Since our inception in 1884, the Royal Selangor Club (RSC) has been symbolized as a beacon of the Malaysian sporting arena. It has also registered many firsts in terms of cricket, rugby, hockey, tennis, squash, billiards, and needless to emphasize football. Over the years, several Club members have become national sporting legends. To cite a select few, in cricket we have Datuk Alex Delikan, in athletics Asia’s fastest man Tan Sri Mani Jegathesan, and in football none other than our evergreen Datuk Santokh Singh.
The Club’s steadfast commitment to sports promotion and development is aptly manifested by it being widely acknowledged as an incubator for national sporting talent. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of our Sports Convenors the Club is nurturing the sporting greats of tomorrow in badminton, hockey, rugby, and swimming.
Central to these commendable initiatives, is our soccer development program which brings together 250 kids every weekend. Seeing them converge on the beautiful RSC pitch is one of the reasons our that makes the atmosphere here at the Club extra special. The camaraderie of the children on the field, the focus on improving their skills and the sheer enjoyment of the game is a delight to watch. Much credit must go to our Soccer Section Committee for devoting a tremendous amount of time and effort towards ensuring a systematic and well-organised Junior Soccer Development Programme (JSDP).
We now have training sessions several times a week, more professional coaches on board, and increased participation in Klang Valley, national and international tournaments. These are now bearing fruit – RSC teams of all age groups have been performing very well, and in turn attracting more players and their families to the Club.
I urge all members, especially those with children between the ages of 5 and 16, to take advantage of the football coaching opportunities that the Club offers. The dedicated efforts the Soccer Section, the JSDP, and all Sports Convenors, keep the Club thriving, vibrant and energetic. More important to ensure that the RSC remains a bastion of sports development in our country.
The next two days are a showcase of all that is good and great about football at RSC – the annual Dato’ Chu Ah Nge Soccer Tournament. First inaugurated in 2004, by the then Past President, this lively and well attended Tournament, promotes junior football in five different age categories. now widely acknowledged as a premier regional event, it is held annually in the month of December. It is the culmination of many months of hard work and preparation, and the outcome of the zeal and passion of the football lovers of RSC, the participating teams, coaches and families from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, China, India and Vietnam.
Sadly, Past President Dato’ Sri Chu Ah Nge passed away on 3 August 2016. He may have left us but his enduring legacy, as reflected by this Tournament which is the highlight of our football calendar, will live on.
To conclude, I thank the Soccer Section members, in particular the Organising Committee of the Tournament
–for the long hours, late nights and many months of planning. Your efforts are truly appreciated.
