Since the Ministry of Community Development was officially renamed the Ministry of Community Development and Sports on April 1 last year, the government has set clear goals to promote the development of sports to make Singapore a sporting nation.
It is timely to stress the importance of sports. With the economy on track and Singaporeans enjoying more affluence, the desire to have a better quality of life is understandable. Sports no doubt will have a role to play in this aspect.
Participation in sporting events will help us lead a more healthy lifestyle. “Health is wealth” is an advice that everyone is familiar with. Indeed, without good health and fitness, one will not be able to realise any great aspirations or ambitions which one may have.
Sports also have an unique ability to unite people. One day, should a Singaporean be able to bring home a gold medal from the Olympics, the joy and pride Singaporeans experience as a nation would be immeasuarable.
Of course, tremendous manpower and resources are needed to attain the goal of a sporting nation. However, if everyone is convinced of the value of sports, we should work together as one to help achieve this aim.
As a small nation with scarce human resources, it is no easy task to nurture an Olympic or world champion. Still, this is not a case of “mission impossible”. What is critical is that we must work towards the same objective with determination, conviction and the right approach.
Taking part in sports can help one become active, develop a strong will, a readiness to strive hard and accept challenges, and a never-say-die attitude. These are values that offer lifelong benefit, even if an athlete fails eventually to make the dream of becoming an Olympic gold medalist or world champion come true.
The recent proposal to set up a sports school in 2003 by a sub-committee of the Committee on Sporting Singapore, aims to provide young and talented athletes who are likely to shine in the sporting arena, the best care, training and support.
The idea of the sub-committee on “Enhancing the Athletes’ Support Infrastructure”, is to provide accommodation to allow gifted athletes to study and train under one roof, thus saving them the time that would be wasted on travelling.
It is certainly a good suggestion. But the sub-committee must develop parents’ confidence in the school, and get rid of wrong perceptions about sports or the school that some people may have. It also has to be careful in its admission criteria, to make sure every student receives excellent training.
The “kiasu” mentality is doubtless common among Singaporean parents. If their children are good enough for an elite school, would they opt for a sports school instead? This is probably the toughest challenge for the sub-committee.
By and large, parents hope their children would have a career in an established profession. For them to agree to their children persuing a career in sports may be unthinkable. The traditional mindset will certainly not change overnight.
However, in countries such as the United States and Australia, the sports industry is a very lucrative one. The money professional sportsmen or sportswomen make, is certainly no less than specialist doctors, lawyers or bankers.
We have our own examples too. Famed paddler Jing Junhong and former soccer star Fandi Ahmad have both made a name for themselves. They have also received enough in return and do not have to worry about their livelihood.
The government should “make good use” of these household names to promote sports and make people aware of our potential in developing sports. It should also help create a lifelong career path for young people w11them have a go at it, and give them the biggest possible support!
（The writer is a Correspondent of Lianhe Zaobao. Translated by Yap Gee Poh）
體育能出人頭地嗎？
宋以彬
自社會發(fā)展部在去年4月1日正式改名為社會發(fā)展及體育部后,政府已明確地定下目標,更積極地推動新加坡的體育發(fā)展,決心要把新加坡發(fā)展成為體育國家。
新加坡在這個時候開始強調(diào)體育的重要性是最合時宜的。目前,我國的經(jīng)濟發(fā)展已上了軌道,人民的生活比起從前更為富裕,在這種情況下,自然希望能夠進一步提高生活素質(zhì),而體育在這方面,絕對能夠作出貢獻。
通過體育活動,國人能夠過更健康的生活。所謂“健康就是財富”,如果沒有健康的身體,就算一個人有再大的理想和抱負,也只是空談而已,根本沒有能力去完成自己在生活上所定下的目標。
此外,體育也有團結(jié)人民的作用。試想想,如果有朝一日新加坡運動員真的能夠贏得奧運金牌,獲得世界體壇的榮譽,相信所有的新加坡人都會為他感到自豪的。
當然,要成功發(fā)展成為體育國家,需要不少的人力和物力。不過,如果每一人都認為體育確實有它存在的價值的話,那我們就應該同心協(xié)力,全民參與,去協(xié)助新加坡實現(xiàn)這個愿望。
新加坡是個彈丸小國,人力資源非常有限,因此要培養(yǎng)出一個奧運或世界冠軍,確實是很不容易的事。不過,這也并非不可能的任務,重要的是我們必須要有堅強的信念和正確的方法,大家朝一個目標共同努力。
通過發(fā)展卓越體育,能協(xié)助一個人建立活躍、奮斗、挑戰(zhàn)和不放棄的精神,并且培養(yǎng)不屈不撓和剛強的意志力,這些價值觀對每個人都有益,就算運動員最終無法完成奪得奧運或世界冠軍的目標,也將使他一生受用無窮。
新加坡體育促進委員會屬下的改善運動員支援體制小組,日前提出了在2003年成立體育學校的建議,目的就是要讓有可能在體壇綻放光芒的年輕選手,獲得的照顧和訓練,在他們的運動員生涯中給予扶持。
體育學校的概念是讓這些學生運動員在同一個地方讀書和接受訓練,并為他們提供宿舍,使他們能夠省下在交通上所浪費的時間。
可以肯定的是,體育學校的概念是積極可取的。不過,改善運動員支援體制小組必須消除人們對體育或體育學校所持有的錯誤觀念,讓家長對它有信心,并小心定下入學標準,才能夠使每個小苗子都獲得栽培的機會。
無可否認的,新加坡的家長普遍上都有“怕輸”的心理,如果孩子能夠進入就讀的話,是否會考慮選擇體育學校,是小組面臨的最棘手的問題。
傳統(tǒng)上,家長都希望孩子能在“有出息”的專業(yè)上尋求發(fā)展,要他們愿意讓孩子成為職業(yè)運動員,或在體育行業(yè)中尋找出路,真的不是一朝一夕的事。
不過,在一些國家如美國和澳洲,體育確實是有利可圖的專業(yè),而他們的職業(yè)運動員,所賺的錢也絕不遜于?？漆t(yī)生、律師或銀行家。
更何況,新加坡本身也有這樣的例子,如前足球名將范迪阿末和乒乓球女將井浚泓,他們都能夠在體育的領域上闖出一片天空,所獲得的回報也使他們不必為生活煩惱。
政府必須善于“利用”這些體育名將,向國人灌輸對體育的正確觀念,以及讓大家了解到新加坡體育的發(fā)展?jié)撃?并且真心誠意地為有意在這方面發(fā)展的年輕運動員鋪下一條終生的職業(yè)道路,消除家長的后顧之憂。另一方面,家長也應該從現(xiàn)在開始,學習尊重孩子的決定。如果孩子已下定決心要朝體育方面發(fā)展的話,就讓他們闖一闖,并給予他們的支持吧！
It is timely to stress the importance of sports. With the economy on track and Singaporeans enjoying more affluence, the desire to have a better quality of life is understandable. Sports no doubt will have a role to play in this aspect.
Participation in sporting events will help us lead a more healthy lifestyle. “Health is wealth” is an advice that everyone is familiar with. Indeed, without good health and fitness, one will not be able to realise any great aspirations or ambitions which one may have.
Sports also have an unique ability to unite people. One day, should a Singaporean be able to bring home a gold medal from the Olympics, the joy and pride Singaporeans experience as a nation would be immeasuarable.
Of course, tremendous manpower and resources are needed to attain the goal of a sporting nation. However, if everyone is convinced of the value of sports, we should work together as one to help achieve this aim.
As a small nation with scarce human resources, it is no easy task to nurture an Olympic or world champion. Still, this is not a case of “mission impossible”. What is critical is that we must work towards the same objective with determination, conviction and the right approach.
Taking part in sports can help one become active, develop a strong will, a readiness to strive hard and accept challenges, and a never-say-die attitude. These are values that offer lifelong benefit, even if an athlete fails eventually to make the dream of becoming an Olympic gold medalist or world champion come true.
The recent proposal to set up a sports school in 2003 by a sub-committee of the Committee on Sporting Singapore, aims to provide young and talented athletes who are likely to shine in the sporting arena, the best care, training and support.
The idea of the sub-committee on “Enhancing the Athletes’ Support Infrastructure”, is to provide accommodation to allow gifted athletes to study and train under one roof, thus saving them the time that would be wasted on travelling.
It is certainly a good suggestion. But the sub-committee must develop parents’ confidence in the school, and get rid of wrong perceptions about sports or the school that some people may have. It also has to be careful in its admission criteria, to make sure every student receives excellent training.
The “kiasu” mentality is doubtless common among Singaporean parents. If their children are good enough for an elite school, would they opt for a sports school instead? This is probably the toughest challenge for the sub-committee.
By and large, parents hope their children would have a career in an established profession. For them to agree to their children persuing a career in sports may be unthinkable. The traditional mindset will certainly not change overnight.
However, in countries such as the United States and Australia, the sports industry is a very lucrative one. The money professional sportsmen or sportswomen make, is certainly no less than specialist doctors, lawyers or bankers.
We have our own examples too. Famed paddler Jing Junhong and former soccer star Fandi Ahmad have both made a name for themselves. They have also received enough in return and do not have to worry about their livelihood.
The government should “make good use” of these household names to promote sports and make people aware of our potential in developing sports. It should also help create a lifelong career path for young people w11them have a go at it, and give them the biggest possible support!
（The writer is a Correspondent of Lianhe Zaobao. Translated by Yap Gee Poh）
體育能出人頭地嗎？
宋以彬
自社會發(fā)展部在去年4月1日正式改名為社會發(fā)展及體育部后,政府已明確地定下目標,更積極地推動新加坡的體育發(fā)展,決心要把新加坡發(fā)展成為體育國家。
新加坡在這個時候開始強調(diào)體育的重要性是最合時宜的。目前,我國的經(jīng)濟發(fā)展已上了軌道,人民的生活比起從前更為富裕,在這種情況下,自然希望能夠進一步提高生活素質(zhì),而體育在這方面,絕對能夠作出貢獻。
通過體育活動,國人能夠過更健康的生活。所謂“健康就是財富”,如果沒有健康的身體,就算一個人有再大的理想和抱負,也只是空談而已,根本沒有能力去完成自己在生活上所定下的目標。
此外,體育也有團結(jié)人民的作用。試想想,如果有朝一日新加坡運動員真的能夠贏得奧運金牌,獲得世界體壇的榮譽,相信所有的新加坡人都會為他感到自豪的。
當然,要成功發(fā)展成為體育國家,需要不少的人力和物力。不過,如果每一人都認為體育確實有它存在的價值的話,那我們就應該同心協(xié)力,全民參與,去協(xié)助新加坡實現(xiàn)這個愿望。
新加坡是個彈丸小國,人力資源非常有限,因此要培養(yǎng)出一個奧運或世界冠軍,確實是很不容易的事。不過,這也并非不可能的任務,重要的是我們必須要有堅強的信念和正確的方法,大家朝一個目標共同努力。
通過發(fā)展卓越體育,能協(xié)助一個人建立活躍、奮斗、挑戰(zhàn)和不放棄的精神,并且培養(yǎng)不屈不撓和剛強的意志力,這些價值觀對每個人都有益,就算運動員最終無法完成奪得奧運或世界冠軍的目標,也將使他一生受用無窮。
新加坡體育促進委員會屬下的改善運動員支援體制小組,日前提出了在2003年成立體育學校的建議,目的就是要讓有可能在體壇綻放光芒的年輕選手,獲得的照顧和訓練,在他們的運動員生涯中給予扶持。
體育學校的概念是讓這些學生運動員在同一個地方讀書和接受訓練,并為他們提供宿舍,使他們能夠省下在交通上所浪費的時間。
可以肯定的是,體育學校的概念是積極可取的。不過,改善運動員支援體制小組必須消除人們對體育或體育學校所持有的錯誤觀念,讓家長對它有信心,并小心定下入學標準,才能夠使每個小苗子都獲得栽培的機會。
無可否認的,新加坡的家長普遍上都有“怕輸”的心理,如果孩子能夠進入就讀的話,是否會考慮選擇體育學校,是小組面臨的最棘手的問題。
傳統(tǒng)上,家長都希望孩子能在“有出息”的專業(yè)上尋求發(fā)展,要他們愿意讓孩子成為職業(yè)運動員,或在體育行業(yè)中尋找出路,真的不是一朝一夕的事。
不過,在一些國家如美國和澳洲,體育確實是有利可圖的專業(yè),而他們的職業(yè)運動員,所賺的錢也絕不遜于?？漆t(yī)生、律師或銀行家。
更何況,新加坡本身也有這樣的例子,如前足球名將范迪阿末和乒乓球女將井浚泓,他們都能夠在體育的領域上闖出一片天空,所獲得的回報也使他們不必為生活煩惱。
政府必須善于“利用”這些體育名將,向國人灌輸對體育的正確觀念,以及讓大家了解到新加坡體育的發(fā)展?jié)撃?并且真心誠意地為有意在這方面發(fā)展的年輕運動員鋪下一條終生的職業(yè)道路,消除家長的后顧之憂。另一方面,家長也應該從現(xiàn)在開始,學習尊重孩子的決定。如果孩子已下定決心要朝體育方面發(fā)展的話,就讓他們闖一闖,并給予他們的支持吧！