LETTERS: Grassroots amateur sports are mostly for fun and the development of social skills.
I have seen parents send children aged between 6 and 12 for tennis, squash, swimming and athletics classes.
There are at least two young talent track and field classes for children aged 6 to 12 in Perak and in Selangor.
The Youth and Sports Ministry and state sports councils should come out with a better national youth sports system and strategy to encourage youngsters from all social and ethnic groups to participate in sports to unearth new talent.
We also have to make data-driven assessments on youth and school sport programmes.
An article I read said India is aggressively developing grassroots sports, with national bodies casting their net far and wide.
They are trying to uncover talent in villages, rural areas and small towns that were previously overlooked. Many superstars in sports were spotted there.
Some of our athletes were from villages and estates, too.
Grassroots sports help our children improve their physical, mental and social skills, especially in communication and being a team player.
These skills are useful when they enter university or start working.
Developing grassroots sports needs government and private sector funding for it to thrive.
Most of the people involved in organising grassroots sports competitions are volunteers who are passionate about the event.
These local teams and clubs also need investment and donations from well-wishers and sponsors.
Private sector firms should recognise the importance of grassroots sports as part of their corporate social responsibility efforts.
C. SATHASIVAM SITHERAVELLU
Seremban, Negri Sembilan
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times