Age is no bar, no, no, even months is no bar. Look below:

If you are Under-18 months child, you could well be a part of Rookies Team

Under 3’s, you are Champions

In Under-4 your are part of All Stars

A year after under age 5, you are a superstar

Under 6 gives you Most Valued Player tag

You can become a legend even if you are under 7

At the same age you can also enter Hall of Fame.

So, what are we talking about?

It’s Teams for the tiny tots.

So, the above questions pose another important question, how little is too late to take up sports?

To know the answer, Enter the world of Shaws Little League

Started since 1988, the Singapore’s Shaws Little League offers a series of programs to suit tiny tots.

Shaws Little League is a premier sports and physical activity centre for young children. It offers full day and half-day programs or pre-school children.

This League is built on the concept that playing sport is a great way for children to develop their gross and fine motor skills, confidence, problem solving skills, teamwork and communication skills. In addition, research shows that physical co-ordination (ie being able to play sport) actually has a direct correlation with a child’s ability to read and write!

Says Alpesh, a field hockey world cupper: “It is better to get the feel of sports before the burden of study sets in the mind of children”. Alpesh played for New Zealand, was even part of 2002 World Cup team, and is now in Singapore with the Shaws Little League.

I spoke to him on the sidelines of Seokang Sports Complex where recently the junior world cup was held.

With as small as 16 inch stick in her hand, which is longer than his tiny daughter who held it, Alpesh was giving training to her, and also to a boy a couples of years senior to her.

The view of tiny tots engaging with stick and hollow hockey ball got engaged the stand put up in the Pitch 2 before the World Cup matches started.

The website of the League says the program are all developed by elite international coaches and athletes together with input from specialists in childcare and development and have been adopted from those used in the USA, UK, Australia and New Zealand. Therefore, children learn correct sports skills, techniques and sportsmanship from a young age.

It declares Shaws Little League could even be the first step your child takes to become a future champion.

Children here are exposed to a range of sports including Golf, Tennis, Badminton, Rugby, Soccer, Cricket, Basketball, Netball, Teeball, Athletics, Hockey and Ultimate Frisbee.

Won’t it putting so many sports before such a small kid confuse them?

Alpesh replies: “There are so many examples of current sports stars who learnt one sport when they were younger only to excel in another as they got older. Our approach is based on the above premise and allows children to experience a range of sports and be better placed to choose a sport when it’s time to do so”

Of course, every program comes with a cost, and the idea that sports should start at early age is being given shape in the Shaws Little League.

The website (www.shawslittleleague.com) features some lovely images of children.

Pic Captions:

From top

Top: Needs nothing but ball

hockey stick too long!!!

World Cup hockey player Alpesh giving tips

Alpesh in a playing mode