Hi there, my name is Delane Lim. As the President of the Tchoukball Association of Singapore, I lead and oversee Tchoukball development in our country.
Tchoukball is a fascinating non-contact indoor team sport. In this game, two teams of seven players compete to score points by skilfully rebounding a ball off a frame, also known as the goal. The objective is to make the ball land on the ground outside the ‘forbidden zone,’ bounce off any part of a defending player’s body below the knee, or hit a defending player standing inside the ‘forbidden zone.’ It’s a fast-paced and strategic sport that requires agility, teamwork, and precision.
The People’s Association (PA) introduced the sport in 2003, and its popularity grew thanks to Chris Huang, the General Secretary of the Asia Pacific Tchoukball Federation (APTBF), who further promoted the sport in 2006. That same year, the Tchoukball Association of Singapore (TBAS) was formed.
In 2006, Singapore participated in its first international competition and has since maintained an impressive track record, consistently finishing in the top three. This success has helped raise Tchoukball’s profile in the country and solidified its position as a competitive sport.
In 2007, TBAS organized the first inter-school games, providing opportunities for primary, secondary, and tertiary-level students to showcase their skills and passion for the sport.
In our journey, there have been several hurdles along the way. One major challenge is our national players’ lack of dedicated training venues. We have shared venues with multiple squads, making securing consistent and focused training sessions difficult. Additionally, our players are self-funded, and our coaches generously volunteer their time and expertise to support the team. This financial constraint adds an extra layer of difficulty in providing the necessary resources for training and development.
Another challenge we have faced is the closure of Tchoukball Co-Curricular Activities (CCA) in schools during and post-COVID. With the pandemic affecting schools’ operations and priorities, the sport was unfortunately impacted, leading to a decline in opportunities for young players to engage with the sport within the school system. However, we are actively working towards reintroducing this CCA in schools and ensuring that the sport remains accessible and attractive to students.
Despite these challenges, our Tchoukball Singapore Team has achieved remarkable success recently. Our women’s team has consistently performed well, earning a commendable second-place ranking, while our men’s team has secured a respectable third-place ranking in various competitions. One notable achievement was our victory over Chinese Taipei in the recent Asia Pacific Tchoukball Championships. This triumph propelled our women’s team to the top spot in the FITB world rankings—an extraordinary feat for Tchoukball in Singapore.
Even during the challenging COVID-19 pandemic, our players displayed incredible resilience and dedication. They persevered through the restrictions and limitations by engaging in home-based training and finding innovative ways to maintain their fitness and skills. Despite the limited resources available, the team developed a mindset of making the most out of what they have and finding creative solutions within their means to ensure their continued progress and success.
Leading Tchoukball to its current position has been a fulfilling and challenging experience for me. I have had to manage the sport with limited or no financial resources during my presidency. However, we have been incredibly fortunate to have the unwavering support of parents, corporate supporters, and schools who have willingly come on board to support our athletes. Their belief in our cause has been instrumental in our progress.
I am immensely proud of our players and their unwavering dedication and passion to represent Singapore and win for our country. Their commitment to the sport and relentless pursuit of excellence are commendable. As President, I am responsible for advocating for their needs and aspirations. While we continue to thrive despite our limited resources, I aspire to do more for our players and provide them with the necessary support and opportunities to excel.
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the supportive parents who have stood by their children’s Tchoukball journey and are pillars of strength. Their encouragement and involvement have been vital in nurturing our athletes’ talents. Additionally, I extend my gratitude to our supportive partners who have wholeheartedly embraced our vision and mission, believing in the potential of Tchoukball in Singapore. Their unwavering support has propelled the sport to its current position.
I wish to ensure sport sustainability and continued success at the elite level. We have reached a point where our achievements have made us victims of our success. To maintain this level of excellence, we need to re-evaluate our current mode of operation and establish a more sustainable model or ecosystem.
In addition, we aspire to promote Tchoukball and expand our support base within the community. We hope to engage more athletes and enthusiasts, scale up support systems, and grow our Tchoukball family. By doing so, we can continue to write the next chapter of “Our Singapore Tchoukball Story.”
To the readers here: I want to express that it truly takes a collective effort to nurture and raise a champion team. We need the support of corporate partners and individual supporters to sustain our performance and provide opportunities for our players to excel and achieve more victories for Singapore. While funding is crucial, it is not the only aspect. We also appreciate individuals who help spread our good news, advocate for our cause, and cheer for our teams by attending our matches. Together, we can make a significant impact and bring Tchoukball to all-new heights.
Let us unite as a community, joined in our passion for Tchoukball. We will work towards creating a sustainable and thriving future for the sport and our dedicated athletes.
Together, with the collective efforts of parents, partners, and all those who have contributed to the growth of Tchoukball in Singapore, we have created a strong foundation. I look forward to continued collaboration and support as we strive to expand our talent pipeline and take Tchoukball to even broader heights.
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