Cover A family that engages in sports together builds camaraderie, much like Azlan and his daughter, Ava (Photo: Fady Younis)
A family that engages in sports together builds camaraderie, much like Azlan and his daughter, Ava (Photo: Fady Younis)
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This Father’s Day, we shine a spotlight on Azlan Iskandar, who relishes in the joys of fatherhood, nurturing a bond that will last a lifetime with his children Zara, Ava, and Luca
A family that engages in sports together not only strengthens their physical health but also builds bonds of camaraderie, resilience and shared achievement. This is especially true of Azlan Iskandar and his family. With a former squash champion as their dad, it isn’t any wonder that Zara, 10, Ava, 8, and Luca, 6, have turned out to be active, competitive kids who are into all kinds of sports, whether it is tennis, swimming, muay thai, jungle hashing, and more. One sport that particularly bonded them together is Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ).
The family’s journey into BJJ began with Ava’s interest in the sport over a year ago. Then Zara and Luca also got into it, and when Azlan saw how the children enjoyed the sport, he decided to do it too. Together, they train regularly and compete around the world, the most recent one being the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-jitsu World Tour where Azlan and Zara each took home the gold, under their individual categories.
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Above Azlan, Zara, Ava and Luca bond through BJJ
Azlan, Zara, Ava and Luca bond through BJJ
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“It’s been a year and a half and we kind of try to do tons of competitions a year. We’re proud to put up the Malaysian flag when we compete, and it’s just something that we all want to do together,” says Azlan. “I think it’s pretty cool—the kids get to see me fight and I get to see them fight. But most importantly, I get to see the highs and the lows when they win or lose. So being a father, I appreciate being there for them in those moments.”
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He says he’s seen positive changes in the children since taking up the sport. “They have definitely come out of their shells,” he asserts. “Being a kid is quite daunting sometimes, and you don’t know whether you prefer them to be outgoing or whatever, but for me, sports can be a great conduit to express themselves, push themselves, and set goals and targets. I don’t like to box them into a sport; we try to get them to compete in many sports and then later on they can specialise. But the positive changes are they’re all willing to work hard for something—for me, that’s a great foundation in life. You know you’re willing to go through the process to get the outcome.”
Above The family undertakes regular BJJ training
Above Together, they compete around the world
The family undertakes regular BJJ training
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The bond between Azlan and his children is undeniable, shaped by shared experiences and meaningful conversations. “My relationship with my children is pretty fun,” he shares. “They’ve definitely changed me for sure—I used to be quite rigid and set in my own ways, but with them, I’ve become a lot more flexible, more open to different ideas. They somehow gave me the ability to do things in the past I wouldn’t do, and because of them, I would do.”
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Looking ahead, Azlan’s hopes and aspirations for his children are rooted in their individual passions and dreams. “All we can do is to be present and give them some consistency in their lives, but we have to be open to listening and adjusting as time goes along.”
Credits
Photography: Fady Younis
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Elizabeth Soong is the managing editor of Malaysia Tatler. She loves a good laugh, but is serious when it comes to work, and gets a high from dancing, cats purring, plus enjoys musicals or binge-watching a good TV series. Continually inspired by the people she meets, edits and writes about, you're welcome to see what she's up to on her Instagram @lizsoong.
