PETALING JAYA: Former national badminton star Goh Liu Ying could easily invest in a badminton academy and make lots of money.
That, however, is not her aim as she continues to focus on widening the pool of young sporting talent at the grassroots level.
She hopes that by focusing on children, she can reach out to more of them and encourage greater participation in sports.
“There are already so many badminton academies. I would rather spend time giving kids opportunities to play sports on different platforms,” said Liu Ying.
And the former Olympic silver medallist is walking the talk by organising sporting events for children, although she admits that the journey has been far from easy.
Liu Ying and her team recently wrapped up a series of pickleball, badminton and volleyball events, and she was encouraged to see more children and families coming forward to participate.
“Seeing more kids and families joining us with every event makes all the hard work worthwhile,” said Liu Ying in a social media post.
Limited resources have been one of the biggest hurdles, while the recent haze added to their difficulties.
“We may not get everything right, but we’re always trying our best to make each event better than the last.”
Liu Ying believes a collective effort involving the government, private sector, parents and the community can make the difference.
“Building a platform for young athletes takes more than passion.
“It takes a team, resources and people who believe in what we’re trying to do,” said Liu Ying, who also hopes more brands and businesses will come forward to support grassroots sports development.
In December, Liu Ying will get into action again to host their signature 2.4km Family Run and Kidsrix are next on the calendar.
“One event at a time. One kid at a time. From playground to podium,” she added.
