108 Youths Prepare for SYOG Handball Selection

Media Invite
Handball Federation (Singapore) (HFS) announced today their next step in preparation for the Singapore Youth Olympic Games 2010 through a National Handball Selection Trials.

Since March 2009, HFS had recruited 159 youths through their national handball selection trials. A further 32 youths were recruited through the Sports Education Programme (SEP).

From April to July 2009, the youths underwent a series of handball fundamentals training averaging 1 session per week during school days and 2 – 3 sessions per week during school holidays. Each session lasted 3 hours.

HFS will select a final squad of 35 youths from the group of 108 youths to train with the National Head Coach and Assistant Coach. HFS is currently reviewing the curriculum vitae of a few candidates for these 2 positions.

Plans are in progress for the YOG training squad to participate in training tours to Hong Kong or Taiwan in December 2009. The Squad will also participate in the upcoming Singapore Invitational Youth Handball Championship 2010 which will be held from 25 – 28 January 2010 as part of their preparation. In March 2010, the squad will embark on a training tour to either China or Thailand. The final step in their preparation will be to take part in Hongkong Handball Championships 2010 in July next year.

Your journalist and photographer / camera crew are cordially invited to this milestone event.

Date: 26 July 2009, Sunday
Venue: Jurong West Sports Hall, 20, Jurong West Street 93, Singapore 648965

Programme
8.30am – Media registration and arrival of participants
9.00am – SYOG Handball Selection begins
11.00am – Media Interviews with youths
2.00pm – End

For interview requests and further details, please contact

TILT
Tay Ling
Email: tay.ling@tilt.com.sg

Handball Federation (Singapore)
Johnny Ong
Email: johnny@hfs.org.sg

Coming to Grips with a new sport

As the Official Public Relations of Handball Federation (Singapore), we are proud to bring to you one of the coverage from Straits Times, which featured Handball as a new sport.

Handball’s Grit and Grace

In this second edition of photoshoot of the 26 National Sports Association (NSAs), which TILT is contracted by Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (SYOGOC), we will be featuring Handball Association Singapore (HFS).

The photoshoot was conducted in Mayflower Secondary School. Being one of the newest NSAs, HFS do not have an official training ground yet and have been very grateful to Mayflower Secondary School and Braddell Heights Community Club to offer their ground for the YOG hopefuls. On the ground, TILT was given a showcase of grit and grace. Their movement in their footwork and fluidity can be comparable to that of a ballet dancer. The strength in throwing the shot or bravery in blocking the shot with all parts of their body shows their grit. After chatting with the coach, it was revealed that there are a handful of athletes with very interesting backgrounds. Some have never learnt handball before and actually googled to find out more and called HFS directly to join the youth training sessions. There are others who came just to give it a try and then decided that handball is more fun than any other game. No matter what the reason is, we are sure Handball is here to stay. HFS has the intention to send the athletes overseas for friendly games to provide international exposure in preparation for the upcoming Singapore Youth Olympic Games 2010. (SYOG).

Handball Federation Singapore (HFS)’s Outreach Programme takes her first step!

Since her set-up in April 2008, Handball Federation Singapore (HFS) has been actively setting in place processes and outreach programme. With more people interested in handball, only then can HFS have a sufficient pool of base to put up a credible show during the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) 2010.

Run by passionate volunteers, HFS’s outreach programme has garnered some positive feedback in this short amount of time. Below is an excerpt from Hwa Chong International School

“On behalf of Hwa Chong International School, I will like to thank you and your team of handballers, for coming down to my school and showing my students what your sport is about. Many of them enjoyed the game and have indicated an interest in furthering in this sport!”
Jeryl Sim
Sports Secertary
Hwa Chong International School

This is testimony of HFS’s efforts in her outreach programme. In fact, as long as anyone is interested in trying, HFS will be more than willing to share. The promotion of handball in Singapore lies in the hands of Handball Federation Singapore (HFS) as well as their official partners, but the success…depends on the public, depends on all residing in Singapore. HFS hopes you can take this step together.

Handball Federation Singapore (HFS) announces TILT as their Official Media Partner

After weeks of discussion with Handball Federation Singapore (HFS), it is now official that TILT will be the Official Media Partner for HFS until the end of the Youth Olympic Games (YOG).

Over the years, TILT has grown from a design house that specalised in print media to a One-Stop Design House with in-house capabilities in

print media

web design

web application

photography

event management

and most recently, public relations

As sports enthusiasts ourselves, we have worked with several national sports associations previously such as Basketball Association of Singapore, Floorball Association of Singapore, Paintball Association (Singapore) as well as national sports bodies such as Singapore Sports Council, Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee as well as Singapore Disability Sports Council, just to name a few.

“This partnership with Handball Federation Singapore will serve to further cement our position in the sports industry as well as assist Handball Federation Singapore to promote handball awareness in the local front such that Singapore can become a sports hub in the future. It is a small contribution from us but we hope that this small step can allow Singapore to take a giant leap in the sporting arena.”

Randy Lim
Principal Partner
TILT

On the eve of the signing of Memorandum of Understanding, Ms. Mary Ang shared with us her thoughts.

“We are very glad to have TILT with us on board in Handball Federation Singapore. We have full faith in their capabilities. Handball Awareness Week, held in December 2008, is our first step together and we have full confidence that together with TILT and our other partners, the profile of handball rise to a new level, not only on the local front, but on the international front as well”

Mary Ang
President
Handball Federation Singapore

The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding will take place on 9th November 2008 at Braddell Heights Community Centre.

If you say jump, I say how high?

TILT was interviewing and conducting a photoshoot for Ms. Mary Ang, President of Handball Federation Singapore, when she posed this question to us.

“I understand that TILT, as a one-stop graphic design house, has expanded over the years to include photography, website design, event management and most recently public relations as part of your scope. With your strong interest and passion for sports, let me ask you a simple question.

You’re standing in a court, surrounding with players, waiting for a small object to come flying in your direction. Suddenly you see it, and you quickly run out to it and try to catch it before sprinting 3 more steps and throwing it with all your might.
Are you:

playing basketball?

playing futsal?

playing captain’s ball?

NO! You’re playing handball!“

Through this session, we grew to learn more about handball. Handball is a popular, spectacular, dynamic and exciting sport. It requires speed, strength, power, stamina, endurance, fitness and above all teamwork.

Over 15 million people play the game in approximately 140 countries around the world. It is a wonderful mixture of soccer, basketball and a few water polo tactics thrown in. Handball is one of the fastest growing sports in Northern Asia and Africa. The fact that it will become one of the sports in the Youth Olympic Games 2010 is a demonstration of its growing popularity.

The game of handball is fast and dynamic. As with most other sports, players need to be fit and most importantly, know how to work for the team and as a team. Handball builds on natural human movement such as jumping, running, throwing and as such, has a relatively rapid learning curve for anyone who wishes to pick up the sport.

Tactics, strategies and problem-solving are elements that are inculcated into handball as well. As per any physical activity, this is a sport which is performed and generated by thinking. A player has to be able to perform under stress. During the game, he / she will have to see, estimate, conclude and act reactively.

This is why anyone can play handball! You only need to take that first step out and give it a go! As a team game, it also actively promotes developing social and interpersonal skills. Corporation is the key!

Mary’s sharing session with us how handball has made her a more determined person with the character to endure life’s ups and downs. In fact, her parting shot to us was “If you say jump, I’ll say how high?”

We certainly are impressed with her passion in handball and we pose this question to you. “Will you take that first step too?”