We are heartened by the remarks of Mr Woon Wee Min (Room to improve sport programmes that promote inclusivity, April 9) and Mr Marcus Tan (Work with SportSG to empower those with disabilities, April 18) on nurturing coaches and fostering collaborations to empower persons with disabilities in sports.

More coaches are learning to support individuals with disabilities across various sports. In May, we will launch SwimTogether, to teach coaches to create inclusive swim programmes so that more people with disabilities can learn swimming.

Besides having tangible resources like accessible facilities and coach education, we believe a third vital ingredient is heartware.

The Singapore Disability Sports Council stands behind this winning formula, which has guided our community’s growth over the past 50 years.

From our first disability sports competitions in 1973 to Theresa Goh’s groundbreaking world record in 2001 and the children who completed their first race using running frames, we have witnessed milestones across all levels of disability sports. These successes are anchored in the relentless efforts of our athletes with disabilities, the collaborative spirit of coaches, officials, volunteers, families, teachers and corporate partners, and steadfast support of Singaporeans.

Inclusivity is a beautiful concept, but its true impact hinges on mindset shifts, dedication and intricate coordination. This also guided our establishment of a Disability Sports Learning Community for coaches, practitioners, athletes and officials, where they can discuss topics such as effective communication with non-verbal individuals. Our coaching forums and curricula are tailored for small groups to connect with individuals with technical proficiency and passion, and see them through their journeys.

We need to let more parents understand how sports enriches the lives of their children with disabilities, help more educators realise how their students with disabilities can thrive in sports, and encourage more employers to recognise the value of employees with disabilities who engage in sports. The support of fellow Singaporeans for parents, educators and employers cannot be underestimated. Only then can more individuals with disabilities be confident to step out, forge connections through sports, and dare to dream like Yip Pin Xiu.

We invite parents to join our Family Support Group and encourage teachers to attend our workshops. We welcome everyone to join our learning journeys and our movement to use sports as a transformative tool for persons with disabilities in Singapore.

Kelly Fan
Executive Director
Singapore Disability Sports Council