffs. The Singapore Sports School, established in 2004, combines a secondary school curriculum with professional training in a student’s preferred sport, allowing aspiring athletes to pursue their dreams in the sporting arena. Several have gone on to do us proud in the global sports arena.

For those who pursue their love for sports on a more casual basis, the choices are staggering. There are numerous sports establishments and exercise corners that can be used for cheap or free, stadiums including the new Singapore Sports Hub with a capacity of 50,000 along with more sports facilities like gyms, swimming complexes and large parks with jogging and cycling tracks. It is almost strange to not come across a jogger on a daily basis. Office workers are even spotted in their exercise gear running down Orchard Road or the Central Business District during off working hours.

Clearly, our infrastructure for becoming a sporting nation is visibly taking shape after decades of hard work, making good progress with Vision2030, the national goal of achieving the spirit of living better through sports. For skeptics who thought Vision2030 and the rapidly growing interest in sports are yet another product of Singapore’s attempt to milk tourism dollars, they cannot be further from the truth.

According to SCC Sports Museum, official records of matches and tournaments can be traced back to colonial times. In an era when communication was mainly through letters and telegrams, these sporting events functioned as leisure activities for the Colonials to make bearable, the long wait of news from home. The colonials brought in their own sports through the establishment of sports clubs, inspiring Asian immigrants to do the same. Soon, various communal clubs had sprouted up, including the Chinese Swimming Club, the Indian Association and the Ceylon Sports Club.

As the various ethnic groups became more integrated, sports clubs became less community-specific and more sports-centric. Associations for specific sports were formed, such as the Singapore Rifle Association, Football Association of Singapore and the Singapore Rugby Union. These would later become part of the current National Sports Associations (NSA). To cater to the growing interest in sports, the British began building public sports facilities from the 1930s.

In 1965 when Singapore became an independent nation, the government called for sports participation to build a rugged and robust society. A Sports Division was created in the Ministry of Social Affairs in 1966 to boost the promotion of sports, followed by the establishment of the National Sports Promotion Board (NSPB) in 1971. There was also the National Stadium Corporation (NSC) formed to operate and manage the National Stadium. Eventually, all these efforts were consolidated under the Singapore Sports Council (SSC). The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth continues to oversee the incorporation of sports in the Singapore culture.

The decision to encourage sports participation in an era of instability was truly sound. Sports transcend borders, and it is a great way to encourage bonding between people of all walks of life. From individuals to neighbours to schools to companies, sport fuels the competitive spirit, while encouraging team building, camaraderie and strategising. It is also an excellent nurturer of important values like perseverance and integrity. On a personal basis, it improves personal wellness, makes one look good and be confident, and helps relieve stress through the release of endorphins, a feel-good substance that induces euphoria and well-being.

In Singapore, there is the added incentive of being rewarded for kicking-start a fitness routine. Registering with ActiveSG, one can receive $100 credits to offset fees for participating sports programmes and facilities in participating sports centres, schools and the new Singapore Sports Hub.

Some facilities in the Bishan-Toa Payoh area covered under this incentive include:
– Bishan Sports Centre, 5 Bishan Street, home to ActiveSG Gym and Bishan Sports Hall
– Bishan Stadium, 7 Bishan Street 14
– Bishan Swimming Complex, 1 Bishan Street 14
– Toa Payoh Swimming Complex, 301 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh
– Toa Payoh Stadium, 297 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh, also containing the Toa Payoh Petanque Courts
– Toa Payoh Sports Hall, 297A Lorong 6 Toa Payoh
– Toa Payoh Sports Centre, 301 Toa Payoh Lor 6 which also houses an ActiveSG gym and swimming complex

For those who fancy working out in the open greenery, there’s always the Bishan ACTIVE Park and Toa Payoh Town Park. In fact, an integrated town park plan in Toa Payoh is currently in the works to bring together the park, library and stadium. Not to mention, the numerous fitness corners dotting the neighbourhood estates. Additionally, community sports events are frequently organised by the Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, free for residents to participate in, such as the Community Sports Festival that included a Mass Walk, Soccer Clinic, Beach Volleyball Clinic and Mass Zumba. Residents are encouraged to check out your notice boards regularly for information on these activities.

The more adventurous who wish to challenge their limits can partake in the numerous marathons in Singapore, many which are annual and feature professional runners worldwide. Marathons in the last quarter of the year include The Standard Chartered Marathon, The North Face 100 and Swissôtel Vertical Marathon. A regularly updated calendar of marathons can be found on http://www.runsociety.com

It seems that slowly but surely, the presence of our little red dot will grow on the world stage of sports.

– This article first appeared in a lifestyle magazine for Bishan-Toa Payoh residents.

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