The Dream Together Master (DTM) program organizes an annual contest for its alumni (DTMA). This year’s edition concluded in August with a total of eleven winners coming from ten different countries.
In all, 23 individuals from 20 countries participated in the “DTMA Best Practice” category, while 19 individuals from 18 countries participated in the “DTMA Project Proposal” category. These are fantastic numbers for a small, near-decade-old educational program.
While winners received acclaim and even a cash prize, we also wanted to share other entries as many of them, in our opinion, are still noteworthy. Following are details of the entries given by the participants themselves.
DTMA Best Practice
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Nominzul Khuyag (Mongolia)
Athlete Leadership Program
Background: Ninja Wolves Sports Foundation’s main purpose is to ensure that there are development programs to strengthen the mindset of athletes for a balanced life, prepare them as they transition to a different career, and aid them in achieving a better quality of life. This is especially important for national athletes whose age usually ranges between 19 to 26. Moreover, the Ministry of Sports has had zero consideration for athlete development pertaining to career transition preparation. The “Athlete Leadership Program” is, therefore, designed to provide professional training for elite athletes, and create awareness among young athletes.
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Gobinath Sivarajah (Sri Lanka)
Background: The Women’s Committee was formed when I was pursuing DTM at SNU. After I returned to Sri Lanka and joined the NOC of Sri Lanka, I was asked to become a member of the Women’s Committee. There were five members in that committee, but it seemed like they could not execute their plans…
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From your previous win, how did you spend the prize money?
I am really delighted to see my name for the second time in the DTMA Best Practice result card. Last time, I submitted ‘Teqball Federation of Sri Lanka – A Newly Established National Federation’ which won first place. I am still in the process of developing Teqball in Sri Lanka and used the prize money awarded by KSPO in the Teqball educational development programme which not only benefited Sri Lanka but also Pakistan.
How is the project from last year doing now?
I am very proud to say that Teqball Sri Lanka is top in the world based on the number of certified coaches and referees. This was made possible through the 12 educational programmes conducted in 2021 and the encouragement of the KSPO.
You’re winning every year. What is your secret?
I am involved in multiple projects in Sri Lanka so I choose the most successful one which happens to be the one which has reached the most people not just in my nation but also internationally. Secondly, telling the whole story of the project in two pages is really difficult. I believe the way I answered each question may have impressed the evaluator enough to carry me to the top ranks.
Just after the announcement of SiGo’s win, he also received a scholarship from the Olympic Solidarity to participate in the IOC’s “International Safeguarding Officer in Sport” certificate program, a new initiative by the IOC.
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Mazhan Mujail (Malaysia)
Good Governance Organization
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Eduardo Butter Scofano (Brazil)
Creative ways to use the Olympic Games as a tool to promote sports and values in schools
Background: According to the WHO, 84% of young people between 11 and 17 years old in Brazil are sedentary. Educational managers, and society in general, often underestimate the value of physical activity which is seen as mere recreation. The Impulsiona Program, which offers free training to Physical Education teachers, considered the Olympic Games a powerful tool to…
From your previous award, how did you spend the prize money?
I am saving money for my next trip to Korea. I need some Korean barbecue with friends!
How is the project from last year doing now?
Last year, my project focused on the work we did in Brazil to keep students active at home during the COVID pandemic. Since schools are finally reopening in Brazil, we are now facing the challenge of promoting physical activities in a safe way, respecting protocols. We believe sports is a powerful tool to enhance bonds between kids and schools and help them go back to in-person classes. Many of them lost relatives and are quite afraid of going out to play.
From pro athlete to a successful sports administrator
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Sukritha Yongwanichkultana (Thailand)
2019 MOU Gangwon-do and Thailand for International Sports Exchange for the Disabled
Background: Regarding New Southern Policy (신남방정책) in 2019, the President of Korea, Moon Jae In, visited Thailand for “Substantive Cooperation” between Korea and ASEAN plus India in creating greater strategic autonomy. The discussion has covered areas of politics and security, economics, and people-to-people exchanges…
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Batyr Kadyrbaiuly (Kazakhstan)
DEVELOPMENT OF KAZAKHSTAN PARA VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION
Background: Kazakhstan para volleyball federation was registered in 2018 with the purpose of developing and promoting sitting volleyball in Kazakhstan. This initiative was led by the coach and players of one region. However, at that time, it was not recognized by the NPC of Kazakhstan or the Ministry of Sport. This federation could barely pretend on an…
Batyr’s quote regarding his award:
“I am glad that DTM has a program to track the achievements of its graduates which is a way for them to support us and help express the effectiveness of the program itself. My participation in the competition was more because of my desire to share my achievements with my alma mater and to show them that the DTM training program really works. I would like this program to work further, expand its horizons, and for students to reach new heights.”
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Nicholas Chipeta (Zambia)
Senifitness, improving community participation in Physical Exercise in Chongwe
Background: Chongwe, a district of the Lusaka province in Zambia, did not have a community exercise program. Additionally, it lacked public exercise facilities and centers. The inaccessibility of community exercise programs and facilities, and high gym membership fees are common barriers to effective community participation in physical exercises. The highlighted barriers have affected many people in Chongwe…
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Derrick Ntege (Uganda)
Marketing and Communications plan for the Uganda Olympic Committee
Background: I developed a five-year Marketing and Communications plan for the Uganda Swimming Federation (2020-2025) which was accepted by the federation president who also happens to be the National Olympic Committee Vice President. Having been impressed with the document I developed for the swimming federation, I was tasked to…
Transparency in Sports by Elite Sport Observatory
DTMA Project Proposal
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Razif Bin Sazali (Malaysia)
Background: Working remotely has made us dependent on technology as, previously, most of our services (sports science, medical and technology consultation) were provided through face-to-face options. With regards to that, there are a few problems occurring such as delay of approval, difficulty to make an appointment…
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Can you give a quote regarding your win?
I do not have a specific quote but to be honest, initially, I did not even plan to participate due to work load and thinking that my idea or work may not live up to expectations. However, thanks to the DTMA team that kept checking on me on Facebook Messenger, I changed my mind and started to write. Thank God I made the right choice to send my writing. Hooray! Thank you DTMA and judges ~
How many times did you participate?
This is my first time as I completed the DTM program with the 7th Batch only last year.
How will you spend your prize money?
Wuuu! Well, I guess some portion of it I will spend on myself as a self-reward (mostly on food.. HAHHAAHA!). Not forgetting to treat my friends and family members. Also, I am thinking of setting up a proper home office since we are mostly working from home most of the time. In addition, I will have some portion to be kept as my savings fund.
Your opinion about the DTMA contest?
Truly, it is a great initiative. DTMA has been amazing since the beginning, actively connecting us within the industry, and with our fellow alumni. In the end, we are one big family. Thank you DTMA for everything that you do for us. Hoping that I can visit Korea again in the future ~
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Tara Talitha (Indonesia)
Olympic Values Education Program (OVEP): an Olympic Legacy through Youth Character Building
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Romee Giri (Nepal)
Gender equal participation through sports education and Olympic awareness
Background: In Province-3, there is need for sports education, Olympic awareness, and a gender-equal participation policy. Province-3 has 16,014 government schools but there is no sport education system. In addition, children/youth are not aware about the Olympics, sports activities, education, and equal participation…
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How many times have you participated?
A good dream can do great things! I participated for the first time now.
How will you spend your prize money?
Maybe I will be investing.
What is your opinion about the DTMA contest?
The DTMA contest was a learning experience but I am honored to be a part of it. I am also glad to be one of the winners in the project proposal category.
Also, we wish to share entries that were not selected as prize winners but are nevertheless outstanding.
Umaimah Husni (Malaysia, Project Proposal)
Background: Academy of Golf Skills Development (known in Malaysia as AKBG) is the only Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institution in Malaysia aimed at producing competent and skillful graduates to meet the increasing demand of the golf industry. The rising demand for new skills in digital technologies is also creating new opportunities and challenges for TVET and skills development systems…
Umaimah Husni (Malaysia, Best Practice)
AKBG Golf-Tech Benchmarking 2021 collaboration with Golfzon.
Background: Since returning from Korea in early 2020, I have been offered a job as Deputy Director at the Academy of Golf Skills Development (AKBG), which is a TVET academy that teaches students in golf sport operations and services in Malaysia. But I realized, the academy is lacking in technology and facilities. I didn’t have the opportunity to carry out any program throughout the year due to pandemic, but…
Zohid Akramov (Uzbekistan/Malaysia, Best Practice)
Empowering Inclusivity and Equality in Underprivileged Youth Through Education of Golf Caddy Skills
Background: As an advanced, upper middle-income country, Malaysia is striving to achieve high income and developed-nation status in the near term. However, the country is still facing a number of challenges to accomplish that status. In order to achieve sustainable socioeconomic growth in the country, it is inevitably crucial to better progress in education, health, and social welfare protection…
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Ali Suleiman (Sudan/South Korea, Project Proposal)
Background: As a developing country with limited support and low attention for sport, there is a shortage of research and studies in sport as well as poor infrastructure. The second-largest country in Africa with a population of 43 million has less than 5 physical education colleges and departments around all the country, and no sports research center at all. This defective situation, aside from not having a clear sports policy for the nation, created many dilemmas, such as…
Olha Zavhorodnya (Ukraine, Best Practice)
Implementation of anti-doping education plans into Ukrainian sports system
Background: I started working at the NADC in February 2021. I am responsible for education. Since January 2021, the Code was updated and an International Standard for Education (ISE) was added. Based on it, all Anti-Doping Organizations (ADO) must provide anti-doping education to all sports societies, who are bound to the Code. And then, ADO should report, when requested, to the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) about their educational activities. I am the person doing it for NADC and Ukrainian sport.
Iaroslav Tokmachov (Ukraine, Best Practice)
Creating unique sports news website – SPORTS4WORLD.COM
Background: Most of the great things in our life happen unexpectedly. When Olha Zavhorodnya had an internship at Korea Sports Promotion Foundation, she and her team wrote articles for the KSPO Magazine. Unfortunately, they weren’t published. But those should become a DTM legacy to promote the program and KSPO itself. Together with her, we decided to create a website, “Sports4world.com,” to unite all DTM alumni to show the Korean educational system’s power…
Dream Together Master program’s legacy besides sports management
Despite the positive response and reception to the contest, there were some participants who expressed discontent on the result. The names of these participants are kept anonymous. The chief complaint is on the lack of correspondence and feedback as well as transparency in the conduct of the competition. It was also unclear to them what the criteria for evaluation was. Below are some more comments from participants.
– “The process of conducting and correspondence is poor.”
– “I do not understand what criteria is used to evaluate the work. Why is it impossible to show everyone the list of works with the rating and the principles by which the jury evaluated the works? It all looks very subjective.”
– “Community development should be the main message of the competition, and not holding a contest every year just to hold it.”
– “I got a call and said that my submission has a chance of winning, but in the end, it did not even make it to the top 3. Later it turned out that the same was said in principle to everyone whose work did not even pass the first selection round.”
How Aida Khasanova overcame the worldwide crisis
It is interesting to note that the feedback was pretty similar for many of the participants who did not make the list of awardees. Their statements, ironically, also lacked any profound explanation. We also asked a few questions to the 2nd placer in last year’s DTMA Project Proposal contest, Ihsan Abdallah from Palestine (Topic: School Sports Activities During Covid-19).
From your previous award, how did you spend the prize money?
The prize in 2019 was spent all in Korea during my stay. I bought gifts for friends in the 7th Batch and invited them to a fancy dinner. In 2020, I spent the prize money pleasing myself by getting a new shoe, an Apple watch, some things for my sister, and some things for down syndrome kids that were used in our first festival dedicated to special needs kids only.
How is the project from last year doing now?
My project last year is still going on since we are still under the effect of COVID-19.
Crisis vs opportunities for Sport Managers
This publication is meant to promote and raise awareness about the DTMA contest. However, it is our intent to keep the review balanced and so we solicited feedback from both content and dissatisfied participants. We hope that this did not offend anyone.
We would also like to note that Sports4world.com was originally created by graduates of the DTM program and is based on the principles of the community of one of the best sports management programs in the world. Therefore, Sports4world.com will always reflect international life and events concerning this program’s students and alumni;
Sports4world.com is pleased to enlighten people on sports and sports management in particular. Please share this publication and write your comment below.
Edited by Aldo Tong
Previously: A Look Back at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics
