STTA Annual Awards 2023

Speech by Mr Eric Chua, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and Ministry of Social and Family Development, at the Singapore Table Tennis Association Annual Awards Night 2023 on 8 February 2023

Distinguished Guests, Athletes, Ladies and Gentlemen.

Good Evening. 

1. I am delighted to be with you at the Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA) 2023 Annual Awards Night. Minister Edwin Tong sends his apologies as he is overseas. He would like to convey his appreciation for all the hard work by the entire STTA team in the past year. Tonight, we recognise and celebrate the achievements of Singapore’s top table tennis athletes and coaches. 

Recognising and applauding stellar performance of athletes



2. 2022 has been a spectacular year for our Team Singapore paddlers. They showed passion, tenacity and the Singapore spirit at the Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi and Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, both of which I’ve had the privilege and honour to witness. Our team has kept pace with the world’s best at the World Championships as well. I was privileged to be able to cheer on Team Singapore athletes during their matches at both the SEA Games and Commonwealth Games, and I was tremendously proud to be able to witness the achievements they have made. They have flown our flag high and set the bar very high for those who come after them to emulate.
3. What makes our paddlers' performances last year more impressive was the fact that this was achieved by a crop of up-and-coming young players. Our Women’s Team, made up of a young cohort of players with an average age of 21, is currently Top 8 in the World Championships. Singapore looks forward to more to come from our young paddlers.
4. It is therefore fitting that we will see the STTA Youth Player of the Year, for paddlers Under-19, and STTA Hopes Player of the Year, for those Under-13, awarded tonight to our young athletes for their outstanding athletic performances. I hope that these Awards will continue to motivate and spur our budding talents on their journeys to becoming world-class players, like many of their comrades on the team.

Applauding Coaches



5. Behind every athlete is a whole village of support, and our coaches in particular, play a critical role in guiding and nurturing every step of the way. I am delighted that we will be recognising and honouring our coaches this evening for their tireless contributions with the Coach of the Year Award.
6. Our Zone Training Centre coaches have also had an important job of supporting future generations of athletes, and nurturing sportsmanship and a love of sport in our young. From coaching increasingly younger charges in pre-school training programmes, to guiding our teens, these coaches play an ever-important role in pipeline development by identifying and nurturing high-potential talents. And tonight, we also honour their work with the Outstanding Zone Training Centre Award.

Recognising Team behind the Team



7. I would like to also thank the rest of the team behind the team – it takes a village to raise a child and when our athletes rise to the podium, they carry the efforts of many people with them.
8. Our paddlers are dependent on a strong network of dedicated coaches, sports science support team, teammates, family, support from STTA officials - all of whom come together, in their own ways, to guide, support and encourage our athletes not only on their own sporting journeys, but also through their different life stages.
9. To every single person on this journey that have worked selflessly to ensure that our athletes could perform at their best when they are on the world stage - Thank you and a big round of applause to all.

Conclusion



10. My heartfelt congratulations once again to all award recipients tonight. You have all excelled and are deserving of the Awards. We hope that today’s recognition will spur, inspire and encourage everyone towards reaching even greater heights.
11. A few words from the bottom of my heart, I will never forget the moments that I shared with both the team and the coaches. Being in this position I am in, as Senior Parliamentary Secretary, it is a privilege. And I use the term privilege as it is an honour for me to share not just your podium moments, but the moments behind the scenes that we do not see on camera too. Some of you shared with me that before an important match, you do not sleep well because of nerves. Some of you were battling disappointment, and some even had fans that travelled all the way from London to Birmingham just to cheer them on. I truly relish and treasure these moments. It is one of the perks of my job to be able to share these moments with all of you; and for that I really want to thank all the athletes and the village of support called STTA. A big round of applause to all of you tonight.
12. As we gear up for the upcoming major games on the horizon, I wish all our athletes and coaches the best for this year’s Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh and Asian Games in Hangzhou. I look forward to your best performance and achievements. Singapore is standing behind you! So am I, so am Minister Edwin, Sport Singapore and MCCY.
13. Thank you and I wish everyone a great evening ahead. Thank you very much.