It is an understatement to say that Aleksander Duric, Principal for Sport Singapore�s ActiveSG Football Academy, is among the most notable athletes and coolest sport dads in Singapore.
An athlete who strongly believes sport shapes the lives of children, Aleks has led an eventful life. Growing up in a tough environment back in his country of birth Yugoslavia, he was playing street football by the age of eight.
Photo 1: 9-year-old Aleks with his father and older brother.
Aleks shares, �In my developmental years, I was diagnosed with slow muscle growth. On the advice of our doctor, my parents gave me opportunity to take up canoeing and kayaking to overcome that. I enjoyed kayaking so much that I started competing and clocking several best records.�
That was the start of Aleks� many records - by the age of 15, he was Junior National Champion; at 16, the Senior National Champion; come 17, he was in the Top Ten junior in the world. At 21, he left his war-torn homeland, but continued to overcome many challenges to clock a 22-year sport profession.
�At 22, I represented Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992�s Olympic Games in Barcelona. After the Olympics, I decided to become a professional football player � a turning point in my life when I signed a contract in Hungary in the same year. Well, the rest is history.�
Indeed, Singapore has been privileged to be part of Aleks� life � the place he chose to finally settle down in 1999 - where he is the first foreign-born player and captain of the national football team.
People who know Aleks will agree that his life journey has been nothing less than incredible. A never-ending adventure of challenges, fears, courage and above all, spirit, he is known for his drive to work hard, sheer grit to pursue the impossible, and the fortitude to trudge on. He credits these to the values imparted by his parents since his childhood, which continues to take him through his sport profession.
Now at the age of 50, he remains a formidable partner to work out with. Known for his highly disciplined lifestyle, he trains daily to stay in top form. To complement his intense regime, he also eats healthily and practices good sleeping habits.
After retiring as a national athlete, Aleks has been dedicated to shaping our future generation through sport. �Sport and particularly football have been a large part of my personal development, and I want to help children embrace sport as an avenue to becoming better individuals. I strongly believe that kids should not be specialising in a specific sport at this phase, but to be exposed to different types to best discover their potential.�
Photo 2: Aleks and the aspiring U-14 footballers at the "Road to Valencia" Youth Football Tournament, who had the chance to compete professionally for a valuable opportunity to experience a football camp in Valencia C.F. (Photo: ActiveSG Football Academy Facebook)
Adding on, �What we can gain from sport is beyond and complementary to what we learn in school and at home. Times have changed and it is easy for our kids to be inundated with technology. But I hope our next generation remembers sheer hard work and giving our best in what we do should remain unchanged. Anything is possible if we believe in ourselves.�
Photo 3: Aleks looking on the academy trainees playing a two-sided game.
Aleks� life experiences and personal values not only direct how he works, but also how he interacts and inspires his three children. In turn, he feels that being a dad helps him understand and work better with kids.
Photo 4: Aleks and his beautiful children, Isabella, Alessandro, Massimo, and Emanuelle (left to right).
�Being a sport coach and a dad at the same time is complementary rather than conflicting. As the former, I am better equipped to put myself into the trainees� shoes, understand their needs and give them my fullest support. As a father, I teach my children positive and useful life values, by setting a good example, making time for them and supporting them through their education and sport interests.�
He notes a need to remain objective and balanced, when watching his kids play sport and stepping into a coach role. �With the best intention, I want to give good advice or constructive feedback during their games. As a dad, I feel it is more important to be supportive and encouraging.�
His best advice to all parents? �Give your children your biggest support in whatever they want to pursue, be it in sport, art, education or more. Be generous with your encouragement and personally involved in their milestones � first as a parent and less as a coach � be it when they are winning or losing.�
Related Articles
Related Topics
Recent Events & Programmes
Related Articles
Related Topics
Related Articles
View AllRelated Topics
[BlogPost 162233592997 Gritty Lions Suffer Loss to China, BlogPost 162089384371 On Your Mark, Get Ready, Go Running, BlogPost 161670652697 Lions' Excellent Showing Against China, BlogPost 161435270031 Ogura Optimistic for Exciting Clash against China, BlogPost 161127614758 The Future of Basketball in Singapore: Why 3x3 is Here to Stay, BlogPost 161033673012 The Active Lifestyler's Guide to the New ActiveSG Delta Sport Centre, BlogPost 161128356680 Grand New Champions Crowned at WTT Singapore Smash 2024, BlogPost 160844835218 NSG 2024 Table Tennis: C Div Boys Pool Round, BlogPost 160210745115 NSG 2024 Basketball: Senior Div Girls Tampines Primary School vs Frontier Primary School, BlogPost 159881180544 Whirlwind Return to Women's Football, BlogPost 159633541417 Singapore Smash to Elevate a New Legacy, BlogPost 158983580420 NSG 2024 Rugby: B Div Damai Secondary School vs Peirce Secondary School, BlogPost 159003960202 SFA Fiesta: Kicking off 2024 to a Roaring Start, BlogPost 158830735126 NSG 2024 Football: B Div Girls Preliminary Round Meridian Secondary School VS Bowen Secondary School, BlogPost 158536989718 Team Nila Volunteers Recognized At Awards Ceremony, BlogPost 158270107806 NSG 2024 Hockey: B Div Boys Preliminary Round Raffles Institution VS St. Hilda Secondary School, BlogPost 157966862615 NSG 2024 Floorball: B Division Preliminary Rounds Kick Off!, BlogPost 157562433712 What Is Safe Sport?, BlogPost 157559446197 Sengkang Secondary: Cultivating Well-Rounded Footballers, BlogPost 157368261167 New National Training Centre for Cricket at West Coast Ground, BlogPost 155340164987 Active Ageing with Joey Bonifacio, BlogPost 155930815517 Inaugural Singapore Youth League kicks off from 24th February 2024, BlogPost 155340164727 Bukit Canberra : the Coolest Spot in the North, BlogPost 155368905255 How Padang Fandi Inspired Ayden to Chase his Dream, BlogPost 154755572826 Ageing Backwards with Elizabeth Cheang, BlogPost 154094657315 Running For Fitness, BlogPost 153318636178 Excitement Builds for FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2024, BlogPost 153198644247 World's Top Four Confirmed for 2024 HSBC Women's World Championship, BlogPost 149413941770 Cultivating Your Kids’ Interest in the Outdoors, BlogPost 149413941163 Making Sport More Appealing for Our Kids, BlogPost 149412549409 Solo Or Team Sport – Choosing the Best for Your Child, BlogPost 151197478798 Former Lions Stalwart Baihakki Khaizan Sheds Light on New Accreditation to Elevate Grassroots Football and Youth Development, BlogPost 80703591291 New Year, Fitter You! Here are the top 3 workouts for the New Year, BlogPost 81171151456 7 Reasons Why Sports are Great for Children’s Mental Health, BlogPost 80542065330 17 Best Yoga Classes & Studios in Singapore [+ Rating & Prices], BlogPost 149404351798 From Brush to Lens: A Student's Journey in the World of Art and Sports Photography, BlogPost 149402825063 The Benefits of Active Parenting, BlogPost 149397832009 Sweden Claim 9th Straight Gold at the Women's World Floorball Championship, BlogPost 149397831449 Lion City Sailors Win 2023 Singapore Cup, BlogPost 148511324266 Pitch Perfect with Jonathan Teo, BlogPost 148511724402 Seniors: Increase your flexibility bit by bit with these stretches, BlogPost 147866574167 A Valuable Experience In Spain for Singapore's National Development Centre U-14 Boys, BlogPost 146915317264 How one magical Kallang night changed the lives of Abirami and Daania forever, BlogPost 80700409988 Strength Training for Seniors, BlogPost 137536455174 Age Gracefully, Start Strength Training, BlogPost 145856643584 FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Qualifiers: Singapore vs Korea Republic, BlogPost 144608971564 ActiveSG Football Academy sets up centralised development centres to broaden base for young players, BlogPost 144605361831 Hafiz Osman & sons' love affair with the beautiful game, BlogPost 137536455236 The Golden Years, BlogPost 142676085686 Singapore crowned Mirxes Nations Cup 2023 Champions!]