SportSG's Associate Partner Scheme sees Success with Private Football Academies
APS partner First Kick Academy utilises Punggol Secondary School as their training facility. Photo Credit : Ng Chrong Meng/UTR!
In land-scarce Singapore, the biggest challenge for any private football academy is to secure enough pitches to run their programmes. For Jimmy Beh, founder of First Kick Academy, that is where Sport Singapore’s Associate Partner Scheme (APS), has been a big help in enabling him to provide his young footballers with the space and opportunities to continue their football development.
Said Mr Beh: "We were drawn to the Associate Partner Scheme due to its alignment with our core mission of providing quality football development for young players. The stability of having dedicated training facilities was a major consideration for us, and in October 2021, we officially became the first football academy to be recognised as an Associate of ActiveSG Football Academy. This partnership allowed us to secure a consistent and reliable training ground, enhancing the training experience for our players while fostering a sense of camaraderie among the parents."
- Grow number of quality and affordable children/youth programmes
- Extend reach island-wide and at community level
- Enhance vibrancy of events & competitions
- Improve coaching standards
Jimmy Beh, Founder of First Kick Academy, assisting at a training session. Photo Credit : Ng Chong Meng/UTR!
Before joining APS two years ago, securing appropriate and consistent training venues was often a challenge for First Kick Academy. It had to resort to operating at various venues on an ad-hoc basis. This posed uncertainties in training schedules, and occasionally, disruptions occurred due to non-availability of training facilities. This situation made it difficult for them to provide a seamless training experience for their youth footballers and families.
First Kick Academy trainees hold a rallying call during their training session. Photo Credit : Ng Chong Meng/UTR!
With the APS partnership, First Kick Academy now has immediate access to booking fields under the Dual-Use Scheme, which comprises 49 outdoor fields and 128 Indoor Sport Halls, located in primary, secondary schools and junior colleges.
Mr Beh urges other private football academy operators like him, to see how APS can help their programmes."I strongly encourage other academies to seriously consider joining the APS initiative. This program goes beyond addressing the crucial requirement for consistent training facilities – it acts as a springboard to bolster credibility and gain access to invaluable coaching resources. By becoming an APS partner, academies can devote themselves wholeheartedly to nurturing players, while simultaneously contributing to the broader advancement of football in Singapore.
Key mechanisms of Associate Partner Scheme. Image Credit : SportSG
Mr Beh urges other private football academy operators like him, to see how APS can help their programmes."I strongly encourage other academies to seriously consider joining the APS initiative. This program goes beyond addressing the crucial requirement for consistent training facilities – it acts as a springboard to bolster credibility and gain access to invaluable coaching resources. By becoming an APS partner, academies can devote themselves wholeheartedly to nurturing players, while simultaneously contributing to the broader advancement of football in Singapore.
Jimmy Beh having a casual discussion with the parents of the Academy trainees. Photo Credit : Ng Chrong Meng/UTR!
As the founder of First Kick Academy, Mr Beh also believes there are a few additional aspects which could be implemented in the APS scheme, so as to enhance its impact even further. He suggested:
APS participant Soaring Dreams Football Academy, utilises Canberra Secondary School as their training facility. Photo Credit : Soaring Dreams FA
Another APS participant is Soaring Dreams Football Academy. It's one of the fastest expanding football academies in Singapore, with training specially designed for kids aged between 5 and 12.
A group of kids training at Soaring Dreams FA. Photo Credit : Soaring Dreams FA
As to whether APS requires any new amendments, Deniel feels an online system in place, could be much better, than the current manual process. Bookings can be done online with real-time updates so academies can know immediately if the venue is available or not.
APS partner Real Madrid Foundation Football School trainees at Dunman High School. Photo Credit : Real Madrid Foundation Football School
Real Madrid Foundation Football School has also benefitted from APS
The APS Scheme has also helped Real Madrid Foundation Football School (RMFFS) in their efforts to reach more children. The School's Director Chau Wei Jiea said that the APS tieup benefits both parties.
A group of trainees and their parents at Dunman High School in Tanjong Rhu. Photo Credit : Real Madrid Foundation Football School
Real Madrid Foundation Football School can use the allocated field time to run our football development programs. These programs include training sessions, coaching program, and talent identification initiatives, all of which contribute to the growth of football in the local community. The availability of football fields through the APS enables the Real Madrid Foundation Football School to engage with the local community. They can organize events, open training sessions, and friendly matches to promote the sport and instill values such as teamwork and sportsmanship among participants."
A group of trainees at Real Madrid Foundation Football School's DUS facility - Dunman High School. Photo Credit : Real Madrid Foundation Football School.
Acknowledging that the APS needs to also balance public opinion, RMFFS' Director Mr Chau has suggested potential changes (see below) that could be considered to enhance the partnership scheme:
For the list of free-to-play DUS fields that are available on most weekends, click here
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