SBA signs a Memorandum of Understanding with six Schools for its (PBE) Scheme

The Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) is signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the following six Schools for its inaugural Partners in Badminton Excellence (PBE) Scheme:

BOON LAY SECONDARY SCHOOL
MARIS STELLA HIGH SCHOOL (PRIMARY AND SECONDARY)
MONTFORT JUNIOR SCHOOL
MONTFORT SECONDARY SCHOOL
XINMIN SECONDARY SCHOOL

The objective of the PBE Scheme is to encourage badminton youth talents in Singapore to develop themselves further in the sport as they pursue their academic goals.

“SBA seek through this MOU, to recognise and support partner- Schools to better integrate top badminton talents into the Singapore education and sports development systems. The ultimate goal is to further develop well-rounded youths excelling in both studies and sports, capable of winning internationally" explained Mr Lee Yi Shyan, SBA President who is also Minister of State (Trade and Industry, and Manpower).

Under the MOU, SBA and the participating Schools seek to further develop the sport of badminton amongst student-athletes in the following three areas:

a) Best Practices and Coaching Methodology
To promote these, SBA will seek to organize for the signatory Schools’ badminton players numbering about 300, coaching clinics and other developmental courses to share best practices; as well as promote these students jointly with the Schools as “ambassadors” of the badminton sport at the school and national sports association levels. The Schools’ teachers-in-charge of badminton and coaches may also attend specially-organised game knowledge, coaching and/or technical officiating workshops or seminars organized by SBA; receive support from SBA to attend other courses in sports psychology, nutrition and various aspects of sports science; and obtain from SBA, High Performance (HPE) guidelines and standards for the development of their school players as future elite athletes for the national badminton squad.

b) Competition Exposure to Raise the Standard of Play
In this regard, SBA seeks to provide the Schools’ players with the opportunity to vie for a place in specially-formed SBA-PBE Selection Teams to participate in suitable overseas age-group competitions or training trips organized by SBA; as well as join the national badminton teams for sparring sessions. SBA may also facilitate the holding of inter-PBE School competitions and the participation of the Schools’ top shuttlers in SBA-organised international and domestic age-group tournaments.


c) Talent Identification, Attraction, Development and Retention
To help identify, attract and encourage the retention of top student talents in badminton, the participating Schools will seek to establish and provide an academic scholarship under the PBE Scheme, in a form to be determined by the School, for up to two selected badminton talents annually. The PBE scholarship will cover the period from the Scheme’s Candidate’s point of admission into the School till the PSLE or GCE O Level or GCE N Level examination. Finally, SBA will also render its support wherever possible to the Schools for their efforts to raise or secure more funds to help develop the badminton sport in their Schools.

“In these specific ways, SBA hopes to work closer with our partnering Schools to raise the standard of coaching and play in the Schools. By sharing resources and ideas, we also hope that collectively, our School partners can achieve more in the badminton sport than they individually can,” said Mr Tan Kian Chew, Secretary-General of SBA.

These signatory Schools were among several invited by SBA to be part of the Scheme because of their good track record in supporting their students to excel in badminton at the schools and national age-group tournaments. These Schools also have good training facilities and qualified, experienced coaches.

Beyond this initial batch of six Schools comprising four secondary and two primary schools with a total of about 300 student-athletes, SBA looks forward to more schools joining its PBE Scheme in future, so as to further expand its base of aspiring youth talents who form the developmental pipeline from local schools to the national badminton teams.

The MOU will be signed on 24 February 2010 at Montfort Junior School by the principals or staff of the participating Schools and SBA’s Deputy President Sam Goi and Secretary-General Tan Kian Chew. The ceremony will be witnessed by SBA President Lee Yi Shyan who is also the Minister of State (Trade and Industry, and Manpower).


ABOUT SBA:
The Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) was founded in 1929 and seeks to promote and develop badminton, one of the most popular sports in Singapore, as well as establish the Republic as a top badminton nation in the world. As the governing body for badminton in Singapore, SBA also co-ordinates, regulates, advises and administers all matters relating to the sport. SBA is a member of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) and Badminton Asia Confederation (BAC), and an affiliate of the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC). SBA which has a total of 45 member clubs is led by an elected Management Committee headed by its President, Lee Yi Shyan, who is also Singapore’s Minister of State (Trade and Industry, and Manpower). For more information and updates on SBA, visit www.singaporebadminton.org.sg

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Edwin Pang / Vivien Seong
CEO / Senior HPA and Corporate Relations Manager
Singapore Badminton Association
Tel: 6767 1247 (HP: 98469494) / Tel: 6767 1242 (HP: 90623056)
Email: edwin / vivien@singaporebadminton.org.sg