After voicing his unhappiness with the umpiring standards at a community competition in 1976, Liew was challenged to try his hand at officiating and he did, kick-starting a decades-long journey in the sport.Affectionately known as “Uncle Liew”, he is a familiar face in the local netball community, having been a competition manager and volunteer at many tournaments, including the 2011 World Netball Championships in Singapore.
After his departure, NorthLight found it difficult to find a replacement as it is not many coaches’ first choice as they prefer to work with better performing schools. She said: “Netball drives him, it’s keeping him going and it’s not every day that you see a coach like that.NorthLight are so touched by his dedication that it tries to make training sessions more comfortable for him, such as by ensuring he has a chair to sit on.
Under Liew’s watch and with the support of their partners, who provide resources such as coaches and equipment to keep the CCA going, NorthLight’s netball programme has grown.