FORMER national doubles ace Yap Kim Hock has joined the second season of the “Hope For Change” programme to spread the joy of badminton to deserving young participants under a community programme.
Kim Hock will be on board the 10-month learning stint for children from charity homes at the Michael’s Badminton Academy (MBA) 32-court in Bandar Puteri, Puchong. The programme started last month.
Kim Hock, who settled for the silver medal pairing up with Cheah Soon Kit in the men’s doubles at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, said it was great to be contributing to a meaningful programme.
In recent years, Kim Hock has also been instrumental in guiding three pairs — Ow Yao Han-Chooi Kah Ming, Yao Han-Yew Hong Kheng and Teo Ee Yi-Nelson Heg Wei Keat — to emerge as the world boys’ doubles champions.
Star appeal: Kim Hock (third from left), MBA directors Michael Lee (left) and K.C. Lee (third right) with the children from selected homes at the recent launch.
“I have a full-time job as a national junior coach at the training camp in Bukit Jalil but I am willing to support an effort for the development of badminton. It is a worthy cause that is close to my heart. Hopefully, it will gain momentum and more organisations will also conduct similar initiative,” he added.
In their fresh venture embarking on the programme last year, a total of 53 youngsters went for the course.
Besides the weekly badminton training sessions, they have also incorporated other activities such attending personal development workshop, meeting World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei and fun-filled outings including watching a tournament and taking part in a children’s day carnival for the trainees.
Currently, they have identified a total of 88 children from five homes — House of Joy, Rumah Hope, Rumah Kebajikan At-Taqwa, Rumah Charis and Pure Life Society — to join the programme under the care of MBA coaches.
The MBA coaches from Indonesia are Budi Rijanto, Tony Galeh, Andrea Wijaya and Edvin Dwi Prijono.
Recently, ECM Libra Foundation showed their commitment as the title sponsor while other partners were Rapid KL, Leaderonomics, Yang Yang, Milo and 100Plus.
The foundation’s board of trustee member Lim Beng Choon and F&N Beverages marketing event and sponsorship regional manager Muhammad Fauzi Ahmad were also present at the launch for the on-going programme.
Although they have created the programme to assist the children in their character building, MBA director K.C. Lee admitted the youngsters’ determination to overcome various challenges has served as an important reminder for them to push forward and take on the difficulties in sustaining the programme.
“We want to continue with our journey in contributing to the community through badminton. It should not be based on the obsession of grooming the next badminton champion. Our main aim is to guide the children to get on the right track and empower them with good values to secure a brighter future,” said Lee, adding that they derive the joy from seeing the children’s happy faces.
From: The Star Newspaper
Date: 5 May 2012
By: Ng Wei Loon
Kim Hock will be on board the 10-month learning stint for children from charity homes at the Michael’s Badminton Academy (MBA) 32-court in Bandar Puteri, Puchong. The programme started last month.
Kim Hock, who settled for the silver medal pairing up with Cheah Soon Kit in the men’s doubles at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, said it was great to be contributing to a meaningful programme.
In recent years, Kim Hock has also been instrumental in guiding three pairs — Ow Yao Han-Chooi Kah Ming, Yao Han-Yew Hong Kheng and Teo Ee Yi-Nelson Heg Wei Keat — to emerge as the world boys’ doubles champions.
Star appeal: Kim Hock (third from left), MBA directors Michael Lee (left) and K.C. Lee (third right) with the children from selected homes at the recent launch.
“I have a full-time job as a national junior coach at the training camp in Bukit Jalil but I am willing to support an effort for the development of badminton. It is a worthy cause that is close to my heart. Hopefully, it will gain momentum and more organisations will also conduct similar initiative,” he added.
In their fresh venture embarking on the programme last year, a total of 53 youngsters went for the course.
Besides the weekly badminton training sessions, they have also incorporated other activities such attending personal development workshop, meeting World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei and fun-filled outings including watching a tournament and taking part in a children’s day carnival for the trainees.
Currently, they have identified a total of 88 children from five homes — House of Joy, Rumah Hope, Rumah Kebajikan At-Taqwa, Rumah Charis and Pure Life Society — to join the programme under the care of MBA coaches.
The MBA coaches from Indonesia are Budi Rijanto, Tony Galeh, Andrea Wijaya and Edvin Dwi Prijono.
Recently, ECM Libra Foundation showed their commitment as the title sponsor while other partners were Rapid KL, Leaderonomics, Yang Yang, Milo and 100Plus.
The foundation’s board of trustee member Lim Beng Choon and F&N Beverages marketing event and sponsorship regional manager Muhammad Fauzi Ahmad were also present at the launch for the on-going programme.
Although they have created the programme to assist the children in their character building, MBA director K.C. Lee admitted the youngsters’ determination to overcome various challenges has served as an important reminder for them to push forward and take on the difficulties in sustaining the programme.
“We want to continue with our journey in contributing to the community through badminton. It should not be based on the obsession of grooming the next badminton champion. Our main aim is to guide the children to get on the right track and empower them with good values to secure a brighter future,” said Lee, adding that they derive the joy from seeing the children’s happy faces.
From: The Star Newspaper
Date: 5 May 2012
By: Ng Wei Loon
