The young participants were thrilled with the programme. One of them, Lutfi, said: “Through this coaching clinic I had the opportunity to play badminton like a proper player. I feel that my time was well spent by learning badminton from experienced coaches.”
Speaking about her experience as volunteer coach, Lee said: “Teaching children comes with its challenges as their attention spans are usually shorter compared to adults. So I needed to come out with something, for example, to make them curious about what’s up next, which would help me to maintain the engagement with the kids.”
Tan observed that “as the session progressed, some of the kids, especially the boys, tended to step out of their comfort zones and engage in the activities that we prepared for them”. For Lee, the significance of the clinic was in “turning my position from receiver to giver. This is the art of give and take, which truly brings meaning and purpose to our existence. I’m grateful for this opportunity to at least contribute a little back to my alma mater.”