Singapore
Neoh Yi Hui
President
Dodgeball Association of Singapore

When we think of Dodgeball, the imagery of men clad in tight purple venom suits from the movie creeps into our mind and this could not be further from the truth. In Singapore, a group of men and women led by a visionary leader are now attempting to take the sport to the next level after a long six year journey that has been wrought with numerous pitfalls and obstacles.

The Dodgeball Association of Singapore is currently helmed by Neoh Yi Hui, who together with a motley crew of other passionate individuals, have held the federation together for the past six years with their own money, passion and commitment that has at times proven challenging in our competitive landscape. While many others would have given up, Neoh persisted and after six years, there is now a visible growth in the sport not only in Singapore but on an Asian level with numerous players being enlisted into the ranks as Dodgeballers today.

Early Days

In his younger days, Neoh would always be found jumping around and doing something active. Being involved in numerous sports that include bowling, Wushu, Basketball and Taekwando amongst many others, it would almost be destiny that he now sits as the President of the local association. Almost discovering Dodgeball by chance, Neoh immediately jumped at the opportunity to make an impact not only for the sport but for the youths in Singapore as well.

That’s where Dodgeball creeped into my life with my friends, a team of Coaches from different backgrounds. And I never stop dodgeball ever since. It is such an awesome sport although there are some disputes and fight for power and fame that goes around. But I know that no-one in this world can stop me from dodgeball and it is one of the sport which I have full understanding of, and I will continue to play dodgeball for a very long time.

Through his dedication to sports and to Dodgeball, Neoh attributes his “never say die” attitude to him having an active lifestyle since young. Through playing team sport and unfortunately losing games throughout the course of his sporting career, Neoh understands that failure comes not from the loss but only when we give up and stop trying.

Through my sports addiction, I learned to never give up. Life will always be there to throw you a sledge-hammer. It is our duty as a sportsman to take the hit, recover and come back stronger and better. This has helped me overcome so many issues at work and family. Being able to face issues head-on and not avoiding any issues helps to solve problems faster.

Dodgeball and Sustainability

It is said that the legacy of an individual is reflected in the empire that he builds and this stands true for Neoh with his leadership and direction set forth for the association and sport. Since the inception of the sport and taking over the reigns of leadership, Neoh has continued the good work set forth previously and created even more opportunities for youth in Singapore to be part of the growing community. His ambition does not stop here as his greatest wish is for Singapore to be well represented in the world scene where unknown to so many of us, his teams clinched the world title in Germany two years running in a competitive pool of over a hundred teams.

By continuously reaching out to schools and other communities consistently over the years, Dodgeball is now one of the fastest growing sports in Singapore. Importantly, the sport has begun to change lives and develop its players into better people by teaching the values of tolerance, patience and perseverance. In sculpting the future of our youth, Dodgeball has become more than just a sport but for some, a vessel of hope and possible change that eludes them.

Neoh believes that his work is far from over and importantly, that there is much more scope for Dodgeball to grow and to further help youths in Singapore, the region and the rest of the world. This passionately determined leader sees a bright future for the sport and has begun setting the foundation deeper in the ground for expansion. By helping other countries like Thailand and Cambodia start their own Dodgeball federations, it ensures that the sport will continue to grow while displaying the positive traits of a man who is more than willing to pay it forward.

Dodgeball is my go to sport if I would want to help youths grow. It encompasses values like Honesty, Integrity, Dexterity, Humbleness, Sportsmanship, Showmanship, Teamwork, Self-Control, Physical growth, Social acceptance, and definitely, a chance to represent the country should they prove themselves worthy.