It was 23 December 2003 – Registration Day for Singapore Sports
School’s first intake of students; the enrollment exercise being held in
the Auditorium.
A Lion in Our Midst
Dr Irwin Seet, Director of Sports, headed towards some students signing
up for the Football Academy, and chatted with them. A while later, he
noticed someone in the sound control room, pointed to him, and said:
“Do you know who that person is, boys? That’s Goh Tat Chuan, who
plays for the national team. He’s our Information Technology
Specialist.” The boys looked in the direction of Dr Seet’s gesture, then
looked back at him, bewildered. One of them asked: “Who’s that, Sir?
Never heard of him…”
Today, practically everyone and anyone who is a football fan knows
who Tat Chuan is – thanks to Singapore’s victorious Tiger Cup campaign
and the crucial role that the 31-year-old defensive midfielder played
to help the Lions win the coveted trophy in front of a roaring 60,000crowd at the National Stadium on 16 January 2005.
Tat Chuan (left, in jeans) was hailed as one of the unsung heroes
of the Lions Squad for his tenacious and hardworking performances
and never-say-die attitude. And, you can tell from the faces of our
Football Academy students that they are indeed proud to be associated
with him.
In this special three-story feature for the first issue of REACH for
2005, Tat Chuan shares what it is like to be on the victorious Tiger
Cup team. Then, Football Academy student Jass Nureddy KJ Jumaat
pens his thoughts about getting to know Tat Chuan, and together with
Adam Yuu Douglas, he conducts an interview with the Man of the
Moment.
BY GOH TAT CHUAN
SPECIALIST, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT
I had a dream at the beginning of this year.
In it, I saw myself playing for Singapore in
front of a packed National Stadium in the
Tiger Cup Final; I scored the winning goal and
we regained the pride and faith of the nation
in Singapore football.
To an extent, that dream became a reality.
Singapore played in the Tiger Cup Final
Second Leg on 16 January 2005, and at 2125
hours, we beat Indonesia 2-1 to clinch the Cup
with an overall aggregate score of 5-2. When
the referee blew the final whistle, I felt so
exhilarated that I came close to crying.
Photograph, courtesy of FAS
Turning The Tide
That night remains the most memorable of my sporting career. Till
today, the images of that night keep playing in my mind over and over
again.
What makes this victory so sweet is that no one gave us a chance at
the beginning of the tournament. The press wrote us off after we were
defeated in our first few warm-up matches;
die-hard fans hoped we don’t lose too badly
thereafter; and fair-weather fans called us
a bunch of losers, preferring to be EPL
couch potatoes. (Who watches Birmingham
v Norwich? Come on!) One of my friends
suggested that I quit the national team!
I was demoralised by those negative
comments. Frankly, who wouldn’t be? But,
at the same time, I was also determined to
prove the critics wrong. My aim was to get
called up to play for the team and turn the tide. One way of getting
noticed was to play well in the S-League. I must have impressed, as I
TURNING THE TIDE – CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
Singapore
Sports
School
•
Newsletter
1
A Brand New
Life
A Secondary One Student Reflects
On Her Home Away From Home
BY VASANTHI D/O GUNASEKARAN
SECONDARY 1B, NETBALL ACADEMY
I was thrilled when the day came. I was finally
moving into Champions Village, Singapore Sports
School’s Boarding House.
My parents and two sisters came to lend me a
hand in the moving in and see my new weekday
home. Before leaving, my parents reminded me that
boarding school life would provide me a great
opportunity to explore life away from home. I was
so excited at the prospect of a more independent
lifestyle from that day on that I merrily waved
goodbye when it was time for them to leave, and
didn’t miss them one bit at all!
It was only when I had to do things on my own
that I truly realised the comforts and indulgence of
living at home, such as laundry. But that was only
at the beginning…
In the past, I would go home and get out of my
school uniform, leaving them wherever I had
changed. Automatically, they would disappear out
2
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of sight by nightfall and magically, they would reappear in my
cupboard washed, ironed and smelling fresh for me to wear. Now,
I don’t simply dump them anywhere but take them to our laundry
department to have them cleaned. Then, pick up the clothes that
I had left for washing the previous day, bring them back to my
dormitory, fold and stack them neatly in my cupboard. This is so
habit-forming that my own bedroom at home is now a much tidier
place – no more soiled clothes strewn about everywhere!
Talking about clothes, I really, really like our Polo-T and skorts
uniform ensemble; so chic and comfortable. I love it.
In fact, I love everything about Sports School. No other school
in Singapore has a timetable like ours!
We start the day off with a training session, then eat breakfast
and go through the academic part of school. For the
first time in my life, I wake up each day looking forward
to learning something new in our homerooms. The
teachers are very friendly and full of fun. I only have
to remember that familiarity breeds contempt and
remind myself to be respectful to them.
We do more interactive oral work than written,
group projects than individual tasks. And, after dinner
every night, we have supervised study time, when all
of us work on projects or revise for tests together in
the great dining hall. Our teachers are around in case
we need help. What’s great about this is that we also
have time built in for fun and games.
Surprisingly, I retire to bed tired but not exhausted even though on
some days we have additional training sessions in the afternoon.
It has been two months, and I’m still excited about being a Sports
School student. Many of my schoolmates share my feelings — that we’re
very lucky to be here, to be able to combine school and sports and
have the opportunities to make successes of both. Every day is a brand
new day and I wake up happy here.
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3
Mr Lee
Siak
Cheong
Ms Kelly Au
Teachers – Believe It
If you are one who
jumps quickly to
conclusions about
people by the sheer
association of their
jobs, you’ll be
amazed at how far
our new teachers are
from popular
perception.
Language Arts
Teacher Flossie Chua
dispels the myths and
uncovers the
mysterious facts
about them.
NEXT ISSUE:
REACH checks
out the new
coaches who
have joined the
Sports School
Family
4
Singapore
Sports
School
•
Newsletter
MYTH 1: Chinese Language teachers are as fragile as porcelain vases.
FACT: Ms Lai Fui Ling hails from Malaysia and, in her school days, played
basketball and competed in track and field as a school representative. But, before
you think she’s always eager to don track shoes and pound the track, listen to
this: One of Ms Lai’s favourite activities is to hibernate in her room. In fact, she
says she can sometimes stay at home for several days without even lifting a
finger to do housework!
Among her interests is music, reading, traveling, eating, sleeping and
dreaming. Hard to pin her down to one thing? Well, she invites you to just talk
to her and find out what she is like for yourself. It’ll be an interesting
conversation, to be sure!
MYTH 2: Mathematics teachers are easy to figure out.
FACT: If you think that figures and calculations rule Ms Kelly Au’s life, think
again. In her own words; “I’m a paradox. In a way, I am like a Ferrero Rocher. A
little hard on the outside but soft on the inside.”
Why so? Well, you can put Ms Au in a 25-day Outward Bound School course,
and she will survive despite being stuck up in the trees during a rope course. If
she’s in the open seas battling the waves in a mixed triathlon, you’ll see her
overcoming the elements to make it to the hand-over point. And when she trips
and falls during her jogs, she will still run despite the sweat stinging the open
wounds.
Yet, this strong undaunted lady will cry while watching animated features
like Tarzan! Want to see her knees go weak? Try putting a baby or toddler in
her arms.
So, who is the real Ms Kelly Au? In her own words: “I certainly can’t figure
myself out, but maybe you’ll have better luck trying!”
Anyone keen to take up the challenge?
MYTH 3: Science teachers are all about science and facts – unexciting!
FACT: Trekking across vast undulating desert dunes. Climbing the sheer faces
of craggy rock. Scuba-diving into the mysterious kingdoms under the sea…
Our new Science teacher, Mr Lee Siak Cheong, has done all these and more.
To Mr Lee, the whole world is his playground and the outdoor his classroom. He
believes that learning can take place anywhere and everywhere as long as the
students are ready.
The adrenaline-junkie loves to discover and explore new things, new places
and new experiences. He always seeks out ways to merge science, sports and
adventure into his daily activities. He sees himself spending his life challenging
the desert, the mountain, the cave and the coral reef.
So what else is there for this avid nature-lover and nature conservationist?
“To be balanced in the domains of the heart, body, mind and the soul.”
MYTH 4: English teachers are all bananas, yellow on the outside and white
on the inside.
FACT: In case you want to show Miss Caroline Lee up by quizzing her on Chinese
TV drama serials and pop songs, I suggest you do a rethink. She’s more likely to
floor you with her impeccable command of the Chinese language and knowledge
of the comings and goings in the serials!
In fact, Miss Lee is very interested in China’s history, especially the era of
Ms Caroline Lee
Mrs Gan See Ping
Ms Mohamad Shafiee
Or Not!
the “Romance of the Three Kingdom” and the
Qing Dynasty. Why? Because she follows Chinese
TV drama serials on them avidly.
Perhaps the only thing you can catch her short
on is the singing of Chinese songs. She claims to
be able to warble a few songs. But knowing this
determined young lady, who can spend hours
burning calories at the shopping centres, it
wouldn’t be too long before she can master an
entire repertoire of Chinese songs.
MYTH 5: Malay Language teachers are usually
stern with their students.
FACT: Mr Mohmad Shafiee may look quiet and
serious, but wait till you see him with an X-Box
game-control in his hands.This avid X-Box gamer
enjoys playing the X-Box so much that he seeks
new games to play every month by purchasing
them or borrowing from other X-Box users he
knows.
Clearly then, “monotony” is not a word found
in Mr Shafiee’s dictionary. The same thirst for
excitement and action carries over to his teaching
in the classroom. Whenever he can find the
opportunity, he injects the same kind of
excitement and action into his classroom so that
students find the learning of Malay Language
interesting and new.
So who does he “battle” during his X-Box
sessions? His favourite rival in any game, if he is
not playing alone, is his brother. But, he also
welcomes his students to pit their skills against
him, especially when they visit him at his home.
Well, it looks like you all have another X-Box
challenger on the scene!
MYTH 6: History teachers go by the book.
FACT: If you have a chance to speak to Mrs Gan
See Ping, you’ll realise that the myth couldn’t be
further from the truth. She has an animated way
of speaking, with a wry sense of humour that
many would enjoy. In fact, her favourite authors
are reputed for their lively imagination – Neil
Gaiman, Jeffrey Archer, Gerald Durrell, Isaac
Asimov, Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman and David
Eddings.
She reads everything, from paperback novels
to pulp fiction, graphic novels and comics. In fact,
she is notorious for staying up way past her
Ms Lai Fui Ling
Ms Alan Davies
bedtime to get to the end of a story. One more chapter, one more page, one
more paragraph – it’s never enough for this page-guzzler!
Of course, her life does not just revolve around reading and books. This
nocturnal lady enjoys being out in the open so much that she actually explores
the various nooks and crannies around Singapore whenever she can bear to
tear herself away from reading.
MYTH 7: British teachers of the English Language can only be found in
dusty bookshops.
FACT: Of course, Mr Alan Davies frequents the library and can’t resist the
temptation to enter a bookshop in search of that elusive title by some obscure
author. His reading diet ranges from Jeffery Archer to Tessa Duder, Jack
Lasenby and JK Rowlings, even children’s literature.
But, at a moment’s notice, this quiet Englishman will swop his books for
tramping boots, school bag for backpack and his bookshops for the delights
of the wilderness!
Mr Davies’ passion for outdoor pursuits began at an early age and this
interest has grown over the years as he traversed the globe. The valleys and
dales of England, the Arizona desert, the mountains in Switzerland and New
Zealand, and the challenges of the Colorado River – these are just a few
conquests chalked up by the outdoors man.
When Mr Davies moved to New Zealand, he continued his obsession with
nature. Kayaking, rock-climbing, abseiling, caving, walking in the bush –
activities that would have filled a lifetime for many, but not Mr Davies. This
thrill-seeking adventurer has yet to be sated.
So, if you meet Mr Davies on the weekend, you can be sure he is not on his
way to the bookstore or library. He is simply on his search for the ultimate
thrill.
Singapore
Sports
School
•
Newsletter
5
Keeping
the
Faith
BY GERARD WONG
MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Manulife
Scholarship
Bowler Daphne Tan and sailor
Jovina Choo’s outstanding performances in their
respective sports in 2004 have earned them
scholarships from Manulife (Singapore) Pte Ltd, a
subsidiary of Manulife Financial – the largest public
and life insurance company in Canada.
Daphne clinched golds in the Doubles, Quartet
and Masters events at the National Age-Group
Championships, and silvers in the Singles and AllEvents. She also finished second in the Girls Under
23 Division Masters at the National Bowling
Championships.
Likewise, Jovina proved to be one of
Singapore’s most consistent Optimist sailors when
she recorded top-four finishes in six local regattas.
Her most notable achievements included beating
all the top male Optimist sailors to land the overall
title at the SAKAE-NOSS Championships and being
selected to represent Singapore at the Asian
Sailing Championships.
Both Secondary 3 students were rewarded with
scholarships each worth $3,000 per annum. The
scholarships are part of the Manulife Scholarship
Scheme which Manulife has established at
Singapore Sports School.
Manulife will also be awarding two similar
scholarships to Secondary 1 students – Foo Yong
Sheng from the Badminton Academy and
Nathaniel Ng from the Table-Tennis Academy. Yong
Sheng is the current reigning National Under 13
Singles champion. He also won a silver in the
Under 13 Doubles at the Cheers National AgeGroup Championships last year, while Nathaniel is
Singapore’s second-best player at national Under
13 level.
This sponsorship coincides with Manulife
Financial’s status as the exclusive and official life
insurance partner of the Olympic Games,
supporting the Olympic Movement around the
world. It also marks Manulife first involvement with
the local sporting scene.
6
Singapore
Sports
School
•
Newsletter
Manulife Awards Scholarships
“Our corporate sponsorship dollars will help aspiring athletes
achieve their dreams of representing their nation at competitive
events including the Olympic Games,” said Mr Philip Hampden-Smith,
President and Chief Executive Officer of Manulife Private Limited.
“We believe that our participation in the Singapore Sports School’s
Scholarship Scheme will encourage
our budding athletes to concentrate
on priming themselves for the future,
without worrying about their
finances.”
Said Mr Chua Choon Seng, Sports
School’s Director of Corporate
Services: “We are honoured that
Manulife has chosen the Sports School
to mark its involvement with
Singapore sports and we will do our
bit to ensure that our scholarship
recipients will live up to the faith that
Manulife has placed in them. We look
forward to forging more partnerships
Foo Yong Sheng
with corporate companies like
Badminton Academy
Manulife.
Singapore Pools Scholarships
Singapore Pools has re-affirmed its strong support and
belief in the Singapore Sports School’s efforts to groom
and develop future sporting champions by awarding 16
more Sports Excellence Scholarships to its students this year.
Each Scholarship is worth $3,000 per year. The good news brings
the total number of students under the Singapore Pools Scholarship
programme to 45. Unlike last year, not all recipients are Secondary 1
students. In fact, seven of the new recipients are in Secondary 2 or
Secondary 3 this year.
As Mr John Teo, Chief Financial Officer of Singapore Pools, said
at a reception which Singapore Pools hosted for all its scholarship
recipients and their parents at the Sports School on 28 January:
“Unlike last year, where all our students were Primary 6 pupils
entering Secondary 1, the intake for this year also includes students
who are in Secondary 2 and Secondary 3.
“In terms of the selection criteria, we have adopted a slightly
different approach. Our scholars are selected from the top performers
in their respective sports – champions or first runners-up. The
students’ potential to represent Singapore in international
competitions is also an important consideration.”
The new scholarship recipients include long distance runner Lossini
d/o Jeyapandian and bowler Gina Lim.
For First Time, Singapore Pools Renews Support
Lossini was named Track and Field Academy’s Best Girl Performer last
year. The 13-year-old Secondary 2 student not only broke a 34-year-old
National Age-Group Record in the 1,500 metres at the WALAA Track and
Field Championships last year, but also won the 800m and the Overall Best
Performer Award.
“
Nathaniel Ng
Table-Tennis Academy
This Award aims to recognise
those with outstanding sports
achievements, such as doing well in
international competitions and
breaking national records. We hope
that more of you can win this Award
next year. Achieving the Singapore
Pools Scholarship is but one of the
milestones in your journey towards
sports excellence. We hope that you
can continue to spur one another to
better your best and scale new
heights. Together, we can achieve
our ‘Sporting Singapore’ vision.
”
Mr John Teo, Chief Financial Officer
of Singapore Pools
Gina was named the Sports School’s Outstanding Performer (Girl) of the
Year after an outstanding year on the lanes. Apart from sweeping a string
of golds at the National Age-Group and National Schools Championships,
she also landed a silver in the Girls Under 15 Masters at the Fifth Milo
International Junior All-Stars Championships in Malaysia.
“These scholarships for the Secondary 2 and Secondary 3 students prove
that the efforts of late-boomers will always be recognised,” said Sports
School Principal, Mr Moo Soon Chong, during his address at the reception.
“To these students, I say congratulations and well done.”
Mr Moo also reminded all students present of the responsibilities that
they have to live up to as scholarship recipients.
“Just as Singapore Pools has placed its faith in you, so must you do your
bit to constantly prove yourselves deserving of these scholarships,” he said.
“Let this be a reminder to all: the School and Singapore Pools will be
conducting annual reviews of all its scholars and will not hesitate to take
away the scholarships from some students if we feel that they have not
been performing up to expectations.”
During the reception, Singapore Pools also rewarded 14 of its first batch
of scholarship recipients with Outstanding Achievers Awards for doing well
in their studies and sports last year.
Outstanding Achievers Awards
1.
Ruth Ho, (Swimming) 1 Gold Medal,
International Children’s Games (ICG), Cleveland
2. Ho Shu Yong, (Swimming) 2 Gold Medals,
2 National Schools Records
3. Scott Glen Sydney, (Sailing) 1 Gold Medal,
Optimist Class, Asian Championship, Japan
4. Victoria Chan, (Sailing) 1 Silver Medal,
Byte Class, European Championships, Italy
5. Heng Wei Chen,
(Table Tennis) 1 Silver
Medal, Doubles, SEA
Age Group
Championships
6. Tan Hui Min, (Table
Tennis) 1 Silver Medal,
Doubles, SEA Age
Group Championships
7. Melissa Wong,
(Swimming) 1 Gold
Medal, 1 Silver Medal,
National Schools; 1
Silver Medal, Relay, ICG,
Cleveland
Valerie Seema Pereira (Track and Field)
8. Calvin Kang, (Track
and Field) 1 Silver
Medal, 100m, WALAA
International; 1 Gold
Medal, 100m, National
Schools
9. Benjamin Kheng,
(Swimming) 1 Gold
Medal, 1 National
Record in National
Schools
Heng Wei Chen (Table Tennis)
10. Valerie Seema
Pereira, (Track and Field) 2 Gold Medals, 2
National Records in National Schools
11. Edith Ong, (Swimming) 2 Gold Medals in
National Schools
12. Shawn Tan, (Badminton) 1 Gold Medal,
Doubles, Cheers National Under 14
13. Loke En Yuan, (Swimming) 1 Gold Medal,
National Schools
14. Crystal How, (Sailing) 1 Gold Medal,
Optimist Class, National Schools
Singapore
Sports
School
•
Newsletter
7
Make Recovery Part Of
Winning Strategy
Recovery Strategies
Recovery refers to the activities that might
reduce fatigue, in order to restore a status of
performance readiness both physiologically and
psychologically. Unfortunately, there are few
scientific evidence of recovery. The following are
some of the most common strategies:
SLEEP
■ Sleep is the most important modality of
recovery. A good night’s sleep of 8 to 10 hours
provides invaluable growth and regeneration
times for junior athletes. However, too much
or too little sleep can be detrimental to
performance as well.
■
DR TAISUKE KINUGASA
SPORTS PHYSIOLOGIST, SPORTS SCIENCE ACADEMY
■
Traditionally, coaches intensify
a
junior athlete’s training schedule according to
the workload he can withstand. But sports
science has shown coaches a more effective way
of training that reaps more successful outcomes
– that which includes recovery. Today, the
management of fatigue and recovery is essential
for junior athletes in enhancing performance,
and avoiding negative responses such as
overtraining, injury and illness.
■
■
Fatigue Management
Fatigue is the inability to perform at a level that
was recently possible. There are two kinds of
fatigue – Positive Fatigue, an adaptive process
that leads to performance enhancement after
sufficient recovery; and Negative Fatigue which
may lead to Chronic Fatigue, or Overtraining, and
a drop in performance.
Insufficient energy, accumulated muscle
fatigue, fatigued brain, imbalanced homeostasis
(ie, over tolerable limits of body), and emotional/
social stressors are some causes of fatigue. If
coaches and sports scientists are able to identify
the main causes of fatigue, they can then apply
specific recovery strategies to manage this
problem.
8
Singapore
Sports
School
•
Newsletter
■
PHYSICAL THERAPY
Physical therapy includes stretching, sports
massage, and icing. Acupuncture and
acupressure are also suggested.
NUTRITION
Adequate supplies of water (amount of body weight loss) and
carbohydrate (7g to 10g/body weight) are needed after training
and competition to replace energy demands.
ACTIVE REST
The modes of active rest may include jogging, swimming, cycling
and walking. Cross training, that is, a combination of different
exercises, is recommended to avoid the monotony of training.
HYDROTHERAPY
Pool recovery sessions are increasingly popular. Several studies
have shown that contrast temperature bathing and showering
helps the body recover more quickly and effectively.
PSYCHOLOGICAL SKILLS
The four main psychological skills are debriefing, emotional
recovery, mental toughness skills and relaxation techniques.
Planning Recovery-Based Training
The key of coaching junior athletes is to plan a comprehensive
training programme that includes recovery strategies. Monitoring
recovery using a daily log and questionnaire, for example, RESTQSport, may help identify early signs of overtraining. The
advantage of planning a recovery-based rather than a work-based
training programme is, that athletes can start each training
session in a fresh state to maximise their performance. The
winning formula is:
Train Hard + Recover Well = Enhanced Performance = Win
ACADEMIES ROUND-UP
The Year Looks Promising
Despite fielding a team of six Lower
Secondary students and two Secondary 3
students, our B Division girls team still
bagged the honour of capturing the Sports
School’s first schools title of the year when
it defeated St Nicholas Girls 3-2 in the North
Zone final.
Our B Division boys team (five Lower
Secondary and two Secondary 3 students)
qualified for the National rounds by
finishing third in the North Zone
competition while our C Division boys
finished second after being edged out 2-3
by Montfort Secondary.
FOOTBALL
BADMINTON
SPORTS DIARY
Shuttler Jeffrey Wong enjoyed a successful personal
outing at the Berita Harian/Nippon Paint/Ashaway
Youth Championships in December as he came
away from the event with two titles. The 13-yearold won the Under-13 singles crown before forming
a successful partnership with Shawn Tan to clinch
the U-13 doubles title — their second age-group
title of 2004.
The duo had also won the Cheers National AgeGroup U-13 doubles title in June 2004.
The Berita Harian/Nippon Pain/Ashaway
Championships was also a personal triumph for
Tang Kirt Soon who clinched his first individual
medals of the year at the event. The 13-year-old,
who spent the first half of 2004 recovering form
injuries and the second half of the year regaining
his form and fitness, finished 3rd in the U-13 singles
and together with Aloysius Tan, won the silver in
the U-13 doubles (losing to Jeffrey and Shawn).
The Badminton Academy also won a clutch of
medals through Thng Ting Ting (2nd, Girls’U-13
singles), Samantha Neo (2nd, Girls’ U-18 singles),
and Chen Guo Rui (2nd, Boys U-18 singles). Guo
Rui and Eugene Sng also won a bronze in the Boys’
U-18 doubles.
Our boys and girls’ squads have also qualified
for the national rounds of this year’s National
Schools Badminton Championships by finishing in
the top 4 positions of their respective North Zone
competitions.
Our C Division boys squad (made up mostly
of Secondary 1 students) have kicked off
their North Zone campaign with two
resounding victories. To date, they have beaten
Serangoon Gardens Secondary 3-0 and Sembawang
Secondary 6-0.
NETBALL
Our C Division girls are currently on an eight-match
unbeaten streak in their North Zone competition.
They have also scored 367 points and conceded 38.
That’s an average of about 45 points scored per
match.
Our B Division team, made up of 11 Secondary
2 trainees and one Secondary Three student, have
shown that they are able to hold their own against
bigger and older opponents by winning 6 of their 7
matches to date (241 points scored, 56 conceded).
SAILING
Crystal How and Sean Lee started their sailing year
off with a bang when they won two Optimist titles
and an overall title each at two local regattas.
Crystal snared the Girls’ Optimist title and the
overall title at the CSC Commodore’s Cup (29-30
January) before successfully defending her Singtel
Optimist Girls title a week later.
Jovina Choo finished third in both competitions
while Valerie Chia captured her maiden Byte
class title at the SAFYC Changi Regatta (29-30
January).
On the other hand,
Sean Lee did things in
opposite fashion when he
first landed the Boys’
Optimist title at the
Commodore’s Cup before
winning both the Optimist
and the overall title at the
Singtel
Optimist
Championships
(5-6
February).
Fellow
Academy
trainee Sherman Cheng
was third at both competitions while Aaron Pan won
the silver at the Singtel Championships.
TABLE TENNIS
All three teams (C Division Boys, B Division Boys
and Girls) remain unbeaten in the National School
Championships.
Our C Division boys opened their campaign with
a 5-0 win over Christ Church Secondary while our B
Division boys have racked up 5-0 wins over Yishun
Secondary, Maris Stella, Evergreen and Mayflower
Secondary and a 4-1 win over Presbyterian High.
Our girls have chalked up 5-0 wins over St
Josephs’ Convent and Holy Innocents High and a 41 win over St Nicholas Girls.
DATE
ACADEMY
TIME
COMPETITION
VENUE
1 March
5-6 March
7-13 March
8 March
11-23 March
12 March
12 March, 19 March
15-17 March
19-20 March
20 March
22 March
23-31 March
21 March-21 April
23 March-20 April
25-27 March
29 March
2-3, 9-10, 16-17 March
April
4-9 April
5 April
11-15 April
12 April
13 April
24 April
Soccer
Sailing
Table Tennis
Soccer
Badminton
Track & Field
Swimming
Swimming
Track & Field
Track & Field
Soccer
Bowling
Netball
Table Tennis
Sailing
Soccer
Track & Field
Badminton
Bowling
Soccer
Golf
Soccer
Track & Field
Track & Field
4.30 pm
SSP v Yishun Secondary, North Zone “C” Division Soccer Tournament
SAFYC Sembawang Regatta
SAFRA Table- Tennis Competition
SSP v Naval Base Secondary, North Zone “C” Division Soccer Tournament
Pilot Pen Individual Championships
Wing Cross-Country Championships
National Age-Group Championships
National Age-Group Championships
SPH Relays
Swift Cross-Country
SSP v Sembawang Secondary, North Zone “C” Division Soccer Tournament
National Schools “B” Division Bowling Championships
National Inter- Schools Netball Championships
Inter-School Table-Tennis National Championships
SAFYC Youth Championships
SSP v Ang Mo Kio Secondary, North Zone “C” Division Soccer Tournament
SAAA National Junior Meet
National School Badminton Tournament
8th Asians Schools Championships
SSP v Deyi Secondary, North Zone “C” Division Soccer Tournament
Sarawak Junior World Masters - Damai GnCC
SSP v Bowen Secondary, North Zone “C” Division Soccer Tournament
National Schools Cross-Country Meet
SAAA All Comers Meet
Serangoon Secondary School
3.00 pm
12 pm to 6 pm
5 pm to 9 pm
4.30 pm
4.30 pm
4.30 pm
4.30 pm
Singapore
Sports
Serangoon Secondary School
Toa Payoh Swimming Complex
Toa Payoh Swimming Complex
Sembawang Secondary School
Ang Mo Kio Secondary School
Indonesia
Ang Mo Kio Secondary School
Sembawang Secondary School
School
•
Newsletter
9
All photographs, courtesy of FAS
Who’s Tat?
BY JASS NUREDDY KJ JUMAAT
STUDENT, FOOTBALL ACADEMY
It was only at the end of our three-day
Orientation Camp in October 2003 that I became
acquainted with Mr Goh Tat Chuan. My first thoughts
of Mr Goh were, that he was rather tall – between
1.78m and 1.80m – and looked nerdy. I never once
associated him with football.
It was only some time in January last year that I
realised Mr Goh works at Sports School as an
Information Technology Specialist, and he plays for
Woodlands Wellington Football Club in the S-League.
Mr Goh is a very friendly person, as I found out
during the occasions he joined us for training. I
thought it was something special for an S-Leaguer
to be giving us advice on playing techniques and
what sort of things to do in various playing
situations. It was also fun to watch him in action at
S-League matches. What I like best about Mr Goh’s
playing style is his sense of the players around him
and his ability to execute a great pass.
I was quite excited when I learnt that Mr Goh was
called up for the team to play the Tiger Cup in April
last year. After all, it’s not everyday that a national
player lunches with you in the Dining Hall or runs
alongside you during training. And so, you can
imagine how proud we all felt when we watched Mr
Goh in action for Singapore at the Tiger Cup, and
as Singapore steadily progressed into the Final.
I notice Mr Goh works tirelessly on the field. He
plays with commitment and determination and
although his role in the team is not the most
TURNING THE TIDE – CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
was recalled into the team earlier than I expected.
Many things have changed since we won the Tiger
Cup. The public wants to know more about us now;
die-hard fans are more confident with the team; fairweathered fans have dug out their jerseys and are
proud to be associated with us again; and long lost
friends have been asking me out for meals. It is a
fantastic feeling, I must say. Victory did not come easy. There was no way there
other than hard work. I can’t remember how many
sacrifices I have made during this journey to realise
10
Singapore
Sports
School
•
Newsletter
glamorous – his job is usually to kill off the opponent’s midfield
and to mark out his direct opponent – his passion definitely makes
up for the lack of glamour. (Hmmm… Mr Goh did say that his
favourite players are Bryan Robson and Roy Keane of Manchester
United. So maybe, he does model himself after their hard-tackling
and battling ways).
I feel that Mr Goh plays every match as though it is his last.
Well, he did say that the Tiger Cup could be his last international
tournament before he retires from the national team but I hear
that he may now change his mind.
He also said that when he decided to play professional football,
his aim was always to reach the highest level that he could go to
as a player, that is, to play for Singapore and to help Singapore to
win glory.
This stress on staying focused is also the point he pressed home
upon us when he came back to the Sports School to talk to us just
a few days before the second-leg of the Tiger Cup Final at the
National Stadium. “Always stay focused on the match,” he said.
“Don’t think of anything else beyond the match you are playing.”
What has really impressed me most is the fact that Mr Goh
managed to juggle his studies with his soccer to eventually earn
his degree and become one of Singapore’s very rare graduate
footballers. I had always thought it is impossible to do that. In fact,
I do experience difficulties juggling both even though I am in the
Sports School and often wonder whether I can succeed in both.
But, the fact that Mr Goh managed to do it without being in the
Sports School – because there wasn’t one during his time – shows
that one can achieve anything if one sets his mind to it. Mr Goh
told Adam (Yuu Douglas) and I during our interview with him that
it is difficult balancing both, which is why graduating from the
university will remain one of his greatest personal achievements.
I am very inspired by what Mr Goh has achieved in his studies
and in football – and I am now motivated to do the same.
my dream. My priorities changed. I had less time for my loved ones,
my friends and even myself. My life revolved around my football
schedule.
It took me about four years of patience, determination and a lot
of self-belief before I established myself in the first-11 on the national
team. Unless you are prepared to make similar sacrifices, you will
not be able to reach your goal.
The current batch of national players is relatively young. Most
of them are still attending school. They certainly remind me of my
younger days. When I was in secondary school, studies always came
first. My parents insisted that I finished my homework before I could
play football with my brother. During my secondary school days, I
Setting
Goh-Posts
and Achieving Them
BY ADAM YUU DOUGLAS AND JASS NUREDDY KJ JUMAAT
STUDENTS, FOOTBALL ACADEMY
Q: Pele started kicking the football even before he could walk. When did
you start playing?
A: I started playing football when I was eight years old. Later, I was
given a chance to play for SAFSA, during National Service, and I was
paid for it. I got serious about football then as I realised that I had a
talent for the game.
Q: You are a defensive midfielder for the national team. Is this your favorite
position, and which positions have you played in the past?
A: I used to be a striker during my secondary and junior college days
because I was the best player in the team. I was a central midfielder
during my army days as I was able to hold the ball better than anyone
else. I played as a right wing-back when I started off in the S-League
with Sembawang Rangers. But V Sundramoorthy, my coach at Jurong
FC, needed a good defensive midfielder to boost his defence. So he
converted me to one. This remains my favourite position as I’m always
in the thick of the action, defending and attacking for most of the match.
Q: Did you set for yourself any goals when you were young? What were
they?
A: Of course, I set goals for myself. When I was young, one of my
goals was to play football at the highest level that I could reach, that
is, to represent Singapore at international competitions such as the
SEA Games, Tiger Cup, etc.
Q:
Q: Some say sports and studies do not complement each other. Did you
have any difficulties juggling both?
A: Yes, I definitely had many difficulties coping with both. I stopped all
my sports activities in Secondary 4 to prepare for my GCE “O” Level
examinations. During that time, the school programme was designed
for academic excellence, not for sports. How did I overcome this? I
simply played and studied even harder. I wanted to prove to my parents
that I could play football despite the academic pressure. Once they saw
that I was mature enough to know what’s best for me in the future, they
started supporting and encouraging me in my football.
Q:
During your secondary school days, which subjects did you have
difficulties in and which subjects did you excel in? How did you overcome
the problems?
A: I had difficulties in Chinese, but I was a Math whiz. I really regret
not mastering my Chinese during my secondary schooldays. You may
not see the importance of it now but I can tell you it can come in handy
in the future. You never know when you will need it. So I try to speak
the language whenever I can and read the Chinese papers as often as
I can.
Q: Now that you have won the Tiger Cup, what is next?
A: Winning the Tiger Cup is a great achievement for me but I have yet
to win anything domestically. The closest I came was a Singapore Cup
runners-up medal. So, I think my next target would be the S-League
title and the Singapore Cup. That should complete my quest!
Sometimes, trainings can be monotonous and boring. What do you
constantly tell yourself to improve when training?
A: I keep telling myself that I can do better than I have done. For
example, if an opponent gets past me the first time, I tell my self I am
not letting him through the second time. As I keep telling myself that,
my confidence keeps increasing during the game.
Q: Which is your favorite team and player?
A: The Lions of course. If I don’t support my own country, who will?
Q: Have you experienced any rivalry in the same team? If so, how did you
overcome it?
A: I wouldn’t call it rivalry. Competition for places in the team is probably
a more appropriate phrase to use. I believe competition is a healthy
thing. It keeps everyone on their toes. You shouldn’t really be thinking
about how your competitor is performing during the game as it might
affect your own play. You should be focusing on your own performance
and you should just keep the other things at the back of your mind.
Q: Do you have any special message to share with our future stars?
A: Earn your right to be part of this historic setup in Singapore Sports
Man U fans? – I doubt so. I do not have a favourite player. I admire
different players for their different attitudes. For example, I tend to
admire players with great leadership qualities – players who are always
ready to work extremely hard and are able to lead by example. Players
like Roy Keane and Bryan Robson.
by giving your 100 per cent commitment to your sport. Don’t let any
setbacks affect you, for success comes after many failures. Always stay
focused.
represented my school in the national schools
championships for cross-country, badminton,
football, track and field (800m, 1500m, triple
jump, long jump and 4x400m relay) and it was
tough balancing studies and my sporting
commitments. In Secondary 4, I dropped all
sports to prepare for my GCE “O” Level
examinations. My teachers weren’t supportive
of my sporting contributions. Thus, sometimes
I felt like a misfit in the surroundings where
everyone was heading for academic
excellence.
When the idea of a sports school was
put through, I knew students who studied
here would not have to face the problems
I did in my secondary school days. How I
wish I were given this chance then. I would
have jumped at the opportunity without
thinking twice. Who knows? I might have
excelled even more than I have achieved
today.
You guys are a lucky lot. Treasure your
opportunities and make the best of this
chance in a lifetime.
Singapore
Sports
School
•
Newsletter
11
Making A
Splash
TARGET:
The Swimming Academy
“
I was happy to see our swimmers clocking 15 PBs in total, it
got its new swimming season off to
showed that they were not cowed by the higher level of competition,
a great start as our swimmers won
a clutch of medals at the 2005
but thrived on it and used it to produce their best form.
Queensland Open and Age
Peter Churchill, Swimming Head Coach
Championships in Australia from 9
January to 14 January, and
contributed to the setting of a new national Under-17 record in Hawaii.
wins and the times posted by our swimmers during
Part of a nine-strong Singapore contingent, Benjamin Kheng,
the week-long competition and how they thrived on
Roanne Ho, Mylene Ong, Khoonie Liang and Loke En Yuan gave good
the higher level of competition.
accounts of themselves against opposition from Australia, the United
For example, even though Secondary 2 student
States of America, Hongkong and Japan as they won a string of
Khoonie just missed out on a bronze in the Girls 13medals and set several personal bests (PBs).
Year-Olds’ 100m Breaststroke, she still notched a
Secondary 3 student Benjamin led the medal charge as he captured
commendable 4 PBs out of 7 events she took part in.
one gold, one silver and two bronzes. The 14-year-old triumphed in
In fact, two of those PBs came in the same event – in
the Boys 14-Year-Olds’ 200m Individual Medley in 2min 16.92sec (PB).
the 100m Breaststroke heats and final.
He also clocked a 1min 10.82sec PB in the Boys 14-Year-Olds’ 100m
Khoonie and company weren’t the only Sports
Breaststroke en route to winning the silver, while his bronzes came in
School swimmers making their presence felt in
the Boys 14-Year-Olds’ 200mBbreaststroke and 400m IM.
overseas competition.
Not to be outdone, Roanne also came away with a gold medal at
While they were winning medals and setting PBs,
the Championships. Riding on her winning momentum from the
Ruth Ho and Ho Shu Yong powered their way into
Commonwealth Youth Games in November 2004 when she won a
the record books when they helped to set a new
bronze in the 50m Breaststroke, the Secondary 1 student powered
national Under 17 4x100m Freestyle Record of 4min
her way to gold in the Girls 12-Year-Olds’ 100m Breaststroke in Brisbane
1.11sec at the 2005 Junior Pan Pacific Championships
in a time of 1min 15.66sec.
in Hawaii, from 6 January to 9 January.
Mylene then completed the medal haul with a silver in the Girls 13The two Secondary 3 students, combined with
Year-Olds’ 100m Butterfly and two bronzes in the Girls 13-Year-Olds’
Bernadette Lee and Lynette Ng, set up the platform
100m and 200m Freestyle.
for the record-breaking feat with powerful swims in
Swimming Head Coach Peter Churchill was pleased with both the
the first two legs.
Ruth and Shu Yong, qualified
for the “B” finals of the Women’s
Nine hundred Personal Bests (PBs) in one year. Swimming Academy Head Coach
100m and 200m Freestyle, with
Peter Churchill has raised the bar on last year’s PB-target of 700.
Shu Yong (6 th and 7 th,
“They can do it this year,” he said. “Because when you break the figures down, it is
not as daunting as it looks. All I am asking for them is to clock 75 PBs a month or three
respectively) narrowly edging
a day.
out Ruth (7 th and 8 th,
“Now, that doesn’t sound too difficult, does it?”
respectively) in both events.
“I see it as a way of educating the children and their parents,” he said. “I want to drive
Ruth finished 3rd in the Women’s
home the message that there are other tangible things in swimming to aim for other than
medals and records.
50m “B” final, while Shu Yong
“Not every swimmer is going to win a medal or break a record during his swimming
was 2nd in the “C” final.
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career. But he will also feel a strong sense of achievement and personal improvement if
he can see himself constantly bringing his times down.”
12
Singapore
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”