SportCares teen blossoms from timid footballer to assured leader

SINGAPORE — When he was younger, Reddy Kannan Yugesh would feel demoralised whenever he did not play well in a football match. He would wallow in self-pity and be highly critical of himself.

But things have changed since the 15-year-old joined Saturday Night Lights (SNL), the football programme organised by SportCares, which is the philanthropic arm of Sport Singapore.

SNL aims to better the lives of disadvantaged and at-risk youth through football.

Yugesh, a student at Bishan Park Secondary School, first contacted SportCares through their Facebook page last October after hearing about it from a friend who was involved in its tennis programme.

He was accepted to join the SNL sessions by SportCares deputy director Laura Reid, and has been playing in the programme with his school since the start of the year.

According to Yugesh, he has become a more confident and mature person who knows how to handle criticism better.

“I have always been a hardworking person, but the perseverance part is something new (that I have picked up),” he told TODAY.

“Usually, when I don’t perform well, I will be very demoralised and feel I won’t do well for the rest of the tournament.

“It (SNL) has taught me I should take my bad performances (in my stride), rectify them and not repeat them so that I can help the team.”

Yugesh’s newfound determination came to the fore during last week’s SingaCup, an international Asian youth football tournament that has been held in Singapore since 2011.

SportCares entered two teams for the Under-18 category. Yugesh was initially not selected for the A team, but because he wanted the chance badly, he eventually managed to convince his coach, Ansar Tahir, of his abilities.

“He wasn’t feeling well during the selection, but I gave him another chance,” said Ansar, who told Yugesh to turn up for a friendly to prove himself.

“He suddenly showed his true colours (potential) in the game.”

With the 16-strong team also comprising players from two other organisations, Beacon of Life Football Academy and West J United, Yugesh admitted it was a “different” experience for him.

“Even though these was people I haven’t met before, we tried to gel together and I think we put up a good fight,” he added.

Ansar, who started coaching Yugesh only six months ago, has been impressed by how the teen has blossomed from a defender who was afraid to go in for tackles to a brave leader on the pitch who encourages his teammates.

“Yugesh is a very simple person who listens and executes my instructions,” the 40-year-old said. “He hardly gives up, his determination is very high … even though he’s young and new.

“He is a good role model to his team-mates. He comes in early, he changes and then asks the coaches whether he can help with anything.”

On a scale of one to 10, Ansar rated Yugesh’s improvement in football from four to eight, adding that his charge has also become more vocal and assured of himself.

Through SNL and his favourite sport, Yugesh has become a more resilient young man who aspires to be a lawyer, citing his ability to make stances “clearly” and to “argue well” as reasons.

“I am much more mature and aware of myself,” he reflected.

“SNL has taught me some leadership values and I really feel it’s helping me out in life and in school as well, where I am the president of my student council.”