As the national coach, Remy Ong was once tasked with moulding national bowlers into world-beaters.
Now, the 38-year-old wants to groom young keglers to be future champions, with the opening of the National Service Resort and Country Club (NSRCC) Bowling Academy.
It is a joint venture between the club, Ong and his business partner Nicholas Sit.
“Bowling is my life, it is my interest and, at the end of the day, I want to impart my skills to other people who are interested in bowling,” said the former world champion at the NSRCC bowling centre yesterday.
Ong had been a sports member at NSRCC for 16 years, and was approached by the club to set up an academy last year.
The process took about three months, and the academy was officially recognised by the Singapore Bowling Federation (SBF) last December.
The academy has already signed on to coach a primary school, while offering centre of excellence programmes, sports education programmes and corporate initiatives.
“Our in-house squads have been doing quite well in inter-club events, and we want to go further and contribute more to the national (cause),” said NSRCC director, business strategy and resort, Stanley Ho.
“Remy is definitely the best candidate to drive this.”
Sit, 27, added: “The Singapore Sports School takes in a limited number of students every year, and those who don’t make it look for academies as a different route to make the national team eventually.
“We aim to also be a bridge for them to make the national team.”
Ong left the SBF in end-2015 to start his own business, as well as to return to competitive bowling, but said that his new venture is not a U-turn on his decision.
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Ong said: “I have a great team, I don’t have to be here all the time. It’s win-win for me because I can still compete and also impart my skills to the younger ones… and help churn out future champions.”
Other than Ong and Sit, an SBF associate coach, the pair have roped in the likes of former national coach Adam Chew and his son Faizal, as well as ex-national kegler Ng Tiac Pin, and current national bowler Geraldine Ng as coaches.
Ong stressed: “We are not here to snatch business away from other academies. We just want to offer the public a service, to help aspiring bowlers get better and, one day, represent the country.”
sayheng@sph.com.sg
This article was first published on February 17, 2017.
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