Tennis
The Junior Tennis Development Programme (JTDP) had a noticeable boost since its inception in 2002 with the appointment of Hazuan Hizan, a US-trained tennis coach and certified instructor. Some tennis-playing Members may recollect the RSGC Men’s Singles Final in August 1994 when Hazuan edged out Lee Weng Kin, a product of the world-renowned Nick Bolletierri Tennis Academy, in a thrilling 6-4, 7-6 match that lasted about 2 hours. That was perhaps the best Men’s Final ever played on our hallowed grass courts for quite some time. A sweet victory for Hazuan no doubt, as he had the day before, lost the Men’s Doubles partnering his brother Hizali, to Weng Kin and his father Hong Fatt.
With that impressive display still fresh in their memory, there was a surge of interest as evidenced by an enrolment of 42 youngsters, compared to only a handful who had attended the previous tennis clinics. A couple of years later, the numbers more than doubled to 90. By December 2004, the juniors had improved significantly and were able to compete against the adults in a Club competition to give them the opportunity to gain the experience of playing on grass.
Shazali Akbar took over as coach in 2005 and despite the subsequent demolition of the tennis courts to make way for the golf course reconstruction, and the relocation to the present area near the swimming pool, the JDTP continued to be well attended. There were a few other changes over the past 12 years or so, involving coaches and sponsors.
Johann Tan Chee Keong, previously attached to the Nick Bolletierri Tennis Academy USA, became the new coach in 2017. Throughout that year, 106 children registered for tennis lessons. In August, a new Club-sponsored tennis JDP was introduced with the registration of 61 juniors aged 6 years and above.
Nick Bollettieri and Johann
Despite the coaches trying their best, the level of tennis is not spectacular, although we can hold our own at club level. Gone are those glorious days when the nation’s tennis team was centred round our S.A. Azman, Edmund Yong, and Tommy Lee and his brother Alex.
The water babies
Swimming
The Junior Swimming Development Programme (JSDP) took off with the appointment of Desmond Yeo in 2007. About 100 juniors underwent training in various aspects of swimming where the majority of the trainees are beginners or of intermediate level.
When put to the test at the Singapore International Masters Swim Meet held in late August 2009 at Changi, our youngsters did not disappoint. Lim Yan Poh hauled in 5 golds and 2 silvers, Yau Yee Ming 4 golds 3 silvers and Jenny McCleary 3 golds 1 silver and 2 bronze.
Spurred by that success, the JSDP Committee decided to engage the services of an additional coach, Yan Hong, a former national swimmer for China, to assist in the Programme.
At the PRAKL Swimming Championship in January 2011, Yau Wen Li succeeded with 1 gold and 3 silvers while Leong Shu Jian managed a silver, and was subsequently selected to represent Kuala Lumpur in the National Age Group Championship. The RSGC medley relay team of Liam Eu Li-an, Kieran Tan, Wong Quinn Han and Nathaniel Inn, despite giving their all in a thrilling duel to the finish, alas, had to settle for the silver. During the RSGC Swimming Gala in July 2011, 7 records were broken by Yau Wen Li (with 3), and one each by Samantha Lim, David Pritchard, Leong Shu Jian and Benjamin Yong.
The following year, the juniors kept on progressing with the rewriting of 8 records in the January Swimming Gala followed by another 15 in the July Gala, where the ever-improving Nathaniel Inn and Yau Wen Li had the lion’s share compared to Leanne Su Min Mohan, Bradley Lim, Zeke Pine and Lim Jiang Rong.
Eight year-old Nathaniel Inn further stamped his class in the PRAKL Group Swimming Championship in February when he bagged 1 gold, 4 silvers and a bronze.
In recognition of their achievements, a team of juniors who met the criteria set by the JSDP Committee, were presented with the RSGC swimming tracksuits that bear the logo “Swim Team” which they proudly wore for the first time at the 8th SICC Swimming Championship in August 2012.
The youngsters rose to the occasion by winning the overall event for their age group. In addition, Ilaria Kaharudin was placed 2nd in the category for girls 7 to 8 years, Nathaniel Inn 3rd in his category for boys 7 to 8 years and Alana Kaharudin 6th for girls 6 years and under.
Yau Wen Li and Nathaniel Inn continued their record-breaking streak in the 2013 Swimming Galas with 13 records between them, followed by Anjali Lim (4) and Ilaria (3).
The Kaharudin siblings: Alana, Ferran and Ilaria
The following few years, Ilaria swept everything before her in Club competitions and soon overhauled her mother’s record of 5-time Club champion in progressive age-groups. Her mother, Shireen Muhiudeen, was a star in her heyday, not only in the swimming pool but also as one of the best tennis players in the country – good enough to take part in the Wimbledon Junior Championship for girls in the early 1980s.
Both Ilaria and her younger sister Alana were encouraged by coach Desmond Yeo to compete in outside swimming competitions, just as previous RSGC coaches McJunkin, Okada and Chan Chee Seng had encouraged Shireen and her sister Isobel (another swimming champion) over 4 decades ago. In the 2018 Malaysian Age Group Nationals (having competed in the previous 3), Ilaria struck gold in her pet events, the 50m and 100m butterfly. Being the best in her age group, she was accepted as a participant in the SUKMA XIX Perak 2018 recently.
Both mother and daughter have expressed their gratitude and appreciation to the coaches Desmond Yeo and Allen Ong for their invaluable guidance and to the RSGC Junior Development Programme for the wonderful facilities and for organizing the Programme.
Leonard Chan busy organising swimming event
From the outset, the mission of the JDP is to develop programmes to encourage our juniors to participate and excel in the various sporting activities offered by the Club. Its aim is to provide a healthy and safe sporting environment for our youngsters while enhancing their overall personal development. These programmes in golf, tennis and swimming will enable them to not only participate in sports and compete at a high level but also to develop good social etiquette and sportsmanship and in the process forge lasting friendships among themselves. These are the hallmark strengths and key values of RSGC clubbing.
It is noteworthy that the JDP has succeeded in all the above objectives. In golf especially, the graduates have made great strides in the past 10 years or so, with successes in major Club Championships, often doing “quinellas” (by being Champion and Runner-up) for good measure. In swimming too, we may yet see a “Nurul Huda” in the making with the ever-improving Ilaria Kaharudin and the other “water-babies”!
Be that as it may, it is really not imperative that we produce world champions through this Programme. It would of course be a welcome bonus should that materialize, if and when some precocious juniors decide to choose such a career path. Most however, would opt for a sensible balance between sports and studies, and strive for a rewarding and productive profession. What is more important in this JDP is that through junior sports, we develop sportsmanship and learn to abide by rules which lead to honesty and knowing and doing right and not wrong, and all the other moral values that form the backbone of character building. And it is through the success (or failure) of this endeavour that the future of our Club – and indeed our country – is eventually decided.
It is undoubtedly a programme worth pursuing.
Credit to YK Liew – Excerpt from the book “The RSGC: Veritably A Royal Heritage”
