Corporate category implemented for more inclusive 10th U Games season
New social category and swimming event added to encourage greater participation.
Singapore, 3 August 2017 – Sportspeople of the Labour Movement can look forward to a more inclusive season of the U Games, an inter-union multi-sport tournament. The 10th season of the U Games was launched at the U Sports Awards Night, held for the first time in the expanded water park Wild Wild Wet this evening. The Awards Night celebrated the sporting achievements and the spirit of good sportsmanship among sportspeople.
As the sporting community of the Labour Movement, U Sports brings members together through sports. This includes the annual U Games, an inter-union sporting tournament which encourages members to strive towards sporting excellence. The Awards Night also marked the end of the U Games 16/17 season.
Expanding to become more inclusive
The U Games 16/17 saw more than 8,000 sportspeople participating from 46 unions, making it one of the more fiercely competed seasons. As the U Games enters its tenth year starting August 2017, U Sports will be making it even more inclusive. This is part of the larger purpose to build a more cohesive Labour Movement, and bringing members closer together regardless of their work affiliation.
Trialled in the past season, the Corporate category will now be implemented across all 10 sporting events of the upcoming U Games 17/18 season. This move will allow more from the extended Labour Movement family to participate for the first time, including members from U Associate, U SME and U FSE. More than 50 companies participated in the Corporate events in the U Games 16/17 season.
A new social category will also be introduced at selected Games to introduce the various sports to members and allow participants to pit against other social players. Novices to the sports can also learn the ropes at special sports clinics held prior to the Games, so that they can compete as well.
To bump up the engagement, a Games Village will also be set up at four of the Games so that players and supporters will have more to experience. The Games Villages will have mini games and activities, making each sporting tournament a fun day out for both players and supporters.
Changes to the new U Games season are one part of U Sports’ strategic move to encourage better work through sports. Alongside a team-building solution that will be launched later this year, U Sports hopes to galvanise workers and the public to play and exercise together which in turn helps to develop better relationships among members.
“The U Games has been a great platform for members to play and bond over the past nine years. From this year onwards, we’ve made the corporate category available across all events to bring sportspeople from the extended Labour Movement family into the U Sports family. We’ve also made it easier for participants to take up a sport with the social category and sports clinics. Through these, we hope that more will participate and join in the U Games, regardless of their sporting abilities,” said Ms Lim Kay Min, Director (Community Engagement & Membership), NTUC Club.
Honouring achievements
The Awards Night also saw top sportspeople receive accolades for their outstanding performance. The coveted Top Union Award was also handed to The Singapore Manual & Mercantile Workers' Union (SMMWU) based on the leaderboard of the U Games 16/17 season. This makes it the sixth year running that SMMWU took top honours at the Awards Night.
Other awards include the Sports Convenor of the Year which was won by Kamarudin Bin Yahya from the DBS Staff Union (DBSSU) for rallying new members to join in the U Games. Kamarudin was also an exemplary convenor by participating in many of the Games including Sand-Sation, Sepaktakraw and Futsal.
The tenth season of the U Games will start with the Sand-Sation event at Mempari Beach, Sentosa on 26 and 27 August 2017. Interested players can visit www.usports.com.sg to register for events in U Games 17/18.