Can sport truly change lives? We follow a father-son duo's journey in the sport of boccia as they look to rally support for para sports and create opportunities for aspiring athletes
PHOTO: HANA BASIR, SPORTPLUS.SG
The stage was set. Singapore’s Aloysius Gan was to face South Korea’s Sion Jeong in the Boccia BC3 finals at the Bahrain 2021 Asian Youth Para Games.
Aloysius had already lost a closely contested match to Jeong in the pool stage of the competition by a single point.
There was pin-drop silence in the stadium as the match neared its potential conclusion in the fourth end. Trailing by a few points, Aloysius had two chances left to force a tiebreak against his opponent.
Spectators held their breaths as he released the first ball, and then the second. An almighty roar erupted and echoed through the stadium as Aloysius tied the score, refusing to go down without a fight.
In the resulting tiebreak, Aloysius eventually emerged victorious, bringing home a gold medal for Singapore in his first international competition.
Having played Boccia for almost an entire decade, 16-year-old Aloysius told SportPlus.sg that the sport constitutes a big part of his life.
PHOTO: HANA BASIR, SPORTPLUS.SG
It all began at the age of seven when a teacher from the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore School introduced the game to Aloysius, inviting him to join Boccia as a school Co-Curricular Activity.
Through that, he started to learn more about Boccia.
A few months later, Aloysius participated in a local competition, which he felt was an eye-opener for him and his family.
PHOTO: HANA BASIR, SPORTPLUS.SG
His mother had been his ramp assistant, and being new to the sport, they had to borrow the ramp of another athlete. However, after his first taste of competitive Boccia, there was no turning back for Aloysius.
"The excitement in the game interested me so much that it drove me deeper into this sport," said Aloysius.
Boccia is played in an area the same size as a badminton court. To begin, a white ball called the "jack" is thrown. Players from opposing teams then take turns to throw or roll six balls each, which constitutes an "end".
PHOTO: HANA BASIR, SPORTPLUS.SG
After each end, one point is awarded to the competitor who lands a ball closest to the jack. Players also gain a point for every ball that lands closer to the jack than their opponent. Matches between two individuals consist of four ends and a tiebreak if the scores are level.
Boccia is a sport enjoyed by players of all ages. Aloysius even competed against adults before he turned 10.
For Aloysius, it is the strategic element of the game and the high precision required that drives his continued fascination for Boccia. Additionally, the opportunity to make good friends with similar interests only makes his involvement in the sport even sweeter.
PHOTO: HANA BASIR, SPORTPLUS.SG
Despite already achieving success in numerous competitions, Aloysius's short-term goal is to participate in as many international games as possible to gain experience and improve his game.
In the long run, he aims to become a competitive world-class professional Boccia athlete, playing on a level that requires him to maintain high performance and consistency.
Aloysius's biggest inspiration is a Korean Paralympic gold medalist. "I hope there is a day in my life where I can represent Singapore and win a gold medal in the Paralympic Games,” he said.
PHOTO: HANA BASIR, SPORTPLUS.SG
Though his dreams are very ambitious, the support from the growing Boccia community in Singapore provides him with a strong foundation.
Currently, Aloysius's father, Kagan Gan, accompanies him to matches as his ramp assistant.
Kagan recalled how steep the learning curve was for them when Aloysius began playing Boccia. "We walked the journey step-by-step," said Kagan, "First to find a ramp for Aloysius, then slowly build up his own Boccia balls, then find all kinds of ways to release the balls."
But now, with an increased awareness of Para sports, there are more organisations that provide sponsorships, more players and volunteers involved in the scene, as well as more coaches to train athletes.
PHOTO: HANA BASIR, SPORTPLUS.SG
Aloysius himself has received support from the organisation Club Rainbow and Mediacorp, which has given him access to better equipment to improve the quality of his training.
Additionally, the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore and the Singapore Disability Sports Council have been key backers of Aloysius through his Boccia journey so far.
Speaking of his hopes for the future of Para sports in Singapore, Kagan said, "I hope para sports can develop and eventually be treated like any other competitive sports."