Watching children come together on the basketball court is a meaningful experience. Every game gives them opportunities to build confidence, make new friends, develop teamwork and discover the joy of staying active.
That spirit was evident at the Hoops + Health Community Basketball Festival 2026, where 150 young Malaysians spent the day learning new skills, working as a team and taking part in friendly competition. In its third year, the initiative by Sun Life Malaysia and Beyond Sport continues to support youth wellbeing by making sport fun, inclusive and accessible.
Launched in 2023, Hoops + Health is a regional youth empowerment initiative by Sun Life and global sport-for-development foundation Beyond Sport. The programme uses basketball to encourage more active lifestyles among young people and currently operates across six Asian markets: Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
In Malaysia, Hoops + Health has grown steadily over the past three years. The initiative began with the revitalisation of the Kuala Ampang community basketball court and has directly supported more than 400 youths and coaches through free six-month basketball and coaching programmes. Trained coaches also bring these activities into their own communities, helping the programme reach more than 3,000 youths nationwide.
(Left to Right) Tricia Loh, Vice President – Brand & Communications at Sun Life Malaysia, Datuk Nicol David, Founder & Head Coach of Nicol David Organisation, and Tina Wong, Consultant, Beyond Sport, at the Hoops + Health Community Basketball Festival 2026
Ho Teck Seng, President and Country Head of Sun Life Malaysia, said, “Hoops + Health has grown into a sustained platform for youth wellbeing. Over the past three years, we have seen how regular access to sport helps young people stay active, build confidence and develop healthier habits. Together with our partners, we are proud of the progress made through this programme in creating meaningful opportunities for more youths across Malaysia to stay active and develop healthier habits.”
Fred Fikouhi-Turner, Executive Director of Beyond Sport, said, “Youth inactivity cannot be solved by a single organisation alone. Progress happens when businesses, community organisations and coaches work together with a shared purpose. Basketball provides a practical and inclusive platform to encourage more active lifestyles, confidence-building and life skills development among youth.”
Winners of the 3×3 basketball tournament at the Hoops + Health Community Basketball Festival 2026 with (left) Tina Wong from Beyond Sport and (right) Tricia Loh, Vice President – Brand & Communications, Sun Life Malaysia
The programme is supported by local partners, including Jungle Cats Basketball Academy, Nicol David Organisation and USJ20 Basketball Club, which play an important role in delivering community-based basketball activities and youth engagement programmes.
Youth participants in action during the 3×3 competition at the Hoops + Health Community Basketball Festival
“Sport is a powerful platform for youth development – helping them build resilience, self-belief and life skills to support their overall growth and wellbeing.” – Datuk Nicol David, Founder of Nicol David Organisation
Alvin Kwong, Head Coach of Jungle Cats Basketball Academy, said, “For many of the youths, basketball becomes more than a sport. It gives them a positive routine, a sense of belonging and an opportunity to develop teamwork, discipline and perseverance.”
Bryan Chieng of USJ20 Basketball Club added, “Structured community sports programmes create meaningful opportunities for young people to stay engaged, build relationships and develop positive values in a supportive environment.”
Across Asia, Sun Life has committed CAD1.5 million towards the 2025–2026 Hoops + Health programme, supporting programme delivery, coach education, facility improvements and community-based initiatives. Through this investment, the programme aims to impact 45,000 lives during the current programme cycle.
The initiative comes at a critical time. According to Sun Life’s 2022 Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance report, fewer than 20% of Malaysian children and adolescents meet the World Health Organization’s recommendation of at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily. Malaysia received a D- grade for overall physical activity, with participation levels particularly low among urban and lower-income communities. The report also found that girls are significantly less active than boys.
