Latest news with #DanelleTan
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Former footballer Madelin Lock shoots for honours at NBA Rising Stars Invitational
SINGAPORE – Madelin Lock is as good with her feet as she is with her hands – as a student-athlete she has proved her prowess on both the football field and basketball court. A former Lion City Sailors academy player, the midfielder scored a hat-trick in her final game for the club's under-16 team in 2023. And on May 23, the Hwa Chong Institution basketball captain, 18, led her team to the National School Games A Division girls' title. Football and basketball are her favourite sports, but in 2023 the Singaporean quit football to focus on the latter as she wants to 'pave the way' for the next generation. 'I realised that in football, a lot of my teammates want to go pro, and there are a lot of opportunities given to footballers, such as the Unleash The Roar! (scholarship), and people like Danelle Tan have already paved the way,' said Lock, on the sidelines of a clinic held by the National Basketball Association (NBA) at Spectra Secondary School on May 30. 'So I was hoping that, since I had the option, that I could do either one… I wanted to try and pave the way for basketball, because basketball has a very special place in my heart, I just love training by myself, and I feel I could train for hours. 'I feel that since I am fortunate enough to try, I might as well just try and pave the way for future generations.' The 1.60m point guard will be part of the Hwa Chong team who will compete in the NBA Rising Stars Invitational, the league's first regional basketball tournament for youths aged 18 and under, from June 25 to 29 at the Kallang Alive precinct. Spectra Secondary School students participated in a basketball clinic conducted by Natalia Andre (centre) from the NBA Asia's basketball operations department. PHOTO: NBA The event will feature high school teams from 11 countries and territories across the Asia-Pacific, with Singapore's A Division boys' champions Anglo-Chinese Junior College and United World College South-east Asia Dover joining the mix. Sheila Rasu, NBA Asia's head of marketing communications, said: 'Doing events in Singapore was just part of our commitment to be entrenched in the community here. 'There have been discussions over many years about what we can do here, and that was the genesis for us to create this high school tournament. It's a first of its kind. Our ambition for this particular tournament is that it becomes the premier tournament for high school kids.' The Karim Family Foundation (KFF), which also sponsors the Singapore Badminton Open, have also come on board as a community partner for the tournament. KFF principal Cindy Karim said: 'My family and I have always believed in the power of sport to inspire ambition, build character and unite communities. 'Through Karim Family Foundation's support of the sporting community, we hope to encourage young athletes in Singapore to pursue their dreams professionally and to see sports as a meaningful and fulfilling career path.' Noting that the NBA event is a 'great opportunity' for her, Lock is also looking ahead to her basketball future. She added: 'I do have the option to play in America right now, but this year, I will focus on my A levels and focus on getting better, and then next year I might go overseas, go to America and attend camps and try to find the most suitable option for me. 'I want to make sure that I'm very comfortable with the school I'm going to, at the same time, I'm also open to playing in other countries like in Europe. At the end of the day for me, the goal is to play professionally, be it in the WNBA or the Euro League.' Melvyn Teoh is a sports journalist at The Straits Times. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
28-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Singapore's Danelle Tan leaves Brisbane Roar, wants to keep her options open
Danelle Tan in action for Brisbane Roar during an exhibition match against Women's Premier League All-Star team at Bishan Stadium on April 4, 2025. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO Singapore's Danelle Tan leaves Brisbane Roar, wants to keep her options open SINGAPORE – National women's footballer Danelle Tan is on the hunt for a new club. On May 28, she announced on Instagram that she will leave Brisbane Roar after making just three appearances for the A-League Women side. In a statement on social media, the club said the 20-year-old forward is among five players who will leave the club after their contract expires at the end of this season. Brisbane, who finished seventh out of 12 in the recently concluded A-League Women campaign, thanked the players for their contributions and wished them all the best in the future. When contacted, Tan told The Straits Times that she is keeping her options open, saying: 'My main consideration is finding an environment where I believe I can improve and grow most as a player, whether in Europe or somewhere else in the world. 'I'm always trying to improve myself as a player, and that means constantly looking for environments where I can grow the most and take my football to the next level. 'While I'm grateful for my time at Brisbane Roar, I don't feel that it's the right place for me for the near future.' She joined the Australian club in August 2024, after helping German club Borussia Dortmund gain promotion to the Westfalenliga, the fourth tier of German football. Tan made three substitute appearances for the Roar – for a total of 45 minutes – after a knee surgery sidelined her for eight games. Her A-League Women debut came on Jan 4 in a 2-1 loss to Canberra United. She had a goal disallowed for offside in her second game on Feb 16, a 0-0 draw with Western United, before a 10-minute cameo in the 3-2 loss to Sydney FC on March 2. She then scored in a 7-1 friendly win against a Singapore Women's Premier League All-Star team at Bishan Stadium in April. When asked about her injury, Tan said: 'I think the knee injury came at a very unfortunate time – right before the start of the season. 'I had a good pre-season leading up to the season, starting in pre-season friendlies, so I really felt the injury killed my momentum. 'Even after coming back from injury, the team was doing very well, so competition was extremely high and I struggled for minutes.' In 2023, Tan became the first Singaporean woman to feature in a European league when she played for English third-tier side London Bees in the amateur FA Women's National League South. In the same year, she became the first Asian to play for the Dortmund women's team. She contributed 16 goals in 27 matches as BVB Frauen won the fifth-division Landesliga to earn their third consecutive promotion in three years and clinched the regional Kreispokal Cup in 2024. She then left Dortmund and accepted the offer from Brisbane, with whom she signed her first pro contract and became the second Singaporean footballer to feature in Australia's top-tier women's competition, following former national midfielder Lim Shiya, who played for Perth Glory in 2008-09. Thanking Brisbane for the opportunity to play in Australia, Tan said: 'My experience with Brisbane Roar is something I'm really grateful for. 'During my time in Australia, I've met some incredible people and life long friends that I'll carry with me beyond football. 'While I hoped the season would pan out a little differently, I'm still incredibly thankful to the fans for their unwavering support, as well as to the coaches and my teammates throughout the season.' Melvyn Teoh is a sports journalist at The Straits Times. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
