When Justin Teh decided to make a career switch from teaching to freelance sports coaching 11 years ago, there were very few resources on continuing education and training he could tap on.
There was also no voice for freelance coaches. In 2013, Justin, now 44, began active efforts to build a united movement of freelance sports coaches.
“We wanted a union for the future. As we are all freelancers, the best thing forward was an association to build a community. We try to fight for things like fair contracts, professionalising the job and making it sustainable, because for freelancers, the payment is very erratic,” explained Justin.
With the support of U FSE, the Labour Movement’s initiative to represent freelancers and the self-employed, Justin gathered a team of like-minded coaches of different sports to set up the Sports Coaches Association of Singapore (SCA) in 2015, a first of its kind inclusive association for sports coaches in Singapore.
“As we were so new, U FSE guided us on how to formalise the association. They also provided us with a lot of administrative support and advised us how to bring about our ideas in a cohesive manner in our meetings with the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Sport Singapore,” added Justin, who helms the association as President.
His hard work paid off, and SCA’s small but influential voice has helped grow the stature of sports coaching amongst policy makers.
In just two years, Justin has initiated ongoing improvements to coaching contracts with MOE which is the biggest buyer of sports coaching services in Singapore.
Justin has also enhanced coach members’ employment and employability through securing training and professional development support.
The profile of sports coaches as a partner in education has also been raised with sports coaches co-celebrating Teachers’ Day in 2016.
“I am very passionate about coaching and using sports as a vehicle to inculcate values to our youth. I really want Singapore to have more coaches and better coaches.
“Hopefully by the time I retire, the next wave of younger coaches who come on board will have a better environment to work in so that people who love coaching don’t have to drop out because of financial issues. They can continue to do what they love,” said Justin.
Next on the cards: building up the association’s membership base of 200 to some 2,000 members.
For this, Justin hopes to tie up with Sport Singapore’s National Registry of Coaches to broaden SCA’s outreach.
Nominated by U FSE
