Lim Say Heng calling Bennedict in his article 'ordinary' is a travesty. I think he deserves more respect than that. Benedict deserves more than just a nomination - he should have been given the POSB award. After all paintball is the youngest and the least known sport compared to the other 3 sports in which thousands of people are already participating in.
SBen is one of the pioneers of paintball in Singapore playing in tournaments and getting involved in promoting the sport from the beginning. Singapore started from a single team 3 years ago of 5 players to today with 25 teams and with over 260 players and referees.
Calgar has single handedly certified over 260 tournament players in Singapore and every paintballer in Singapore has him to thank for his hard work. His tireless involvement in refereeing and promoting the sport in the forums has earned him the title of the "Ombudsman of Singapore Paintball" as conveyed by me.
POSB can take their award and shove it because the title "Ombudsman" shits on "everyday" and "champions" anytime.
Here is my edited version.
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ELECTRIC SPORTS Singapore At Large
Going the extra mile (this is the headline)
Every week, The New Paper investigates the Singapore sports scene from a national or grassroots perspective. Today, we feature four ordinary Singaporeans who are passionate in promoting their respective sports at the grassroots level
By Lim Say Heng June 02, 2009
HOT-SHOT: Benedict Chen helped form the Paintball Association (Singapore) last year. PICTURE: DESMOND FOO
THEY are ordinary Singaporeans who are passionate about sport.
Benedict Chen is not a national athlete nor a high-profile sports administrator, but his contribution to the local sports scene cannot be discounted. Not only is he passionate about paintball, he is also equally enthusiastic about promoting paintball as a sporting lifestyle to the masses.
One common aim
It is hardly smooth-sailing for these volunteers, especially when the sport they are trying to promote is not a mainstream sport and Chen can attest to that.
Paintball has made its way into Singapore since the 1990s, but the growth of the sport had been curtailed due to the limited number of paintball fields and strict regulations with regard to firearms, under which paintball guns are classified.
Together with former team-mates from paintball team Red Sevens, CHEN, 21, managed to persuade the police to relax regulations* with regard to the sport by conducting orientation courses for newcomers.*
But after clearing one major obstacle, CALGAR was faced with another challenge - changing people's conservative mindsets.
'Many people think it is a very violent sport or it is associated with the army,' said the university student.
'Yes there is a war element, but there is also a sporting element.'
'Sometimes you get people who are so against the sport that no matter how much you persuade them, you cannot change their mindsets.'
Award nominations
For his efforts at promoting sports at the grassroot level, Calgar was nominated for the POSB Everyday Champions award late last year, with some dope winning the award in the individual category this February.
For all of them, getting awards is an added bonus. It is the thought of making a difference that really spurs them on.
THE TRUE UNSUNG HERO
BENEDICT CHEN
(Paintball)
A paintballer who is an original member of the Paintball Association (Singapore), a sports interest group** formed 2 years ago.
Conducts the Basic Tournament Orientation courses for players and a referee course for referees.
So far, he has helped to certify 256 players and 16 referees.
*Factual error here. Benedict did not at anytime speak to the police regarding their rules on paintball.
ELECTRIC SPORTS Singapore At Large
Going the extra mile (this is the headline)
Every week, The New Paper investigates the Singapore sports scene from a national or grassroots perspective. Today, we feature four ordinary Singaporeans who are passionate in promoting their respective sports at the grassroots level
By Lim Say Heng June 02, 2009
HOT-SHOT: Benedict Chen helped form the Paintball Association (Singapore) last year. PICTURE: DESMOND FOO
THEY are ordinary Singaporeans who are passionate about sport.
Benedict Chen is not a national athlete nor a high-profile sports administrator, but his contribution to the local sports scene cannot be discounted. Not only is he passionate about paintball, he is also equally enthusiastic about promoting paintball as a sporting lifestyle to the masses.
One common aim
It is hardly smooth-sailing for these volunteers, especially when the sport they are trying to promote is not a mainstream sport and Chen can attest to that.
Paintball has made its way into Singapore since the 1990s, but the growth of the sport had been curtailed due to the limited number of paintball fields and strict regulations with regard to firearms, under which paintball guns are classified.
Together with former team-mates from paintball team Red Sevens, CHEN, 21, managed to persuade the police to relax regulations* with regard to the sport by conducting orientation courses for newcomers.*
But after clearing one major obstacle, CALGAR was faced with another challenge - changing people's conservative mindsets.
'Many people think it is a very violent sport or it is associated with the army,' said the university student.
'Yes there is a war element, but there is also a sporting element.'
'Sometimes you get people who are so against the sport that no matter how much you persuade them, you cannot change their mindsets.'
Award nominations
For his efforts at promoting sports at the grassroot level, Calgar was nominated for the POSB Everyday Champions award late last year, with some dope winning the award in the individual category this February.
For all of them, getting awards is an added bonus. It is the thought of making a difference that really spurs them on.
THE TRUE UNSUNG HERO
BENEDICT CHEN
(Paintball)
A paintballer who is an original member of the Paintball Association (Singapore), a sports interest group** formed 2 years ago.
Conducts the Basic Tournament Orientation courses for players and a referee course for referees.
So far, he has helped to certify 256 players and 16 referees.
*Factual error here. Benedict did not at anytime speak to the police regarding their rules on paintball.
** THE PBAS in not an 'interests group' - which high school forum did he rip this one off from?
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