It wasn’t the metal that mattered. It was what it symbolised — pride, recognition, belonging. For many, it was their first taste of achievement through sport.
The medals came from the Annandan Cup, an under-12 hockey tournament, for boys and girls, revived this year after more than 15 years.
Organised by the Tampin District Hockey Association (TDHA), it drew 32 teams from across Negeri Sembilan.
No child went home empty-handed. Every player received a medal and certificate — a promise: you matter, your effort matters, sport matters.
A week earlier, Kuala Lumpur had seen a similar spark. The Federal Territory Athletics Association (FTAA) Rakan Muda Championships brought together more than 1,600 children aged seven to 15.
Eighteen heats were needed in the 100m alone, with 140 sprinters in each category. Parents presented medals, creating moments for family albums.
Both Tampin and Kuala Lumpur showed the same truth: give children a platform, and sport regains its magic.
Tampin’s golden past
This revival means more than just one event. Tampin once carried a proud hockey tradition.
It was the heartbeat of Negeri Sembilan hockey, producing national players such as N Palanisamy, Brian Jayhan Siva, Nishel Kumar, S Kumar, and today’s captain, Marhan Jalil.
The late V Sivapathasundaram — “Cikgu Siva”, father of Brian — was the architect of Tampin’s dominance.
But as ties with schools weakened, Tampin’s pitches fell silent. For 15 years, the Annandan Cup was gone.
A community comeback
Its return wasn’t powered by state money. It was alumni and locals who brought it back.
Former Tunku Besar Secondary School (TBSS) students — many once state and national players — reunited to revive TDHA.
Leading them were Suresh Kumar Raman and Nishel, joined by batchmates P Kannan, M Thirumurugan, M Rageswaran, S Raguram, V Padmanathan, S Arul Kumar, S Sethupathi, Dr L Sivaneswaran and Mohd Nafiri Mohd Nor.
Funds came from Dr RL Annandan’s family, local sponsors and personal networks. Parents volunteered. Alumni returned as mentors. Together, they made the tournament happen.
“It was a collective effort,” said Nishel. “Parents, teachers and the community worked together so children could play. That’s how legacies are built.”
The payoff was instant. Parents said their children paraded medals at home, showing them off to siblings and even wearing them to bed.
Tunku Besar School’s Titans claimed the boys’ crown, while the Lavender Hidden Queens reigned supreme in the girls’ competition.
“It was not about winning gold,” Nishel added. “It was about being recognised. That pride is what keeps children training and dreaming.”
The spirit mirrored Kuala Lumpur, where FTAA invited parents to hand medals to their kids.
Small moments, yet powerful enough to ignite lifelong love for sport.
The facility hurdle
Tampin’s revival also exposed a harsh truth. The town’s turf is so run-down the games had to be moved to Seremban.
Negeri Sembilan has only one usable public hockey pitch — and even that needs urgent upgrading.
The contrast is clear: communities are willing to organise, but without proper facilities their passion will stall.
The menteri besar, who also heads the state hockey body, faces a simple call — match infrastructure with community effort.
A template for all
Still, Tampin and Kuala Lumpur show the formula works. Community, schools, alumni and modest support can create thriving platforms for children.
In Tampin, the Annandan Cup — named after the current TDHA president — will now be an annual event, with grassroots programmes at its core.
In Kuala Lumpur, FTAA is preparing its under-21 meet in December, a step toward the 2026 Sukma Games.
The bigger dream: what if every district had its own Annandan Cup or Rakan Muda Championships? What if every child could look forward to at least one sporting event a year?
Too often, sports revival stories lean on nostalgia. Tampin offers something fresher.
It shows how history can fuel a new beginning — not just for a sport, but for a community.
The late Cikgu Siva’s legacy lives not in faded photos, but in children lacing their boots, picking up sticks, and daring to believe.
The lesson is simple: give every child the chance to feel the joy of play, the pride of a medal, and the bond of community.
“A medal around a child’s neck may seem small. But when that child wears it to bed, it becomes a symbol of possibility,” said Nishel.
In Tampin and Kuala Lumpur, children remind us of something adults often forget: sport is not just about producing champions. It is about joy, identity and belonging.
And if every district follows their lead, Malaysia can dream again — not just of sporting success, but of a culture where every child grows up with sport as part of life.