Clifford Wong introduces the little known sport of touch football and chats to Karen Tham, national player, who talks about the sporting achievements of the women’s team.

I’m writing this article with some bias because I’m a touchie - not because I’m grumpy (well sometimes, perhaps) – but because I love the game of touch football.

Having represented Singapore in this sport, I share the sentiment of many that touch football or touch does not get the support or recognition it deserves due to a misconception that this sport is regarded as an ugly cousin to rugby.

However, Singapore now has every right and reason to brag and be aware of touch, as the women's open team won third place at the Touch Football World Cup held in Scotland this June!

If you're unfamiliar with the sport - to give you a sense of how popular touch is – it's played in over 80 countries internationally including major sporting countries such as Australia, New Zealand and England.

As one of the founding members and the corner stone of the Singapore Women’s touch team and Karen Tham has helped set the standard for women touch players in Singapore.

Karen is a key player in the team that finished third in the global event, has also represented the country in the last World Cup.

Here, Karen shares with me how she felt helping Singapore to third place in the World Cup and why this sport is always misunderstood and under-appreciated.

Clifford Wong: I have spoken to many people who witnessed the third-fourth placing match in Scotland where Singapore beat England 5-4. What was it like in the final game?

Karen Tham: It was nothing less than intense. I thought to myself that we had come too far not to bag the win. I can only remember being extremely focused that day.

On the one hand, I eagerly anticipated the outcome of the game but on the other, I wanted to stay in the moment for that much longer because it would mark the end of the World Cup.

CW: One Australian, who has lived in Singapore for more than a decade, said it brought tears to his eyes to see Singapore take third place.

KT: When it ended and the fact that we were third had not even sank into me, and yet I was overwhelmed with so much emotion – it was truly memorable, almost surreal even as I recall the experience now.

CW: Was the win deserved?

KT: To be quite candid, yes because I have worked hard at my sport over the last couple of years and I have never lost sight of my goals.

CW: What is it like representing Singapore?

KT: It has been a complete honour for me and I hope that the team’s results have made our country proud.

CW: I’ve encountered a lot of bias and a macho attitude that touch football is just a watered down version of Rugby.

KT: We are all entitled to our own opinions. I attribute this perception of the sport to the lack of exposure and an aversion to experiencing new things. I would personally avoid comparing the two especially since touch has evolved so much over the years since its inception.

There is no dispute when the discussion comes down to the origin of touch. If you really had to compare, unlike rugby, touch is a lot more technical and it is this very element that evens out the playing field where it is not all about the brawn. I would consider touch an inclusive sport since you don’t have to be of a specific mould to play – it embraces people of different sizes and strengths, speed and skill.

CW: Touch is not a recognised sport under the banner of the Singapore Sports Council. This means that it’s not on the sports calendar and funding and fields to play on, are not provided. Why isn’t touch more popular in Singapore and what can be done? 

KT: The lifeblood of most, if not all sports in Singapore, is that of support and active participation from schools. Specific to touch in the local context, those who pick up the sport tend to be from the tertiary levels, which also means to say that only a select group of people are exposed to the sport.

In order to popularise the sport, there is an urgent need to introduce it to students at the primary and secondary school levels, much like that in Australia and New Zealand. Having a strongly state-backed sporting association is also key to garnering the interest of younger individuals in a country like Singapore, where the culture of pragmatism is prevalent.

CW: When and where is the next World Cup, and will you still be playing? And what advice would you give to future touch players?

KT: In Australia 2015. I am undecided at the moment. I am still reeling from the achievements in Scotland. But I am open to the idea of reliving the experience once more. [To the future players] Set your goals and don’t lose sight of them!

To find out more about the local touch scene, check out Touch Football Singapore or go to www.monsoontouch.com to read about the premier touch football club in Singapore.

Main picture of the Women's Touch group medal photo courtesy of Fiona Chong.