By Lim Yong Teck/Red Sports
19-year-old Wu Han (right) is the youngest participant in the programme. (Photo 1 © Lim Yong Teck/Red Sports)
Under the ActiveSG basketball interest programme, like-minded individuals who share a passion for basketball gather every Friday evening to pit their skills against one another.
ActiveSG aims to provide affordable sports programmes for Singaporeans of all ages and levels. It is one of the recommendations of Vision 2030.
From 7–9 p.m. every Friday, adults aged 18 and above gather at Jurong West Sports Hall for an enjoyable time of non-competitive basketball games. The programme is managed by a convener from Sport Singapore (formerly known as Singapore Sports Council), who will ensure fair play amongst participants. In addition, participants need only pay a monthly fee of $10 to gain access to the programme.
Currently, there are 17 adults, aged 19 to mid-thirties, who have been participating on a regular basis. Since its inauguration in October 2013, the programme has helped to forge friendships among the participants, who come from different walks of life.
“I think the programme is great. Everyone can come here to practise basketball and make new friends. It is also good to get some exercise every Friday after work,” said 30-year-old Jeff Medel, who has been playing the sport since seven years of age. Jeff, an engineer by day, first found out about the programme when he was playing badminton with his friends at the sports hall. “We saw a poster that indicated that there was a basketball programme, so my friends and I decided to join.”
One of the participants is Wu Han, 19. Wu Han played competitively for Hua Yi Secondary. The Singapore Polytechnic student is currently pursuing bodybuilding, and sees the programme as a part of his training regime. “My house is just nearby, and the programme is a form of a cardio workout for me. It is fun to play with the rest of the guys here and we have all become great friends,” commented Wu Han.
A second edition of the basketball interest programme has been scheduled to commence in June 2014. It will be held every Friday, 7–9 p.m., at Clementi Sports Hall.
For more details, go to: myactivesg.com
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