Bf.com meeting at S'pore Open

So Loh was the lone voice shouting JR, JR in the doubles game.

Do you know that your shouts were recorded on Hi Fi Tv?

 

Hi Bbn

I was actually ALONE, ie, not with the other BF friends, as the good seats were quickly snapped up very early as I reached the Stadium slightly before 12 noon.
Kaffie, who helped in this Open as a volunteer seeing to the training needs of the players before the Open proper, was assured of a place in the Officials' perimeter.

As I was sitting only about 30 feet from the court, I did shout at the top of my voice on several occasions but I will be most surprised that my voice can be recorded that distinctly. You must be pulling my legs!

Hi Kwun

The SIS is actually quite a comfortable place to snooze. I did take a few winks as I was there every day, sometimes twice a day during the Qualifying and Preliminary Rounds when the morning sessions start at 9 and will not end until late evening and even past the next morning in one case. I was prepared for the airconditioning and always brought along a wind breaker to keep warm and a bottle of mineral water which they allowed in the seating area, but not finger or fast food.

The Singapore "Sports Hub"

But the SIS will be eclipsed in around 2009 by the Sports Hub which will replace the National Stadium in Kallang, where the SIS is also located. The Sports Hub will include "a new world-class stadium (mainly for soccer matches, national day celebrations, concerts, etc) with a seating capacity of between 45,0000 and 55,000 and a 6,000-seat indoor arena complete with retail outlets, leisure facilities and a sports business cluster". There will also be a train service (MRT Circle Line) to facilitate transportation, which is currently not available. As you may be aware, the Singapore Government is keen on making Singapore a world-class sporting nation, able to host regional and international sports events like the Commonwealth Games, the Southeast Asian Games, etc.

 

No Loh I am serious, check with those who watched TV.

The voice shouting JR is neither gruff, nor high pitched, like someone in

20s or 30s.

 

hmm

npt sure if i saw ralph on that day.. was he wearing a black shirt with some whitewords behind during the Semis?

 

loh, i guess he is the one ...

i saw a tall guy with black t-shirt and badmintonphoto.com print at the back of his t-shirt waiting for taxi after the semi ... while i was about to call his name, he boarded the taxi

As you may be aware, the Singapore Government is keen on making Singapore a world-class sporting nation

agreed ... but they dont accept your feedback well (they're based on books)... i have made few complained regarding the lighting at jurong east sports hall ... but they insist that we dont deserve the lighting to be on.

 

Re: Photo shoot of BF fans at S'pore Open

oops! miss your invitation Loh to join u guys, but i was there at the sf (that's the only day that i attended with my daughter btw come to think of it, that's the only live badminton match that i have ever attended ). but it was really great fun especially just a few meter away from those lovely chinese players

 

I don't quite get your complaint about the lighting part. Is it that they don't allow the lights to be switched on? If you pay for the rental of the courts, they have to switch on the lights. Maybe the people managing the hall are difficult people. If that is the case you should put your case to the Sports Council.

I think when I talked about the S'pore Govt's plans, we must look at the big picture. We are talking about different levels. Your case is one dealing with the "grassroots" level where the people concerned are the ones directly concerned with the nitty gritty of things and they may not understand nor empathize with the policy makers at the S'pore Sports Council. But the feedback to the right channels will of course improve things further and make participation in sports that much more enjoyable.

Hi Legal strike

Sorry to have missed you. I think you and your family must have enjoyed the SF outing, albeit it was your first visit to a tournament full of world class players. Hopefully we'll meet next year.

 

hope i'm around to witness the first batch of players from the S'pore Sports School competing in the Sunrise Yonex Singapore Open

 

I think when I talked about the S'pore Govt's plans, we must look at the big picture. We are talking about different levels. Your case is one dealing with the "grassroots" level where the people concerned are the ones directly concerned with the nitty gritty of things and they may not understand nor empathize with the policy makers at the S'pore Sports Council. But the feedback to the right channels will of course improve things further and make participation in sports that much more enjoyable.

Hi Loh,

my complain is actually answered by the person in charge Manager (Stadia-West)
for Chief Executive Officer Singapore Sports Council (surely he represents the voice of SSC).

If you pay for the rental of the courts, they have to switch on the lights.

that's the point Loh ... they used to turn on these lights ... starting this year they turn it off

to be a world class sporting nation ???

no doubt singapore has a good sport facilities, but i think SSC must boost up the local to excel ... rather importing players from other countries.

btw, loh ... thanks for listening to my complain kekeke ... but i think i am out of topic

 

It may be all economics to create sports related industries domestically

or boost tourism.KLBA is having a club tour next month involving 50 teams. Not

many restrictions.


Think of no. of shuttles that can be sold, or racquets or shoes.

 

Hi Cheung

You mean to say you got live telecast of the S'pore Open Finals? I thought this will come later. You will never get to hear my voice unless you taped the proceedings of the MD Match and play it back. I'm still suffering from coarse voice though.

Your baby daughter (how many months young is she?) will feel quite at home in our Indoor Stadium since the airconditioning is perfect for snoozing! And since the father is a badminton fanatic, it may be a good idea to slowly immerse her to the excitement of world-class badminton and get used to the noise. Who knows, with such a dedicated father, she may well grow to be like another Wang Chen or better still, Zhang Ning!

Singapore's Badminton Master Plan

Recently, our new SBA President, Minister Lim Swee Say, has unveiled a Master Plan to bring Singapore Badminton to a higher level all round, with greater participation from the grassroots level (badminton is already one of the top ten sports here) and
to aim for the Thomas Cup Final Round by 2012. The Sports School, with badminton as one of the few selected sports will start early next year and hopefully this will provide the base from where our future stars will emerge. The intakes are between the ages of 12 to 13, therefore the target seems to be quite in line when these young people will become mature adults in their early twenties.

This is partly an answer to Swijaya's concern that our national players are mainly imported and therefore do not fully represent the country. Yes, indeed plans are now afloat to reduce the percentage to about 50%, ie, at half are locals by the time we compete for the TC. The culture and mindset of the locals must change somewhat in order for the country to achieve greater honours in the international sports arena. If the overwheming number of applications to the new Sports School is anything to go by, S'porean parents are now realising that there are options available to their children who are talented in sports. So parents as well as their children are now accepting the fact that there is a future in sports!

It will take time. Imported players can still play a very useful role now. And for those who become S'pore Citizens like Ronald Susilo, Li Li, Xiao Luxi and others, there will be a role for them in sports! It is a win-win situation. But we must all be a bit more patient to see the results and reap the rewards!

I think the Master Plan is available in the SBA website for those who are interested.

 

hi Loh,

IMHO:

one of the most difficult task in Singapore is a very high living standard and there is no doll for unemployment ...

i believe most of the first team national players will only earn around S$1250 - 1800

surely most singaporean will put most of their effort to their study, unless they are coming from rich family.

just imagine what can those players do after their contract terminated by SBA?

while players in indo, korea, china are training full-time, singaporean are training half-day, which make them very difficult to improve.

seriouslly, i hope one day they can do much better ... who knows TC/UC would be held here in Singapore

 

Swijaya

Frankly, I don't know the details of their employment contract. Granted that you are right, such amounts as mentioned are basic living allowances, I suppose. Those who perform well at international competitions like the last Commonwealth Games at Manchester and the forthcoming Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam, will be handsomely rewarded. They can also win prize-monies from IBF sanctioned events like the Thai Open, etc. If the pay-packet has been so good, players may take it too easy and may not work hard enough to bring glory to the country! You can see the great disparity in standards between our players and those of the top nation countries and how Ronald was confidently disposed of by Chen Hong in the QF!

Ronald Susilo and Li Li (Commonwealth gold in LS!), in particular, have benefitted from such a scheme and I think they earn more than the average Singaporean. Ronald's girl friend, Lee Jiawei, our Table Tennis star has earned around S$750,000 already, almost a millionaire at such a young age! Not every player is treated alike. The better and more hard working ones will be rewarded better and may be able to obtain sponsors and commercial endorsements as well. Remember the SBA has to pay for their trips overseas and other expenses. I remember too that those players who have done well for S'pore have also been insured and will get a lump sum on their retirement as gratuity.

Living costs and standards in the other first world countries like Denmark and UK are higher. I am not sure how our reward schemes to professional badminton players compare with those in these countries. Until we have access to these information, it will be difficult to say whether S'pore is doing the right or wrong thing.

Imagine if you are really good at sports and a world beater, you can be a millionaire
in a very short period of time as Lee Jiawei, now a citizen formerly imported from China when she was a teenager, is now proving to be! That perhaps is also one reason why our parents are willing to allow their kids to join the Sports School, instead of the normal academic schools, which recently met with considerably success on enrolment.

So, times are changing and the S'porean mindset is set to change as well, Swijaya!

 

Imagine if you are really good at sports and a world beater, you can be a millionaire
in a very short period of time as Lee Jiawei, now a citizen formerly imported from China when she was a teenager, is now proving to be! That perhaps is also one reason why our parents are willing to allow their kids to join the Sports School, instead of the normal academic schools, which recently met with considerably success on enrolment.

So, times are changing and the S'porean mindset is set to change as well, Swijaya! [/B][/QUOTE]

and my daughter just missed the cut

 

and my daughter just missed the cut [/B][/QUOTE]

Hi Legal strike

I'm sorry to learn that your daughter can't make it to the Sports School. What could be the reasons?

Is it because the applications far outnumbered the places (for badminton I assume) available? Or is because they required a higher skill level? Is your daughter tested? How is she tested? By just playing with another girl or also on many other aspects. What are these?

Incidentally, why did your daughter apply for the Sports School? What made you support her application? Or is it your decision, not hers, that she should go for the Sports School? Is she strong in badminton? Has she represented her school?

I hope you don't mind giving me your frank answers so that we are made aware of the situation and the seemingly 'high' demands of the SS.

Thanks

 

Hi Legal strike

I'm sorry to learn that your daughter can't make it to the Sports School. What could be the reasons?

Is it because the applications far outnumbered the places (for badminton I assume) available? Or is because they required a higher skill level? Is your daughter tested? How is she tested? By just playing with another girl or also on many other aspects. What are these?

Incidentally, why did your daughter apply for the Sports School? What made you support her application? Or is it your decision, not hers, that she should go for the Sports School? Is she strong in badminton? Has she represented her school?

I hope you don't mind giving me your frank answers so that we are made aware of the situation and the seemingly 'high' demands of the SS.

Thanks [/B][/QUOTE]
wow it's going to be a long story, so i am going to tackle your enquiry one at a time.
u got to bear with me that i do not speak good english.

firstly yes my daughter represented her school in badminton. i would say that she is the best in her school for she was the only girl that was given the form to submit in order to attend the presentation at the s'pore expo.

is she that good? will i dunno how to judge her.

she was very impressed with the presentation, and was really hoping to be selected. so it was not daddy's idea , but daddy gave the green light (but deep in my heart i know that she does not stand a chance)

before the presentation, some already were chosen from the recent pilot pen open. and the rest was open for selection.
there were 60 (girls) and 100+ boys hopeful, but only about 4 vacancy for boys and about 6 for girls, but later i found out that the number was increased to 8 girls.

venue for selection was done in SAFRA Toa Payoh, i think there are 3 courts. 4 girls to a court, and each court there's a person giving point. girls were told to perform certain stroke at each court.

what i'm going to say may be like sour grape to some, but that's my opinion.

many of this girls cannot play. and they were told to lop or serve high in order to let the other girl smash or drop.....so u get my point ? sigh......