It was ‘hats galore’ talking about Leo Leslie Armstrong, as he wore many hats in the sporting arena in Malaysia and beyond.
He had his hands in national and state-level sports associations, such as athletics, football, hockey, and taekwondo. He also contributed his experience and expertise to the Olympic Council of Malaysia and the Asian Football Federation.
Armstrong, a name very familiar to the national and state sports personalities of the 70s, 80s, and 90s, was called home to be with his Creator on Aug 1. He was 82. He passed on very quickly after being diagnosed with cancer less than a year ago.
This legendary multi-sports personality illuminated the Malaysian sports scene as a sportsman, coach, administrator, and a caring father figure to many of our past and present national sportsmen and sportswomen.
Armstrong was married to Mona Lam, and their marriage was solemnised at the Assumption Church, Petaling Jaya, in 1967. They have two daughters, Sharon Joanne Armstrong and Jacenta Karolynn Armstrong, and five grandchildren.
Legends do not fade away but leave behind a legacy of people and things that continue to flourish long after they are gone.
We bid farewell to a humble man and a legend who touched countless lives, the writer being one of them. It would be a great disappointment to Armstrong if I failed to pen his contributions, achievements, and sacrifices with us, his children first, and with sportsmen, second.
I had the privilege of being under Armstrong’s guidance and coaching during my active playing days with the Public Bank football team. It would not be an exaggeration to say that my selection for the Selangor senior football team in 1989 was largely due to Armstrong’s physical conditioning of my stamina, in particular. His physical training methodology enabled me to run the full match. There was no way the selectors could miss me, as I was everywhere!
As a sportsman, Armstrong was very committed to achieving his goals. His commitment and dedication to everything he did was amazing, be it on the pitch or in the office.
One of Armstrong’s fondest moments or achievements as a sportsman was during his school days. He was a member of the 4x100m St John’s Institution’s relay team.
The school’s neighbour, or arch-rival during those days, was Victoria Institution (VI). VI’s 4x100m team was the defending champion, and they had been unbeaten for a long time. Armstrong and his teammates were bent on achieving the impossible. They trained doubly hard and soiled their school grounds for hours to beat their rival.
The day of the competition came, and Armstrong and his teammates did the impossible. The mighty VI relay team was defeated by the sheer hard work, commitment, and sacrifices of the St John’s team. This historic memory always puts a big smile on Armstrong’s face, and he basked in those glorious moments.
Armstrong the coach, was a man with a vision. Many national athletes would vouch for that, but what I witnessed at Public Bank was a man taking the underdogs to achieve greatness with just their self-belief and lots of hard work.
The Public Bank football team was an ordinary team with no state or national players when it was formed in 1985. Armstrong transformed this team into winners within a short period of five years. The team defeated teams from other banks that had many state and national players.
Armstrong’s mission was a success when Public Bank won the Governor’s Cup (a competition among all the banks in Malaysia) in 1991. A true story of grit, determination, passion, and hard work.
A disciplinarian on the field, he would be up at 6.30am every morning and would blow his trusted whistle to signal that he was already on the field for the 7am training session during our centralised training days.
That surely cultivated a lifelong value for us to be early for any appointment or meeting. He was a true role model who was always punctual for his training sessions as well as office meetings.
I worked on the same floor as Armstrong, and I had the privilege of witnessing these strict office values that he held on to. He never raised his voice but was a caring individual who took the time to guide and motivate others.
A meticulous man, Armstrong was very detailed and thorough in his office duties and responsibilities. As the Sports Coordinator at Public Bank, he was the overall person in charge of all sports that Public Bank was involved in.
At the height of the bank’s involvement in sports, Armstrong was in charge of football, hockey, athletics, netball, the Public Bank fan club, as well as other corporate events, such as the Merdeka march-past and annual dinner.
The smile on Armstrong’s face said it all. He would give you that ‘cheeky’ smile when he knew something was wrong or if you were lying! No anger, no shouting, no harsh words, but a cheeky smile, and you knew you were in trouble.
As a father who sees no wrong in a son, he too, saw no wrong in us. He was the gentle soul who would take you by your hand and advise you on what could, needed and should be done to improve ourselves. Armstrong always believed in giving second, or third chances. His famous words: “We all make mistakes”.
As a true father figure, you offered support, encouragement, and unwavering belief, shaping the lives of many with your kindness and guidance.
We will never forget your trademark call – ‘You bloody rascals’, said with love and affection, though many may not understand it as we did.
Your legacy is etched not only in the records and milestones but in the hearts of those who had the privilege to know you. As we say goodbye, we celebrate the indelible impact you’ve made. Thank you for the lessons, the mentorship, and the love. You will forever be remembered and cherished in our hearts.
Rest in peace dearest sir, know that your legacy will continue to inspire and uplift us all.
