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Mention the name Choo Hwee Lim
and the immediate association is his involvement and major
contributions to the development of choral music in post-World War 2
Singapore. An accomplished baritone and a Cultural Medallion winner,
he was a teacher and mentor to many of the leading figures in the
choral music scene today.
Besides music, Mr. Choo’s other
passion was badminton, for which he gained fame when he led the ACS
(Barker Road) and ACS (Independent) teams to more than 40 national
school titles. ACS is the only school to have the distinction of
winning the ‘B’ Division title for 19 years in succession. It is
also the only school to make a clean sweep of the ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’
Division Boys titles in the same year (1983 and 1987).
Even though it was - for all
intents and purposes – a pastime, Mr. Choo thoroughly enjoyed
coaching his young charges as be found their vitality most
refreshing. When ACS won the national schools’ Under-17 trophy for
the 11th successive year in 1985 – the year Mr. Choo received the
Sunday Times/Coca-Cola Sporting Achievement of the Month award in
May, Mr. Ang Cheng Kim, then-vice principal of ACS (Barker Road),
paid this tribute to him:
“All these years, he has
turned up for thrice-weekly practice sessions, organised annual
training camps and taken the teams on regional tours. He does
all these cheerfully and willingly, expecting nothing from the
school except to see the boys perform well. He also makes sure
the boys are well-disciplined.”
Mr. Choo taught in ACS for 16
years from 1951, with a break to go on a Ministry of Education
scholarship to the Royal College of Music in London from 1956-1959.
On his return, he sparked the beginnings of the ACS marching band
before putting it in the able hands of bandmaster Mr. Arthur Tan
Hoay Teck. When he left ACS in 1967 to concentrate on his music
activities, he continued his close ties with the school. Coaching
the badminton team from the mid-1970s, he instilled foundational
values, and his many lessons have never been forgotten.
Former badminton Boys recall Mr.
Choo’s coaching style and ethos which focused on teamwork, physical
fitness, perseverance and commitment to the overall team. Besides
ensuring that they all understood the game from the most minute
details – everything from the dimensions of the court, the height of
the net, and even the number of feathers on the shuttlecock - he
imparted the more technical and strategic elements of the game to
outwit and outlast the competition. He also emphasised the giving of
one’s best on and off the courts, and to win with humility and to
lose graciously.
As Mr. Choo once aptly described
his role, “I see my role as providing guidance, not only in
skills, but also the spirit of sportsmanship. Often, it’s those who
play above themselves that win, because badminton is a battle of
wits.”
In honour of Mr. Choo for his
contributions to ACS and for shaping the lives of many ACSians, a
group of grateful ACS Old Boys got together to create the Choo
Hwee Lim Bursary Award. This S$2,500 per year award is open to
members of the badminton teams from the ACS family of schools, and
will be administered by the ACS OBA, through a selection panel
comprising Mrs. Choo Hwee Lim and four other panelists designated by
her.
According to one of the
‘badminton boys’ who initiated the award:
“We are grateful for the
values that Mr. Choo instilled in the ACS badminton teams during
his tenure as badminton coach. The award recognizes his
contributions and also reaffirms the school’s commitment to
sports, which play a crucial role towards the overall
development of a student’s education in ACS”.
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