Netball programme brings joy to residents of women's shelter

Having played netball as a co-curricular activity in secondary school, Jane (not her real name) knows how fun the sport can be and has missed it since she graduated two years ago.

So when it was introduced last month as one of the year-end activities for residents of the Pertapis Centre for Women and Girls, where she stays, she was thrilled.

She said: "I was really excited. I like it because it's a participatory sport and I like to move my feet.

"We have to learn about teamwork and communication. In sport, we also go through hardship together. Some of them (the other residents) don't know the sport so I try to teach them when I can."

The programme, sponsored by global pre-school group Babilou Family, was organised by Netball Singapore (NS), which provided coaches and equipment such as balls, bibs and poles.

The first session took place on Nov 8. The sessions were supposed to be weekly, but after the first session, Pertapis' management received requests for more training sessions and the frequency was upped to twice a week.

Coaches Siti Hajar Haron and Fatin Nurdiyana spoke about the progress made by the trainees.

Ms Fatin, 23, said: "Now they come on time. They warm up before we arrive. Some are always asking when they can play - they really like the game."

Ms Siti, 51, said: "There's satisfaction when we see their progress... We don't just teach them netball skills, we also teach them discipline, respect and patience."

The coaches also intend to recommend to suitable clubs those who want to continue pursuing netball beyond these sessions.

Deputy head of the centre Sarah Sulaiman said the 40 participants, aged 13 to 19, have benefited from the sessions as they get to learn while exercising.

During the sessions, she noticed older girls coaching their juniors and others rallying the group to complete a difficult drill together.

Ms Sarah, 27, said: "It's nice to see them motivating and encouraging one another. It teaches them discipline and keeps them meaningfully engaged. Sport also builds emotional resilience and teamwork.

"The girls spend 80 per cent of their time together so it's important to bring them together through sport."

The programme will run for a year, with sessions held twice a week during the school holidays, but Ms Sarah hopes sessions can be held once a fortnight during the school term and that they can continue beyond a year.

Mr Matthias Koh, vice-president and head of business development of Babilou Family Asia, said: "We provided a donation to NS as we are a strong believer of the benefits of sports for children.

"We believe netball as a sporting programme can help the students to become more engaged in society, have a healthier outlook on life and it also strengthens mental and physical resilience."

NS president Jessica Tan thanked Babilou for its support. "It has been a joy to us to see how much the girls enjoy the sport and how excited they have been about their netball classes," she said.

The centre offers shelter, care and protection to 100 teens and women aged 14 to 21, with programmes to help develop confidence and life skills.

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• You can donate to Pertapis at pertapis.org.sg/donate-zakat