61 teams participate in SPH Foundation National Primary Schools Tchoukball Championships

Singapore Press Holdings Foundation (SPH Foundation) will host the fourth edition of the SPH Foundation National Primary Schools Tchoukball Championships this year.

The Senior Division finals will be held on 21 May, Thursday, at Junyuan Primary School. The event is organised by Tchoukball Association of Singapore (TBAS).

The event comprises two categories, namely the Senior Division (for boys and girls aged 13 years and under), and the Junior Division (for boys and girls aged 11 years and under). The Junior Division will be played in November.

Due to the increase in popularity of the sport, TBAS introduced zonal competitions for the boys category last year. A total of 44 teams took part in this year's zonals, with the top 16 teams proceeding to the finals to challenge for top honours. They will be joined by seventeen girl teams who have taken part.

There is no zonal round for the girls category.

Tchoukball is a non-contact team sport that was invented in 1970 and emphasises on speed, teamwork and strategy. It involves a unique set of rules and elements of volleyball, basketball and handball. The sport can be played by anyone regardless of varying physical and sporting abilities.

The sport is swiftly gaining popularity with over 28 associate clubs registered with the TBAS and is now being played in more than 100 schools across Singapore. Many secondary schools, ITEs, polytechnic and universities have formed teams to pit their skills through various competitions held throughout the year.

Ms Ginney Lim, General Manager of SPH Foundation, said: "SPH Foundation is proud to be the title sponsor of such a meaningful sport that promotes an active and healthy lifestyle. It also inculcates values such as teamwork, discipline and sportsmanship. We hope to see Tchoukball expand its reach and have more teams taking part in years to come."

Mr Rezal Ramli, President of TBAS, said: "The introduction of zonal competitions last year is a testament to SPH Foundation's commitment to the Tchoukball scene and has since seen a significant increase in participation. We continue to encourage the younger generation to pick up the sport and hope to see the reach expand in the near future."