9 Singaporeans with special needs competed and won medals at the World Sport Stacking Championship 2023

Article repost from Today online (published 13 April 2023)

Source: https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/young-singaporeans-special-needs-world-sport-stacking-championship-2148566

When Noah Tan was 15 years old and asked his mother for a set of cups to stack in 2017, she was unaware of the sport but decided to buy the cups for her son to support his hobby.

Six years later, she cried when he visited her in hospital on her birthday, gifting her his hard-earned prize — a trophy for being first among special stackers at this year’s World Sport Stacking Championship.

Not only was it the first time he was competing in an in-person international competition, it was the first time Mr Tan, who is now 21 years old, is competing without his mother by his side since she had been hospitalised on the second day of the competition.

Mr Tan is on the autism spectrum and was one of nine special needs persons competing at the World Sport Stacking Championship 2023 from April 7 to 9 at the Singapore University of Technology and Design.?

His mother, 56-year-old homemaker Rosyniah Wang, said: “I was unwell and could not make it for the competition. I was quite worried that he would be affected because children with autism often dislike sudden change." She was hospitalised last-minute due to heart palpitations.

“So the fact that he put in his best, was independent enough to go to the competition without me and told me he would win me a medal — I am so proud of him,” she added.

There were 368 competitors from around the world for the annual championship, including teams from Australia and Malaysia. Of these,?24 competitors were “special stackers” — a term used to refer to athletes with special needs. This was the first time that more than two special stackers from Singapore were taking part.

Sport stacking, also known as cup stacking, involves participants stacking and downstacking plastic cups in a certain formation as quickly as possible.

HOW SPECIAL NEEDS YOUTH GOT INVOLVED

It could be said that the community of special stackers in Singapore gathered and formed after Mr Tan asked his mother in early 2021?to buy a new set of cups recognised by the World Sport Stacking Association (WSSA), the sport’s governing international body. “He had just been using the cheaper cups I had bought and practising stacking through YouTube videos,” Ms Wang recounted.

“I knew he was passionate (about sport stacking), so I searched online and found coach Allan.”

Mr Allan Ong is the director of sport stacking equipment supplier Smartway and an ambassador of WSSA Singapore.

It was with his help that Ms Wang pulled together a group of special needs persons to become special stackers.

“After I bought the cups, I spoke to Allan and asked if he could also train Noah as part of his classes even though he had special needs. That was when I realised that there were special stackers competing in the sport overseas,” she said.?

And after Mr Ong said he was willing to have more special stackers join the training, Ms Wang invited her son’s friends and their mothers to try out the sport in end-2021. Now, there are more than 10 special stackers training under Mr Ong.

One of them is Mr Muhammad Hakim, 24, a canteen stall assistant who clinched first prize in the special stackers L2 bracket — which is meant for special stackers who are slower in speed.

Mr Hakim has global developmental delay and struggles with his motor skills — but his mother?has seen improvement in that area as he stacks the light-weight plastic cup for hours.

His mother, 50-year-old homemaker?Rosmawati Rusli, said that if he is not stacking, he is probably watching YouTube videos of other people doing it.

Beyond that, the sport has also taught special stackers such as Mr Muhammad teamwork.

“He participated in the doubles and had to work closely with another special stacker. At first, he would get frustrated if his team member didn't stack properly, but now he can control himself and they will even give each other a high-five as long as they manage to complete (their routine),” Ms Rosmawati said.

Another stacker is 31-year-old Siau Ek Jin, who placed second after Mr Muhammad. Born with a learning difficulty and low IQ, he has difficulties with coordination and communication.

However, through therapy and engaging in various sports such as stacking, Mr Siau’s motor skills have improved.

Mrs Lucy Siau, 62, a homemaker,?said of her son: “He loves the speed, although he may not be the fastest stacker.

“He used to finish his set at around 40 seconds when he first started. Now, his timing is around six to seven seconds.”

Being able to make new friends through the sport is another benefit. After training at his designated sport stacking corner at home, he usually video-calls his friends to spend time with them before bed.

“Ek Jin and his friends will often keep each other company over these calls, which is good for them to socialise. Sometimes, they will listen if they are not so verbal, or they’ll just video-call and do their own thing,” Mrs Siau said.

These volunteers told TODAY that this was their way of repaying the opportunities given to their children that allowed them to shine.

“When it comes to special needs children, every child is your own kid,” Ms Rosmawati said.?

“Sometimes we have to be firm to ensure that they follow the rules (due to time constraints). Then after the competition, we explain why.”?

With all the parents cheering for each other's children, they said that the community had the "kampung spirit".

It is for this reason that Mr Tan was able to head to the competition and compete with little hiccup while she was hospitalised, Ms Wang?said.

“One of the mummies picked up Noah and took him to the competition. The mummies were all there helping him out when I couldn’t,” she added.

“We’re blessed. It takes a whole village to raise a special needs child, and the whole village came to support (us) when I was in hospital.

“I’m so thankful and grateful for them.”