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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
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Second batch of Singaporean coaches start Japan training stint under Unleash The Roar initiative
(From left) Coaches Ratna Suffian, Nazri Nasir and Miur Rafik Taha will be attached to clubs in Japan till the end of the year. PHOTO: UNLEASH THE ROAR! SINGAPORE – Just two weeks into his stint as an assistant coach for Japan's J2 club Ventforet Kofu, former Young Lions coach Nazri Nasir already has his heart won over by the professional set-up and football culture. The 54-year-old said that he wants to stay for an extra year, even if it is to coach a youth team. 'My target is to continue another year, to take one of the youth teams here. If I get a chance to stay here another year, whether it's a J2 or J3 team, I am okay. This is my goal, I want to learn Japanese and I've got an interpreter here to teach me… I want to take a team (here) one day,' said Nazri. He is one of three coaches who will spend the rest of the year on attachment with clubs. They form the second batch of the Coach Overseas Attachment (COA) programme, an initiative under the Unleash The Roar! national football project. Nazri Nasir says that he wishes to stay on for another year, even if it is to coach a youth team. PHOTO: VENTFORET KOFU Geylang International women's head coach Ratna Suffian and Singapore Sports School coach Miur Rafik Taha will join J1 side Tokyo Verdy, following the footsteps of Tanjong Pagar United coach Noh Alam Shah and former Singapore international Isa Halim, who had a six-month attachment in 2024. Nazri is part of the backroom staff at Ventforet, who are based in Yamanashi prefecture, and will serve as assistant coach to head coach Shinji Otsuka. When asked how he was adapting, Nazri said: 'Excellent man, superb. I really enjoy myself here. I experienced a lot of new things, a lot of things to see, and I enjoy that… I love this place. 'For challenges, (probably) the language, but more or less, when they talk about football, whatever they say, I can understand. Football language I'd know, even if they speak in Japanese.' One thing that stood out for him is the work ethic that he has seen among the players there. Nazri added: 'I see the difference discipline-wise. During the game or training, they show a lot of commitment. They show a lot of desire and everybody is fighting for their place. 'And during training, the intensity is top notch. Normally, we train for about 80 to 90 minutes, (but) no need to tell them what to do, everybody will (stay back) and do something to improve themselves for 45 minutes to an hour. Maybe the Japanese players' mindset is like that. But I don't see (players from) clubs in Singapore doing that, not really for 45 minutes.' Ratna shared his sentiments, saying: 'Individualised training is a big thing. A lot of the players actually stay on after training to hone their craft, even (things) as simple as basic passing. 'This is something that is a culture for them. They really spend a lot of effort trying to improve things that they are weak in. 'Of course, there are people back in our league that are doing this as well, but I think that they (the Japanese) do it at another different level. They do it in high intensity and that's how they get better.' Ratna hopes to be able to observe the level of women's football while in Japan. The 46-year-old said that he has seen some of the Tokyo Verdy Beleza (women) team train and looks forward to getting more insights to develop players from the youth team to J1. Marcus Tan, Sport Singapore's chief of sport development group, said: 'We are heartened by Tokyo Verdy's continued support for the second season of the COA programme. 'Their dedication to fostering meaningful coaching exchanges have been instrumental in shaping valuable learning experiences for our coaches. At the same time, we are appreciative of the strong support provided by Ventforet Kofu in this initiative. 'Together with both clubs, we look forward to building stronger football ties with Japan while raising the standards of coaching excellence in Singapore.' 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
12-05-2025
- Straits Times
Man arrested for ‘rash act causing hurt' after Singapore Youth League match
Daniel Tay, parent of an Albirex Niigata youth footballer, sustained injuries to his left eye and cheekbone after the alleged assault on May 11. PHOTO: DANIEL TAY SINGAPORE – A 46-year-old man was arrested for a 'rash act causing hurt', after a parent of a youth footballer was allegedly hit by a chair following a match on May 11. The incident occurred just outside Sengkang Secondary School after an Under-14 Singapore Youth League (SYL) match between Geylang International and Albirex Singapore Football Academy, which Geylang won 8-0. Responding to queries from The Straits Times, the Police said on May 12 that it received a call for assistance at 10 Compassvale Lane on May 11 at about 7.15pm. 'A 51-year-old man was conveyed conscious to the hospital. A 46-year-old man was arrested for rash act causing hurt. Police investigations are ongoing', said the police statement. The SYL is an elite youth football competition, and it is an initiative under the Unleash The Roar! national football project jointly run by Sport Singapore and the Football Association of Singapore (FAS). Speaking to ST on May 12, the alleged victim Daniel Tay – who is in his 50s and the father of one of Albirex's players – said that the incident occurred after the match when a parent of a Geylang player allegedly attacked him with a metal foldable chair. According to Tay, a fellow parent of an Albirex player had approached the Geylang coach after the final whistle to raise concerns that she had been insulted by several Geylang players during the game. Tay said the coach apologised for his players' behaviour. However, as the parent walked away, she was reportedly taunted by a group of Geylang players' parents. Tay said he witnessed the exchange and stepped in 'to be a good social citizen,' reprimanding the group for 'harassing' the woman. At that point, tensions allegedly escalated, with the group shouting at him, though no physical altercation occurred then. He added that he walked out of the school with the match commissioner, and that was when he was allegedly struck by a metal foldable chair. Tay sustained injuries to his left eye and cheekbone, and required medical attention at Sengkang General Hospital. He made a police report immediately after the alleged assault. Albirex said in a statement on Facebook: 'The club strongly condemns any aggressive actions against our players, coaches, parents and our supporters, and is committed to ensuring a safe environment for all. As this matter is in the hands of the police, the club will continue to support the affected parent, but will not be making further comments at this time.' In a statement posted on its social media pages, the SYL said that it was alerted to an altercation between supporters after the match. The league added that it is in touch with both clubs and that investigations are ongoing. 'We remind players and supporters to respect league rules and to abstain from unruly behaviour. Violence will not be tolerated and we will not hesitate to report violent acts to the authorities. Disciplinary action will also be taken against such errant behaviour,' said its statement. Geylang also said in a statement on May 12 that they take such matters seriously The inaugural season of the SYL was held in 2024 and the latest campaign featuring more than 300 teams kicked off on Feb 8. The league caters to age groups from Under-eight to Under-17 and provides a competitive platform for young players – boys and girls – to showcase their talent and gain experience. Matches take place on weekends and comprise teams from FAS, private clubs and academies. Tay said that some parents can be vocal during matches and some may 'cross the line'. While he hopes that sufficient punishment will be handed out, he does not want to see parents banned from games. 'It just takes one or two bad apples to spoil the whole thing. I can't say it's a one-off, because it has been happening. But neither do I want to see them ban parents, because parents are the backbone of the SYL,' he said. Offenders convicted of causing hurt to any person by performing a rash act can be jailed for up to a year and/or fined up to $5,000. Deepanraj Ganesan is a sports journalist at The Straits Times focusing on football, athletics, combat sports and policy-related news. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
